| African Queen | Blue Room & Janus Entertainment |
|
|
|
|
 Photo - Nigel Etherington
A musical odyssey from a new and vital creative force…
Following their recent critical and popular success with Irene (starring Chrystal de Grussa, Debbie Reynolds, Ian Toyne and Ann Adlem); Two Old Queens (currently touring nationally); A Coward in Vegas; and Annie Get Your Gun, Tim Cunniffe and John Senczuk now tackle the operatic form in a world premiere season at the Blue Room Theatre, 22 February – 15 March, 2008.
As the impact of the First World War reaches the depths of the African jungle, Charlie Allnut (Ian Toyne) and Rose Sayer (Ann Adlem), a disreputable cockney mechanic and a spinster missionary, find themselves thrown together by chance. Deeply incompatible and fighting heat, malaria and bullets - as well as each other - they make their escape down the treacherous Ulanga River on the steamboat, The African Queen.
The novel The African Queen (1935) was written by Cairo born English novelist Cecil Scott Forester who rose to fame with his military-themed tales of adventure. John Huston filmed a screen adaptation of the classic story in 1951 starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. Now 2008 sees the first-ever operatic adaptation of CS Forester’s vivid depiction of a journey out of ‘the heart of darkness’!
“The Blue Room is the perfect place to host this premiere theatrical production as part of IN Deep,” said the opera’s director John Senczuk. “The organization itself encourages experimentation and risk, and I’m excited by the prospect of working with such experienced Perth-based collaborators to launch a new work onto the national music theatre scene.”
Two of Perth’s most accomplished performers join forces to present this psychological battle of wits and wills: Ann Adlem (Whistle Down the Wind, Phantom of the Opera), described by The West Australian as ‘expansive in range and tone’, as well as being a ‘powderkeg!’; and Ian Toyne (Aspects of Love, Showboat), who Irene co-star Debbie Reynolds described as ‘a truly great actor’.
The Blue Room & Janus Entertainment present the world premiere of
African Queen
a chamber opera (suggested by the CS Forester novel)
Music Tim Cunniffe | Libretto John Senczuk
Director John Senczuk
Set design Ian Kanik
Lighting Jon Davey
Keyboard Tim Cunniffe
Venue: The Blue Room Theatre
Dates: 22 February – 15 March
Times: Tuesday – Saturday 8pm (Matinees: 2pm Sat 1, 8 & 15 March)
Tickets: $22 / $18 concession
Bookings: 9227 7005 / www.pacs.org.au
|
|
Contact: |
Back
|
|
|
Thursday, 08 January 2009
|
