Living Proust and the belle époque

This year, Living Literature invites you to explore Marcel Proust’s ‘In Search of Lost Time‘.

Join Sarah Churchwell (School of Advanced Study, University of London), Erika Fulop (University of Lancaster) and Anna-Louise Milne (University of London Institute in Paris) for an immersive encounter with Proust’s classic novel ‘In Search of Lost Time’.

Learn about how taste, smell and memory are linked through sensory experiments with Professor Barry Smith and the Centre for the Study of the Senses, immerse yourself in a labyrinthine universe where erotic desire and scientific method combine. Join historical perfumier Sarah McCartney from 4160 Tuesdays who will take you on a journey of historical scents, offering bespoke frangrances inspired by Proust’s novel. Surrounded by the scents, fashions and music of the belle époque, you can feast on food inspired by ‘In Search of Lost Time’ and sip linden tea cocktails while learning about Paris at the turn of the century. Listen to readings and pop-up talks, learn about love, jealousy, queer identity, art, society and politics during the French fin de siècle, view our literary exhibition and enjoy a magic lantern show, by performers Mirror Mirror. There will also be an intimate performance of Proust’s fictional Vinteuil sonata, as well as other classical composers from the era.

Plus a few surprises on the night…