THE THEATRE CENTRE PRESENTS

Enoch Arden

by Alfred, Lord Jabber and his Catatonic Songstress

Text by Judith Thompson, Music by Richard Strauss

Directed by Maria Lamont

Starring John Fitzgerald Jay and Kristin Mueller

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September 16 to October 9

Opening September 22

Tuesday to Saturday - 8pm, Sunday Matinee - 2:30pm

Theatre Centre - 1087 Queen Street West

At the corner of Queen and Dovercourt (Entrance on Dovercourt)

Enoch Arden by Alfred, Lord Jabber and his Catatonic Songstress, by Judith Thompson, is loosely based on a work by the German composer Richard Strauss. In 1898 the young composer set the narrative poem “Enoch Arden” by Alfred Lord Tennyson to piano accompaniment, and the successful result toured across Europe. Known as a “melodrama”, this musical form (in which an actor recites spoken text to music) was extremely popular at that time.

Enoch Arden by Alfred, Lord Jabber and his Catatonic Songstress creates a new contemporary vision of this work. Jabber, a man who lives on the fringes of society, is trying to communicate with his best friend Ciel. Once a fine pianist, Ciel has emotionally retreated from the world after the death of her lover. Jabber uses the Tennyson poem to try to connect with his friend – and although she cannot speak, Ciel begins to respond by playing the piano, accompanying his story. An examination of madness and transfiguration, Enoch Arden uses text, music, and poetry to demonstrate how art links human experience and joins all people in our mutual longing for tenderness and understanding in a cruel word.

Enoch Arden by Alfred, Lord Jabber and his Catatonic Songstress

STARRING

John Fitzgerald Jay - Jabber

Kristin Mueller - Ciel

Maria Lamont - Director

David Skelton - Set and Lighting Design

Erin Haid - Costume Designer

Andrew Dollar – Stage Manager

Tickets range from $5 to $15.

Sunday matinees: Pay-What-You-Can.

Discounts are available for students*, groups and preview performances.

Tickets can be purchased online at TO TIX or by calling the Box Office at (416) 538-0988.

*part of GO LIVE TORONTO campaign.­­­­­­­