Akshay Verma

This Morning

I am fairly certain that you can see the entire world here in just your morning commute.

Students Celebrate Hanukkah On Campus

Though many students were at home last week for the first few days of Hanukkah, they will be able to find food and festivities—from fried latkes and jelly doughnuts to traditional Jewish games of dreidel and the lighting of menorahs—across campus in the final days of the Jewish holiday.

Best and Worst Book Adaptations

With the recent releases of “The Book Thief” and “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” it seems as though most popular books today are accompanied by their movie counterparts. Some adaptations, like the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, garner widespread popularity and critical acclaim while others, like the “Lord of the Rings” prequel “The Hobbit,” are profoundly unimpressive. Here are some of the best and worst book-to-film adaptations:

'Conspiracy' Comes Alive

Frustration, anger, and determination boil over at a German lakeside villa as men in Nazi uniforms storm about, sipping fine wine and discussing their solution to “the Jewish problem” in utmost secret. Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club’s production of “Conspiracy,” which will run through Nov. 23 at the Loeb Mainstage, retells the events of the Wannsee Conference of 1942, during which Nazi officials and bureaucrats finalized their plans for the Final Solution—the elimination of 11 million Jews from the German sphere of influence.

Cut Copy Fails to Break "Free"

This latest album is a complete departure from Cut Copy’s previous releases, enough so that it is difficult to discern whether it is a breath of fresh air or an overdone, hyperactive mess of electronic pop—with the scales tipping to the latter.

The T Performer Profile: Jay Scott Henderson

A middle-aged guitarist, dressed in black from head to toe, sang passionately as a train to Braintree approached. He waved his hands in the air and winked to acknowledge his audience. As I circled around him, appreciating his music and attempting to make sense of what exactly he was saying, he quickly caught on that I was lingering for a bit longer than usual. He smiled at me and gave me a thumbs-up, and as soon as he finished his song, approached me with a smile and said hello.

Absurd Times in Halloweentown

Throngs of witches with broomsticks in hand wandered through the autumn air, weaving through crowds of wannabe 80s rockstars and skimpily-dressed Catwomen. This might seem like a scene from Disney’s 90s classic, "Halloweentown," but it’s a real sight in the town of Salem. On Saturday night, the Undergraduate Council sponsored a free Halloween outing to Salem, Massachusetts, home of the infamous witch hunts of the late seventeenth century, and I was one of the lucky few to go. A few minutes in Salem, and I realized how ridiculous the whole town looked, especially to a Californian like myself who has never before experienced this level of Halloween hype.

"Is He Dead?" Alive and Well

A night of fake mustaches, cross-dressing, revenge, French accents, and staged deaths ensued at Adams Pool Theatre in Mark Twain’s play “Is He Dead?” which ran through Sunday. With clever staging by director Olivia M. Munk ’16 and hilarious acting, the production was intriguing and funny, perfectly executing Twain’s witty script.

From Canvas to iPhone

The unconventional, the whimsical, and the abstract all come together in “Amy Sillman: one lump or two,” the Institute of Contemporary Art’s exhibition of the New York-based artist’s unique sketches, video documentaries, and even iPhone-based drawings.

Wynton Marsalis Discusses History of Jazz

The trumpeter returned to Harvard for the latest in his lecture series "Hidden in Plain View: Meanings in American Music." Beyond his anecdotal recounting of the music’s social and cultural history, Marsalis demonstrated the intricacies and histories behind trombones, reeds, and trumpets.

The Tube

Salem Undergraduate Council Trip

One of the common images seen in Salem, MA.