Wednesday, November 9th, 2022

SINCE 1891

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2022

VOLUME CLVII, ISSUE 63

METRO

BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Magaziner defeats Fung in race for CD2 Democrat fends off Republican advances in highly competitive district

U. to cover over $1 million in Title IX suit legal fees University will also cover $40,000 in litigation costs, as per 2020 settlement

BY EMMA GARDNER METRO EDITOR Seth Magaziner ’06, the general treasurer of Rhode Island and Democratic candidate for the state’s 2nd Congressional District seat in the United States House of Representatives, defeated Republican Allan Fung on Tuesday night.

The Associated Press called the race for Magaziner shortly before 11 p.m. Fung conceded to Magaziner around 9:45 p.m. at a campaign event. Magaziner declared victory on Twitter around 10:30 p.m., following a speech at his campaign’s party. His win means that Ocean State Democrats have managed to stave off recent GOP advances in the district, which covers western Rhode Island and parts of Providence.

As of 11:55 p.m. Tuesday night, Magaziner led with 50.3% of the vote, with Fung trailing at 46.9%, with 99% of votes counted. Overall turnout for

BY LAURA DAVID ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

COURTESY OF SETH MAGAZINER

Seth Magaziner ’06 campaigned on protecting voting and abortion rights and lowering prices for fuel and prescription drugs. the state — which also includes the 1st Congressional District, represented by David Cicilline ’83 — stood at 43% as of 7:45 p.m., a decrease from the 2020 turnout of 64.1% and the 2018 midterms, which saw a voter turnout rate of 48.4%.

“We were behind in every single poll,” Magaziner said at a victory speech. “Thank you for not giving up.”

“You have my commitment that I will fight hard for our state,” Magaziner added. “I will fight to make it easier for working people to get ahead, I will

fight to bring Rhode Island values to Washington.”

The closeness of the race reflects shifting political dynamics in the district, which has until recently been considered a Democratic stronghold for over 30 years. Throughout the campaign for CD2, the race received attention from national Democrats as a potential cause for concern, according to The New York Times. In recent months, polls have repeatedly indicated Fung’s

SEE CONGRESS PAGE 4

The University has agreed to pay over $1.13 million in attorney’s fees and $40,000 in litigation costs to the plaintiffs of Cohen v. Brown University following a Tuesday order by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John McConnell, according to court documents from the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island.

The payment will cover expenses incurred by a group of women student-athletes who filed a motion against the University in 2020 after it demoted several women’s varsity teams to club status, according to a press release from the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island. The University’s payment will be split be-

tween the plaintiffs’ counsel and the ACLU Foundation of Rhode Island, according to court documents.

The University and plaintiffs participated in mediation sessions on Sept. 14 and Oct. 25 to determine the amount the University would pay, according to court documents. The resolution of these sessions was approved by McConnell earlier today.

The 2020 motion was filed by the original plaintiffs of Cohen v. Brown, who reopened legal proceedings as an extension of their 1992 lawsuit, which found the University had denied equal athletic opportunities to women athletes guaranteed under Title IX, according to the ACLU’s press release.

The group alleged that the University had broken the equal opportunity agreement it had committed to in the 1998 resolution of the Cohen v.

Brown case, but the case settled out of court, according to Brian Clark, associate vice president for news and editorial development and university spokesperson. The settlement for the

SEE TITLE IX PAGE 4

METRO

UNIVERSITY NEWS

McKee, Matos, Neronha secure reelection

Enduring legacy of Professor Arlene Cole

Diossa will serve as treasurer, Smiley to be incoming Providence mayor

BY YAEL SARIG SENIOR STAFF WRITER As election night results are solidified, Rhode Island residents have decided several elections for state-level positions. Tuesday’s results demonstrated strong support for Democrats in the Ocean State, as the party swept all major state-level positions and successfully defended against a Republican challenger in the race for the 2nd Congressional District.

McKee reclaims gubernatorial position After his narrow victory in the Democratic primary this past September, incumbent governor Daniel McKee has secured another term and beat GOP nominee Ashley Kalus, a businesswoman and political newcomer, in a landslide. The race was called by NBC News at 8:40 p.m. As of

Metro The Duck & Bunny announces plans to rebuild, reopen Page 2

11:55 p.m. McKee had garnered 57.8% of votes, with Kalus trailing at 39%.

WPRI reported that Kalus had called McKee to concede the governor’s race at 8:58 p.m.

McKee polled comfortably higher than Kalus in the weeks leading up to the election: according to a WPRI-TV and Roger Williams University Poll released in October, McKee held a double-digit lead over Kalus.

Kalus, a newcomer to Rhode Island and a largely self-financed candidate, ran an aggressive campaign against McKee beginning in the spring. Her campaign targeted the cost of living as a key platform issue, painting both McKee and President Joe Biden as the reason for high rates of inflation.

While the cost of living was cited as the top issue by 42% of the potential voters surveyed, McKee led Kalus in every age group surveyed in the poll.

Women showed a particularly strong preference for McKee, a result that may be related to McKee’s pro-choice beliefs.

Lieutenant Governor Matos reelected

SEE ELECTION PAGE 3

Arts & Culture “The Banshees of Inisherin” is refreshingly simple Page 5

Friends, colleagues, students discuss Cole’s ability to form connections

BY ALEX NADIRASHVILI UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR Sarah Schuster ’11 can still vividly picture Arlene Cole, assistant professor of the practice of music, playing the piano in one of the Orwig Music Building’s many practice rooms. She distinctly remembered how Cole would perform without looking at the keys, instead studying her students with “a very expressive gaze.”

“Her brain was doing math and also melody at the same time, … translating that to her fingers (while she was) looking at us, asking us questions” and making students laugh, Schuster said.

“I can’t explain how crazy, complicated and brilliant what she was doing was.”

Cole died Aug. 17 at age 79, leaving behind a 50-year legacy at the University in which many former students, colleagues and friends said she established herself as a foundational part of the music experience at Brown. The music department held a memorial event Sept.

30 and created a website so that those close to Cole could virtually share their

Arts & Culture “Two Mile Hollow” satirizes traditional American theater Page 6

COURTESY OF BRIAN COLE

Professor Arlene Cole’s musicianship classes, music theory labs and theory courses helped her connect with students pursuing music. memories.

Cole came to Brown in 1970 following a rich musical education at the Eastman School of Music and Yale University, according to an obituary written in her honor. At Brown, Cole taught musicianship classes, music theory labs and theory courses that allowed her to connect with nearly every student interested in pursuing music at the University. She also served as the director of the Applied Music Program for Keyboard, in which she taught key-

Commentary Fang ’26: Incorporate exercise into busy schedule to help refocus Page 7

board lessons, organized visiting artist recitals and oversaw the department’s two annual student recitals. A brunch recital that occurs every Family Weekend was renamed in her honor in 2021 following her retirement.

“She was the glue” of the music department, said Nat Seelen ’08, a former student of Cole. “She was an institutional memory in a person. She touched every single one of us that walked through

SEE COLE PAGE 8

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DESIGNED BY BRANDON WU ’24 DESIGNER GRAY MARTENS ’25 DESIGN EDITOR JULIA GROSSMAN ’23 DESIGN EDITOR

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | NEWS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2022

METRO

‘A magical little restaurant’: Closed in 2019, Duck & Bunny plans to reopen Neighbors discuss snuggery’s impact, excitement for its rebuild

BY RHEA RASQUINHA SENIOR STAFF WRITER The Duck & Bunny — an East Side restaurant that closed in 2019 — will return to Wickenden, according to owner Daniel Becker.

Residents were shocked by the demolition of The Duck & Bunny, a popular local snuggery, in early April 2021. But three years after closing for renovations and one year since the building was knocked down, Daniel Becker plans to rebuild.

The Duck & Bunny was open for a decade and modeled after cozy English taverns. Becker and his now ex-wife, Jessica Becker, announced a temporary closing in March 2019 for renovations to make event space, a bakery and a library bar.

“The simplest way to put it is that the house was going to fall down if we didn’t knock it down. It was in serious disrepair,” Daniel Becker told The Herald. The decision “wasn’t taken lightly,” but he saved all of the fixtures and fireplaces so that the first floor of the house will be “almost identical to what people remember it being.”

Reasons for demolition “There was no consistent work done to maintain the integrity of the structure, beyond the shoddy roof, in the decade we rented,” Jessica Becker wrote in a brief about the building.

Renovating “would have been significantly more work, and just as costly, … which would have left us with a virtually brand-new building supported by a still crumbling foundation anyway,” Jessica Becker wrote in the brief, explaining the rationale behind the demolition.

“As much as I’m cautiously optimistic, I’m super excited for what the future holds,” Daniel Becker said. The new building will have a second floor, which didn’t exist before because the upper floors of the original building were “just dilapidated,” he added.

“The second and third floors were just kind of a disaster,” Daniel Becker said. The new second floor will be an extension of The Duck & Bunny, but a more separate space usable for private parties and events in addition to the

main floor, he added.

Community reactions to the snuggery’s disappearance Before the original building’s demolition, Daniel Becker reached out to the Providence Preservation Society and Fox Point Neighborhood Association to inform them of his plans and get “their blessing,” but it was impossible to inform all the patrons of The Duck & Bunny, he explained.

“It’s a very personal thing,” he said.

“It’s hard enough dealing with this process, nevermind … trying to keep everybody informed at the same time.”

312 Wickenden, The Duck & Bunny lot, lies in the College Hill Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places, “a largely honorary designation that does not come with local protection,” wrote Rachel Robinson, director of preservation for the Providence Preservation Society, in an email to The Herald.

“I expected some blowback, but I was really taken aback and shocked by some of the reactions and some of the vitriol that came out that was incredibly misguided,” Daniel Becker said.

Social media posts and some broadcast segments spread misinformation and rumors about the age of the building and what was going to become of it. “I jokingly have referred to it as the East Side QAnon,” Daniel Becker told The Herald, with people perceiving him as an “evil developer.”

Rumors were swirling, some asserting that Daniel Becker was planning on building expensive condos in the space and others saying it would become a parking garage, he said.

On online forums discussing the demolition, Becker said he initially joined the chats to tell people exactly what was going on. In response, he “would get answers like ‘Well, that’s not what I heard,’” he said.

“I would think that the community would be happy that instead of doing some awful things that people are saying … I’ve done the complete opposite,” Daniel Becker said. He said that he paid to knock down the damaged building and is paying to rebuild a virtually identical version that “if anything … is going to be nicer.”

“Hopefully by that time, everybody will be out from their computers and will come and see what the new space is, and we can all maybe have a laugh about it and have a cocktail and move forward united,” Daniel Becker said.

JULIA GROSSMAN / HERALD

Daniel Becker, owner of The Duck & Bunny, hopes that the restaurant will be a “generational thing,” with students of local universities coming to the space throughout their time in Providence.

The rebuilding process Daniel Becker has faced delays and other challenges with the rebuilding process. He had to get new permits for the building after the old ones expired and is currently waiting on one final permit to allow construction to begin.

According to Daniel Becker, the price of lumber — the main component of rebuilding the house — was at a 400% markup just six to eight months ago, which would have made the entire project three times more expensive than it would have been pre-pandemic.

Prices are starting to come down, and the cost of cement stands at a relatively standard price, which has Daniel Becker feeling hopeful.

Once the digging begins and a full construction plan is put together, Daniel Becker will have a timeline for The Duck & Bunny’s reopening. “If it were up to me, I’d have the thing built already, but there are external forces that have hindered the process,” he said.

Daniel Becker said he is looking forward to welcoming students from local universities back to The Duck & Bunny. “It’s exactly what I hoped for and more … having it be sort of a generational thing,” with students coming to the space throughout their time in Providence, he added.

A new era for Duck & Bunny and what comes next Neighbors of the restaurant told The Herald that they were looking forward to the return of The Duck & Bunny to

Wickenden.

Daniel Becker “runs a good business and we’re all for them rebuilding it,” said Ken Loft, owner and bartender of the Wickenden Pub. “They were always fantastic neighbors,” added Loft, who has been on the street since 1989 and was there when The Duck & Bunny opened. “I hoped that they’d continue.”

“The Duck was definitely a unique experience and a great place,” wrote Vincent Scorziello, the owner of Campus Fine Wines who also helps run the Wickenden Area Merchants Association, in an email to The Herald. “It was a restaurant built into an old house with ducks and bunnies everywhere, charming tight and awkward spaces, fireplaces, crooked creaky floors and a beautiful outdoor patio area in the warmer months.”

“They called it a snuggery, and that’s what it felt like: warm, close and cuddly,” wrote Scorziello. The snuggery was a frequent tea-and-cupcakes stop for Scorziello’s wife and son when he attended Vartan Gregorian Elementary up the street.

“The neighborhood heard a rumor that they wanted to tear down the house, claiming it was beyond repair.

No one who wasn’t involved liked the idea,” wrote Scorziello. “A few of our regulars worked there and would just shake their heads at the state of the foundation and condition of the basement, saying it flooded frequently and there were leaks.”

Recreating the charm of the origi-

nal restaurant may be a challenge, but neighbors like Scorziello said they are looking forward to the new space.

“I’m curious to see what they’ll do.

Part of the charm of the Duck was that it was a rickety old house that they managed to turn it into a magical little restaurant,” wrote Scorziello. “You would sip your tea and stare at the old walls and floors and fireplaces and realize families lived here a hundred years ago, and you could wonder about their lives as you ate your maple bacon cupcake. The place had character in spades.”

The return of The Duck & Bunny to Wickenden will make the street “more of a destination area,” Loft said.

With the project facing numerous obstacles, from the COVID-19 pandemic to economic uncertainty and supply chain difficulties, Scorziello wrote that he believes The Duck & Bunny’s neighbors and owners “are ready for something to happen.”

“I could not have foreseen what would happen with the pandemic” and going through a partnership dissolution, but “nothing is going to stop (the rebuilding) from happening,” Daniel Becker said. “It’s my baby. … if I had to only own and run one place for the rest of my life, (The Duck & Bunny) would be it.”

“I’m ready to cut a ribbon on this thing already and we haven’t even broken ground yet,” Daniel Becker said. “I’ll be the guy swinging from the chandelier when we reopen.”

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2022

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ELECTION FROM PAGE 1 Sabina Matos, the Democratic incumbent lieutenant governor of Rhode Island, was victorious over Republican Aaron Guckian, reclaiming her role after securing 51% of the vote as of 11:55 p.m. on Tuesday, WPRI reported.

In the primary elections, Matos secured 47.1% of the vote. Matos was nominated by McKee to fill his prior position of lieutenant governor when he ascended to the role of governor of Rhode Island in early 2021.

The lieutenant governor has limited governing duties and steps in if the acting governor resigns or is incapacitated in some way. The lieutenant governor also chairs four boards: the Long Term Care Coordinating Council, the Alzheimer’s State Plan Executive Board, the Emergency Management Advisory Council and the Small Business Advocacy Council.

The limited scope of the lieutenant governor position had been one of the campaign focuses of Aaron Guckian, who envisioned turning the lieutenant governor’s office into a “help center,” according to The Providence Journal.

Guckian told The Journal that the office would aid constituents in navigating the state’s bureaucracy and would offer support to small business owners while also documenting specific areas within the government that seemed to be causing routine problems for Rhode Islanders.

Neronha secures reelection as R.I. attorney general Reclaiming a job he’s held since his election in 2018, incumbent Democrat Peter Neronha P’22 was reelected as attorney general of Rhode Island, defeating Republican challenger Charles Calenda. As of 11:55 p.m. on Tuesday, Neronha had secured 61.3% of the vote compared to Calenda’s 38.5% according to WPRI. Neronha was appointed by then-President Barack Obama to serve in the Rhode Island U.S. Attorney’s office in 2009, a position he held until 2017. His opponent, Calenda, held the position of special assistant attorney general in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office until 2018.

Neronha advocated for gun control laws and consumer protection laws as attorney general. He also focused on child safety, backing a law that enabled Rhode Island to charge parents and guardians who put children

JULIA GROSSMAN / HERALD

In polls preceding the midterm, Governor Dan McKee led Ashley Kalus, a businesswoman and political newcomer, in every age group surveyed and was especially favored by women. McKee had a double-digit lead over Kalus in a WPRI-TV and Roger Williams University Poll in October. in harm’s way with felony child endangerment. In Calenda’s time since stepping down from the attorney general’s office, he has focused on criminal defense at the law firm Inman & Tourgee in Coventry.

Diossa to serve as next treasurer In a face-off between Democrat James Diossa and Republican James Lathrop, Diossa won the race for treasurer. The race was called by WPRI at 9:05 p.m. Tuesday night after Diossa secured 54.2% of the vote as of 11:55 p.m.

Diossa, who defeated Stefan Pryor in the primary elections after a tight race, previously served two terms as mayor of Central Falls. His primary campaign was based largely on this mayoral experience, as he was tasked with saving the city from bankruptcy. Beyond his relevant experience, Diossa campaigned on a platform of managing the pension fund, using state funding to combat climate change and investing in the public school system. Diossa’s campaign had also targeted

Lathrop for making two campaign mistakes in under a month. Lathrop called on Rhode Island to reinstate cost-of-living adjustments for state-managed municipal pension plans in mid-September after this reinstatement had already occurred.

A few weeks later, Lathrop admitted to forgetting to file a campaign finance report that was required to be submitted 28 days prior to the election.

Lathrop ran unopposed in the GOP primary and has previously worked as a certified public accountant and a municipal finance director for various towns in Rhode Island, including Hopkinton, Westerly and North Kingstown. In an interview with the Providence Journal, Lathrop stated plans to increase transparency within the treasurer’s office, including greater clarity about where Rhode Island invests its money. Other goals of Lathrop’s included enabling Rhode Island to use short-term borrowing to temporarily resolve cash-flow problems, lower the fees the state pays on investments and serve as a resource

for people to learn about personal finances.

Smiley, running unopposed, ascends to mayoral office After beating opponents Gonzalo Cuervo and Nirva LaFortune MA’19 in the Democratic primary for Providence mayor, Democrat Brett Smiley officially secured his role as mayor after running unopposed in the general election.

Smiley campaigned on issues such as public safety, climate justice and environmental sustainability, making improvements to the Providence K-12 public school system and affordable housing reform, The Herald previously reported. He has also worked with a variety of non-profits and community groups, including Planned Parenthood, Marriage Equality Rhode Island and the national Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. Smiley previously served as chief of staff for Governor Gina Raimondo, as well as the acting director of the Rhode Island Department of Administration during the COVID-19 pandemic.

General assembly Prior to the midterm elections, Democrats held a lead in both the Rhode Island House of Representatives and the Senate. In the House, Democrats outnumbered Republicans 65 to 10; in the Senate, 33 Democrats held seats compared to five Republicans. It remains to be seen whether this balance will be maintained or flipped after Tuesday’s midterm elections.

Incumbent K. Joseph Shekarchi, a Democrat and the speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives since last January, defeated Republican Dana James Traversie in the race for the 23rd House District. As of 11:55 p.m. on election night, Shekarchi had received 59.8% of votes, with Traversie receiving 40.1% of votes.

Shekarchi was embroiled in controversy leading up to the election. On Oct. 27, one of Shekarchi’s top aides resigned after news broke that he had been involved in an illegal marijuana business linked to the mob. Shekarchi told WPRI-12 that he had no knowledge of the aide’s involvement in the business.

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | NEWS

TITLE IX FROM PAGE 1 2020 motion was approved in December of that year The Herald previously reported.

As part of that settlement, the University agreed to pay “reasonable attorneys’ fees” for the plaintiffs as well as cover costs for their attorneys, the ACLU press release stated.

“Regardless of what the plaintiff may have alleged, we did not violate the joint agreement or Title IX — and no court ever found that we did,” Clark wrote in an email to The Herald. “We settled the case, bringing back the two teams and agreeing to pay attorneys fees, in order to (1) move forward with the key provisions of our plan to strengthen the competitiveness of its athletics teams; (2) set an end date to the joint agreement in 2024; and (3) avoid the time and expense of extended litigation.”

“The comments from the plaintiffs’ attorney regarding today’s order are blatantly misleading. The order to pay attorneys’ fees does not constitute any court decision regarding the substance of the 2020 legal claims by the

CONGRESS FROM PAGE 1 strength among Rhode Island voters.

Magaziner’s victory was the culmination of a long and often contentious race for the seat. Following outgoing Representative Jim Langevin’s announcement that he would not be seeking reelection in mid-January, several candidates declared their candidacies for the position. After securing

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2022

plaintiffs in Cohen v. Brown,” Clark continued. “Brown has at no time since the original decision in Cohen v. Brown more than 25 years ago been found in violation of Title IX. Instead, Brown has remained committed to providing equal athletic opportunities for women and men.”

The 2020 settlement — which mandated the reinstatement of the women’s varsity fencing and equestrian teams — required that the University neither eliminate any women’s varsity teams nor add any men’s varsity teams without the comparable addition of a women’s team, according to the ACLU press release.

“Countless women locally and nationally have benefitted from the efforts of women at Brown who have championed this case over three decades through to its current conclusion,” said Lynette Labinger, class counsel and cooperating attorney from the ACLU of Rhode Island, in the press release.

“We hope this substantial award … will send a message to all colleges and universities in Rhode Island and elsewhere to carefully examine their

athletic programs, renew their commitment to ensure their women athletes are being treated fairly and equitably and to recognize that decisions to cut

programs to save money may prove more costly than the projected savings themselves.”

Though the University’s 1998

agreement is set to expire in 2024, Title IX still mandates that it must provide equal athletic opportunities across genders, the press ACLU re-

their parties’ respective nominations, Fung and Magaziner competed in a contentious race often tinged by national grievances.

Fung repeatedly accused Magaziner of siding with policies that he believes have caused persistent inflation and have driven up the cost of living in the Ocean State and nationwide, The Herald previously reported. Magaziner took a similar approach over

the course of the campaign, making the case that Fung’s election would increase the likelihood of a Republican-dominated House which might curtail abortion rights, cut social security and undermine American democracy.

Magaziner campaigned on protecting voting and abortion rights, lowering prices for fuel and prescription drugs and implementing gun control legisla-

tion, including a ban on assault-style weapons. When he dropped out of the race for governor and declared his candidacy for RI-02 in January, he emphasized declining democratic norms as the impetus for his run.

“The fight to preserve our democracy is the most sacred obligation of this generation, and this is why I’ve decided to seek to represent the people of Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional

District in the United States House of Representatives,” Magaziner said in a Jan. 26 press release.

“National Republicans like Donald Trump and Kevin McCarthy seek to divide America, undermine democracy and appeal to the most chaotic, hateful and dangerous elements of their party,” he added. “Rhode Island must do our part to ensure that they do not succeed.”

DANA RICHIE / HERALD

The $1.13 million settlement will cover expenses for a group of women student-athletes who filed a motion against the University in 2020 after multiple women’s varsity teams were demoted to club status.

CA L E NDA R TODAY’S EVENTS

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What Happens Next? Unpacking The Midterm Elections 5 p.m.

Watson Institute

National First-Gen Day Celebration 6 p.m.

U-FLi Center

Bianca Diaz Book Talk | Art in the Age of Mass Incarceration 6 p.m.

John Hay Library, Lownes Room

Brown Lecture Board presents: An Evening with Jennette McCurdy 6:30 p.m.

Salomon Hall DECI

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Brown’s Land Acknowledgement and Indigenous History 12 p.m.

79 Brown Street

Cultivating UndocuQueer Community 6 p.m.

U-FLi Center

Big Tech’s Responsibility to Protect Human Rights 5:30 p.m.

Stephen Robert ’62 Hall

Environmental Justice and Individual Choice 7:30 p.m.

Page-Robinson Hall, Room 409

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2022

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | NEWS

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ARTS & CULTURE

‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ delights, provokes from beginning to end Film brings humor, heart against stunning backdrops of coastal Ireland

BY FINN KIRKPATRICK SENIOR STAFF WRITER From the moment it begins, “The Banshees of Inisherin” places you under its spell. With sweeping shots of the rugged coastlines of Ireland, backed by a delightful fiddle melody, this simple introduction tells the audience that they are in for a treat. In the fictional island of Inisherin that writer and director Martin McDonagh constructs, everyday life in the shadow of the Irish Civil War feels like a mythic folktale — even if our hero is just some average guy.

This average guy, Pádraic Súilleabháin (Colin Farrell), is first seen walking to the house of his best friend Colm Doherty (Brendan Gleeson) on their way to their daily visit to the local pub. But something is off this time. Even though Colm is clearly in his house, he’s not answering the door. Pádraic eventually comes to learn that Colm no longer wishes to speak to him, simply because he views Pádraic as dull and just wants some peace and quiet to write some music and play his fiddle.

There’s something refreshingly simple about this premise. No flash, no glitz and no glamor — but a whole lot of excellent dialogue and acting. As Pádraic becomes more dejected over the loss of his friend and Colm becomes more belligerent in his refusal to speak with him, the viewer is treated to a masterclass in humanistic dialogue that also

just happens to be roaringly funny — enough for it to be the funniest movie of the year. But this humor doesn’t take away from the inner turmoil Pádraic faces — if anything, it complements it.

As much as the humor is dependent on the pure patheticness of the character, when the film gets funnier, you feel for him more.

But the film is about more than just one man trying to win a friendship back; in Pádraic’s quest to restore his relationship with Colm, the film introduces a cast of wonderfully idiosyncratic characters. Pádraic’s sister, Siobhan (Kerry Condon), is a voice of reason and the character you feel for the most, as her intelligence just doesn’t seem to fit on this island that seems frozen in time.

The best character in the whole film is Dominic Kearney (Barry Keoghan), the mysteriously strange son of a local abusive cop who becomes Pádraic’s only ally as the film goes on. It’s hard to say exactly what makes him so compelling to watch, but it’s probably a cocktail of fascination and discomfort mixed in with a splash of pity. Then, while not “characters” per se, there’s a selection of animals — from a dog to a donkey — whom viewers get to know, adding an unexpected richness to the plot. In fact, the donkey becomes a highlight of the film.

These characters all come together to form an off-kilter world that feels just parallel to reality. When Colm tries to stop Pádraic from talking to him once and for all, he says he will cut off one of his fingers if Pádraic says another word. Once he cuts off this finger, he claims that next time he is spoken to, he will cut off four fingers.

It’s interactions like these that make

COURTESY OF SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES

As long as the characters are spot on, the dialogue flows well and the aesthetic is fully formed, the movie is bound to work. “The Banshees of Inisherin” passes all of these tests with flying colors. the narrative structure feel much more like folklore than a contemporary film.

Pádraic is the perfect character to be at the helm of this tale because he is good and honest, even if there’s not much going on in his brain. Everyone else has their own unique quirks that become accentuated when in conversation with Pádraic.

The film may sound a bit dull in description, but every single aspect of the narrative’s construction is so flawless that something magical gets illuminated on screen. For one, Farrell and Gleeson turn in the performance of their careers, while Keoghan con-

tinues to cement himself as one of the most exciting up-and-coming actors working. McDonagh contributes to this equation with a screenplay full of dialogue that has the masterful composition of a great piece of classical music.

“The Banshees of Inisherin” is deceptively simple. It has a premise that can be defined in one sentence and very few things of impact occur throughout. But this isn’t the kind of movie where anything particularly needs to happen. As long as the characters are spot on, the dialogue flows well and the aesthetic is fully formed,

the movie is bound to work. “The Banshees of Inisherin” passes all of these tests with flying colors. It’s hard to poke holes in a movie that so clearly knows what it wants to accomplish and then does it without a hitch. It’s early on in the season of heavy-hitter movie releases and “The Banshees of Inisherin” has set a monumentally high standard for subsequent films to reach. If a better movie than this is released by now and the end of the year, whatever that movie may be, we are in for something special.

“The Banshees of Inisherin” is playing at the Avon Cinema until Nov. 16.

PICTURE THIS

JULIA GROSSMAN / HERALD

Me sitting in that chair—all high and mighty, ruling over you all. How petty and feeble you must feel, looking up at someone as powerful as me.

But what does power really mean in our current age? Is it found through a position in a cold, austere chamber of politics? Or does power lie among the people, those who champion for what means most to them? Perhaps power is in the friends we make along the way.

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2022

ARTS & CULTURE

‘Two Mile Hollow’ satirizes traditional American theater norms Director Carol Ann Tan MFA’23 seeks to challenge white American canon

BY RYA VALLABHANENI SENIOR STAFF WRITER “Two Mile Hollow,” the Department of Theatre Arts and Performance Studies’ first show of its 2022-23 performance season, opened Nov. 3 at Stuart Theater and will run until Nov. 13. Written by playwright Leah Nanako Winkler and directed by Carol Ann Tan MFA’23, the show stands out from many of the department’s previous offerings: Winkler requires that all roles be played by actors of color in performances of “Two Mile Hollow.”

The play follows the rich, white, pretentious Donnelly family, as they host their final gathering at their recently-sold estate, called Two Mile Hollow.

The play’s cast consists of five roles: matriarch and widow Blythe Donnelly; her movie star stepson Christopher; her other, far less successful stepson Joshua; her insecure daughter Mary and Charlotte, Christopher’s personal assistant, who is the only written non-white character in the play. Over dinner, drinks and a thunderstorm, secrets begin to unravel and the Donnellys begin to break down. Their dysfunction is revealed in both sincere and comic moments. In these revelations, the play comments on traditional white American theater.

“The play is satire,” said actor Mia Lane ’24, who plays Blythe Donnelly in the production. “It’s sort of riffing on that genre of white people gathering by the water.”

For Tan, the play was an opportunity to lean into ridiculousness. “The play itself is really wild,” she said. “I really enjoy just trying to crack open the idea of what it means to just have a ridiculous amount of fun, both in the process

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The dysfunction of the Donnelly family is revealed in sincere and comical moments commenting on traditional white American theater. Director Carol Ann Tan MFA’23 said she hopes the audience will understand how “the classic American canon of theater” is tailored toward white performers. and in the final product.”

Something that Tan centers in her directing is bringing “rigorous joy” to the set. “It’s serious, but it’s also not that serious,” she said.

Blythe embodied the fun of the play more than any other character, Lane said. “Blythe is very much the sort of character that I normally go for,” she said. “She’s very wacky, sort of demands attention every time she comes on stage and has these big rambling monologues.

She’s quite an unreasonable character.

She’s always pushing the boundaries of what’s acceptable.”

Lane found Tan’s directing process incredibly helpful in bringing a character as eccentric as Blythe Donnelly to life. “She would always use this phrase — ‘I have an offering for you’ — when she was giving us her notes and her direction,” she said. “She wanted us to

understand these characters and embody (them) on our own.”

The earnest efforts by the cast to deeply lean into their roles did not go unrecognized by the audience. Dena Salliey ’24, an audience member at the show’s opening, said that she was “surprised at how genuinely funny the show was.” In particular, she enjoyed “how all of the actors really embraced their characters and pulled you into their different plot lines.”

Although Tan did not change much from Winkler’s original script, she did decide to approach “Two Mile Hollow” through a “lens of contemporary absurdism.”

We’re putting “on this world that is fundamentally fictional and unreal, and asking people to believe in it,” Tan said.

She called this the “fundamental ask” of theater, adding that it mirrors the

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absurdism of the post-pandemic world.

Tan actually had considerable experience with “Two Mile Hollow” before bringing it to Stuart Theater. She was directly involved in the play’s rolling world premiere in 2017 and was asked to take on the role of dramaturg in the Chicago production.

“What drew me to the play then and still draws me to the play now is this idea that it creates this open space for actors of color to be who they are and have fun,” she said. “It’s really for them to open up in this ridiculous, expansive way.”

Tan herself is Chinese-Singaporean. When she moved to the United States to attend college, she initially wanted to be an actor. But she “found it very difficult to get roles based on how I looked and how I sounded,” she said.

“I’m interested in creating a platform for people like myself to feel welcome in the American theater,” Tan added. “To feel that our voices are valid and our perspectives are valid.”

Lane said that “it’s been really lovely to have a space that’s just dedicated to performers of color.” She said she hopes that audience members will, by the end of the play, understand better how “the classic American canon of theater” is really tailored toward white performers. “So much of modern theater of the past 100 years is designated for a very specific set of actors,” Lane explained.

“In the past, a particular kind of story has always been privileged,” Tan said. But she added that “American society (is) changing, and the face of the American theater is changing.

Should you come to see the show, you will see us.”

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2022

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | COMMENTARY

7

Fang ’26: No time to work out? Try exercise snacks instead more structured forms of working out. Because they’re short, simple and require no advanced equipment, exercise snacks are often easier for individuals to consistently commit to and serve as an introduction to working out for those seeking to begin their fitness journeys.

Exercise snacks can take any form an individual chooses. For me, exercise snacking includes

of sitting inside all day. Similarly, a friend of mine likes to sing or dance to her favorite music when she’s cramming for an exam to relieve stress.

It’s time we expand our idea of physical activity beyond typical hour-long workout sessions in gyms, which is a version of exercise that isn’t accessible or achievable for large

“Small increments of exercise can help us more easily incorporate physical activity into our busy lives and sustainably improve our focus.”

taking the stairs instead of the elevator, going for a run in the late afternoon when I’m most unproductive and taking a walk around College Hill while calling my parents. These activities help me check in with my thoughts and allow me to get outside and breathe fresh air instead

swaths of people. For example, working students, parents and those with chronic pain or illness may experience difficulty negotiating the transportation, space, cost and physical demands of a typical workout into their daily schedule. Exercise snacks allow individuals to

be creative with how they work out, whether it be walking to a favorite podcast or engaging in an impromptu dance party. According to Martin Gibala, a professor of kinesiology at McMaster University who has conducted several studies on exercise snacking, brief bursts of exercise allow us to stay active anywhere under almost any circumstances. In a New York Times interview, Gibala said, “You can just be active, even if it means setting your watch to trigger you to do some squats or wall sits for one minute after an hour of sitting.”

Among the litany of fitness crazes, it may seem hard to imagine that small and uncomplicated exercise snacks offer benefits. However, these short spurts of activity can increase endorphins, among providing other cognitive benefits that can help promote focus. Today, you might not have 30 minutes to exercise, but you probably have three 10-minute breaks. Why not dedicate that time to something that can make your brain happier?

Juliet Fang ’26 can be reached at juliet_ fang@brown.edu. Please send responses to this opinion to letters@browndailyherald. com and other op-eds to opinions@browndailyherald.com.

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© iStock.com/Olena Kurashova

Though I’m technically taking fewer classes at Brown than I did in high school, I’m learning that the classwork rarely ceases. The constant stream of papers, problem sets and preparation for tests mean lots of long hours in my dorm and at the library sitting at my computer.

What’s keeping me sane from the monotony of studying are “exercise snacks,” or short movement bursts such as walking, jumping jacks and stair-climbing that stimulate the body and mind. Small increments of exercise can help us more easily incorporate physical activity into our busy lives and sustainably improve our focus.

Exercise snacks also help the brain. Working out between study intervals increases heart rate, pumping more oxygen to the brain and boosting cognitive function. It can also promote neuroplasticity and cause the brain to secrete endorphins, boosting mood and improving focus — just what is needed to fight against a midday slump. Engaging in movement, such as a quick walk, can also relieve tension and stress that may arise from a difficult assignment or preparation for a test.

An added advantage of exercise snacking is that it is an easily accessible method of physical activity for individuals who may not have the time or financial resources to participate in

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2022

COLE FROM PAGE 1 (Orwig’s) doors.”

In the months following her death, The Herald spoke with several of Cole’s former students, colleagues and friends about her character and legacy. Cole leaves behind a sense of community and passion for art among her students and colleagues.

Making a family in the music department Ben Bachmann ’23.5 first met Cole when he was taking a pre-college summer course on campus. Interested in Brown’s music programs, Bachmann emailed Cole and asked if she would speak with him about the department.

During their first meeting, Cole showed Bachmann around campus and had him perform for her, which Bachmann remembers as both nerve-wracking and exciting. She also gave Bachmann access to Orwig’s practice rooms that summer. A year later, when Bachmann returned to campus for International Undergraduate Orientation, he ran into Cole and was surprised that she still remembered him from the summer before.

“The most indicative thing (of Cole’s character) was how she treated me when I first met her, … before I was even a student,” he said. “She really went out of her way to make me feel welcomed.”

For University Organist Mark Steinbach, Cole’s people skills and genuine interest in others made her beloved among the department’s faculty and students. Steinbach accompanied Cole to the Xi’an Conservatory of Music in Shaanxi, China for a five-day residency in 2018, where he recalled how “she was able to build community wherever she went.”

Several former students who spoke with The Herald agreed that Cole played a major role in recruiting them to the University’s music department and so-

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | NEWS

lidifying their music concentrations.

When Ivan Tan ’09, now a University lecturer in music, studied at Brown, he said anyone interested in a music concentration would have to take around four semesters of courses with Cole — meaning she knew a majority of the students that visited Orwig on a daily basis.

Dana Gooley, professor of music and chair of the music department, remembered how Cole made an effort to get to know every student in the music program. “I’d bring up a student in a conversation with her and she would tell me all kinds of things she knew about them,” he said. “She knew everybody.”

“It’s easy to forget that (Cole) built the musicianship program at Brown, not only the caliber of music concentrators but also musicians of all kinds,” said Trevor Pollack ’09, another former student of Cole. She paid particular attention to ensuring that students knew about their options for pursuing music at the University beyond the concentration, he added.

Many undergraduates felt guilty for wanting to concentrate in music and often attempted to balance their passion with another field of study, Gooley said.

Cole was sensitive to these pressures and made students feel that pursuing both music and another concentration was a good path to follow. Her availability and support were pivotal for students, he added.

Bachmann, who never intended to concentrate in music, remembers that Cole was always trying to make sure he didn’t lose sight of his connection with the piano. “She wanted to see her love for piano manifest through other people,” he said.

“More than anyone else, she was the person that drew people into the department,” said Tan, who also worked alongside Cole. “Even in her last year of teaching, … (Cole’s) classes were still full because people wanted to spend as much time as possible with

Arlene.”

Norman Ryan ’85 said that he remembers Cole as a fixed presence in Orwig. He has vivid memories of talking with her every time he walked into the building about work he was doing both inside and outside of the music department. “Her energy and enthusiasm united people,” he said.

For Steinbach, it was Cole’s approach to interpersonal relationships that attracted students to her. She viewed people “holistically,” Steinbach said, often taking interest in students beyond their music concentrations.

Cole approached her working relationship with the faculty in the same, distinctly “maternal” way, said Tan, who credited her for making the department feel like a “home (and) a family.”

“She was the heart and soul of the department,” he added.

Pushing students to reimagine their limits Inside Cole’s classroom, Tan remembered a distinct “family atmosphere” where students were supportive rather than competitive.

Throughout her University career, Cole focused entirely on teaching, often dedicating her weekends to holding extra practices for students that needed the help, according to Steinbach. From a colleague’s perspective, he believes that this dedicated instructional style attracted students of all skill levels to Cole’s courses.

“She gave 150% and expected, in return, that her students would be accountable” for themselves, Steinbach added. “That was one of her successes — she demanded a lot of her students and most people rose to the occasion.”

While Cole was always “warm and friendly,” her classes proved rigorous, Seelen said. “She always pushed us, but with a smile.”

Cole knew how to gauge students’ capabilities and was always trying to

“push a little past” that level, Gooley said. She was able to test the musical limits of each individual student without ever being discouraging, and “that’s very hard to do.”

Tan met Cole as a first-year and remembers feeling “burnt out” when he was accepted into Cole’s piano studio.

He soon found that Cole was his first piano instructor who insisted on developing an understanding of music theory among her students — she went beyond the practical elements of playing an instrument. Tan remembers that Cole would always push him to question and justify his performance decisions, and slowly his relationship with the piano began to heal.

“She was not afraid of pushing students to do stuff that seemed impossible and that she believed they could do,” Tan said. “Even if you had to fight your way (to the new limit), she would encourage and guide you through it and make sure you didn’t go too far off the rails.”

Schuster said that Cole had “an amazing amount of energy” in the classroom for a professor that had been teaching for decades. For Schuster, Cole’s infectious excitement for music made her an effective instructor and allowed her to capture the attention of every student in her class.

During Schuster’s time as an undergraduate, Cole helped teach MUSC0550: “Theory of Tonal Music I” and MUSC0560: “Theory of Tonal Music II.” These courses were some of the most intense commitments a first-year could make at the University as they met every day of the week, Schuster said. Despite this commitment, Cole was “able to engage every student” that was taking the course, she said.

“She was an incredibly compassionate and supportive person,” she added.

“You would have this amazing academic experience, but if you needed somebody to help you out,” Cole was there.

8

Passing down an unwavering commitment to music Tan remembers his first time in Orwig following the start of the pandemic fondly — spent helping Cole clean out her office in preparation for her retirement. Throughout the day, he and Cole chatted about her plans to move to a new house in Providence and took several breaks to watch self-produced senior recital videos from students.

Cole’s office was a collection of her decades-long run at the University — full of gifts from former students, mementos from her trip to China, recordings of student recitals and several music theory books that Tan still uses today.

“If I can be 10% as good (of a professor) as she was, it will feel like a big accomplishment to me,” he said.

Teaching is about “making sure students feel both comfortable but also challenged. She recognized that they need to feel safe, to some degree, in order to experiment.”

“I learned what to do (from Cole).

She set such a high standard” for teaching, Gooley said. “She taught me how to turn the affection of students into an opportunity to make them learn more.”

Bachmann will also keep a physical reminder of Cole’s impact, one of the piano scores she gifted to several students following her retirement, each tailored to their interests.

But Cole’s legacy is felt beyond the mementos she left behind. It was Cole that inspired Ryan to pursue a career in music; he now works at Schott Music, one of the largest music publishing houses in Europe.

“The commitment that she showed to the highest possible standard of musical performance and study” was inspirational, Ryan said. “She was able to combine … music as an art and as enjoyment with absolute commitment.”

“She passed that drive on to all of her students,” he added. “It’s a great legacy.”