a Company of Fools Theatre

White Rabbit Red Rabbit (May 7-25, 2013)

WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT

By Nassim Soleimanpour
In association with Aurora Nova Productions

May 7-25, 2013
Arts Court Library
Pay-What-You-Can tickets will be available at the door before each evening’s performance on a first-come-first-served basis. Advance tickets for guaranteed admittance are available through the link below:

“Unfetter your mind… you might want to come back several times”
– Alvina Ruprecht, Theatre Critic, Capital Critics Circle

“Provocative, funny, disquieting: catch an upcoming show!”
- Patrick Langston, Theatre Writer

Imagine being 29 and forbidden to leave your country. Nassim Soleimanpour dissects the experience of a whole generation in a wild, utterly original play from Iran. Forbidden to travel, he turns his isolation to his own advantage with a play that requires no director, no rehearsals, no set and a different actor reads the script cold for every performance. Will you participate? Will you be manipulated? Will you listen? Will you really listen?

The Fools are delighted to present this unique piece in Ottawa, featuring 18 of our finest actors from across the region including: Joel Beddows, Pierre Brault, Eric Coates, John Doucet, Mary Ellis, Scott Florence, Peter Froelich, Richard Gelinas, Kate Hurman, Catriona Leger, Margo MacDonald, Michael Mancini, Geoff McBride, Charles McFarland, Sarah McVie, Kate Smith and Beverley Wolfe.

About the playwright: Nassim Soleimanpour is an independent multidisciplinary theatre maker from Tehran, Iran. Best known for his play White Rabbit Red Rabbit, written to travel the world when he couldn’t, his work has been awarded the Dublin Fringe Festival Best New Performance, Summerworks Outstanding New Performance Text Award and The Arches Brick Award (Edinburgh Fringe) as well as picking up nominations for a Total Theatre and Brighton Fringe Pick of Edinburgh Award. Nassim is an experienced public speaker, most recently as a panellist for the World Theatre Festival, Brisbane’s In Conversation series. Currently developing a new play, Nassim lives happily in Tehran with his wife and new puppy.

Details:
Tuesday May 7 – Saturday May 25 7:30 PM

PLUS
Saturday May 11, May 18, May 25 9:30 PM

Venue: Arts Court Library
2 Daly Ave, Ottawa

Pay what you can tickets will be available at the door before each evening’s performance on a first-come-first-served basis.

Advance tickets for guaranteed admittance are available through Eventbrite.

Schedule of Performances:

Tuesday May 7 – Catriona Leger
Wednesday May 8 – Peter Froelich
Thursday May 9 – John Doucet
Friday May 10 – Pierre Brault
Saturday May 11 – 7:30 – Eric Coates
9:30 – Kate Hurman
Tuesday May 14 – Sarah McVie
Wednesday May 15 – Scott Florence
Thursday May 16 – Mary Ellis
Friday May 17 – Alan Neal
Saturday May 18 – 7:30 – Margo MacDonald
9:30 – Michael Mancini
Tuesday May 21 – Charles McFarland
Wednesday May 22 – Joël Beddows
Thursday May 23 – Beverley Wolfe
Friday May 24 – Geoff McBride
Saturday May 25 – 7:30 – Kate Smith
9:30 – Richard Gélinas

The Merry Wives of Windsor (July3 - Aug 17, 2013)

The Merry Wives of Windsor

Shakespeare’s most farcical play will be vividly brought to life in this lively adaptation that celebrates the Fools’ tenth anniversary of Torchlight Shakespeare.

The delightful, natural backdrop of Ottawa parks will help to create a whimsical world of frolicking fun in the summertime. Love and marriage, jealousy and revenge, men and women, English, French and Welsh all collide in this classic clash of cultures, traditions and the sexes as Falstaff is schooled in matters of the heart by Mistress Page and Mistress Ford. Suitable for all ages.

Directed by Catriona Leger and featuring Simon Bradshaw, John Doucet, Melanie Karin, Geoff McBride and Katie Ryerson, this production promises a laugh filled summer of Torchlight Shakespeare.

Set and Costume Design by Vanessa Imeson

Hal and Falstaff (September 2013)

Torchlight Too: Hal and Falstaff

directed by Margo MacDonald and featuring Simon Bradshaw, John Doucet, Melanie Karin, Geoff McBride and Katie Ryerson

Hal and Falstaff: the Prodigal Prince and the Lord of Misrule.

Henry (Harry or Hal) Monmouth (later Henry V): Scoundrel, lay-about, party animal; friend to cut- purses, prostitutes and thieves; player of practical jokes, shirker of responsibility (‘hakuna mutata’ was his creed); Prince, heir apparent, soldier; and eventually, a pretty good king.

Sir John Falstaff: that enormous and well-loved con-man, coward and gad-about-town; grifter, pretender, liar and thief; the Lord of Misrule.

Theirs is a friendship doomed to fall. For when the Prince rises to be King, he must embrace rule and order. What room then for an old and unrepentant lay-about, the very embodiment of disorder itself?

An adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Parts 1 & 2 with bits of Henry V, delivered with battles, sword fights, kissing and quaffing - along with some mighty fine speeches.

September 2013

Venues to be announced

The 10th Anniversary Torchlight Season (July 3-August 17, 2013)

a Company of Fools is delighted to be celebrating the 10th anniversary of Torchlight Shakespeare this summer.

In celebration of this milestone, we will be offering two adaptations of the Bard’s work: the farcical comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor, directed by Catriona Leger, will run from July 3rd through August 17th.

The new Torchlight Too production of Hal and Falstaff, directed by Margo MacDonald, will play this September in three different indoor venues throughout the city (venues to be announced).

Both shows feature: Simon Bradshaw, John Doucet, Melanie Karin, Geoff McBride and Katie Ryerson in a myriad of roles.