Speak Frog

Apr.18
0

Sappho is coming to London

Posted by in Blog, London, Music, News, Theatre

Wendy Beckett’s Sappho is a new play inspired by the famous Greek poet,  integrating the original poetry with contemporary music and dance.  It will première in its English version at Southwark Playhouse Elephant from 3 May 3 to 25 May. The original Greek production was created in Hydrama Theatre in August 2022 before touring to Andros, Delphi and Rhodes. Wendy Beckett and Adam Fitzgerald co-direct, both making their UK directorial debuts. They lead a multi-national creative team with Halcyon Pratt, Fotis Diamantopoulos, and Mehdi Bourayou all transferring with the production from Greece. INTERVIEW…read more

Feb.01
0

Songs For Nobodies

Posted by in London, Music, Theatre

 La comédienne et chanteuse australienne Bernadette Robinson interprète en solo Songs For Nobodies, une pièce musicale écrite pour elle par Joanna Murray Smith et mise en scène par Simon Phillips Edith Piaf, Billie Holiday, Maria Callas, Judy Garland, Patsy Cline … cinq légendes de la chanson et icônes féminines. Songs For Nobodies explore la vie des ces divas à travers le regard de cinq autres femmes qui les ont un jour croisées. Dans les toilettes publiques, lors d’une répétition avant un concert… cinq inconnues ont été touchées par leur rencontre…read more

Jan.18
0

Marchland

Posted by in History, Literature, London, Music, Theatre

Franco – British theatre company Théâtre Volière is coming back to London with Marchland : a season of performances from the edges and in-between places of Europe. Based in Alsace, Théâtre Volière have always been fascinated by the turbulent history of this border region between France and Germany. Marchland is their response to the crisis of identity currently sweeping Europe. A recurring ‘rendez-vous’, Marchland will run each February from 2018 to 2020 at the historic Bridewell Theatre turned into a unique pop-up space. The former swimming pool will be transformed into a central European café and fitted…read more

Sep.18
0

120 BPM

Posted by in Blog, Cinema, London, Music

120 Battements Par Minute is the film of the ‘rentrée’. After winning the ‘Grand Prix’ at Cannes 2017, it came out on French screens a few weeks ago and has been winning audiences’ hearts since. It will be shown at the London Film Festival   on October 7th and 10th. Set in Paris in the early 90’s at the height of the Aids epidemic, it follows the lives, loves, clubbing sessions and deaths of a group of activists from Act Up Paris in their fight against the virus. Watch the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=114&v=ai2WhkTWfKM Read an article…read more

Sep.04
0

MC Solaar is alive

Posted by in Blog, Music

The most famous French rapper, MC Solaar, is known for his elaborate lyrics, built on rhymes, poetry and literary references. We hadn’t heard from him in 10 years, so his new album ‘Géopoétique’ (already a Solaarian word play in the title) coming out this November, is hotly anticipated. Solaar’s texts are often studied in class, in France and Great-Britain. To follow in that tradition and to mark the return to school today, here is the first song of the album, with lyrics and translation. A ‘sonotone’ is a hearing aid;…read more

Jun.14
0

Haim – In The Light Of A Violin

Posted by in Blog, Language, London, Music, Theatre

Last night, I was lucky to see Haim – In The Light Of A Violin (or Haim – A La Lumiere d’un Violon, as it is known in French). The true story of violinist prodigy and Holocaust survivor Haïm Lipsky is written and directed with great sensibility by Gérald Garutti and performed in French with English surtitles in a new translation by Christopher Hampton (Dangerous Liaisons, Atonement). The UK premiere opened last weekend at the gorgeous Coronet on Notting Hill Gate. This was the first great discovery of the evening. Built…read more

Nov.23
0

Paris

Posted by in Blog, Music

This is a love/hate song to Paris in the form of a break-up letter by French singer Camille. The word pari is pronounced exactly like the city-‘Paree’ to English ears- and means ‘bet’. Un pari: a bet. And the verb parier, ‘to bet’ is derived from it. In this song Camille bets that she can leave Paris. She threatens the city of dumping it. It’s over, it’s finished! C’est fini! Or is it?.. Have a listen and use the translation below if you need to.   https://youtu.be/fxQWbMenYCc Paroles/Lyrics Fini les balades:…read more

Wakey wakey!

Posted by in Music

On se reveille! I hadn’t listened to Yelle’s loopy pop for a while. Not since Que veux-tu.  But I stumbled on her new album this morning on the online version of magazine Inrockuptibles. Complètement fou. Completely crazy.  It’s got a kick! It’s fun, if a bit manic. 🙂 Maybe what you need this Friday morning? Listen to it for free while it lasts. Bon weekend! http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcpN6ntPVsC1EY2xZItN9Xn3mk2vrzr1E

Sep.26
0
{{unknown}}
Apr.06
0

Learn the future with Joe Dassin

Posted by in Blog, Language, Music

Whenever I teach the future tense, this 1975 ballad springs to my mind. It is quite cheesy, so I generally keep it to myself. In French we would say that it is à l’eau de rose: which roughly translates as ‘flavoured with rose water’ to mean that it is overly sentimental. However, I thought it would be interesting to share it here. For grammatical purposes. And also because it was very successful in its time and is a classic of French pop culture. Hence why it keeps popping into my…read more

Apr.06
0
Oct.09
0

Feeling automnal

Posted by in Blog, Music

Les feuilles mortes (litterally: ‘the dead leaves’)  is one of the most beautiful and sad French songs. The lyrics were written by the author Jaques Prévert and it was originally sang by Yves Montand. Throughout the years there have been many covers and an English version called ‘Autumn leaves’ was also created by Cole Porter. http://youtu.be/kLlBOmDpn1s

<