It's a very sobering time in the world as we watch the tragedy unfurl in Ukraine. It can even feel a little frivolous to carry on as normal (ish) whilst fellow humans are subjected to an unprovoked campaign of terror on our very continent but there are ways we can at least show support for and solidarity with the Ukranian people - a small selection of which are suggested below, including local initiatives and events. Meanwhile, once again, it can only be a good thing to look beyond the English language and English-language lands and learn other ways of speaking, living, doing, thinking, eating... to keep our minds open, develop our intercultural awareness and understanding and spice up our life!
To help with that, from the comfort of our beautiful and rural if not very multicultural home area, voici the 4th All Abroad! Bus newsletter, packed with suggestions to connect you to foreign-language/flavoured events, activities, services, people and places in the Lewes area and beyond!
...WATCH...
Foreign-language/flavoured films showing this week in the area:
On the mornings of Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th March, Japanese animated fantasy film "Laputa Castle in the Sky" (PG) made by the marvellous Studio Ghibli, will be showing (in English) at The Depot in Lewes and tells the tale of a boy and a girl who are searching for a legendary floating castle, whilst all the time keeping a magical crystal away from various baddies. More info and booking here.
If you didn't get tickets for "Frida" at Uckfield Picture House on International Women's Day [IWD], Tuesday 8th March, you can instead enjoy a special IWD screening at 6pm of "Hive" (15, in Albanian with English subtitles). This film portrays the grief of a woman whose husband has been missing since the war in Kosovo and the challenges she faces setting up a small business to fend for her family in a traditional, patriarchal society. Tickets here.
Belfast (12A) has enjoyed a good run at Lewes Depot and, whilst it finishes there on Thursday 3/3, it will be showing throughout the coming week at Uckfield Picture House. This beautiful and moving semi-autobiographical film, about a 9-year-old boy navigating his childhood against the turbulent backdrop of mounting troubles in Northern Ireland in the late 1960’s, has a particular poignance in light of world events and could also be a good way to leverage related discussions with teens. It's also a good lesson in developing patience to understand different accents! More info and tickets here.
The Three Colours French(and some Polish-)language psychological drama trilogy from the 1990s, by director Krzysztof Kieslowski finishes with Three Colours: Red on Friday 4th March, 8pm. Become a member of Lewes film club or simply pay £5 as you go. More info and bookings here.
Another screening by Lewes Film Club this coming week is Romanian film "Collective" (15, Romanian / English), on Tuesday 8th March - a probing documentary about top-down corruption in Romania, in this case following a nightclub fire from which 64 people died, but largely from hospital infection not injuries.
STILL SHOWING
Screenings of "Cyrano" (12A) continue at Lewes Depot and Uckfield Picture House. Whilst not in French, this musical adaptation of the classic play by French writer Edmond Rostand, set in 17th Century Paris, nevertheless stays true to the tale of the soldier and wordsmith Cyrano - played by Peter Dinklage - who, embarrassed by his large, misshapen nose, uses poetry to romance his cousin by proxy as the man she loves.
BOOK NOW!
Rigoletto (Royal Opera House Live) (12A) at Lewes Depot. (10/3, 13/3) - live performance of a modern take on Verdi's masterpiece by ROH director Oliver Mears. Info and bookings here.
Ariadne auf Naxos (12A tbc, in German with titles in English) at Uckfield Picture House on Saturday 12th March - a live performance by The Metropolitan Opera, NY) of this enchanting masterpiece by Strauss.
Leopoldstadt (NT Live) (12A) at Uckfield Picture House (16/3, 20/3), Seaford Community Cinema (17/3) and Lewes Depot (dates TBC) - recording a live West End performance of a play about a family living in the old Jewish quarter of Vienna, Austria, over the first half of the 20th century.
Final Account (15) will be showing on 20/3 at Uckfield Picture House - a documentary with never-before-seen interviews with the last living generation from Hitler's Third Reich. "This is the past speaking to the present". Plus post film Q&A with Sam Pope, Director Luke’s assistant and editor of the film.
Lewes Drama Collective students will be performing Laura Eason’s adaptation of Jules Verne's Around The World in 80 Days at All Saints Centre on Sunday 20/3.
La Traviata (Royal Opera House Live) (12A) at Lewes Depot (13/4, 17/4) - live performance of Richard Eyre's production of Verdi's masterpiece, which is set in the superficial glamour of 19th-century Paris, with contrasting scenes of intimacy and death.
...WATCH & LISTEN...
Completion 001 _ Audio Visual Performance Night is happening on Friday 4th March at Zu Cafe in Lewes and it's their" showcasing local and afar performers in live electronica and AV/VJ visual shows". This first edition features AV artist "Autr", a Bristol-born media artist, designer, and technologist who now lives and works in Berlin, alongside Lewes-born indie/electronic music artist Elsa Hewitt. Other Lewes and Brighton-based acts complete the line-up for what sounds like a very exciting and somewhat Berlin-vibes night, with a new cocktail menu to sample too. Tickets: £7 adv and on door till 21:00. £10 after. £4 students.
...LISTEN...
*Classico Latino at Ardingly College
A little further afield and across the border into West Sussex, there will be an evening of music at The Under, Ardingly College on Friday 4th March, 7pm, exploring "the vibrant and exuberant music of South America fused to an individual and inspiring manner". This follows on from a day of education workshops for pupils at the college, some of whom will be participating in the concert. Tickets and more info here.
*Priority bookings for under-30s at Glyndebourne operas
Glyndebourne Opera House are offering £30 tickets from 8am on Friday 4th March for Le nozze di Figaro and Don Pasquale (both sung in Italian with English 'supertitles'), and The Wreckers and Poulenc double bill operas (both sung in French with English supertitles).
Under 40s who have taken up the priority membership 'Fortissimo' have been able to get priority bookings since 27th February and anyone in this age group can still join enjoy ticket access and more for Festival 2022 here.
Other tickets for the Festival 2022 season are currently available to members only.
...DO...
Celebrate International Women's Day (#IWD2022) on Tuesday 8th March with some or all of the women in your life (that's daughters, mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, aunties, friends, neighbours, nieces, god-daughters, pupils, students etc), this year with the theme "Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow, recognizing the contribution of women and girls around the world, who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, to build a more sustainable future for all" according to the UN Women's website. UN Women has partnered with visual artist Burcu Kölelito to develop imagery illustrating this theme.
Do something to help Ukraine.
A candle-lit vigil for Ukraine, on Saturday 5th March, 6-7pm will be held on Cliffe bridge, Lewes, hosted by Councillor Dr Janet Baah. More details here.
A little further afield, next Tuesday, 8th March, Helena’s Flamenco School is holding a Benefit Dance Day to celebrate International Women’s Day, at the Fishermen’s Club Eastbourne, from 12.30pm to 3.30pm.
Keep your eye on local news pages, Facebook groups (eg. Lewes facebook group) etc for information about collections of clothing and other essential supplies.
Otherwise:
via www.bbc.co.uk
And here's a language challenge for you: learn the Ukranian National Anthem or, if that's a little too ambitious, at least listen to it and read the powerful and poignant lyrics - so very moving and hopeful indeed.
Other plans...
Get down to Charleston to catch the Tunji Adeniyi-Jones "Astral Reflections" exhibition before it closes on 13th March. In the artist's words: 'The title ‘Astral Reflections’ speaks to the physical and emotional fragments that we gather and leave behind through continued travel and transition. I am interested in how the transformative nature of the Black experience is nourished by travel, movement and cultural hybridity.’
Abyss Booty Camp by Twerk4Fitness is on again this Saturday 5th March 10-11am - a booty-shaking body-sculpting twerkout sessions with a South African-born Twerk instructor whose speciality is in South African style dance music, ‘Amapiano’ and ‘Gqom’ although the classes will include more well-known genres of dance music too. More info, what to bring and tickets here.
...TASTE...
Mexican street food aplenty in Lewes this weekend - ¡Andale!
A new monthly 'Brewhouse Flea' event is kicking off @ Abyss Brewery in Lewes this coming Saturday 5th March, with the Carlito Burrito food truck selling their usual Mexican-inspired street food whilst the flea stallholders do their thing, accompanied by beats and of course beers.
Meanwhile, @Beak Brewery, there will be a two-day vegan Mexican feast c/o The Two Fridas! Friday from 5pm and Saturday from midday, they will be serving up their contemporary twist on authentic Mexican cuisine, with tacos, burritos and various sides.
Spanish food at Lidl
Lidl (Newhaven)'s 'Iberia' week is underway. This one is always ¡muy bueno! and ¡muy autentico! As always, "when it's gone, it's gone"!
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