Bloomsday is the day on which James Joyce’s Ulysses takes place and is named after the main character of the book, Leopold Bloom. Set over the course of one day — 16th June 1904 — each chapter (or episode) represents an hour of the day, as Bloom charts his way through the urban landscape of Dublin; the emotional quagmire of loss, adultery and parenthood; and the quotidian reality of jobs, social awkwardness, flawed nationalism, and everything in between.
Today, Bloomsday is celebrated all over the world as a literary cultural event with dramatizations, the singing of songs, urban pilgrimages, and, in honour of Bloom's repast, the consumption of kidneys, gorgonzola, burgundy, and cider at their designated hours. Bloomsday at Basel’s Department of English contains some of the hallmarks (dramatizations and music) but also adds a culinary odyssey through quotations of from Ulysses (complete with context and interpretation) and a BBQ.
This year, the Department of English will once again be hosting Basel’s annual Bloomsday on Saturday, 16th June 2018, from 6pm onwards at Nadelberg 6. This event is intended as a way of celebrating James Joyce's works and making them accessible to the entire community: the doors are open to all, and this is a child-friendly event too. No prior knowledge or experience with Joyce's works is necessary.
Time & Place: 6pm onwards, Dept of English Courtyard, Nadelberg 6, CH 4051 (free admission but there is a donation box)
Featuring:
A culinary odyssey through every episode of Ulysses;
Performances of stories from Dubliners;
Live music from Scéalta, Nimmermeer and Michelle Witen,
BBQ (bring your own grillables and drinks)
Webpages: Official webpage
Contact: Michelle Witen (michelle.witen@unibas.ch)