Orwell's Down and Out: LIVE in Paris

Friday 28 September 2018 @ 14:00 - 20:00

La Générale
14 Avenue Parmentier,
75011 Paris, France

WATCH LIVE

Performance 14:00 – 18:00 | Policy Debate 18:30 – 20:00

In the second instalment of our Down and Out: Live project, The Orwell Foundation is bringing George Orwell’s classic book to Paris after its sell-out performance in London in June (which you can watch here).

The immersive performance, which asks searching questions about homelessness today, will take place at La Générale in Paris on 28th September, 2018. The performance will be in both French and English. This is a free performance and you can register by following the link below. Entry will also be available on the door (subject to capacity) and audience members may stay for some or all of the event.

Orwell wrote Down and Out in Paris and London as a result of his own experiences sleeping rough and working on what would now be called zero-hours contracts in hotel kitchens. The dramatised reading draws on other pieces of writing by Orwell, including his diaries, The Spike and A Clergyman’s Daughter. Modern stories from the streets will be woven into the original text, alongside poems specially commissioned from three contemporary poets. Readers will include writers, activists, politicians, and young people who have been homeless.

The original performance took place in London on 6th June as part of UCL’s Festival of Culture and will be repeated at La Générale in Paris on 28th September from 4pm until 8pm.

The event is the result of a collaboration between The Orwell Foundation, The Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Libby Brodie Productions and UCL. It is supported using public funding by Arts Council England. We are grateful for generous sponsorship from White Light.

The events will be accompanied by new poetic responses in English and French and a short film will be produced by the award-winning film-maker Edwin Mingard.

The performance will be live streamed and viewing events will be arranged in libraries and community hubs across the UK, with both the London and Paris performances being recorded in full and being made publicly available.

Représentation 14:00 – 18:00 | Débat de Politiques 18:30 – 20:00

Pour la deuxième partie de notre projet ‘Down and Out : Live’ Le Orwell Foundation présent une interprétation du classique roman d’auteur George Orwell à Paris, après la représentation à guichets fermés a Londres en Juin (vous pouvez y regarder ici).

La représentation immersive, que demande questions en ce qui concerne le problème contemporain de sans-abri, prendra place le 28eme Septembre chez La Générale à Paris. La représentation sera en Français et Anglais. C’est une représention gratuit, et vous pouvez réserver vos places en utilisant le lien dessous. Membres du public peuvent rester pour l’entière séance ou bien seulement une partie. Vous pouvez aussi venir sans reservation.

Orwell à écrit Dans la dèche à Paris et à Londres après ses expériences en couchant à la dure et en travaillant sous contrats précaires dans les cuisines des hôtels de Paris. La lecture dramatique est inspirée par l’écriture d’Orwell ainsi que les histoires modernes des rues, qui seront tissées avec les poèmes nouvelle commandés. Les Lecteurs seront écrivains, activistes, politiciens, et les jeunes qui a étaient sans abris.

La représentation originelle a pris place à Londres le 6eme Juin, une partie de la Festival de La Culture de UCL. Elle sera répétée à Paris le 28eme September, a 14 :00 jusqu’à 20 :00.

L’évènement est la résultat d’une collaboration entre Le Orwell Foundation, Le Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Libby Brodie Productions and UCL. Elle est soutenue par fonds publique de le Arts Council England.

Une court métrage sera fait par le primé cinéaste Edwin Mingard.

Get involved in Down and Out: LIVE

Libraries, bookshops, and community hubs can organise screenings. The performance will be live-streamed online. So, with the help of a computer, internet connection, and a screen or projector, members of the public can get involved in this nationwide event. On the day, it’s as easy as setting up a computer, a projector and some speakers, and clicking the link to get the live-stream started. Ask your local library whether they are hosting a viewing! We have also prepared a suggested reading list on Orwell’s investigations into poverty.

Other ideas for getting involved include:

Book displays on Orwell, The Orwell Prize for Books, and/or homelessness (our suggested reading list is available here – let us know what we’ve missed)
Print, share and display our promotional poster, by Edwin Mingard (Paris version)
Reading groups on Orwell and/or homelessness
Satellite events

To publicise your event, we can help with posters, logos, information and some web support. Follow us on @TheOrwellPrize and use the hashtag #downandoutlive. For more information, please contact us.