Leisure

Reviews and think pieces on music, movies, art, and theater.



Leisure

Exclusion tactfully tackles representation in Hollywood by contemplating what’s true, what sells, and what’s funny

Exclusion investigates who gets the power of the pen and who gets silenced through a skillful incorporation of critical comedy.

Leisure

Let Carmen dance you through darkness

A story of unlikely companionship, Carmen urges its audience to question what family means when blood runs out.

Leisure

The Origin of Evil is tacky, timely, and true

The beauty of The Origin of Evil, and of Filmfest DC writ large, lies in its capacity to create kinship within hardship.

Leisure

“Finding your inner diamond”: Diamanté reveals that self-love is in vogue

Diamanté highlights individuality by providing creatives of color at Georgetown an opportunity to express themselves through clothing.

Leisure

Nomadic Theatre’s Last Summer at Bluefish Cove is a touching tribute to lesbian community

Despite its sunshiney exterior, there’s much more bubbling beneath the surface in Bluefish Cove.

Leisure

The Capital Art Book Fair connects independent artists with the greater D.C. community

Nearly 40 artists and independent presses gathered in the North Hall of Eastern Market to find art books to peruse at their pleasure.

Leisure

Renfield is a bloody good time!

Renfield embodies everything that one would hope for in a hilariously horrifying film. 

Leisure

(no) pressure showcases Georgetown’s Asian American community and talent 

The musical explores multiple dimensions of the Asian American experience through five distinct story arcs that cross over into hilarious and touching moments. 

Leisure

“Queer chaos” returns to Georgetown with The Rocky Horror Picture Show

More than anything, Rocky Horror is about self-acceptance, a sentiment immediately exposed to the audience.

Leisure

Fall Out Boy returns to pop-punk mastery on So Much (For) Stardust

If a little pop punk and old-school emo have been missing from your life, So Much (For) Stardust is exactly what you need.

Leisure

Unknown Mortal Orchestra is “So Good at Being in Trouble,” but even better at lighting up the stage

While the band has yet to make the full jump into mainstream consciousness, their vast experience as a touring act was evident in the well-crafted, dynamic setlist.

Leisure

On UGLY, Slowthai lets it all out

Slowthai’s dogged insistence on finding joy is deeply hopeful, and his commitment to exposing the ugliest parts of himself is undeniably cathartic.

Leisure

Dragonette took us back to the “Twennies” at Union Stage

With every song, Sorbara was able to embody and exude a vibrant, youthful energy.

Leisure

National Portrait Gallery’s Kinship provides a reflective glimpse into our closest relationships

Featuring eight contemporary artists, Kinship depicts the complexities of human relationships through various media.

Leisure

BRAVE: Black women in the arts are in “A Never Ending Renaissance”

This year’s theme, “In the Black Fantastic: A Never Ending Renaissance” celebrated Black women and femmes in the arts.

Leisure

AIR is the perfect sneakerhead movie

The film, shot with the precision and smoothness of Michael Jordan’s own jumper, masterfully honors both the shoe line and the player.

Leisure

Filmmaker Ien Chi wants to “make empathy sexy”

By creating a space for the expression of anger and honoring it, people can find the value in exploring emotions that might not be perceived as “good.”

Leisure

National Gallery gives Philip Guston’s work a new sense of urgency

Aptly entitled Philip Guston Now, his work aims to process trauma in a world wracked by war, polarization, and racial hatred, which feels as eerily relevant today as it did decades ago.

Leisure

Concert preview: Theo Kandel is bringing folk sincerity to DC’s Songbyrd on April 19

Despite claiming numerous influences from the 1970s, Kandel isn’t just writing your grandparents’ folk music.

Features

Here I Am is filled with ancestors and living history

“We’re continuously walking on graves. The earth itself is somebody’s grave,” Mélisande Short-Colomb (CAS ’21) recalled her father’s words while standing on the stage in Gaston Hall, during the inaugural... Read more