The popular fascination with Robert Moses, "master builder of New York" and one of the most prominent figures in planning history, continues.
A new play by Sir David Hare, titled "Straight Line Crazy," opened at the Bridge Theatre in London on March 23. The play stars Ralph Fiennes as Robert Moses—the so-called "master builder" of New York, one of Planetizen's "Most Influential Urbanists" of all time, and the subject of Robert Caro's tour de force biographical tome, The Power Broker.
In roughly the past decade, Moses has been the subject of a movie, a musical, an opera, and multiple video games, not to mention political speeches and a failed HBO movie directed by Oliver Stone.
So now it's time for a plan, and the reviews for "Straight Line Crazy" are in. We've collected some of the links to stories about the new play and Robert Moses's unparalleled ability to inspire artists of many genres well past his death.
- Straight Line Crazy review – Ralph Fiennes enthrals as the man who shaped New York (The Guardian, March 23)
- ‘Straight Line Crazy’ Review: Ralph Fiennes Plays Robert Moses in David Hare’s Talky New Play (Variety, March 25)
- How Robert Moses, a master urban planner, reshaped New York (The Economist, March 24)
- Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs Go to London (The New Yorker, March 26)
FULL STORY: Ralph Fiennes Leads World Premiere of Straight Line Crazy, Opening March 23 at London's The Bridge
Robert Moses Inspires 'Motherless Brooklyn'
A new movie starring Edward Norton, based on the novel of the same name by Lionel Essrog, gives a central role to a Robert Moses doppelgänger, as portrayed by Alec Baldwin.
New York Poised to Become a Biking City
Could the pandemic be a tipping point for a century of car-centric planning in New York City's to give way to a more bike-friendly city?
Revisiting the Legacy of Robert Moses
A visit from the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to see Robert Caro, author of "The Power Broker," provides a refresher on the works of Robert Moses and Caro's writing.
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US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
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Mamdani overhauls NYC's Vision Zero plan with 100 new policy goals
The overhaul aims to reduce traffic deaths and make streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers through lower speed limits, new safety infrastructure and more.
Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds
A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.
EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants
Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
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Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association