Most people can’t get enough of Cate Blanchett and for that reason most people should visit the Park Avenue Armory and see Julian Rosefeldt’s Manifesto (until 8 January), a 13-screen smorgasbord of the Australian actor across the venue’s echoey drill hall. In it, Blanchett delivers monologues that—though delivered with her signature weirdness and passion—are in fact the manifestos of movements like Futurism and Der Blaue Reiter, all this in eerily clashing outfits like that of a news anchor, or a homeless person, a prim housewife, and a boozy rock star. It’s an onslaught of chatty Caties and when they suddenly sync up, it feels like they’ve just noticed your presence in the room and have something very important to tell you. At the VIP preview on 6 December, Blanchett stood with Rosefeldt before a giant Christmas tree in a period room and thanked Armory patrons—along with Hugh Jackman and Drew Barrymore—for supporting the project. Rosefeldt went on to thank his wife, as well as the Armory’s artistic director Pierre Audi. “And Cate,” he finished. “Thank you so much for being incredible to work with.” He then said he’d finished, “unless you have anything to add?” “No,” Blanchett said with finality. She nodded in the direction of the drill hall. “I think I’ve said enough in there.”
