This Week in Culture: July 2 - July 16

From the United States

In light of recent evidence, Disney has announced that they will take down their statue of Bill Cosby. After transcripts of Cosby admitting to obtaining Quaaludes with the intention of drugging women many people are taking a stand against him. Actress Jill Scott has also taken to Twitter to announce her disapproval of him.

From France

French politicians have been trying to close the doors on one of its most beloved political satires, Les Guignols. The iconic TV show is not a favorite of many powerful Parisian leaders, movie stars, and athletes. Fans and actors of the show have taken to Twitter to voice their complaints and rally for another season.

From Israel

The latest in the world of comic-opera-turned-soberingly-real is The Tel Aviv Opera House’s double production of “The Lady and the Peddler” and “Yoni Rechter’s Schitz”. The former was written by Haim Permont, while the second was based on a play by Hanoch Levin. They have been making headlines with their use of mysticism and comic relief to produce social criticism.

From Japan

Japan’s hottest new musical instrument is the Ultraman Violin. This one-of-a-kind violin will be sold in November. It is beautifully carved and painted to look like Ultraman’s torso. The price is currently set at 780,000 Yen. While it is an amazing piece of art it is not exactly the most useful instrument on the planet. It can only be played well for about three minutes at a time.

From the Philippines

Ballet Manila presents “From Page to Stage”, their latest ballet show. In it the dancers will tell a series of stories through their moves. The ballet is entering its twentieth season and the choreographers and performers are all very excited for their show.

Rebecca is a sixteen year old living in sunny Southern California. In her spare time, she likes to enjoy life with her friends and binge watch Netflix. In school, she is very involved in cultural, service, and nature clubs. She enjoys golfing and paddle boarding, though not both at the same time.