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The Forum Endorses Burning in China
Tonight at 8, Pickford Auditorium will host Burning in China for the second and final time. Brought to CMC by Professor Faggen and the Gould Center, the one-man play is presented from the perspective of an American professor as he relates his experiences on exchange in Shanghai during the lead-up to the Tianamen Square protests. Last night was the show’s Los Angeles premiere.
Now, CMC, we realize this is a hard sell. We know that the Gould Center’s programming doesn’t make your heart race, and that if this post were an email from Connie Bartling, you’d probably delete it. We also know how much you’re looking forward to Kohoutek and Tell Me When to Glow.
But if you want to break the party monotony and do something different, we recommend you head to Pickford tonight. The show is beautifully written and acted. It’s also funny. A few of us went last night and honestly enjoyed it.
The best part is that– in its way– it’s very CMC. The show is about democracy and freedom, bizarre culture shock, and talking politics over drinks. There’s Abraham Lincoln. There’s sex, too, and in ways that would make drunk North Quad jocks proud. (Trust us.)
Last week, Patrick Atwater wrote a piece here about some of the shortcomings of the CMC approach to education. If that one made you think, or if you’re just looking to be challenged in a different way, then give this show a try.
Curtain rises at 8. Entry is free.
3 Comments
2009-04-25
14:43:27
The Forum should write a story about how Prof. Faggen has screwed over the Gould Center. Although I'm sure such obscure opportunities like this play or expensive visiting professors (i.e. Mort Sahl) can be rewarding experiences for a handful of CMC students, I miss the days when the Gould Center spent its money on regular trips to symphony/opera/ballet/theater in LA as well as trips to museums like the Getty. These activities gave students easier access to the world of "humanities" that is rich in LA.
Instead, Faggen came on board as the center's Director in 2007 and used the Gould Center funds to pay for things that do no appeal to the greater CMC student community. Rumor has it he even stopped consulting the Center's student advisory committee, much to the disappointment of the Gould Center's Board of Directors. But Faggen views himself as holier-than-thou so...
I'm sure the man has a kind soul somewhere, and I know he's ridiculously smart, but these obscure performances are a waste of money when we could be exposing more CMC students to the world of humanities in more effective ways.
I've always wanted to rant on this.
2009-04-26
01:06:18
Wow, that play sucked.
2009-04-26
04:10:53
The play was fantastic. More students need to take advantage of opportunities like this instead of ranting about how 'obscure' the Gould center events are. Seriously.