Photo Flash: Travesties at ACT Extends to Oct. 22

Travesties, the 1974 comedy by Tom Stoppard, and 40th season opener at the American Conservatory Theatre of San Francisco, has extended its run until October 22.

"Travesties begins with a simple fact: during World War I, James Joyce, Vladimir Lenin, and Tristan Tzara all happened to be living in the neutral oasis of Zürich, Switzerland," describes press notes, "From that historical premise, Stoppard's recipe for freewheeling dramatic fun takes over. Travesties throws the three geniuses together in the same research library, adds a dash of irony, a pinch of romantic intrigue, a generous helping of Oscar Wilde references, and voilà! With this delightful riff on the skittish friendship between art and revolution, Stoppard takes us inside the wildest minds of the 20th century and leaves us breathless."

Travesties opens at ACT tonight, Sept. 20.  Tickets ($16-80) are available through ACT Ticket Services, 405 Geary Street at Mason, by calling 415-749-2228, and online at www.act-sf.org.

Performance times are Tuesday - Saturday at 8:00PM (except Sept. 26 at 7:00PM); Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2:00PM (except no matinee Oct. 4); with an additional performance Sept. 24 at 7:00PM.

Photos by Kevin Berne.  Captions by ACT.

British official and narrator of Travesties Henry Carr
(Geordie Johnson, in wheelchair) reminisces about figures
from his past, including author, James Joyce (Anthony Fusco)

Gwendolyn (Rene Augesen) sits with James Joyce (Anthony Fusco)
as he transcribes an early draft of Ulysses.

Lenin (Geoff Hoyle) works on his pamphlet Imperialism: The Highest
Stage of Capitalism, his wife Nadya (Joan Mankin)

Dada artist Tristin Tzara (Gregory Wallace) attempts to profess
his love for Carr's sister, Gwendolyn (Rene Augesen)

Tristin Tzara (Gregory Wallace) passionately defends his
Dada-ist ideas of art against Joyce (Anthony Fusco, seated), as
Carr's butler Bennett (Geoff Hoyle) looks on.

In the Zurich Public Library, a young, attractive librarian Cecily
(Allison Jean White, top) gives a rundown of the events of
January 1917, as Nadya (Joan Mankin) and her husband,
Lenin (Geoff Hoyle), discuss the revolution.

The young Carr (Geordie Johson) - in disguise so that he
can spy on Lenin - is mistaken by Cecily (Allison Jean White)
for Tzara. A smitten Carr goes along with her mistake, so
beginning their courtship.

Cecily (Allison Jean White, left) and Gwendolyn (Rene Augesen)
profess their love for Tristin Tzara... though Cecily in actuality
has fallen for the disguised Henry Carr.

Gwendolyn (Rene Augesen) attempts to mediate an argument
between Joyce (Anthony Fusco, right) and Carr (Geordie Johnson).

The set of Travesties - with Henry Carr (Geordie Johnson) center,
narrating the tale - is designed by Douglas W. Schmidt, Tony
Award-winning Broadway scenic designer.