It has been exciting coming back to Auckland and helping a new theatre company bring out a season of modern drama classics. Its been fascinating to watch Elena and Stephen work through some tricky parts of the play, finding the life in it, holding it to kindle together then blowing up the flames of a super farce. We owe so much to Chekov, every crusty short film maker who ever took that slice of life approach, maybe Anton should stand up as the real father of reality tv.
Designwise I have been thinking about Popovs state, a woman alone, grieving for her dead husband. A shutin if you will, retreating from the world in her memories and her art. I wanted to capture the vivid energy that sparks her reentry into the world.
I remembered an old Russian saying about the yellow house, a little like a kiwi saying he’s a few sandwhiches short of a picnic!
So the set will be simple and bold a large 6m square of citron yellow, luminous in a black space, below on the stage a woman works amongst papers, surrounded by furniture covered in white sheets. Her unlikely saviour is the Boorish Smirnov, The Bear himself. Breaking furniture, yelling, making crass gestures and remarks well out of his station.
The Victoria Picture Palace & Theatre in Devonport will be the 2011 home for the Outbox Season which will include plays from Russia, Sweden, The United States and featuring a new New Zealand play by Stephen Sinclair. The first show of the season will be The Bear and will star Elena Stejko as Popov and Stephen Papps as Smirnov. Hope lives, and love still conquers money.
Elena’s passion for teaching and developing talent is rapidly growing. The Actor’s Studio Elena Stejko in Auckland has built a strong following. ‘The insights and disciplines of Michael Chekhov and Constantin Stanislavsky are as relevant now as they ever were’, says Elena. ‘Acting is much more than technique, of course, but as tools for an actor they are fundamental.’ Her students are drawn from across theatre community, including the carefully selected young actors. Stephen Papps is a gifted actors who slips seamlessly between stage and screen, he brings his considerable wit and experience to create a heady volitile chemistry in The Bear. Tickets available for all shows from The Victoria Picture Palace and Theatre
One of Chekovs’ earlier plays (1888) The Bear holds up in farce images of sexual equality and the soon to arrive sufferage movement.Chekovs’ sharp eye for sociological detail gives the modern audience a glimpse into the past, all the while holding a firm connection across time, the warm beating heart of the human condition. Love,guns and rubles – this farce the first battle of the sexes. Its going to be good, but dont take my word for it come and see it yourself
Go to the Outbox Theatre Company site for more information on this
Tickets available for all shows from The Victoria Picture Palace and Theatre
