The Last Show

April 21, 2012

Last week, we did the final screening of UTOPIA IN FOUR MOVEMENTS in Eskisehir, Turkey. For people who don’t know, UTOPIA is a “live documentary” that I’ve been screening around the world for the past couple of years. I narrate the film in person while a live band performs the soundtrack—it can only be performed live.

The piece is a meditation on hope and the future and tells several different stories, one of which is about Esperanto. This piece is separate from The Universal Language, but uses some of the same material. I know, it’s a bit confusing. Anyway, we premiered UTOPIA at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and have been traveling around the world screening it ever since. We’ve been to Amsterdam, Warsaw, Mexico City, and many places in the U.S.

One of the best parts about touring with the film is that Esperantist from all over the world have often turned out for the screenings. My colleagues on this project (who don’t know a lot about Esperanto) are often surprised and actually thrilled to see a big gang of Esperantists turn up for a show. And audiences are delighted too. After the screening, we often have one of the Esperantists say a few words about the language and they always get a big round of applause.

After more than two years of touring around with UTOPIA it feels like a good time to retire the piece, so the screening in Turkey last week was end. UTOPIA IN FOUR MOVEMENTS is officially retired. It’s been great meeting Esperantists from around the world, and a million thanks for your support.