Burning Coal is Raleigh’s highly acclaimed, professional Equity theatre company. Sandhills Theatre Company is promoting “Travesties” as a fundraiser and hopefully the first in a long line of professional offerings.
Stoppard also wrote “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” and the screenplay “Shakespeare in Love.”
“Travesties” is a work of historical fiction, with a fast-paced plot. The year is 1917; Europe is at war and Vladimir Ilyich Lenin (George Jack), James Joyce (Jared Cosetlia) and Dadaist Tristan Tzara (Terry Milner) all reside in Zurich, Switzerland. Stoppard has taken this small bit of historical fact and has “shaken, not stirred” it with unlimited wit, energy and knowledge to spin a speculative portrait of their meeting.
These great political, artistic and literary revolutionaries all cross paths in a library. We see Lenin researching his critique of capitalism; Joyce is pre-occupied with two books: the legend of Ulysses and the 1905 Dublin phone directory; and last but certainly not least, Tristan Tzara, the Romanian-born French founder of the nihilistic “Dada” movement, plots to improve some of Shakespeare’s sonnets with a pair of scissors.
This whimsical scenario is recounted through the senile reminiscences of Henry Carr (David zum Brunnen), who in reality was a minor British consular and amateur actor, and had a theatrical association with Joyce in an unauthorized production of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest.”
Carr’s frazzled memory muddles details of this plot beyond description and therein lies the great humor as these significantly serious minds of the twentieth century swap theories, philosophies and insults.
Burning Coal Theatre Company produced “Travesties” as part of its 2002 season and it was deemed by Byron Woods of The Independent Weekly. as the “chewiest show of the year!” Burning Coal has brought the show back and this production of “Travesties” has been chosen as a feature presentation at the 2003 internationally renowned, 17-day Spoleto Festival in Charleston, S.C. For more than 25 years, Spoleto has earned a reputation for offering programs of the highest artistic caliber, supporting new and innovative works, nurturing outstanding young artists, and expanding public appreciation of the arts.
“I saw the original production in Raleigh and was again solidly impressed with the excellence of Burning Coal’s work,” says Sandra Epperson of STC.
“Travesties” opens Thursday, May 15 with an 8 p.m. performance. There is also an 8 p.m. performance on Friday, May 16 and Saturday, May 17. The final performance will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 18.
Tickets will be available at the door and in Southern Pines at Java Bean Plantation, The Country Bookshop, Curves for Women and The Campbell House; in Pinehurst at Grounds & Rounds and the Gentlemen’s Corner.
The box office will open Tuesday, May 13 at 10 a.m. Due to a limited engagement, there will be no reserved seating for these performances. Ticket prices are $15 for STC subscribers, $18 for general admission and $10 for all students.
For tickets and more information call The Sandhills Theatre Company Office at 692-3340.
