Theater
Paris Commune
By Steven Cosson and Michael Friedman
The Civilians
Our Show:
A revival of the radical cabaret of 19th-century Paris to tell the
story of the 1871 Paris Commune—arguably the first socialist
revolution in Europe—and a concert that took place there on the eve
of its defeat.
Sights and Sounds:
History told and sung through engrossing first-person accounts,
raucous popular songs like the Communist anthem "The
Internationale," a can-can charting the history of revolution and
labor in two minutes, and an operatic Army of France that kills
with song.
Most interesting thing learned about the 1871 uprising:
That culture does, in fact, create the world we live in. Speeches
and songs have power to shape our society. We often think of
culture as a refuge from life; the Commune proves that life and
culture are inseparable.
Best advice for discussing communism in social settings:
If you have to talk about dangerous things sometimes it's best to
sing.
with The Civilians
Fri, Oct 5
Simon Dove moderates this artist talk, which takes place in the performance venue and is free for same-day ticket holders.
with Steve Cosson, Michael Friedman, and Kristin Ross
Sat, Oct 6 (after 7:30pm performance)
Kristin Ross moderates this artist talk, which takes place in the performance venue and is free for same-day ticket holders.
The Civilians is a center for investigative theater led by artistic director Steve Cosson that champions innovation by tackling complex and underexplored subjects.
