News Update - Leisure from knowitall.ch

: Published: 16 May 2022

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“No Exit” by Jean-Paul Sartre - Performed in English - "Huis Clos" in French

"Hell is other people..." Three strangers trapped together in a "hell" eerily similar to the real world find their stories are intertwined, with each alienating the other yet unable to escape. Passions, animosities, and power struggles soon create explosive tension. GEDS have kindly offered a pair of tickets to one lucky knowitall.ch reader. Read below to enter the competition.

Musings from Director Gary Bird

Jean-Paul Sartre’s play, "No Exit" (French title "Huis Clos") is often claimed to be Sartre’s clearest literary work demonstrating what he meant in "Being and Nothingness" as existentialism. He wrote the play in Paris during the Nazi Occupation, and it premiered on 27 May 1944 only 11 days before D-Day.

Because the play was censored and monitored by the Nazi occupiers, Sartre had to be careful of what he said so as not to set off any "red flags".

Sartre identified with the French Resistance, so any “messages” or themes in his writing had to be subtextual. For example, by setting the play in a mythical place (i.e., Hell) he avoided any charges that might have been brought against him as depicting the Occupation – which he was clearly doing.

Some examples of the Nazi subtext: the "Valet" in reality the closest thing to a jailer; or the elegant "Second Empire" furnishings of the room in Hell (a hell uncannily resembling the real world) alluding to an authoritarian regime that was eventually overthrown.

: Published: 09 May 2022

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Photo credit: Lisa Cirieco

Château de Vullierens architecture, magnificent gardens and sculpture park form one of Switzerland’s most remarkable heritage sites with an incomparable 180° degree view of the Alps, Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva. Rising from the foundations of a C13th fortress, Château de Vullierens is considered the purest example of early C18 architecture in the country. The 100-acre estate has remained in the same family for 700 years. It is visited by hundreds of local and international garden enthusiasts and art lovers.

The flowering season starts with tulips, followed by rhododendrons, bluebells, peonies, irises, roses, day lilies, herbaceous borders, hydrangeas, and concludes with the autumn plant collection.

The iris collection - started in 1955 - is considered one of the most modern in Europe. It features recent award winning American hybrids, including several rare re-flowering varieties. An incomparable 4-acre coloured mosaic is created by 400,000 flowers at the height of the season. Themed gardens provide additional delight, offering a varied selection of designs and vistas. The famous ‘large trees collection’ includes Sequoia, Oaks and possibly the oldest Tulip tree in Switzerland.

The sculpture park features over 80 large contemporary works by 25 Swiss and international artists - Davide Rivalta, Beverly Pepper, Alan Jones, Gillian White, Laura Ford, Dorothy Cross, Christian Lapie, Etienne Krahenbuhl, Manuel Torres, Pol Quadrens, Manuel Carbonnel, Mireille Fulpius, Carles Valverde, Herbert Mehler, Werner Pokorny, among others.

Vullierens' 6-acre vineyard features Chasselas, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Gamaret, Garanoir, and Galotta.

: Published: 24 April 2022

Inside the Library2

We caught up with Beverley Webster, Vice-Chair at Geneva's The Library in English. She told us,"I have been working at the Library for around 20 years! I first joined as a member in 1989, then as my daughter grew up and I had more time, I started working as a desk volunteer. From there I progressed to the Library Committee and am currently its Vice-Chair." The Library in English is kindly offering one lucky knowitall reader a full family membership for one year (a Fr. 175.- value). Read below to find out how to enter our competition.

The Library was started in the early 1930s by a group of volunteers for the parishioners of the American Church. It has changed in many ways but it is still run almost entirely by volunteers and its members now come from more than 50 countries around the world, joined together by their desire to read in English. From its small beginning we now have over 10,000 books on the shelves, but the Library still maintains its original charm. The Library now buy books throughout the year and has a wide collection of adult best sellers, fiction, non-fiction and a wonderful children's section starting with board books and ending with young adult books via easy readers, picture books, fairy tales, and comic books. The Library is a non-profit making organization.

What is the biggest obstacle The Library in English has had to overcome?
Like most other institutions we have of course suffered through the Covid outbreak. The Library was forced to close a few times, then when we did open it was with reduced help and with reduced opening hours. But probably the worst was not being able to hold our twice yearly Book Sales. These provide the Library with more than half its income, and although we did receive aid from the Etat de Geneve, it was, and still is, a very worrying time. Thankfully our members realised we were struggling and helped with their generous donations.

The Library in English future plans
Our main plan is to update our computer system with a view to putting our catalogue on line to give members wider and easier access to our services. We also hope to re-start our children's story time readings and we have just begun to open on Wednesday mornings to accommodate more children on their day off school.

: Published: 07 April 2022

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If you haven't yet visited the fantastic park at Signal de Bougy, then wait no longer. In fact, they are even putting up a great Family Package prize for a competition. Read on to find out how to enter.

Signal de Bougy was inaugurated in 1971 and is now part of the Pour-cent culturel Migros, the social commitment branch of the Migros Group. For over 50 years, activities in the park have multiplied, but the approach of the visitors has not changed. Days spent in the park are memorable. This timeless site, in the broadest sense of the term, represents several generations who are now bringing their children to enjoy a day out.

We caught up with Sylvie Hofstetter, who is in charge of marketing and communications, to find out what this new season brings.

What new features are being proposed for the 2022 season?

Jeu d'Énigmes: this new puzzle game is paired with an App and translated into English. The next one can be loaded on 9 April 2022. All you need is a smartphone or tablet with the Enigmatix application installed via the QR code from the website. A virtual companion will accompany you throughout the game and will give you clues when you need them, so don't worry, you will always be able to find your way. The game is free and available in French or English!
New workshops have been organized, in particular Urban'Mix.
Creative workshops.
Yoga and zumba classes for children.
A surprise in the Kid'z land is programmed for July but I can't say more... surprise, surprise!
We are enthusiastic about the return of 4 shows in July and August that can be reserved online for CHF 10.-/seat.
The Halloween mini disco on 6 November 2022 is a great deal for CHF 10.-/entrance and includes a drink.

: Published: 30 March 2022

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Amar Kanwar (New Delhi, 1964)

On Sunday, 3 April 2022 at 14h, a one-hour guided tour with an English-speaking guide will be organized at the Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts Lausanne. The price of this visit is CHF 20.- per person. It’s actually the entrance fee to the temporary exhibition, the guided tour is free of charge. The entrance is free of charge with a museum pass, Raiffeisen card, Swiss travel pass.

More information on the guided tour and booking: www.mcba.ch/agenda/guided-tour-resister-encore-in-english/

Résister, encore
The Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts is currently hosting an exhibit entitled: Résister, encore. This collective show portrays various forms of resistance that artists have developed when faced with the great challenges of our age – those forms amount to survival strategies. As we are currently aware of the tensions around the world, especially those happening in Ukraine, we are reminded how important it is to "not forget". These artists, also known as Resistant Artists, are so important for the memories of wartime to not be forgotten.

This group show, the last to be curated by Bernard Fibicher before he steps down as director in June, illustrates the forms of resistance (withdrawal, silence, resilience, outcry, indignation, protestation, action, refection, satire) that artists have developed when faced with the great challenges of our age. Those forms amount to survival strategies.

Bernard Fibicher explains, "Art, culture in general has always been a force of resistance in building an alternative world. To think, to find a way to act differently means not being satisfied with what already exists. All of the forms of resistance we’ve seen in the world over the past 10 years (the Yellow Vests, #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, the Umbrella Revolution…) and the growing number of people who are rebelling through speech and action
against all kinds of “systems” have reinforced in my mind the idea that we need to highlight art’s exemplary role as the training ground for devising and lending concrete form to ways of resisting."