A TRAGIC FARCE
BY FLORIAN ZELLER TRANSLATED BY CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON DIRECTED BY JOSH SHORT RHODE ISLAND PREMIERE
JAN. 23 - FEB. 9, 2025 |
“Superb...
A harrowing experience expertly delivered.” —The Boston Globe “An unbelievably emotional ride.” —Broadway World "When our memories fail us, we lose ourselves. It's a terrifying proposition, and 'The Father' captures that sense of unease and sadness perfectly." -EDGE Providence "A masterful performance." - Cranston Herald "Shrewdly told with humor and empathy that treats audiences to a heart-wrenching glimpse into despair" -MOTIF Magazine |
"An unbelievably emotional ride...
Scene after scene the audience is treated to incredibly gifted acting.
Donelly gives the performance of a lifetime.”
Scene after scene the audience is treated to incredibly gifted acting.
Donelly gives the performance of a lifetime.”
- Broadway World
*RHODE ISLAND PREMIERE*
THE FATHER: A Tragic Farce
BY FLORIAN ZELLER
TRANSLATED BY CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON
DIRECTED BY JOSH SHORT
JANUARY 23 - FEBRUARY 9
TRANSLATED BY CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON
DIRECTED BY JOSH SHORT
JANUARY 23 - FEBRUARY 9
Now 80 years old, André was once a tap dancer. He lives with his daughter, Anne, and her husband, Antoine. Or was André an engineer, whose daughter Anne lives in London with her new lover, Pierre? The thing is, he is still wearing his pajamas, and he can’t find his watch. He is starting to wonder if he’s losing control.
Winner of the Molière award for France’s best play, The Father – brilliantly told with humor and empathy – treats audiences to a heart-wrenching glimpse into despair from the loss of self.
This production of THE FATHER is made possible with support from the Florence Family Fund,
and audience members like you.
Winner of the Molière award for France’s best play, The Father – brilliantly told with humor and empathy – treats audiences to a heart-wrenching glimpse into despair from the loss of self.
This production of THE FATHER is made possible with support from the Florence Family Fund,
and audience members like you.
TALKBACK SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2
Join us after the 2pm performance on Sunday, February 2nd for a talk back with Annie Murphy, Senior Program Manager at the Alzheimer's Association R.I. and Lisa Wasson, RN, CHPN, CMDCP Nurse Educator from HopeHealth Hospice.
In honor of the over 22,000 Rhode Islanders currently living with Alzheimer's disease, all donations received through our DipJar during THE FATHER will benefit the Rhode Island Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.
Join us after the 2pm performance on Sunday, February 2nd for a talk back with Annie Murphy, Senior Program Manager at the Alzheimer's Association R.I. and Lisa Wasson, RN, CHPN, CMDCP Nurse Educator from HopeHealth Hospice.
In honor of the over 22,000 Rhode Islanders currently living with Alzheimer's disease, all donations received through our DipJar during THE FATHER will benefit the Rhode Island Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.
NEWS + MEDIA
“Florian Zeller's one-act portrait gets a superb Rhode Island premiere...A harrowing experience expertly delivered..an intriguing piece of storytelling….[which] creates cleverly conceived theatrical quicksand.”
- The Boston Globe
“An unbelievably emotional ride. Scene-after-scene, the audience is treated to incredibly gifted acting...Donelly gives us a performance of a lifetime."
- Broadway World
"Donelly's talent is to allow us to be amused when Andre obsesses over his watch and to feel sympathy when he can't get a handle on his own reality. Andre becomes downright hostile sometimes, yet we can still sympathize with him. It's a tricky balance that Donelly gets just right....When our memories fail us, we lose ourselves. It's a terrifying proposition, and "The Father" captures that sense of unease and sadness perfectly."
- EDGE Providence
"Veteran actor Richard Donelly gives a masterful performance as Andre. The theme of the play is becoming a common one: The effects of the terribly cruel disease on a person and those who love him/her. 'The Father' goes deeper. It explores not only how a person changes, but also how the disease affects memory, reality and character. Donelly is brilliant at showing us different moods, reactions and fazes."
- Cranston Herald
"Shrewdly told with humor and empathy that treats audiences to a heart-wrenching glimpse into despair from the loss of self, it’s not all gloom and doom. While heartbreaking at times, there are many comedic moments that make us smile in the face of dementia."
- Motif
"I am looking at André in a sort of looking glass. There used to be a time in my career as an actor when I could learn a script in a short amount of time. Now, as I’ve grown older, I am no longer able to accomplish that with speed. I have begun to seriously think about my priorities and what is important to me in my life - family especially. What would happen if I found myself with dementia or some other debilitating disease? I am more aware of living life to the fullest, now, when I can."
- INTERVIEW w/ actor Richard Donelly in Cranston Herald
- The Boston Globe
“An unbelievably emotional ride. Scene-after-scene, the audience is treated to incredibly gifted acting...Donelly gives us a performance of a lifetime."
- Broadway World
"Donelly's talent is to allow us to be amused when Andre obsesses over his watch and to feel sympathy when he can't get a handle on his own reality. Andre becomes downright hostile sometimes, yet we can still sympathize with him. It's a tricky balance that Donelly gets just right....When our memories fail us, we lose ourselves. It's a terrifying proposition, and "The Father" captures that sense of unease and sadness perfectly."
- EDGE Providence
"Veteran actor Richard Donelly gives a masterful performance as Andre. The theme of the play is becoming a common one: The effects of the terribly cruel disease on a person and those who love him/her. 'The Father' goes deeper. It explores not only how a person changes, but also how the disease affects memory, reality and character. Donelly is brilliant at showing us different moods, reactions and fazes."
- Cranston Herald
"Shrewdly told with humor and empathy that treats audiences to a heart-wrenching glimpse into despair from the loss of self, it’s not all gloom and doom. While heartbreaking at times, there are many comedic moments that make us smile in the face of dementia."
- Motif
"I am looking at André in a sort of looking glass. There used to be a time in my career as an actor when I could learn a script in a short amount of time. Now, as I’ve grown older, I am no longer able to accomplish that with speed. I have begun to seriously think about my priorities and what is important to me in my life - family especially. What would happen if I found myself with dementia or some other debilitating disease? I am more aware of living life to the fullest, now, when I can."
- INTERVIEW w/ actor Richard Donelly in Cranston Herald
“Florian Zeller's one-act portrait gets a superb Rhode Island premiere...A harrowing experience expertly delivered..an intriguing piece of storytelling….[which] creates cleverly conceived theatrical quicksand.”
- The Boston Globe
CAST + CREATIVE TEAM
Richard Donelly*
Jeff Ararat
Gabrielle McCauley
|
Jeanine Kane*
Tanya Anderson Martin
Marvin Novogrodski
|
THE FATHER: A Tragic Farce
by Florian Zeller trans. by Christopher Hampton Directed by Josh Short Scenic Design by Monica Shinn Sound + Light Design by Andy Russ Costume Design by Dustin Thomas Asst. Direction by Jeff Ginsberg Technical Direction by Dave Carney Stage Manager, Allison Marchetti* Assistant Stage Manager, Lauren Kieler Assistant Stage Manager, Kerin Hagan Production Assistant, Calder Ray-Fearon Costume Assistant, Arianna Davey Front of House Management by Christine Treglia Volunteer Management by Renee Bessette Production Photographer, Erin X. Smithers Press / Media Inquiries: Niki Healy |
*Appears courtesy Actors' Equity Association,
the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
"When our memories fail us, we lose ourselves. It's a terrifying proposition, and "The Father" captures that sense of unease and sadness perfectly."
- EDGE Providence
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHTS
Florian Zeller is a French novelist, playwright, screenwriter, and film director. He won the prestigious Prix Interallié in 2004 for his novel “Fascination of Evil,” and several Molière Awards for his plays LA MÈRE (“The Mother”), LE PÈRE (“The Father”), and LE FILS (“The Son”), finishing his family trilogy. L'AUTRE, LE MANÈGE, SI TU MOURAIS, ELLE T'ATTEND, LA VÉRITÉ (“The Truth”), LE MENSONGE (“The Lie”), and UNE HEURE DE TRANQUILLITÉ were successfully produced in France and internationally. L’ENVERS DU DÉCOR was produced in Paris in 2016, starring Daniel Auteuil. AVANT DE S'ENVOLER (“The Height of the Storm”) was in the same season. It later opened at the Wyndham’s Theatre in October 2018, starring Jonathan Pryce and Eileen Atkins and directed by Jonathan Kent, before reaching New York’s MTC Friedman Theatre in September 2019. LE PÈRE was nominated for Best New Play at the 2016 Olivier Awards, and Kenneth Cranham won Best Actor. It received a 2016 Tony Award nomination for Best Play, and Frank Langella won the Tony for Best Performance by an Actor. This play has been performed in over 45 countries and turned into a movie written with Christopher Hampton and directed by Florian Zeller, starring Olivia Colman and Anthony Hopkins. Zeller’s play THE SON was produced in Paris in 2018. It was first performed at the Kiln Theatre before reaching the Duke of York’s Theatre in August 2019. THE MOTHER had its New York premiere at Atlantic Theatre Company, starring Isabelle Huppert, in February 2019. Christopher Hampton has translated most of Florian’s plays, which have received many international awards. Florian Zeller lives in Paris. He is married to the actress and sculptor Marine Delterme. Florian Zeller is represented internationally by Drama Literary Agency. www.dramaparis.com
Translator Christopher Hampton’s plays and musicals have so far garnered four Tony Awards, three Olivier Awards, four Evening Standard Awards, and the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award; prizes for his film and television work include an Oscar, two BAFTAs, a Writers' Guild of America Award, the Prix Italia, a Special Jury Award at the Cannes Film Festival, Hollywood Screenwriter of the Year, and The Collateral Award at the Venice Film Festival for Best Literary Adaptation. Original plays: APPOMATTOX, THE TALKING CURE, WHITE CHAMELEON, TALES FROM HOLLYWOOD, TREATS, SAVAGES, THE PHILANTHROPIST, TOTAL ECLIPSE, and WHEN DID YOU LAST SEE MY MOTHER? Adaptations from novels: YOUTH WITHOUT GOD (Horváth), EMBERS (Márai), and LES LIASONS DANGEREUSES (Laclos). Musicals: STEPHEN WARD, DRACULA: THE MUSICAL, and SUNSET BOULEVARD. Libretti: APPTOMATTOX, THE TRIAL, and WAITING FOR THE BARBARIANS (all for Philip Glass).
Translations include plays by Chekhov, Ibsen, Molière, Horváth, Yasmina Reza, and Florian Zeller. Film includes: "Ali and Nino," "A Dangerous Method," "Chéri," "Atonement," "The Quiet American," "Dangerous Liaisons," "The Good Father," "The Honorary Consul," "Total Eclipse," "Mary Reilly," "Tales From The Vienna Woods," and "A Doll’s House." He wrote and directed "Imagining Argentina," "The Secret Agent," and "Carrington." Television includes: "The Thirteenth Tale," "The Ginger Tree," "Hôtel Du Lac," "The History Man," and "Able’s Will."
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An award-winning, not-for-profit professional theatre company, the Wilbury Theatre Group engages our community in thought-provoking conversation through new works, reimagined classics and adventurous playmaking. We are idealistic, ambitious, and stubborn in our resolve to create theatre that entertains, enlightens, and inspires.
It's the support of donors like you that makes our work possible - please consider making a generous donation today and help us continue to grow.
It's the support of donors like you that makes our work possible - please consider making a generous donation today and help us continue to grow.
