'Tis Pity She's a Whore at American Shakespeare Center

By John FordIn English, with French surtitlesEN Under the stewardship of director Declan Donnellan and designer Nick Ormerod, Cheek by Jowl has established an international reputation for taking classic texts and giving them new life. Its productions of works by Shakespeare and other seminal British playwrights have led to huge acclaim, with The Independent proclaiming Cheek by Jowl "The most adventurous and successful theatre company in Britain". Luxembourg audiences will already be familiar with Cheek by Jowl's work - the company has brought its productions of Cymbeline and Macbeth to the Grand Théâtre and in 2006 also treated audiences to a splendid version of Jacobean classic The Changeling by Thomas Middleton and William Rowley.The company returns to Jacobean drama with this startling production of 'Tis Pity She's A Whore, which for a long time was one of the most controversial works in English literature. John Ford's complex and ambiguous tragedy deals with incest, morality, religion and corruption and was generally condemned by critics from the time of its publication in 1633 right up until middle of the 20th century. Set in Bologna and Parma in Italy, the play is a violent and bloody drama that portrays a brother and sister's passionate descent into hell, dragging with them those who love them or are supposed to be their moral guardians. It is, in the words of The Telegraph theatre critic Dominic Cavendish, "one of the late stragglers of the Jacobean gore-fest era." Indeed, the company warns that the production is really only suitable for the over 16s.» ®.. darkly funny, superbly visceral and poignant... electrifying. Independent on Sunday» ®.. scintillating production... exceptional actors... superb. The Sunday Times» Donnellan and Ormerod's sexy and unnerving new production... gruesomely, wildly alive. Time» ®.. a coherent, swiftly moving whole that leaves no gasps or loose strands anywhere. It is the magic of theatre at work. [®..] a unique combination of emotional intensity and tremendous fun. Inventive, fresh, daring yet sparingly beautiful, they are a delight to watch.D'Lëtzebuerger Land on Cymbeline» La compagnie de Cheek by Jowl a fait montre d'une cohésion remarquable, donnant l'impression de s'évertuer sans fléchir à établir un équilibre et une paix irréalisables - une interprétation terriblement humaine. En bref: un véritable tour de force! Luxemburger Wort à propos de Macbeth» Les apparences épurées de sa mise en scène sont inversement proportionnelles à leurs effets. [®..] une merveilleuse théâtralisation d'un merveilleux texte éternel qui dit les éternelles tentations humaines. Le Jeudi à propos de Macbeth» Comme pris dans l'extase du dépassement d'une danse de derviche, les comédiens, à tour de rôle, subliment leur expression en la poussant au paroxysme de l'art théâtral. Ils ne se contentent plus d'interpréter des rôles, mais s'évertuent à porter leurs personnages à la transfiguration humaine la plus significative et intensive. Tageblatt à propos de Cymbeline» ®.. le spectateur est embarqué par les comédiens qui habitent les personnages et donnent tout sur scène. Le Quotidien à propos de MacbethDirector Declan DonnellanCo-director Owen HorsleyDesigner Nick OrmerodAssociate & Movement Director Jane GibsonLighting Designer Judith GreenwoodComposer & Sound Designer Nick PowellProduced by Cheek by JowlCo-production Barbican (London), Les Gémeaux/Sceaux/Scène Nationale, Sydney FestivalCheek by Jowl is supported by Arts Council England.