WORLDPLAY 2013
March 7: The Master and Margarita
by Mikhail Bulgakov (Russia)
Adapted by Edward Kemp
Directed by Graham McDonald
March 8: Andorra by Max Frisch (Switzerland)
Translated by Michael Bullock
Directed by Naomi Simpson
March 9: Suspicious Moves by András Maros (Hungary)
Translated by
Directed by Joel Bernbaum
March 10: Hurricane by Nilo Cruz (Cuba/United States)
Directed by Kathleen Greenfield
WORLDPLAY 2013
March 7 @ 8 pm: The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (Russia)
Adapted by Edward Kemp
Directed by Graham McDonald
The Master and Margarita
Mikhail Bulgakov’s rich, magical realist novel with its intertwining storylines pits the power of evil against the power of compassion. The Devil pays a visit to Stalinist Moscow in the guise of a professor of black magic and wreaks havoc in the city, exposing the hypocrisy, greed and corruption of its citizens. Themes of love, compassion and the quality of mercy are explored in three parallel stories. Two are set in the fervently atheistic Moscow of the 1930s and the third, as told in the narrative of the eponymous Master’s rejected novel, is set in Jerusalem at the time of Procurator Pontius Pilate during the last days of Jesus’ life.
Mikhaíl Afanasyevich Bulgakov was a Soviet Russian writer and playwright active in the first half of the 20th century. Bulgakov worked on The Master and Margarita for twelve years and it was published posthumously in 1967, quickly acquiring cult status. The enigmas at the heart of this poetic maelstrom of a novel remain timeless and prescient, affirming Bulgakov’s place as one of Russia’s greatest 20th-century writers.
Edward Kemp is a UK-based writer, theatre director, translator and dramaturg. Edward is beginning his second year as Artistic Director of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
Graham McDonald is a freelance theatre artist and the former Associate Artistic Director of Theatre Inconnu. Locally Graham has worked with Intrepid Theatre, Theatre SKAM, The VSS, The Belfry, and this is his third time working with Puente Theatre.
CAST
THE MASTER, Jason Stevens
MARGARITA, Naomi Simpson
WOLAND / AFRANIUS, Garth Martens
PONTIUS PILATE / STRAVINSKY, Ted Phythian
IVAN, Julian Cervello
FAGOTT, Shayne Avec i Grec
BEHEMOTH, Celine Richmond
AZAZELLO, Mily Mumford
HELLA, Naomi Simpson
BERLIOZ, Blair Moro
TREPAN TREPANOVICH, Celine Richmond
RIMSKY, Emma Condé
VARUKHA, Mily Mumford
ANDREI, Ted Phythian
RATSLAYER, Julian Cervello
ALOYSIUS, Shayne Avec i Grec
KAIFA, Julian Cervello
PAGODA, Jason Stevens
ARlMAN, Garth Martens
GLUMOV, Naomi Simpson
NATASHA, Emma Condé
ARCHIBALDOVICH, Ted Phythian
ARCHIBALDIKOVA, Naomi Simpson
NURSE, Mily Mumford
FRIEDA, Emma Condé
March 8: Andorra by Max Frisch (Switzerland)
Translated by Michael Bullock
Directed by Naomi Simpson
Andorra is a play written by the Swiss dramatist Max Frisch in 1961. The original text came from a prose sketch Frisch had written in his diary titled Der andorranische Jude (The Andorran Jew). The story is about a young man, Andri, in a mythical country named Andorra. Andri is mistaken for being Jewish; in his isolation, he comes to accept his otherness with a mixture of pride and obstinacy.
Max Rudolf Frisch (May 15, 1911 – April 4, 1991) was a Swiss playwright and novelist, regarded as highly representative of German-language literature after World War II. In his creative works Frisch paid particular attention to issues relating to problems of human identity, individuality, responsibility, morality and political commitment.
Naomi Simpson has been an active member of the Victoria Theatre Community for over a decade. She recently directed the acclaimed Theatre Inconnu production of In The Next Room (or the vibrator play), but is perhaps better known for her work on stage playing a wide variety of roles. She will be playing Maryina in Uncle Vanya, this June, with Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre. Naomi has taken part in four previous WorldPlays as an actor, and thanks Puente Theatre for this opportunity.
CAST
ANDRI, Julian Cervello
BARBIN, Mily Mumford
TEACHER, Graham McDonald
MOTHER, Wendy Cornock
SEñORA, Tannis Parry
PRIEST, Cam Culham
SOLDIER, Blair Moro
INNKEEPER, Alex Judd
DOCTOR, Ted Phythian
SOMEBODY, Odile Nelson
JOURNEYMAN, Bill Nance
CARPENTER, Jason Stevens
March 9 @ 8 pm: Suspicious Moves by András Maros (Hungary)
Translated by
Directed by Joel Bernbaum
Suspicious Moves
Mother and son. Two lonely people who are incapable of understanding each other. Matt (the son) accuses his mother that there have been ‘suspicious moves’ around her apartment, again, just like when she was robbed. Well, it wasn’t actually real robbery, since Carol (the mother) handed the robbers everything they asked for. She gave all her valuables away—to complete strangers. She was standing at the opened door, waving goodbye to the robbers who left with stuffed bags. Afterwards she didn’t remember one thing about it.
Can a—seemingly hopeless—estranged mother–son relationship be redeemed? How and why did they turn away from each other? Because Carol’s version, stating that Matt didn’t have a sense of humour, should not be enough of a reason.
Suspicious Moves was performed by the National Theatre of Pécs and a year later by the Hungarian Theatre of Budapest. Both productions ran successfully and received great reviews.
András Maros (1971) is a writer and playwright. He is one of the most important Hungarian authors of his generation, having won national and international awards and fellowships. He has written four books of fiction, his fifth one is coming out this May (2013). Three of his plays, Seesaw, Suspicious Moves, and Trash, have been produced at prestigious Hungarian theatres.
Besides fiction and plays, András occasionally writes screenplays. His script Overnight was turned into a German-Indian-Hungarian co-oproduced movie in 2007. He also translates plays from English.
Website: andrasmaros.com
Joel Bernbaum is a theatre artist and journalist. He is excited to be a part of his second WorldPlay Festival.
CAST
CAROL, Pippa Catling
MATT, Chris Mackie
March 10 @ 8 pm: Hurricane by Nilo Cruz (Cuba/United States)
Directed by Kathleen Greenfield
Hurricane is a play about three people adrift in their lives who have formed a kind of family that is torn apart by a major storm on an unnamed Caribbean island. The three characters act as though they are husband, wife and sort-of grown child, though the exact nature of their relationships isn't clear or important. They are a family, which gives each of them a sense of purpose, identity and comfort as they survive one difficult day after another.
Nilo Cruz is a young Cuban-American playwright whose work has been produced widely around the United States. His plays are many and include Night Train to Bolina, Dancing on her Knees, A Park in Our House, Two Sisters and a Piano, A Bicycle Country, Hortensia and the Museum of Dreams, Lorca in a Green Dress, Beauty of the Father, and translations of Lorca's Doña Rosita the Spinster and The House of Bernarda Alba. In 2003, Cruz received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play Anna in the Tropics, becoming the first Latin American playwright to receive this honour.
Kathleen Greenfield is dedicated to collective creation, the development of new work and community involvement. Her interests and experience are in site-specific outdoor performance, puppetry, folk stories and women, alternative education practices, and community activism. She holds a BFA in Theatre with a Directing Specialization from the University of Victoria and is currently Project/Events Coordinator at Discovery Coffee and Collective Member of the Wayward School. Kathleen has directed the premiere productions of many new works including Little Orange Man (SNAFU), Kitt and Jane (SNAFU-Belfry Spark Festival), The Shoes (Humble Wonder Theatre-Belfry Incubator Project) and Bullfrog Lullaby (head through painting).
CAST
FORREST, Trevor Hinton
RIA, Rosa Stewart
APARICIO, Laura Anctil
