Harriet Walter and John Hopkins to narrate Venus and Adonis
28 February 2007
Venus and Adonis, RSC Chief Associate Director’s Gregory Doran’s masque for puppets, will be narrated by Harriet Walter and John Hopkins.
A collaboration between the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the Little Angel Theatre, it was one of the surprise hits of 2004 and sold out instantly. The RSC is reviving the show as part of the Complete Works Season and following its short run at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon (15-17 March 2007) it opens at The Little Angel Theatre on 22 March.
Gregory Doran created this new version of William Shakespeare’s erotic poem after a visit to Japan introduced him to the dramatic intensity of Bunraku puppets. He also observed that the Japanese audiences were largely adult. Combining elements of Bunraku with Jacobean Court Masque, and using marionettes, rod, shadow and table-top puppets, this unique entertainment tells the tale of the love goddess Venus and her obsession for the petulant but beautiful Adonis.
Harriet Walter narrates the story in Stratford and London until 29 March when John Hopkins takes over. Harriet and John have just finished playing Cleopatra and Caesar in Doran’s production of Antony and Cleopatra at the Novello Theatre in London.
The director of puppetry is Steve Tiplady; set and costumes are by theatre designer Robert Jones and the puppets are designed and made by an international team including Lyndie Wright, Jan Zalud, John Roberts, Stefan Fichert and Simon Anton. The miniature costumes were created in the RSC Costume Department, Stratford-upon-Avon.
The poem was written by Shakespeare in 1593 when the theatres were closed because of the plague and it was such a success that sixteen editions were published over the next few years. Adonis initially rejects Venus’s advances, preferring the joys of boar hunting. When he finally succumbs, the story ends in tragedy.
Gregory Doran returned from Japan to discover a world centre of puppetry in his Islington backyard. Now a Board member of The Little Angel, he has become a passionate advocate for the art form and its appeal to audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
Further information
For more information, please contact:
Nada Zakula
RSC press office
01789 412622
nada.zakula@rsc.org.uk
Or (for The Little Angel Theatre run)
Anne Mayer
(Press Agent for VENUS AND ADONIS)
020 7254 7391 (m: 07764 192842)
annemayer@btopenworld.com
