Intriguing theatrical history, if a bit too nice for its raucous subject.
Institutional sketch comedy has an illustrious home in Texas, according to this history of Austin’s Esther’s Follies.
Sublett (1960s Austin Gangsters, 2015, etc.) traces Esther’s Follies back to its post–Vietnam War roots as incidental entertainment at a gumbo cafe. It caught the wave of avant-garde yuks pioneered at Chicago’s Second City by haphazardly synthesizing variety vaudeville and sketch as if, in the words of one cast veteran, “Carol Burnett met Sid Caesar and they had a baby and it grew up to be Saturday Night Live on Bourbon Street.” Over the years, Esther’s anything-goes aesthetic has included mime, dramatic readings, mock water ballets—the troupe named itself after Esther Williams, swimming star of Hollywood aquatic extravaganzas—and audience-participation stunts wherein innocents called up from the crowd get propositioned by the cast. In recent decades, features have included headliner Ray Anderson’s comedic magic and illusions act, co-founder Shannon Sedwick’s absurdist turn as country torch-singer Patsy Cline, satirical musical medleys on news and politics, and Esther’s trademark window onto the sidewalk, through which rubbernecking passers-by get incorporated into the stage proceedings. Along the way, Esther’s went from disreputable bohemian hangout to civic monument as it transformed its shabby Sixth Street locale into a fashionable night-life district and became a pillar of Austin’s liberal cultural politics. (Populist Texas Gov. Ann Richards even did guest bits.) Sublett is a genial emcee for this blithe retrospective, providing deft narrative infill for the countless reminiscences by cast members. Aided by giant color photos, the recollections vividly re-create the atmospherics of theater pratfalls, nudity both theatrical and casual, and drag, drag, and more drag. But sometimes Sublett is too genial: There are darker corners—factional infighting, personality clashes, a rancorous walkout by half the cast, early deaths by unnatural causes—that he barely peeks into before ushering readers back to the entertainment. Worse, Sublett’s re-creations of Esther’s alleged comic genius fall flat on the printed page. (Sample satirical number: “You know we have a Bible Belt, and suspenders, too / And every day we ask ourselves, ‘What would Bill O’Reilly do?’ / Hillary’s husband was unfaithful, but she looked the other way / If my man pulled a stunt like that, he’d be talkin’ funny today.”) Still, this is an evocative account of how comedy can become a cultural force.
Intriguing theatrical history, if a bit too nice for its raucous subject.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 203
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.
Greed, depravity, and serial murder in 1920s Oklahoma.
During that time, enrolled members of the Osage Indian nation were among the wealthiest people per capita in the world. The rich oil fields beneath their reservation brought millions of dollars into the tribe annually, distributed to tribal members holding "headrights" that could not be bought or sold but only inherited. This vast wealth attracted the attention of unscrupulous whites who found ways to divert it to themselves by marrying Osage women or by having Osage declared legally incompetent so the whites could fleece them through the administration of their estates. For some, however, these deceptive tactics were not enough, and a plague of violent death—by shooting, poison, orchestrated automobile accident, and bombing—began to decimate the Osage in what they came to call the "Reign of Terror." Corrupt and incompetent law enforcement and judicial systems ensured that the perpetrators were never found or punished until the young J. Edgar Hoover saw cracking these cases as a means of burnishing the reputation of the newly professionalized FBI. Bestselling New Yorkerstaff writer Grann (The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession, 2010, etc.) follows Special Agent Tom White and his assistants as they track the killers of one extended Osage family through a closed local culture of greed, bigotry, and lies in pursuit of protection for the survivors and justice for the dead. But he doesn't stop there; relying almost entirely on primary and unpublished sources, the author goes on to expose a web of conspiracy and corruption that extended far wider than even the FBI ever suspected. This page-turner surges forward with the pacing of a true-crime thriller, elevated by Grann's crisp and evocative prose and enhanced by dozens of period photographs.
Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.Pub Date: April 18, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-385-53424-6
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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