Rimbaud and Verlaine. Flatmates, lovers, fish-slappers.
The lives of French poets Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine sound like something from a Rick Mayall sitcom. Theirs is a tale of forbidden love, drunken rows and cross-channel debauchery, with knife fights, a shooting and even a fish-slapping incident thrown in for bad measure. During a particularly stormy period in 1873, the two Frenchmen lived together at 8 Royal College Street, Camden Town, and there wrote some of their most enduring poetry.
The house, complete with plaque, still exists, and was recently restored after falling into semi-dereliction. Plans are now afoot to turn the property into a lasting memorial and cultural centre, spearheaded by charity Poet in the City.
To find out more about the archetypal enfants terrible, head along to Kings Place on April 27th for a stimulating discussion about Rimbaud and Verlaine's time in Camden. The expert panel comprises historian and biographer Graham Robb, French Literature expert Dominique Comb, French professor and author Martin Sorrell, and author Yann Fremy. Alan Jenkins, Poetry and Deputy Editor of The Times Literary Supplement, will chair the event.
Thanks to Kings Place and Poet in the City, we have a pair of tickets to give away. To stand a chance of winning, simply fill in your details below.
Winners will be selected at random at 5pm tomorrow (Thursday 23rd April) - so if you don't hear from us that evening, you'll need to buy tickets. Names and addresses are for competition purposes only and will not be passed on to third parties.Rimbaud and Verlaine, curated by Poet in the City, at Kings Place on 27 April, 7pm. Tickets £9.50 (online, book here). This event is also part of the Slow Down London festival.
