Monthly Archives: June 2009

‘Imagine That Confronting You on a Newsstand!’ Creative Editor Creatively Lampooned

Jonathan Taylor writes:
The Daily Telegraph‘s obituary of the legendarily legendary editor of Flair magazine, Fleur Cowles, notes that she was the subject of a parodic piece in the New Yorker.
“The Hand That Cradles the Rock” (July 1, 1950), by S.J. Perelman, emits a chauvinistic condescension as it quotes at length an admittedly fawning portrait of Cowles (“‘I’m just a generally creative person,’ she says modestly”). But then follows a livelier speculative playlet, about an explosively innovative (and totally fictional) redactrix, Hyacinth Beddoes Laffoon, “queen-pin of the pulp oligarchy embracing ‘Gory Story,’ ‘Sanguinary Love,’ ‘Popular Dissolution’ and ‘Spicy Mortician.'” The scene finds Laffoon, “chic in a chiffon dress for which she herself spun the silk this morning,” in conference with the obseqious editorial assistants of her magazine, Shroud:

HYACINTH: First, these covers we’ve been running. They’re namby-pamby, no more punch than a textbook. Look at this one—a naked girl tied to a bedpost and a chimpanzee brandishing a knout.
BUNCE: I see the structural weakness. It demands too much of the reader.

But wait, here’s the beauty part—I mean, “The Beauty Part“—the full-length play that Perelman wrote his Laffoon character into, with five parts for Bert Lahr. Reviewing a 1992 Yale Rep revival, the Times said that “few flops have been as celebrated, mulled over and positively entitled to cult status,” but suggests:

In contrast to the capacity for self-reproachment of genuine contemporary artists, currently evidenced by “The Player,” the film about Hollywood backstabbing, and “Sight Unseen,” the play about sham in the art world, Perelman’s barbs about art as a commodity, the uncurbed need for self-expression and the mass marketing of culture — or to be an exact Perelmaniac, “Amurcan Kulchur,” are tepid indeed.

I wonder if that still the case, or might we benefit anew from a satire on

artists who do “collages out of seaweed and graham crackers,” or who sculpture in soap on “Procter & Gamble scholarships”; writers like one Kitty Entrail, “an intense minor poetess in paisley,” and suburban consumers (here Gloria and Seymour Krumgold) who commission a heat-resistant painting on Formica “as long as it doesn’t clash with the drapes.”

The Uptown Pearl: End of an Era

Martin Schneider writes:
Last Friday, I saw Vieux Carré by Tennessee Williams at the Pearl Theatre on 8th Street. Hilton Als gave the show a good review in the June 8 issue. I recommend the show, but it’s only playing for a few more days (through June 14), so make haste!
Anyone who has spent much time in the East Village will know the Pearl. It’s located on the old site of the Theatre 80 St. Marks, where I dimly remember seeing a Godard double-feature before it stopped showing classic movies around 1993.
This week marks the last week of the phenomenally fruitful artistic directorship of Shepard Sobel, as well as the last week of performances in the East Village space; they are moving to the New York City Center in midtown. It’s sad news for people who like the good things in life to stay the way they are.
The Pearl is my favorite theater company in New York. It was (and, one expects, will remain) the quintessential repertory theater in New York, mounting well-acted “straight” (that is, interpretation-free) productions of classic plays ranging from Shakespeare to Ionesco and beyond. I saw plays there by worthwhile playwrights of yore you don’t see produced often: Lessing, Calderón de la Barca, Goldoni.
The first play I ever saw there was Shakespeare’s Cymbeline, in 1996. To this day it remains one of the freshest productions of Shakespeare I can recall, a feat accomplished on a small stage with a bare set.
Over the years I saw probably about 25 productions, which gave me a chance to get to know the versatile company. I won’t soon forget names like Joanne Camp, Rachel Botchan, Celeste Ciulla, Carol Schultz, Arnie Burton, Robin Leslie Brown, Hope Chernov (this is a company where the woman seem to get the choicest roles), Arnie Burton, Dan Dailey, Robert Hock, Dominic Cuskern, Sean McNall, John Wylie, Edward Seamon. I’m grateful to all of the above as well as everyone else who helped with the productions, for the pleasures they afforded me over the years.
I’m confident the Pearl will prosper 40 streets north, but I’m still sad that I won’t again see their productions off of St. Marks Place. I’m sure I’ll continue to see their productions (Shaw’s Misalliance next year looks tasty).
Update: In the lobby of the Pearl hangs a framed drawing cut out from the pages of The New Yorker. It appeared in the September 19, 1994, issue. Here it is (click to enlarge):
Pearl.png

Take Part in the Tom Swifties Competition at Schott’s Blog!

Martin Schneider writes:
Yesterday morning Ben Schott kicked off a Tom Swifties competition at the New York Times website. It didn’t take me long to get quite swept up in the fun of composing them (I’d never really tried before), and apparently I’m not alone. A mere 36 hours later and there are nearly two thousand comments to the post.
Here are the ones I contributed (a few are pretty groan-worthy):

“Margaret Thatcher is the blame of this country’s problems,” said Nigel accusatorily.
“I’m going to carve an object out of this branch,” said Tom wittily.
“My favorite architect is from Spain,” said Tony gaudily.
“This list of great albums from the 1980s is missing Centerfold,” said Jay guilelessly.
“It is very important that we complete this dam,” Tom badgered the audience.
“These dumplings are delicious,” said Tom wantonly.
“I don’t really see the need for automobile insurance,” said Tom recklessly.
“Sis boom bah!” shouted Tom cheerfully.
“Which way is the ladies’ room?” asked Tom gently.
“I’d be interested in parting with the Minnesota Twins’ stadium at the right price,” the businessman said seldom.
“How am I going to affix this leaflet to this corkboard?” asked Tom tactlessly.
“I would never be able to find Italy on a map,” said Luigi bootlessly.

If nothing else, the competition may give our fecund Pollux ideas for a few delightful strips.
If you post any, by all means post them here as well!

Celebrate Dorothy Parker This Weekend, at Governor’s Island!

Martin Schneider writes:
The annual Parkerfest (it is the 11th) takes place on June 6 and 7. The always ambitious Kevin Fitzpatrick has much planned. (By the bye, June 7 is also the anniversary of Dorothy Parker’s death, in 1967.)
It will be held on Governors Island. Come attend a huge Roaring Twenties weekend, with vintage clothes, automobiles, live jazz, and outdoor cocktail parties.
The Governors Island Jazz Age Lawn Party is produced by Michael Arenella, who will lead his famous Dreamland Orchestra in “hot-and-sweet” period music. Vintage attire is encouraged, and there is a wide range of fun things to do both days.
All information about the schedule of activities, which runs from 11 AM to 5 PM, can be found the Society’s website.
Sign up for the Society’s newsletter, and you will be constantly up to date on all matters Parker-related.