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“What do you do when you see a whale, men?”
MONTREAL, February 2016 - Persephone Productions brings the classical tale of Moby Dick, by Herman Melville and adapted for the stage by Jim Burke, to Studio Jean-Valcourt du Conservatoire from February 11 to 21. Set in 1820's, the play joins young sailor Ishmael on his first whaling voyage aboard The Pequod. There he joins a colourful crew of sailors, savages, misfits and outcasts, captained by the infamous Ahab, who Ishmael soon learns is obsessed with finding and killing the legendary Moby Dick, the white whale who years ago bit off Ahab's leg. What follows is a journey halfway around the world and into some of mankind's deepest questions of faith and fate, morality and mortality. Based on the American classic by Herman Melville, this award-winning new adaptation of Moby Dick was penned by playwright and Montreal Gazette theatre critic Jim Burke. The play is a lively and energetic retelling, with a cast of just five talented actors diving in and out of over thirty characters. While the story was written and is set in the mid-nineteenth century, Burke's adaptation has an undeniable modern flair. Director Alex Goldrich has embraced this, in part, with the gender-blind casting of the production. The play, like the novel, is complex in its emotional and spiritual themes; however, it is also frequently lighthearted and even comedic. Anne-Marie Saheb, a Montreal-based actress who portrays Ishmael, comments that "I feel the play captures every essential part of the novel, wraps each of them up in details the author described, and adds a twist of fun at every turn." Martin Law, who has appeared with Persephone Productions previously in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and in this season's Compleat Female Stage Beauty, plays the role of Ahab. He makes note of the play's detailed depiction of life on a whaling vessel: "I honestly like how deep it takes you into the meat and potatoes of whaling - it's an engrossing and repellent thing." That duality is evident in the characters as well, perhaps none less than Ahab, whom Law describes as "able to make deep sacrifices - the kind that hurt...Ahab's response to misfortune is not a pleasant one, but it's not necessarily an unreasonable one." Essential to telling Melville's story is the visual representation of seafaring life - a job which falls to accomplished designer Peter Vatsis. "Our story travels from the shores of Nantucket Island to the decks of the Pequod, to a few tiny boats in the middle of the Pacific," says director Alex Goldrich, "so we needed a set design that both captured the atmosphere of a whaling ship, as well as allowing us the versatility to quickly create several other environments on-stage. Along with the energetic and inventive storytelling of the actors, Peter has given us a design that allows us to go anywhere we wish, without ever leaving the comfort of our ship." CAST Anne-Marie Saheb, Ishamel Martin Law, Captain Ahab Chris Hicks, Queequeg Nils Svensson-Carell, Flask Alex Petrachuk, Pip CREW Alex Goldrich, Director Elyse Quesnel, Stage Manager Peter Vatsis, Set Designer Robert Moody, Lighting Designer Rachel Quintero Faia, Costume Designer VENUE ADDRESS Studio Jean-Valcourt du Conservatoire 4750, Ave. Henri-Julien BOX OFFICE 514-873-4031 www.persephoneproductions.org DATES February 11 - 8:00pm February 12 - 8:00pm February 13 - 8:00pm February 14 - 2:00pm February 17 - 8:00pm February 18 - 8:00pm February 19 - 8:00pm February 20 - 8:00pm February 21 - 2:00pm About Persephone Productions Persephone Productions is a Montreal based non-for-profit company providing work opportunities for emerging theatre artists. The company is committed to presenting plays that are innovative and of literary merit and social significance. In the past, they have presented a large array of theatre genre, ranging from classic tales such as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (META nominated for best ensemble) to Broadway hits with Spring Awakening: The Musical (Wildside Festival, Centaur Theatre). Persephone Productions provides exposure and challenging, interesting work for talented emerging actors and other young theatre professionals in related fields such as set design, costume design, stage management, sound, lighting and music. -30- MEDIA CALL Date Wednesday, Feb. 10th, 2016 Time 1:00 pm Place Studio Jean-Valcourt du Conservatoire 4750, Ave. Henri-Julien For all media demands, including production photos and booking interviews, please contact Christopher Moore at 438-828-2697 or persephone.publicity@gmail.com. |
« Il n'est aucune bête sur la terre dont la démence ne soit infiniment surpassée par celle de l'homme. »
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