Back by popular demand, the legendary director Peter Brook’s The Valley of Astonishment in Paris. The play examines the joys and dilemmas of people with exceptional perception and memory: who experience synaesthesia, where the senses become mixed and a person can taste colours or see sounds. And in particular those who can apparently remember everything … Continue reading “Peter Brook: The Valley of Astonishment”
Friday 2 December is Shakespeare Lives in Schools Day around the world, part of the commemorations of the 400th anniversary year of the Bard’s death. William Shakespeare died on 23 April 1616, at the age of 52, in his native Stratford-upon-Avon. Yet his 37 plays are still played constantly around the world, and have provided … Continue reading “Shakespeare Lives in Schools Day”
The British Council has produced various films to celebrate the anniversary, modern, short versions inspired by elements of Shakespeare’s plays. Some are difficult for learners, language-wise, but we’ve selected these two for class use. Plus an interactive film from Shakespeare’s Globe. This film is a satirical homage to Hamlet, and the main character is a … Continue reading “Shakespeare Lives in Schools Webpicks”
See a play in English… at the cinema! The National Theatre Live brings broadcasts of acclaimed West End productions to cinemas around the world. Coming up in France, performances in Valbonne, Aix en Provence, Strasbourg and Paris. London is a mecca for excellent theatre productions, and the National Theatre’s productions starring the crème de la … Continue reading “National Theatre Live”
It’s been nine years since the final book in the Harry Potter series, five since the final film. There have been the exhibitions and theme parks to keep fans busy in the meantime, but now Harry Potter is really back with a vengeance! Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is not strictly speaking an eighth … Continue reading “Harry’s Back!”
The Théâtre de la Ville in Paris is turning all New York for a mini-season and particularly the weekend of 8-9 October. The Théâtre de la Ville has pioneered an exchange with the Brooklyn Acadamy of Music, a cutting-edge performance venue in the super-trendy borough of New York. The Paris end of it runs till … Continue reading “Paris-New York Weekend”
To accompany the Oscar Wilde exhibition now on at the Petit Palais in Paris, the Sorbonne is offering a free MOOC about Oscar Wilde, in French, from October 26. The online course is taught by English Literature professor Pascal Aquien. It will consist of six sessions, each with six 10-minute parts. They will start out … Continue reading “Oscar Wilde: Online Learning”
William Shakespeare died 400 years ago, on 23 April 1616, at the age of 52, in his native Stratford-upon-Avon. Yet his 37 plays are still played constantly around the world, and have provided the basis for more than 1000 films. Britain had had grandiose plans for celebrating the tercentenary of Shakespeare’s death in 1916 before … Continue reading “Shakespeare 400”
Irish poet, playwright, novelist, editor, dandy and wit Oscar Wilde was a major figure of the nineteenth century literary scene, and his work is still widely read and performed today. A major exhibition at the Petit Palais presents his life and work – both as an immensely popular writer and as an object of scandal … Continue reading “Oscar Wilde”
A new exhibition in Paris shines a spotlight on a man who never shied away from one: Oscar Wilde. The author of The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest lived a life as witty and provocative as his work. Oscar Wilde had an affinity and long connection with France, so the … Continue reading “Oscar Wilde: Impertinent Portrait”
