Toi Whakaari Presents Marat/Sade

Toi Whakaari Presents Marat/Sade

THE PERSECUTION AND ASSASSINATION OF JEAN-PAUL MARAT AS PERFORMED BY THE INMATES OF THE ASYLUM OF CHARENTON UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE MARQUIS DE SADE

Thu 19 - Sat 28 Aug, 7pm
Marat/Sade is regarded as one of the definitive works of 20th Century drama. Influences of Artaud and Brecht lie at the heart of this revolutionary piece in which the cast play the inmates of Charenton, the asylum presided over by the Marquis de Sade. In place of Charenton, we have set the work here in our own city of Wellington. In this production the company has chosen to explore neurological rather than psychological illnesses, with each inmate of the asylum suffering from a particular neurological condition.

Weiss’ recreation of events leading up to the death of Jean-Paul Marat during the French Revolution is a dark complex tour de force, a play within a play questioning whether true revolution comes from changing society or changing oneself.

Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School’s second year acting students are directed by Annie Ruth, Director of Toi Whakaari, with musical direction from Mark Dorrell. Mark Dorrell is working at the School as guest artist for the production, and his many credits as Musical Director include for example West End productions of Into The Woods, Assassins, Passion and at the National Theatre (London) Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, Guys and Dolls, Lady In The Dark, Oklahoma! Candide, Peter Pan and Singin’ In The Rain.

ENDS