Latest news with #SIR
Pink Villa
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Dhanush says he wants to direct Pawan Kalyan in a Telugu movie; gets emotional for his father at Kuberaa pre-release event
At the pre-release event of Kuberaa, Dhanush heaped high praises for director Sekhar Kammula. From getting emotional about his father to wishing to direct a movie in Telugu for Pawan Kalyan, Dhanush poured his heart out like never before at the pre-release event of Kuberaa, which was also attended by SS Rajamouli as a chief guest. Dhanush gets emotional as he talks about his father's hard work All the struggles my father went through, every penny he had to borrow, blood and sweat, all the hard work he put in, so that he wanted us to achieve. Everything that I have achieved today it's because of him and his hard work Dhanush about his second film in Telugu Kuberaa marks my 51st film in Tamil and my second in Telugu. Sekhar Kammula sir shared this story with me even before SIR. In a time when the industry is chasing numbers, this man is out there chasing butterflies—seeking stories with soul, not just scale. One movie he would want to direct? During Kuberaa event, Dhanush said, 'I would like to direct a movie for Pawan Kalyan sir in Telugu.' Dhanush says, 'If you earn Rs 150, you will have a problem for Rs 200. If you earn 1 crore, you will have problems for 2 crore.' Nagarjuna about Dhanush "It was fantastic working with you. I've seen your films. I've seen the way you get into character on set; it's just outstanding. God bless you with much more glory and success. I'm so happy that I worked with you." Shot in Hyderabad and Mumbai, and wrapped in April, Kuberaa has music composed by Devi Sri Prasad, cinematography by Niketh Bommireddy, editing by Karthika Srinivas and production design by Thota Tharani. Kuberaa is scheduled to release theatrically worldwide on 20 June 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Local cast delivers bleak, brilliant Beckett classic
A recurring line that runs like a leitmotiv through Samuel Beckett's absurdist masterpiece Waiting for Godot is: 'What do we do now?' Well, in this case, not much of anything, other than ponder existential questions regarding happiness, love, loneliness and God, not to mention the frailties of the hopelessly mortal, fallible human condition itself. Shakespeare in the Ruins launched its second show of its summer season Friday night, with a rare local live production of Waiting for Godot, performed al fresco among the ruins at Trappist Monastery Provincial Heritage Park. CHRISTINE LESLIE PHOTO Vladimir (Arne MacPherson, left) and Estragon (Cory Wojcik) bicker and commiserate while waiting for Godot. The intimate 150-minute show (including intermission), ably directed by SIR artistic director Rodrigo Beilfuss, is performed in repertory with the company's ongoing mainstage show, Macbeth. Godot has puzzled and perplexed audiences ever since its 1953 première with its simple story about two seemingly homeless men waiting endlessly for the mysterious title character. Beckett's enigmatic narrative teems with non-sequiturs and mundane observations, in turn punctuated by snappy wordplay and the occasional, heartbreaking zinger that pierces the tragicomedy's lighter moments like a rapier. It's also not exactly a plot-driven drama, relying instead on strongly forged characters and their fleshed-out relationships as they form and then fall apart. Local thespians Arne MacPherson as Vladimir (Didi) and Cory Wojcik as his long-suffering pal Estragon (Gogo) prove a well-matched team, dressed in costume designer Anika Binding's ragtag suits and bowler hats, as they spar and bicker, bare their souls and ultimately cling to each other. Set/props designer Lovissa Wiens creates a barren landscape, including a deliciously industrial 'tree' wrapped in chicken wire and brambles, with cast-off shoes and junkyard garbage bags — even a broken TV set — strewn about the edges of the monastery, creating a desolate playground of decay. MacPherson — a founding member of SiR who dazzled as the title character during last year's production of Iago Speaks — compels as the duo's 'thinker,' although his matter-of-fact, often more rapid-fire vocal style, especially during his repeated references to Godot, invariably dilutes the absurdity of his portrayal. While it all boils down to personal taste, Godot — a mysterious, Oz-like figure — should be addressed with more solemnity and even reverence to create greater subtext, as well as a more pronounced schism between stark reality and dreamy imagination, the gap between what is and what can be in a world of bleakness. Despite this artistic choice, however, one of his final, blink-and-you-miss it lines, 'Tell (Godot) that you saw me, and that you saw me,' packs an existential punch of self-identity and validation; it's one of the play's most resonant themes — if not the very point of it all. For his part, Wojcik crafts a stumbling, carrot-loving tramp with the heart of a poet who gnaws on chicken bones and frets about such physical needs as sleep and comfortable boots. His razor-sharp timing and agile inflection help him toss off such salient lines as 'We are all born mad; some remain so,' as well as ruing 'Nothing to be done,' a key sentiment. Tom Keenan (King Duncan, witch and porter in Macbeth) crafts a powder-keg Pozzo, ready to blow, ferociously cracking his riding whip when he burst onto the stage with his battered, tethered slave, Lucky (Liam Dutiaume, marking his professional debut) midway through Act I. His compelling, volatile portrayal immediately pumps the show with larger-than-life theatricality, his declaration, 'I am Pozzo,' thundering across the ruins as he stands atop a large Tyndall stone block. CHRISTINE LESLIE PHOTO Cory Wojcik as the bootless Estragon A special bravo to Dutiaume for a brilliant, less-is-more rendering of his ironically named, white-wigged zombie, his sunken eyes transfixed as he dutifully obeys Pozzo's barked commands. The actor, also appearing as Malcolm and Witch in Macbeth, nails Lucky's big speech (following his shuffling dance), proving to Vladimir and Estragon his ability to 'think' by delivering a staccato word salad of nonsensical imagery, pithy bon mots and guttural utterances. Beilfuss's thoughtful blocking (which at times is overly static, as when Pozzo is seated on his stool for far too long) adds texture to his overall delivery, seeing Lucky climb onto the stone block to spew out words directly to the audience. Sundays Kevin Rollason's Sunday newsletter honouring and remembering lives well-lived in Manitoba. His pacing might have been quicker — a tall order, to be sure — to convey Lucky's rising desperation, although kudos are owed to the actor for fearlessly attacking Beckett's knotty text. The show highlights the first joint professional stage appearance by Wojcik and his actor son Mackenzie (Witch in Macbeth). The latter makes every moment count as the goat-herder 'Boy,' delivering messages from Godot, his spot-on conviction and guileless innocence proving the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. The play itself ends not with a bang, but a whimper. There is no resolution; Godot never arrives. While some pundits surmise that Beckett's play is about inertia, with a chaser of pre-supposed meaningless of life, Estragon's potent Act II question to Vladimir — 'Do you think God sees me?' — refutes the perennial argument that Godot is fundamentally a secular play. In the end, this cryptic conundrum will never be answered, and will continue, as it has for the last 73 years, to elicit a prism of interpretation by all those who see it. But that's probably just how its stable of all-too-human, flawed characters, as they grit their teeth and grapple with 'life,' would have liked it.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
SIR Royalty Income Fund Announces June 2025 Distribution
BURLINGTON, ON, June 11, 2025 /CNW/ - SIR Royalty Income Fund (TSX: ("the Fund") today declared a cash distribution of $0.095 per unit for the period May 1, 2025 to May 31, 2025. The distribution will be payable on June 30, 2025 to unitholders of record as at the close of business on June 20, 2025. About SIR Royalty Income Fund The Fund is a trust governed by the laws of the province of Ontario that receives distribution income from its investment in the SIR Royalty Limited Partnership and interest income from the SIR Loan. The Fund intends to pay distributions to unitholders on a monthly basis. About SIR Corp. SIR Corp. ("SIR") is a privately held Canadian corporation that owns a portfolio of 53 restaurants in Canada. SIR's Concept brands include Jack Astor's Bar and Grill® with 35 locations and Scaddabush Italian Kitchen & Bar® with 13 locations. SIR also operates one-of-a-kind Signature brands including The Loose Moose®, Reds® Square One and Edna + VitaTM. All trademarks related to the Concept and Signature brands noted above are used by SIR under a License and Royalty Agreement with SIR Royalty Limited Partnership. SIR also owns two Duke's Refresher® + Bar locations, which are currently not part of the Royalty Pool. For more information on SIR or the SIR Royalty Income Fund, please visit SOURCE SIR Royalty Income Fund View original content: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Cision Canada
5 days ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
SIR Royalty Income Fund Announces June 2025 Distribution
BURLINGTON, ON, June 11, 2025 /CNW/ - SIR Royalty Income Fund (TSX: ("the Fund") today declared a cash distribution of $0.095 per unit for the period May 1, 2025 to May 31, 2025. The distribution will be payable on June 30, 2025 to unitholders of record as at the close of business on June 20, 2025. About SIR Royalty Income Fund The Fund is a trust governed by the laws of the province of Ontario that receives distribution income from its investment in the SIR Royalty Limited Partnership and interest income from the SIR Loan. The Fund intends to pay distributions to unitholders on a monthly basis. About SIR Corp. SIR Corp. ("SIR") is a privately held Canadian corporation that owns a portfolio of 53 restaurants in Canada. SIR's Concept brands include Jack Astor's Bar and Grill® with 35 locations and Scaddabush Italian Kitchen & Bar® with 13 locations. SIR also operates one-of-a-kind Signature brands including The Loose Moose®, Reds® Square One and Edna + Vita TM. All trademarks related to the Concept and Signature brands noted above are used by SIR under a License and Royalty Agreement with SIR Royalty Limited Partnership. SIR also owns two Duke's Refresher® + Bar locations, which are currently not part of the Royalty Pool. For more information on SIR or the SIR Royalty Income Fund, please visit
Morocco World
6 days ago
- Business
- Morocco World
World Bank Backs $350 Million Project to Transform Casablanca's Rail, Logistics Network
Rabat – The World Bank recently committed $350 million to finance a major overhaul of Greater Casablanca's transport and logistics system. The financing aims to enhance commuter rail operations and enhance the strength of Morocco's national railway company, the Office National des Chemins de Fer (ONCF), preparing it for long-term expansion. Morocco's urban population now reaches 60% and is expected to climb to 70% by 2050. Casablanca-Settat, the country's economic powerhouse, sits at the center of this urban boom. Cities already drive much of Morocco's economy and job creation, but residents face serious challenges like limited transport options in suburban neighborhoods, worsening traffic congestion, and pollution. Addressing these problems is vital for the future livability and economic potential of Moroccan cities. To meet this challenge, the Moroccan government has invested heavily in rail and public transit. The World Bank-sponsored new program, Service Intra-métropolitain Rapproché (SIR), aims to upgrade train station amenities and boost the number of passenger trains operating. This reduces journey times between main points to 45 minutes or less, providing greater access to employment opportunities and basic services for more people. The $350 million will be used to extend an electrified commuter rail network between central Casablanca and expanding suburbs such as Zenata, Mohammedia, Nouaceur, and Bouskoura. The project includes the renovation of 73-kilometer stretches of existing railway lines, electric infrastructure, and signaling equipment that would be resilient against the impacts of climate. It will alleviate congestion on existing lines and increase freight transportation capacity to Casablanca's port, an important commercial center. The project also aims to develop or upgrade 15 multimodal rail stations, with accessible design and development practices that promote transit riding. It aims to increase logistics activities, particularly in the Ain Sebaa industrial district, and enhance access to a new logistics park in Zenata. Ahmadou Moustapha Ndiaye, the World Bank's Maghreb and Malta Division Director, said the financing will enhance ONCF's management and operational abilities, helping the operator evolve into a publicly listed company focused on customer service. He described the project as a key step toward sustainable urban development and improved daily life for Casablanca residents. By mid-2031, the program expects to improve transport access for more than half a million people. It will raise the number of jobs reachable by rail within 45 minutes by seven percent and improve access to essential services by a similar margin. This investment marks a turning point in Casablanca's transport system, aiming to connect growing suburbs efficiently while reducing environmental impact and supporting economic growth across the region. Tags: morocco railwaysMorocco transportworld bankworld bank morocco
