I Read The News Today, Oh Boy . . .

There's a review in the New York Times.

Now, here's the thing. This ain't video, people; it's a live event. The review says "a video served as set, depicting a hand drawing a picture by Michael Arthur." Now, leaving aside the fact that I am sitting in a place of prominence, between the audience and the stage, dressed in a tuxedo, with a large, brightly lit machine supporting my drawing pad under a camera, where did The Times imagine we found a hand that could draw a Michael Arthur drawing and not have it be actually connected to my arm?

But, I digress with a rant.

And I will continue.

I think it has something to do with how the eye is lulled by tradition, that it doesn't recognize NEW THING HAPPENING even when it's right in front of the nose. By this, I mean that, during this performance, I am sitting down near the musicians and--since I am wearing a tuxedo and this is a dance--I "read" as a conductor, despite the fact that there's projection equipment and I am not, in fact, conducting. Audiences are generally lazy, not because they aren't good people wanting a taste of something different--bless their hearts--but, because they so infrequently get a genuine taste of something different.

On the plus side, I am complaining (in strongly cliched language) about a review I received in the New York Times.

So . . . That's progress, right?