Albert writes:
Come aboard the Alternat on 30th November for a night of locally-sourced and written theatre, followed by drinks and partying until late. Four fifteen-minute plays all on the theme of ‘Against our will comes wisdom’, with theatrical ad-breaks and an intermission.
More info here
Eight euros admission. Bar on board.
Evan Knight has lived various lives. Professional wrestler, saxophonist, Nebraska poet and bicycle thief. Lately seen hanging around in the cellar of the Chat Noir bar in Paris, where according to one source he “typically reads one poem then buggers off.” Interpol expect to intercept him there on Monday, having lured him with the promise of being featured poet. Be warned – he may have radically changed his appearance since this photo was taken e.g. hairstyle. Police warn that he should not be approached unless actually present.
SpokenWord Monday 25th November
underground au Chat Noir, 76 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud. Poetics begin at 8.30pm.
theme: Myths
featured poet: Evan Knight
target audience: poets, folk singers and fellow travellers
motto: Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for you.
Cheers all,
David
November 18 au Chat Noir. The Theme: Plastic. Our featured reader Robert Priest known also as “Dr Poetry” from his pile of ten books of poetry, two children’s novels, 3 children’s albums, 4 CDs of songs and poems sold everything and delighted the audience with a top class performance and wise aphorisms like: “Gravity forever!”. But it was a whole night of special guests: Vincent Bricks, Kathleen Spivack, The Wickedly Sisters! Plus Antonia Klimenko, Ferdinand, David Barnes, Chiara, Beatrice & John Dos Passos, Nina (& Evan at the Saxophone), Ret, Bibi Jacob, Yann, Felix, Hannah, Bruce, David Sirois, Carol, Ann and three heartbreaking songs by Jeanne, J.D and Flora. Here you have a photo-report of the night by Sabine Dundure. But watch the full album here. Stay tuned, get faboulous and prepare yourself for next Monday theme: Myths!
Beatrice John
Official Results of the Eighties Contest (For those who left before).
The mysterious action figure from the 80’s was…
Paulie Pennino. Adrian’s brother. Rocky Balboa’s brother in law.
The winner is Patrick.
And here’s the prize: an haiku by the hottest poet in town alias David Sirois:
Walking the gravel path
beside this field of crickets –
I wish my steps made no sound.
Report by David, with aid from Melissa’s notes. Photos by Sabine.
Bob Hill was going grey from the neck up. Gaelle Molly (keyboard) sang the solution to you. Evan’s familiar ligtening filled his every molecule… he was a drop of ink in an unused pen. Godefroy was a mute child in grown-up clothes. Kevin’s horse-rider girlfriend stole the show. Antonia described when Death was a little boy. John conducted the audience – FACT! Featured reader Pansy Maurer-Alvarez (of Poets Live) danced with her shadow, wanted their first words back. (From her book “When the body says it’s leaving.”)
Dareka hailed the great ball of fire. Alberto was slapped repeatedly with a lobster. Gabriel’s flesh moved. Jerry Flemming recorded a spike in those who take themselves out of the world. Victor lingered on Lu Read’s pale blue eyes, calypso style. David Kerridge found a good wall for shooting people against. Pansy returned to take the treacle tart test.
Melissa was under the hat for Round Three. Sarah-the-heckler saw an audience of lambs. Felix wandered in the desert. Troy washed us with red liquor. Stephanie informed friends of changes in time. J.D. cast a cold winter shadow on the ground. David Sirois, prince of pigeons, recounted the greatest horror poem of the Twentieth Century – “The Tasteland.” Irina knew that story, but not the full text.
See you tomorrow at the Chat Noir for the 1980s. Following themes: mirrors, plastic, myths.
Cheers all,
David
(Albert says the deadline for sending in a script is this Friday, I believe — David)
What is it: A night of locally-sourced plays which you get to write, direct,
and act in. In the ancient Greek tradition, it’ll even be a competition
with a prize for the winner.
Structure: Four 15 minute plays with an intermission in the middle. There’s
a theme, but each of the plays will be in a different genre.
In between the first and second play, as well as in between the third and
fourth, we’ll go all modern and have commercials, that is little plays that
last no longer than one minute. That could even be a song, or a dance…
After the plays: party!
Theme: “Against our will, comes wisdom”
When is it: Saturday the 30th of November, 9 pm.
I want in!: That’s the spirit. Send Albert an email at albertalla@gmail.com
and let him know what you’d like to do.
In a break from tradition, writers are the real bosses in this game. But you
can of course find yourself a director, who’ll handle actors and the such
(bloody actors!).
If you want to write a 15 minute play, tell us in what genre.
If you want to put together a commercial, just let us know an approximate
length.
Boom. That simple.
Somebody was rescued. Some other not. Somebody was waiting for a rescue that never arrived. Scue yourself. Rescue yourself. In these pictures by Sabine Dundure: Spoken Word’s failed attempt of Democracy & the rioting crowd, Sara&Sirois&Cerises, the stage sheet list, reading highlights and white wine in the front row, smuggling alternative magazines and forbidden books like the classic “Psycanalyse Transversalitè”. But look at the full album. Have a look at Sabine’s website too. See you next Monday. The infamous bloody Theatre of the Grand Guignol is re-opening downstairs au Chat Noir…
Pictures by Sabine Dundure. Have a look at the full album here.
Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton in Lowell’s Early Workshop: Fierce Friendships and Raw Rivalries
a presentation from
With Robert Lowell and His Circle: Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, Elizabeth Bishop, Stanley Kunitz and Others
by Kathleen Spivack
Thursday, October 10th, 7 pm
Shakespeare & Company
37 rue de la Bûcherie, 75005, Paris
The friendships and rivalries amongst the poets in Robert Lowell’s circle in Boston, especially Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton, were complex and multi-layered. Respect, help, support, competition, jealousy, and even a suicide pact were some of the aspects. I’ll read from my latest book, With Robert Lowell and His Circle, and add my own insights into what I, as a young writer in Lowell’s workshop, personally observed through my own long-term friendships with the poets involved. After the reading, there will be time for questions and discussion, as well as book signing. Hope to see you there!
More information about the book below…
With Robert Lowell and His Circle: Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, Elizabeth Bishop, Stanley Kunitz and Others
by Kathleen Spivack
University Press of New England, 2012
In 1959 Kathleen Spivack won a fellowship to study at Boston University with Robert Lowell. Her fellow students were Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton, among others. Thus began a relationship with the famous poet and his circle that would last to the end of his life in 1977 and beyond. Spivack presents a lovingly rendered story of her time among some of the most esteemed artists of a generation. Part memoir, part loose collection of anecdotes, artistic considerations, and soulful yet clear-eyed reminiscences of a lost time and place, hers is an intimate portrait of the often suffering Lowell, the great and near great artists he attracted, his teaching methods, his private world, and the significant legacy he left to his students. Through the story of a youthful artist finding her poetic voice among literary giants, Spivack thoughtfully considers how poets work. She looks at friendships, addiction, despair, perseverance and survival, and how social changes altered lives and circumstances. This is a beautifully written portrait of friends who loved and lived words, and made great beauty together.
A touching and deeply revealing look into the lives and thoughts of some of the most influential artists of the twentieth century, With Robert Lowell and His Circle will appeal to writers, students, and thoughtful literary readers, as well as to scholars.
“This book is absorbing and alive, human and compelling . . . the best memoir yet about Robert Lowell.” – Steven Gould Axelrod, University of California, Riverside
“Spivack’s portrait offers a window on a man, a city, and a method for anyone not lucky enough to have taken part in those times.” – Valerie Duff, The Boston Globe
THE BASTILLE, the voice of the SpokenWord Paris community is looking for writing and art with a strong point of view for our 3rd issue. Deadline 15 December.
We want your
Art – Photography – Poetry – Rants – Interviews – Articles – Prose – Stories – Opinion pieces – Documentary work (art, photos or words) – Journalism
WRITERS (journalists, poets, ranters, storytellers, visionaries…)
Write about something you feel strongly about (passionate or angry). Something personal or political, about life or the world. And give us a twist. Be radical – reach down to the root of things. Why should the reader care? Experiment – Break your own mould – push your limits. Don’t do what is familiar and easy for you. Have fun.
This could be an article, a rant, an interview, a poem, anything… it could be a mix of prose and other forms.
ARTISTS & PHOTOGRAPHERS
Put your passion into your work. Make it about something personal or political, life or the world. Find something to say. Be radical, get to the root of things, take a side, document, have a strong point of view. Break your own mould – push your limits. Don’t do what is familiar and easy for you. Experiment and… have fun.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Work must not have been published before.
Simultaneous submissions fine if you tell us as soon as you get accepted elsewhere.
Include a 50 word bio with your submission.
Send to themag.paris at gmail.com
WORDS
Send as an attachment .doc or .rtf [not .docx]
Use Perpetua 12.
Prose – send us 50 to 2000 words.
Poems – send us up to 3 poems of up to 40 lines each.
ART, PHOTOS
Send as jpeg 300dpi
Deadline 15th December
SpokenWord Paris 