Latest news with #Pygmalion
Washington Post
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
A charming world premiere puts a musical spin on ‘Pygmalion' — again
George Bernard Washington III, the Julliard-bound prodigy at the center of Olney Theatre Center's 'Senior Class,' is a student of stratospheric standards. Tasked with one-upping 'My Fair Lady' and penning his own adaptation of 'Pygmalion' for his high school's spring musical, G.B. repeatedly emphasizes that 'pretty good' is the enemy of greatness. If his show isn't a triumph, it's a train wreck.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Mornington Street, Leicester: The street where over 43% adults speak no English
UK PM Keir Starmer (File photo) Were Professor Henry Higgins of Pygmalion fame to stroll down Mornington Street in Leicester, he might well be tempted to throw in the phonetic towel. Here, in the heart of St Matthew's, language is a tapestry of tongues — few of which, for a significant portion of residents, are English. According to the 2021 Census, this modest stretch of red-brick Victorian terraces has the lowest proportion of English speakers in the entire United Kingdom. In the dozen or so streets surrounding Mornington, nearly 43% of residents aged 16 and above speak little or no English. City-wide, only 57% of Leicester's population was born in England — a drop from 65% in 2011 — reflecting decades of migration from Gujarat, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Somalia, and Eastern Europe. Mornington Street is less a postcode and more a portrait of globalisation — one where children often interpret for grandparents, sari shops outnumber pubs, and Arabic signs sit alongside corner takeaways offering spicy curry pizzas. Mind Your Language Hello Sailor Alphabets Located in a densely populated pocket of North Evington, the area comprises around 2,000 residents across a dozen roads. Mornington Street and the surrounding neighbourhood are home to a significant number of migrants, primarily Muslims of Indian origin from Gujarat, along with sizeable communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Somalia, and Eastern Europe. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Bangladesh: Jewelry On Sale For Half Price (See Price List) Luxury Jewelry | search ads Undo The area includes two mosques, a Hindu temple, and numerous multilingual households with three generations living under one roof. Local school staff report that children frequently serve as translators for parents and grandparents. Ruki, 62, a lunchtime supervisor at St Barnabas Primary School and a long-time resident, stated that many older residents speak no English and rely on younger family members to communicate with schools and health services. Shohel Issufo, a takeaway owner who arrived from Gujarat in 2003, said he had enrolled in an ESOL course to improve his English. He noted that many people in the area did not feel the need to learn the language because they were surrounded by others who spoke the same dialect. Ribwar Hussein, a garage owner originally from Iraq, explained that he learned English after marrying a British woman. While his children are bilingual, he said the use of Kurdish at home is gradually declining. Carer Payl Vaghela, whose family lives on Mornington Street, said they speak both Gujarati and English at home. Her mother, who has lived in the area for 40 years, is fluent in both languages, while her young son speaks only English with limited understanding of Gujarati. Other residents cited long working hours and family responsibilities as barriers to learning English. Factory worker Imran Ussene noted that although his wife had enrolled in English classes, she had to stop due to childcare duties. A local man said his aunt, who speaks only Memon, had never learned English, finding it too difficult and unnecessary since most of her social circle also communicates in the same language. Community leader Mansoor Moghal, former chairman of Leicestershire's Race Relations Committee, acknowledged that there are pockets of non-English speakers in Leicester but maintained that the majority of the city's non-white population does speak English. He added that migrants from Eastern Europe may have also contributed to the high proportion of non-English speakers reflected in the census data. Leicester experienced communal tensions in 2022, including clashes between Hindu and Muslim groups in areas like St Matthew's. While tensions have since calmed, concerns about integration and communication in linguistically diverse neighbourhoods persist. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer addressed these issues in his recent 'Island of Strangers' speech, asserting that migrants must commit to learning English. Though he declined to impose a cap on immigration numbers, he argued that the government should differentiate between those who integrate and those who do not. The speech drew mixed reactions. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage praised Starmer's comments as long overdue, while Labour MP Diane Abbott denounced them as divisive and harmful. Mornington Street today reflects a microcosm of Britain's evolving urban identity — shaped by successive waves of migration, multilingualism, and a complex negotiation of culture, belonging, and communication.
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
BIBI releases sophomore album 'EVE: ROMANCE' with philosophical edge
SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean artist BIBI released her highly anticipated sophomore album 'EVE: ROMANCE' on Wednesday, delivering a project that blends her signature genre-defying sound with philosophical twists. The singer, songwriter and actor, who moves fluidly between pop, R&B, hip-hop and electronic music, has built a reputation for her bold, unapologetic presence in an industry often defined by careful image management. Her latest album features 14 tracks, including six new songs alongside previously released hits like 'Bam Yang Gang' and 'Derre.' In an interview with The Associated Press, BIBI explained the meaning behind the album's lead single 'Apocalypse,' which carries a more poetic Korean title meaning 'The Apple Tree of the End Times.' 'I thought, if there was the fruit of knowledge of good and evil at the beginning, then this would be the apple tree at the end of times,' BIBI said. 'You know that saying — when asked what you'd do if the world ended tomorrow, some say they'd plant an apple tree, others say they'd have an orgy. ... But to me, they felt like the same thing. Both are, in essence, acts of planting seeds.' Her interpretation, merging ideas of creation, pleasure, and existential finality, may come across as provocative in a conservative South Korean society where open discussions about sex remain rare and often taboo. 'In reality, everything has an end, and what each person chooses to do in that moment is their own,' she added. 'It can't be labeled as good or bad. After all, isn't the very idea of good and evil ambiguous?' One of Korea's fastest-rising stars with a growing international presence, BIBI reflected on the surprising success of 'Bam Yang Gang.' The song, which means a chestnut jelly snack in Korean, became a viral sensation in South Korea last year while she was too busy to notice. 'I was filming two dramas simultaneously, so I was really busy,' she said. 'I couldn't really feel it at that time. Actually, I felt it more this year because people introduce me saying, 'Last year was the year of Bam Yang Gang.'' Despite her growing popularity, BIBI aspires to maintain an element of 'ambiguity' in her artistry. 'I want to be a mysterious artist. Like 'Gacha!' — that kind of feeling. Like you don't know what you'll get from a Gacha machine,' she explained, referencing the Japanese toy vending machines known for their randomized collectibles. The album includes 'Pygma girl,' a track that reimagines the Greek myth of Pygmalion by reversing traditional muse-artist dynamics, suggesting the subject is the art itself rather than merely inspiring the creator. 'Midnight Cruise,' another standout track, was written after she dreamt about her late grandfather before her Coachella performance in 2024. BIBI will kick off her first global tour in Seoul on May 16, before heading to the United States and Canada. She will then continue across Asia, with stops including Hong Kong and cities in Japan. The tour will conclude in Australia and New Zealand this October. 'EVE: ROMANCE' is out now.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
BIBI releases sophomore album 'EVE: ROMANCE' with philosophical edge
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean artist BIBI released her highly anticipated sophomore album 'EVE: ROMANCE' on Wednesday, delivering a project that blends her signature genre-defying sound with philosophical twists. The singer, songwriter and actor, who moves fluidly between pop, R&B, hip-hop and electronic music, has built a reputation for her bold, unapologetic presence in an industry often defined by careful image management. Her latest album features 14 tracks, including six new songs alongside previously released hits like 'Bam Yang Gang' and 'Derre.' In an interview with The Associated Press, BIBI explained the meaning behind the album's lead single 'Apocalypse,' which carries a more poetic Korean title meaning 'The Apple Tree of the End Times.' 'I thought, if there was the fruit of knowledge of good and evil at the beginning, then this would be the apple tree at the end of times,' BIBI said. 'You know that saying — when asked what you'd do if the world ended tomorrow, some say they'd plant an apple tree, others say they'd have an orgy. ... But to me, they felt like the same thing. Both are, in essence, acts of planting seeds.' Her interpretation, merging ideas of creation, pleasure, and existential finality, may come across as provocative in a conservative South Korean society where open discussions about sex remain rare and often taboo. 'In reality, everything has an end, and what each person chooses to do in that moment is their own,' she added. 'It can't be labeled as good or bad. After all, isn't the very idea of good and evil ambiguous?' One of Korea's fastest-rising stars with a growing international presence, BIBI reflected on the surprising success of 'Bam Yang Gang.' The song, which means a chestnut jelly snack in Korean, became a viral sensation in South Korea last year while she was too busy to notice. 'I was filming two dramas simultaneously, so I was really busy,' she said. 'I couldn't really feel it at that time. Actually, I felt it more this year because people introduce me saying, 'Last year was the year of Bam Yang Gang.'' Despite her growing popularity, BIBI aspires to maintain an element of 'ambiguity' in her artistry. 'I want to be a mysterious artist. Like 'Gacha!' — that kind of feeling. Like you don't know what you'll get from a Gacha machine,' she explained, referencing the Japanese toy vending machines known for their randomized collectibles. The album includes 'Pygma girl,' a track that reimagines the Greek myth of Pygmalion by reversing traditional muse-artist dynamics, suggesting the subject is the art itself rather than merely inspiring the creator. 'Midnight Cruise,' another standout track, was written after she dreamt about her late grandfather before her Coachella performance in 2024. BIBI will kick off her first global tour in Seoul on May 16, before heading to the United States and Canada. She will then continue across Asia, with stops including Hong Kong and cities in Japan. The tour will conclude in Australia and New Zealand this October. 'EVE: ROMANCE' is out now.
Associated Press
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
BIBI releases sophomore album 'EVE: ROMANCE' with philosophical edge
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean artist BIBI released her highly anticipated sophomore album 'EVE: ROMANCE' on Wednesday, delivering a project that blends her signature genre-defying sound with philosophical twists. The singer, songwriter and actor, who moves fluidly between pop, R&B, hip-hop and electronic music, has built a reputation for her bold, unapologetic presence in an industry often defined by careful image management. Her latest album features 14 tracks, including six new songs alongside previously released hits like 'Bam Yang Gang' and 'Derre.' In an interview with The Associated Press, BIBI explained the meaning behind the album's lead single 'Apocalypse,' which carries a more poetic Korean title meaning 'The Apple Tree of the End Times.' 'I thought, if there was the fruit of knowledge of good and evil at the beginning, then this would be the apple tree at the end of times,' BIBI said. 'You know that saying — when asked what you'd do if the world ended tomorrow, some say they'd plant an apple tree, others say they'd have an orgy. ... But to me, they felt like the same thing. Both are, in essence, acts of planting seeds.' Her interpretation, merging ideas of creation, pleasure, and existential finality, may come across as provocative in a conservative South Korean society where open discussions about sex remain rare and often taboo. 'In reality, everything has an end, and what each person chooses to do in that moment is their own,' she added. 'It can't be labeled as good or bad. After all, isn't the very idea of good and evil ambiguous?' One of Korea's fastest-rising stars with a growing international presence, BIBI reflected on the surprising success of 'Bam Yang Gang.' The song, which means a chestnut jelly snack in Korean, became a viral sensation in South Korea last year while she was too busy to notice. 'I was filming two dramas simultaneously, so I was really busy,' she said. 'I couldn't really feel it at that time. Actually, I felt it more this year because people introduce me saying, 'Last year was the year of Bam Yang Gang.'' Despite her growing popularity, BIBI aspires to maintain an element of 'ambiguity' in her artistry. 'I want to be a mysterious artist. Like 'Gacha!' — that kind of feeling. Like you don't know what you'll get from a Gacha machine,' she explained, referencing the Japanese toy vending machines known for their randomized collectibles. The album includes 'Pygma girl,' a track that reimagines the Greek myth of Pygmalion by reversing traditional muse-artist dynamics, suggesting the subject is the art itself rather than merely inspiring the creator. 'Midnight Cruise,' another standout track, was written after she dreamt about her late grandfather before her Coachella performance in 2024. BIBI will kick off her first global tour in Seoul on May 16, before heading to the United States and Canada. She will then continue across Asia, with stops including Hong Kong and cities in Japan. The tour will conclude in Australia and New Zealand this October. 'EVE: ROMANCE' is out now.
