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The House of Bernarda Alba by Federico Garcia Lorca
Directed by Samantha Golton
Performances: Tuesday 21st to Saturday 25th April 2009, 8pm, Bell Theatre
After the death of her second husband, Bernarda Alba, a matriarch who is preoccupied with her family’s reputation, imposes an eight-year period of mourning on her household. The play explores the impact that this will have on her five daughters, locked up together in a claustrophobic house. The eldest daughter is to escape soon, being betrothed, but how long will it be before she finds out that her suitor is reaching through the bars of someone else’s bedroom window at night?
With playing ages for women ranging from 20 to 80 years old, this play is an absolute gem. It has followed me round for many years – I studied it in Spanish at school, in English for arts festivals, then again whilst at University and drama college. I like this play for its apparent simplicity, but I love it for its symbolism, its study of women and society and Lorca’s developing of tension and loathing, but in particular for the fact that despite being talked about almost non-stop through the course of the play, no men set foot on the stage!
I finally submitted The House of Bernarda Alba for consideration for the SLT season as a direct reaction to a plea for more female parts .... and am delighted to be able to showcase a main cast of SLT’s finest actors, a great mix of brand new and more established faces. I have found A S Kline’s translation to be one of the best I’ve read, and in rehearsals we have referred to other translations, and back to the original Spanish text to tweak the script in a concerted effort to relate Lorca’s tale whilst remaining faithful to his lyrical style.
The weather has done little to help us imagine being in a heat soaked villa in recent rehearsals but we look forward to welcoming you to sunny Spain in Prompt Corner this April!
Cast:
Bernarda Alba – Jenny Gammon
Angustias – Joanna Hughes
Magdalena – Sanchia Leddy
Amelia – Liz Nesfield
Martirio – Karen Webb
Adela – Abi Sharma
Maria Josefa – Anne Greenslade
La Poncia – Margaret Glenn
The Maid – Cliodhna McAllister
Prudencia – Jeanette Hoile
Beggarwoman – Jill Fenton
With: Caroline Durant, Juliet Holden, Induja Bandara, Christina Andrews, Kristy Davis, Jenny Clements, Rafaella Durant, Pepa Rivera
Crew:
PA: Anna York
Stage Manager: Mark Ireson
Sound and lighting design: James Webb
Music: Karen Webb
For more details, please contact Samantha Golton, Director
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