This is Shakespeare’s most popular comedy. The story follows the fortunes of a quartet of lover’s who are lured into the forest by fairies who trick them with a magic potion that forces them to fall in love with the first person they see. Sadly the Queen of Fairies herself takes the potion and when a donkey crosses her path she falls in love with the beast.
This hilarious comedy explores the madness of love and laughs at human folly. It contains some of the finest poetry that Shakespeare wrote, slapstick comedy, touching love scenes, mystery and theatrical magic. TNT’s production has been an extraordinary global success, performing hundreds of times across three continents and even being re-staged in Mandarin.
This is Shakespeare that is easy to understand and enjoy, even for an audience whose first language is not English.
Specially composed music is woven into the production as is choreography, poetry and above all comedy, led by one of the Bard’s greatest clowns: Bottom the hopeless amateur actor.
Read below to enter a competition for the 20h performance on the 23 May 2024
Jonathan Larson drew inspiration for his musical RENT from Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Bohème.
He aspired to set up the narrative, bringing the challenges and experiences of struggling artists in New York City to a modern audience, paralleling Puccini’s approach in portraying 19th-century Parisian life in his opera.
RENT unfolds over the course of a year, capturing the lives of a group of friends residing in Alphabet City on the Lower East Side of New York City.
To get this new Lausanne guided tours business to grow, we are very enthusiastically posting this article. Ilona Horvath tells us more about the business and is even offering a pair of tickets for one lucky reader.
What has been the inspiration?
I started Sincerely Switzerland because I love Lausanne. It is a historically rich town with fascinating inhabitants, today as 500 years ago. I wish to share this love with visitors so they find out how awesome this town really is.
Have you been working on this idea forever?
The idea of creating these tours came out of necessity. For four years, I did guided tours of the History Museum of Lausanne, garnering experience and information about it. My contract was not renewed but I had all this information and this love for Lausanne. Soon I realised that I had always talked about "in this place you can see this" and "in this place you can see that". Now I get to show those places, with some of the images found in the museum.
What is the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome?
As I am starting my own business, the biggest obstacle is networking and recommendation. I am working on creating a network of people in various positions able to recommend or book my tours.
This winter leisure space welcomes the public on Quai Gustave-Ador between 17 January and 31 March 2024. Sports and wellness activities as well as musical entertainment are offered during the winter.
At La Banquise, three distinct areas are proposed: sports, wellness, and refreshment with a view of Lake Geneva to take your breath away!
The sports zone to discover Nordic sports
You can try axe-throwing for free in 5 to 10 minute sessions, depending on the number of people and the waiting time, practice mattcurling, or discover the Finnish bowling game mölkky.
A wellness area with saunas
- two wood-fired saunas
- a relaxing area in a yurt
- showers fed by lake water
- changing rooms with lockers
All photos courtesy of Catherine Nelson-Pollard
Carnaval is a tradition in most of Switzerland's cantons. Below are noteworthy Vaud, Valais, Fribourg or other Swiss hotspots with elaborate parades. Most will be wearing masks and have rituals familiar with each area. Of course there are the usual festive findings including food, drink, local specialties and crafts, Guggenmusik (costumed brass bands). Oh, and lots and lots of confetti!
In general, Carnaval covers the period between Epiphany early January and Shrove Tuesday (between 3 February and 9 March). Normally, the first day is known as Jeudi Gras (“Fat Thursday”) and the last day as Mardi Gras (“Fat Tuesday”), however many have more than one Mardi Gras!
Confetti stamps
A party atmosphere on your envelopes! These colourful special stamps lend themselves to creative stamping, putting a smile on the face of the person they’re addressed to even before they open their mail. Made in honor of Switzerland Carnaval season. With the new post office tarifs (CHF 1.20 instead of CHF 1.10) you might need to supplement exisiting older stamps when sending out your next letters!
We have listed a few cities with their CARNAVAL dates in order of start date here:
EVOLINE, VS
2-3, 9-11, 13 February 2024
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This is a quaint town with many traditions. Lots of events taking place as well as a meal consisting of spit-roasted boar (sanglier) on the Sunday.
BULLE, FR
2-4 February 2024
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The Bulle Carnival is a local tradition that involves a large number of children every year.
For more than 100 years, the town of Bulle vibrates during Carnival. To the sound of the Guggens, many animations are organised inside and out. To entertain young and old, dressed up or not.
Dressed in their finest costumes, up to 800 children take part in the grand parade on Saturday. This colourful and festive moment ends with the burning of the Winter Man. The real highlight of the festival, which traditionally marks the end of winter.
On Sunday afternoon there is a free magic show for all the family at the Town Hall. Proof that children are at the heart of the Bulle Carnival.
ESTAVAYER, FR
2-4 February 2024
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Every year, announcing the Carnival of Estavayer, the traditional Hanging of the Perch starts with a procession that leaves the Place du Midi and, to the sound of the local guggenmusik, La Staviacouac, leads the giant papier-mâché fish in front of the tower of the Dominican Sisters, where a bar opens for this day as well as for the carnival (Le Socabar). There, tea and mulled wine are offered to the population. Afterwards, a party with DJ's extends the event, in a carnival atmosphere, until late at night.
