Power Plays – Brotfabrik Bonn – 17-21 May 2011

Power Plays by Alan Arkin and Elaine May ”Power Plays” is a beguiling and darkly funny double bill about “the collision of wills, the sort of exasperating conflicts that are elemental to comedy from slapstick to Shakespeare”. (New York Times). The two plays, “The Way of All Fish” by Elaine May and “Virtual Reality” by Alan Arkin are a neatly matched set, each a study in the struggle for control between two characters.

The Way of All Fish – named for a type of male fish that can turn into a female if bested by a more powerful male – involves Ms Asquith, a powerful executive of some never defined enterprise and Miss Riverton, her meek and mousy secretary settling in for a rare take in dinner at the office. Once the food arrives and several glasses of wine take effect, the mouse begins to roar by revealing her not so mousy fantasy of obtaining fame through killing someone famous.

In  Virtual Reality a pair of men, previously unknown to each other, meet in an abandoned warehouse to await the arrival of crates containing what they need for a project whose purpose is never stated. Vying for control, the two men perform a “virtual dry run” of unpacking the crate, the contents of which are equally unknown. What begins as purely hypothetical assumes an autonomous existence that transports the men to a remote frozen wilderness. They grow close; they grow apart; they become mortal enemies.

For more info/ How to get a ticket visit: www.bonn-players.de

Popularity: 10% [?]

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

The Bonn Players are pleased to announce that their Autumn production will be

“The Importance of Being Earnest”

by Oscar Wilde.

The Importance of Being Earnest is Oscar Wilde’s most enduringly popular play and is regarded by many as the funniest  play in the English language, brimming with brilliant wit  and full of hilarious `laugh-out-loud` dialogue which scathingly satirises the morals and hypocrisy of late Victorian society.  It is a unique fusion of a melodrama and a classic comedy of manners with the absurdity of the plot matched by the exquisite cleverness of the writing. The play is still performed frequently around the English-speaking world and is a favourite among German audiences under the title “Bunbury”

Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrief are wealthy gentlemen.  Jack lives a respectable life in the country providing an example to his young ward Cecily. But he has invented a wicked younger brother called Ernest who lives in London. Jack uses Ernest as pretext for going up to town, where he pretends to be the wayward Ernest and enjoys a life of pleasure. Algernon, his friend, who knows Jack as Ernest, lives in luxury in London and has invented an imaginary invalid friend (Bunbury) whom he visits in the country whenever an unappealing social engagement presents itself.

Jack wants to marry Algernon’s cousin Gwendolen, whom he has met while masquerading in London as Ernest. The beautiful but shallow Gwendolen accepts his proposal because she has always wanted to marry someone with the name of Ernest. Jack`s predicament is made worse by having to convince her mother, the formidable Lady Bracknell, of the respectability of his parents. Having been abandoned in a handbag at railway station, this is quite a difficult task for Jack!

Unknown to Jack, Algernon visits Jack’s house in the country and introduces himself to the enchanting Cecily as Ernest, knowing that Cecily is already fascinated by tales of Ernest’s wickedness. He wins her over and they become engaged – although Cecily, like Gwendolen, also feels that Ernest is the perfect name for a husband!  Shortly after, Jack arrives home announcing Ernest’s death. This sets off a series of farcical events. Cecily and Gwendolen have a genteel stand-off over which of them has a prior claim on ‘Ernest’. Jack and Algernon vie to be christened Ernest. Eventually, Jack discovers that his parents were Lady Bracknell’s sister and brother-in-law and that he is, in fact, Algernon’s older brother, called Ernest. The two sets of lovers are thus free to marry.

During these events the characters of Canon Chasuble and Cecily’s governess Miss Prism have also fallen in love, and in the best tradition of the well-made play the story ends with all the loose ends tied up and everyone set to live happily ever after.

Shortly after the play premiered in 1895, Wilde initiated his famous libel suit against the Marquess of Queensbury – the ultimate result of which was Wilde being jailed for two years.  He wrote no more plays and died in 1900, a broken man. “Earnest” is Wilde’s masterpiece, but also the swan song of the Wilde the world loves

The play will be performed in English at the

Stiftstheater Augustinum,

Roemerstrasse 118, Bonn

November 16th, 17 ^th, 18 ^th, 19th & 20 ^th

Adults 12 € Students 8 €

Box Office: Weekdays November 3^rd – 19^th 16:00 – 18:00

Tel: 0228 9562398  Fax: 0228 9562401   Email;   bonnplayers@aol.com

Popularity: 21% [?]

The Bonn Players

Those of you who enjoyed the spectacular and very entertaining Last of the Red Hot Lovers will be delighted to know that plans for the autumn production are already under way  for The Importance of Being Earnest.  Auditions took place in June.  Details about this next production, the play reading group,  other forthcoming events, as well as how to join the Bonn Players can be found here:

BONN PLAYERS WEBSITE

Popularity: 48% [?]

Bonn Players Present: ‘Last of the Red Hot Lovers’

The Bonn Players will be presenting a new production in May.  ‘Last of the Red Hot Lovers’ by Neil Simon will be running from 4th to 6th May at the Brotfabrik in Kreuzstrasse, Bonn-Beuel.

Synopsis: Barney Cashman has led a nice life.  Too nice in fact.  The 47 year old therefore decides to spice his life up by arranging a series of trysts, but which one involves the real woman of his dreams?

Neil Simon’s comedy deftly explores the life of a man in mid-life crisis.

For more details and prices/times:

www.bonnplayers.de

Popularity: 36% [?]

New Folk Club

Anglo American style, a place where total strangers meet peacefully once a month and play simple honest acoustic music. Free admission and open to people of all ages to either just come along and listen, or hopefully to come and sing and/or play and do a “floor spot”.

Unplugged and unpretentious, one could almost call it a feast of international folk, blues, roots and world music, with even dance and poetry allowed, but really it’s just a plain and simple old fashioned folk club.

Everything is allowed that is not expressly forbidden, and the only thing that is forbidden is the amplifier. The room is small enough and music has sufficient power in itself, without artificial steroids.

Resident singers and musicians are John Harrison, a noteless blues singer from the old continent and Barry L. Roshto, a classically trained musician with more notes than the Federal Reserve Bank from the new continent. Two men separated by the same language, yet united in their love of music, the most unifying language of all.

When and where?

First Friday of each month at:

Gastätte zum Schützenhaus

Estermannstrasse 109

53117 Bonn Tel : 0228 92985179

The folk club will meet in the room at the rear. More info: harrisonbonn@gmail.com

Directions:

Coming from the centre of Bonn just head due north and follow the Römerstrasse past the Beethovenhalle and continue straight on, ignoring any temptations to follow the road 90 degrees to the left, and eventually the Römerstrasse becomes the Estermannstrasse, which is the main thoroughfare in Graurheindorf. If you drive past the Schützenhaus on the left hand side there are parking opportunities in the next street on the left.

Coming from outside Bonn leave Autobahn 565 at the “Auerberg”  exit and it is approx 5 minutes by car to the Schützenhaus.

Using public transport take the bus number 600 from Bonn main station to Graurheindorf for 12 minutes and get out at the terminus “Kranenweg” from where it is a 3 minute walk to the venue.

Looking forward to seeing you there

Popularity: 19% [?]

Deutsch Britisch Gesellschaft

Dr David Hendy, Reader in Media and Communication, University of Westminster will give a talk in Bonn entitled Radio, The Intellect and the Imagination in Early Twentieth Century Britain on Thursday 10 December, 18.00 hrs.

More information both on this talk and others offered by the Deutsch Britisch Gesellschaft at www.debrige.de

Popularity: 17% [?]

English Tango Classes

Bryan de Valdivia is offering Tango classes in english from October:

Free Beginner “Schnupperstunde”

Thursday, 8th of October in Bonn-Beuel (Tapetenfabrik)
8:30 – 9:45 pm
Siebenmorgenweg 18, Flamenco Studio “La Fragua,” Google Map

Monday, 12th of October in Bonn-Dottendorf (Al Sur)
9:00 – 10:15 pm
Stephanstrasse 46a, Entrance via Courtyard, no parking in Courtyard, Google Map

If you do not have a dance partner, please Email Bryan at devaldivia@gmail.com and I will help you find one.

Class size is limited and we try to balance partners,
call or email to make a reservation.

• Tel. 01578 1442 421
• Intl. 0049 1578 1442 421
• devaldivia@gmail.com

Popularity: 23% [?]

New adult art classes in Bad Godesberg

Thanks to an adapted programme and rhythm for your own creative process (realistic drawing or abstract painting, from life, imagination and photographic sources), develop observation and enliven personal experimentation.

deal with figure, still-life, landscape, portrait, collage or abstraction… using charcoal, pastels, Indian and coloured inks, watercolour, acrylics, oil paints

Be part of our yearly exhibition in the premises of the Kunstverein Bad Godesberg

Develop more skills during special workshops on week ends (new themes, techniques, mixed media)

Popularity: 48% [?]

Deutsch-Britische Gesellschaft

Next Lecutre n Bonn on 22 June 2009

Professor David F. Smith, Dept of History, University of Puget Sound, Taxoma WA

“British Culture and Citizenship in WW II”

This lecture will examine the impact of WW II on British culture and citizenship both during the war and in the post-war years. The lecture will pose the questions what did it mean to be British?

More details:  www.debrige.de

Popularity: 38% [?]

MeetIn Events this weekend

Benoit has planned the following events this weekend with MeetInBonn:

Friday 12 June – Regular Get-together at ‘Aktuell’ Gerhard-von-Ahr-Str Bonn Centre c.8.30pm

Saturday 13 June – Karaoke at The Fiddlers Irish Pub (Frongasse, Endenich) from c.10.pm on 1st floor
Sunday 13 June – International Festival in Bonn Centre (Marktplatz).  Meet  at the stand ” integrationsrat der Stadt Bonn”
hourly from 1pm to 4pm followed by possible walk round Lowenburg (leaving Marktplatz at 4pm)

Popularity: 32% [?]

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