Crow's Theatre to Kick Off 41st Season With Ibsen's ROSMERSHOLM

Hot on the heels of a record-breaking 40th Anniversary Season, Crow's Theatre kicks off their 41st with a rarely staged masterpiece by Henrik Ibsen. Set against the backdrop of a looming national election, buried secrets and hidden agendas threaten to upend lives and the fate of the nation: ROSMERSHOLM, hits the stage September 3 through October 6 at the Streetcar Crowsnest in the Guloien Theatre. (Media night: September 11)
 
This Canadian premiere features a riveting new adaptation by acclaimed UK playwright Duncan MacMillan (Lungs, People Places and Things, and Every Brilliant Thing) and is directed by Crow's Theatre Artistic Director Chris Abraham. In ROSMERSHOLM, themes of love, sex, faith, and politics are intricately woven into a spellbinding psychological drama. At its core is John Rosmer, the heir to an influential family dynasty, whose life is upended by the arrival of the enigmatic Rebecca West. The play sets off a cascade of revelations and ideological clashes that shake the very foundations of their world.
 
“ROSMERSHOLM is one of Ibsen's most mesmerizing works,” offers Abraham. “Macmillan's blistering adaptation makes a stunning argument for the timelessness and timeliness of Ibsen's 1886 play. Never shy at tackling the intractable issues of our age, Macmillan zeroes in on Ibsen's examination of the dynamics of polarization and the forces that shape and constrain revolutionary ambition. But this isn't just a one issue play, it is one of Ibsen's most complex and enigmatic examinations of the human psyche. Famous for inspiring Freud, Ibsen helped to re-shape how 19th century thinkers and dramatists thought about the stage, and the human condition. This play will leave audiences with much to debate, especially in the context of us staring down two very consequential national elections of our own.”
 
One of Ibsen's most inscrutable works, ROSMERSHOLM is part of a series of plays following 1882's An Enemy of the People in which Ibsen turned from writing overtly political drama towards the symbolic drama of his later years. Macmillan's adaption premiered in 2019 at the Duke of York's Theatre in London, garnering rave reviews across the board. The Guardian calling the production “breathtaking,” and awarding it five out of five stars. The play last had a major production in Canada at the Shaw Festival in 2006, adapted and directed by Neil Munro.
 
For this premiere, Abraham has assembled an extraordinary cast led by Jonathon Young (The Master and Margarita) as John Rosmer and Virgilia Griffith (Queen Goneril) as Rebecca West.  Young has been celebrated globally for his collaborations with choreographer Crystal Pite on works including Betroffenheit and Kidd Pivot; Virgilia Griffith has emerged over the last decade as one of Canada's most acclaimed and in-demand actors and appeared in the cast of the inaugural Streetcar Crowsnest production, The Wedding Party. 
 
They are joined by a thrilling assembly of Canadian theatre luminaries including Stratford star Ben Carlson (The Master Plan) as Andreas Kroll, Beau Dixon (The Shape of Home, Songs in Search of Al Purdy) as Peter Mortensgaard, Kate Hennig (A Doll's House, Part 2) as Mrs. Helseth, and Diego Matamoros (Bad Roads) as Ulrik Brendel.
 
The award-winning design team is comprised of frequent Crow's collaborators, set and props designer Joshua Quinlan, costume designer Ming Wong, lighting designer Kimberly Purtell, and sound designer Thomas Ryder Payne.

ROSMERSHOLM runs Tuesday to Saturday at 7:30pm, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 1:30pm.
 
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit crowstheatre.com or call 647.341.7390 ext. 1010 or emailboxoffice@crowstheatre.com or drop by 345 Carlaw Avenue (at Dundas Street East).

To post a comment, you must register and login.