Gormenghast: A British Fantasy at duCret School of the Arts

1. View All New Jersey Shows
 > 
2. Gormenghast: A British Fantasy

Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center will present the US Premiere of the play Gormenghast live onstage at duCret School of the Arts in Plainfield. Gormenghast is a fantastical drama consisting of theatrical movement, intense knife fights, and startling effects.

Gormenghast is an adaptation by John Constable of the British fantasy series written by Mervyn Peakes. American literary critic and Yale professor Harold Bloom called Gormenghast “a more accomplished work than The Lord of the Rings,”, and the novel series has been included in many best- of lists, including Modern Fantasy: The 100 Best Novels, as one of the greatest fantasy works of the twentieth century.

The play tells the thrilling story of the royal Groan family who live in the castle Gormenghast, a remote and creepy stronghold. Titus, the heir to the throne, finds himself threatened by Steerpike, a renegade kitchen-boy who seduces and murders his way up the social ladder. Steerpike successfully destroys the existing order of the castle by inciting power-hungry twin sisters to burn the castle library. This event drives the lord of the castle into madness. Steerpike continues his rise to power by killing the Master of Ritual, and taking her place, but the castle is flooded, and the story culminates in a watery duel.

Gormenghast is directed by Dragonfly’s Artistic Associate Anna Paone. Fight Choreography has been created by Patrick Brockway, who has choreographed fights for Dragonfly’s The 39 Steps and Cyrano! as well as for Renaissance faires and many theaters. Movement choreography for Gormentghast was created by Claire Bochenek. 

The Gormenghast cast includes Dragonfly regulars Will Horner (Romeo in Romeo and Juliet), Sanket Bakshi, Whitney Bailey, Marina Mikhalyva, Arly Rubens, Tess Powell, Sam Ayers, Ann Grippo and Ed Faver. They will be joined by performers new to the company:, TikTok sensation [1] Cory Singer, Nainesh Patel, Ashley Biel, and Akeyla Wallace.

Performances will be held Friday, November 19 at 8:00 pm., Sunday, November 20 at 8:00 pm, and Sunday, November 21 at 3:00 pm. Tickets are $15 in advance at https://www.dragonflyartsnj.org/purchase-tickets and $20 at the door with discounts for students and seniors.  duCret School of the Arts is located at 1030 Central Avenue in Plainfield. There is ample parking in the rear of the school.

 Audience members will need to wear masks.

For more information, call 908-930-3210 or email DragonflyArtsNJ@gmail.com.