Vivarium Studio Proves Small is Beautiful…and Fun (Review)

In some ways I would prefer not to say anything about “L’Effet de Serge,” playing through Sunday at On the Boards. This latest work from Vivarium Studio plays so much upon your expectations of theater and performance that it’s like a surprise gift, and you wouldn’t want me to pull the wrapping off for you.

On the other hand, description can’t tell you what to expect from the experience–even after reading up on the show beforehand, I didn’t. What I can say is that the show provokes an almost continuous, slightly giddy laughter, even though nothing all that much takes place. Continue reading Vivarium Studio Proves Small is Beautiful…and Fun (Review)

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Rising Visa Denials and Delays Keeping Artists and Arts Groups on Pins and Needles

This Thursday, On the Boards will open a show you almost didn’t get to see, “L’Effet de Serge” by France’s Vivarium Studio. For the first time, says On the Boards, their request for an artist’s visa was denied. “In our 34-year history we have brought hundreds of foreign artists to the U.S. and this is the first time that we have encountered this kind of visa difficulty,” reads the OtB blog. Especially on the West Coast, a crackdown of sorts on visa issuance seems to be in progress, and no one seems to know why. Continue reading Rising Visa Denials and Delays Keeping Artists and Arts Groups on Pins and Needles