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| Pangs Theater Ensemble, P.O. Box 225293, San Francisco, California 94122 Tel: (415) 515-0851 info@pangstheater.com |
| Copyright © 2008 Pangs Theater Ensemble. All rights reserved. |
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A cutting edge performance piece
dramatizing the human struggle
through the interweaving of music,
dance, poetry, architecture and
physical interaction. All the senses
are engaged as the body and the
soul struggle with hardship in Andrew
Marvel's poetry.
dramatizing the human struggle
through the interweaving of music,
dance, poetry, architecture and
physical interaction. All the senses
are engaged as the body and the
soul struggle with hardship in Andrew
Marvel's poetry.
Tom Stoppard was born July 3, 1937 in Zlín,
Czechoslovakia, as Tomás Straüssler. He
grew up in Singapore and India during the
Second World War and moved to England in
1946. He was educated in England, and
became a journalist, a theater critic, and then
a successful playwright. He has lived and
worked primarily in England till today,
winning several Tony awards and co-writing
the screenplay for the Oscar-winning
Hollywood film Shakespeare in Love. He is
known for work that is intellectual, clever and
contrary, frequently exploring themes
involving juxtaposition of contrasts.
Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing was a
critical success when he first wrote and
staged it in England in 1982. It was then
performed on Broadway to great critical
acclaim, with Jeremy Irons and Glen Close in
the lead roles, winning several Antionette
‘‘Tony’’ Perry Awards.
The Real Thing is a play about the pain of
adultery and the excitement of love. Its main
character is Henry, a successful playwright,
initially married to Charlotte, an actress who
is playing the lead in his current play.
However, he falls in love with another
actress, Annie, who is also married. Henry
and Annie's extra-marital affair leads to their
marriage, following their respective divorces.
The question arises once time passes, will
Henry and Annie's love grow stale? Is it real?
Czechoslovakia, as Tomás Straüssler. He
grew up in Singapore and India during the
Second World War and moved to England in
1946. He was educated in England, and
became a journalist, a theater critic, and then
a successful playwright. He has lived and
worked primarily in England till today,
winning several Tony awards and co-writing
the screenplay for the Oscar-winning
Hollywood film Shakespeare in Love. He is
known for work that is intellectual, clever and
contrary, frequently exploring themes
involving juxtaposition of contrasts.
Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing was a
critical success when he first wrote and
staged it in England in 1982. It was then
performed on Broadway to great critical
acclaim, with Jeremy Irons and Glen Close in
the lead roles, winning several Antionette
‘‘Tony’’ Perry Awards.
The Real Thing is a play about the pain of
adultery and the excitement of love. Its main
character is Henry, a successful playwright,
initially married to Charlotte, an actress who
is playing the lead in his current play.
However, he falls in love with another
actress, Annie, who is also married. Henry
and Annie's extra-marital affair leads to their
marriage, following their respective divorces.
The question arises once time passes, will
Henry and Annie's love grow stale? Is it real?
Based on the life of Johann Christian Woyzeck, who
was beheaded in Leipzig in 1824 for the slaying of his
common law wife, this drama is made up of a series
of unfinished manuscripts written by Georg Buchner in
1836. Said by many to represent the birth of modern
literature, this play is a study in criminal pathology,
depicting the degradation of a sensitive, morally
upright man into a murderer due to the cruelty and
dehumanization he faces in a lower class social role.
Each character represents a psychological study of
human types as they behave in the context of a typical
modern "civilized" social construct. As emotionally
moving as it is intellectually fulfilling, this play
demonstrates that the downtrodden, when driven to
insanity and violence, rarely strike out at their
oppressors but instead end up destroying their own
kind and ultimately themselves.
was beheaded in Leipzig in 1824 for the slaying of his
common law wife, this drama is made up of a series
of unfinished manuscripts written by Georg Buchner in
1836. Said by many to represent the birth of modern
literature, this play is a study in criminal pathology,
depicting the degradation of a sensitive, morally
upright man into a murderer due to the cruelty and
dehumanization he faces in a lower class social role.
Each character represents a psychological study of
human types as they behave in the context of a typical
modern "civilized" social construct. As emotionally
moving as it is intellectually fulfilling, this play
demonstrates that the downtrodden, when driven to
insanity and violence, rarely strike out at their
oppressors but instead end up destroying their own
kind and ultimately themselves.
Goethe's Faust is a
compelling commentary on
humanity, its underlying
capacity for evil, yet its
redeeming struggle towards
growth, knowledge, and
transcendence. It is the
poetically written story of a
man who spends his life
committing hurtful and
malevolent acts, the devil
who tempts his soul, and the
soul's final salvation.
compelling commentary on
humanity, its underlying
capacity for evil, yet its
redeeming struggle towards
growth, knowledge, and
transcendence. It is the
poetically written story of a
man who spends his life
committing hurtful and
malevolent acts, the devil
who tempts his soul, and the
soul's final salvation.
RESOLVED
| THE REAL THING BY TOM STOPPARD |
WOYZECK
A FRAGMENT BY GEORG
BUCHNER
A FRAGMENT BY GEORG
BUCHNER
FAUST
GOETHE
GOETHE
LAMB
by Wolfgang Thompson
A symphonic performance of lament
by Wolfgang Thompson
A symphonic performance of lament
A modern performance that sends a
compelling message about human
suffering with the goal of inspiring
peace, Lamb combines the poetry of
Paul Celan with the Lamentations of
the prophet Jeremiah into a symphonic
performance of lament. It juxtaposes
two responses to mass human
disaster, Celan's broken quality with
Jeremiah's strength.
In Lamb, the dialogue, the body and
the voice combine into a production
which touches the soul by bringing the
subconsious to awareness and
merging it with the conscious.
compelling message about human
suffering with the goal of inspiring
peace, Lamb combines the poetry of
Paul Celan with the Lamentations of
the prophet Jeremiah into a symphonic
performance of lament. It juxtaposes
two responses to mass human
disaster, Celan's broken quality with
Jeremiah's strength.
In Lamb, the dialogue, the body and
the voice combine into a production
which touches the soul by bringing the
subconsious to awareness and
merging it with the conscious.
"[I]t plumbs the depths of the misery
the destruction has wrought, and looks
for hope and redemption in the future."
- San Francisco Chronicle
the destruction has wrought, and looks
for hope and redemption in the future."
- San Francisco Chronicle
"It's a fight between different
elements -- the spoken word and
the dance, the body and the soul. . ."
- San Francisco Chronicle
elements -- the spoken word and
the dance, the body and the soul. . ."
- San Francisco Chronicle
"The three central characters — two
sirens and the prophet Jeremiah —
explore a range of human
emotions that ultimately gives rise
to an inspiring message of hope for
a peaceful world." - San Francisco
Examiner
sirens and the prophet Jeremiah —
explore a range of human
emotions that ultimately gives rise
to an inspiring message of hope for
a peaceful world." - San Francisco
Examiner
MOLIÈRE'S DON JUAN
Moliere's comedic version of
this tale of immorality is a treat
with serious implications.
Witty and charming, Molière’s
Don Juan tells a story with
current relevance. It depicts a
man driven by hedonism,
immorality, and the pursuit of
pleasure at all costs.
Unrepentant and set on his
licentious course, Don Juan
maintains his anti-moralist
stance even when it
endangers his own welfare. In
this play, Molière dares to
speculate at the ultimate fate
of one of the beautiful,
privileged, self-indulgent, and
rich.
this tale of immorality is a treat
with serious implications.
Witty and charming, Molière’s
Don Juan tells a story with
current relevance. It depicts a
man driven by hedonism,
immorality, and the pursuit of
pleasure at all costs.
Unrepentant and set on his
licentious course, Don Juan
maintains his anti-moralist
stance even when it
endangers his own welfare. In
this play, Molière dares to
speculate at the ultimate fate
of one of the beautiful,
privileged, self-indulgent, and
rich.
LORCA SUMMER FESTIVAL
Federico Garcia Lorca's Trilogy
BLOOD WEDDING
YERMA
HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA
BLOOD WEDDING
YERMA
HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA
"[T]the Bay Area's first Lorca Summer
Festival." - Rob Hurwitt, SF Chronicle
Festival." - Rob Hurwitt, SF Chronicle
The New York Times calls Lorca, “a consummate artist whose genius in theater, music, art and poetry
rather defies description or comparison” and “the most widely translated Spanish author of all time.”
Lorca’s drama is known for its poetic language and its exploration of the themes of love, pride, passion
and violent death. In this trilogy, Lorca makes powerful commentary on restrictive social limitations and
the intensity of the human passions they can’t contain.
rather defies description or comparison” and “the most widely translated Spanish author of all time.”
Lorca’s drama is known for its poetic language and its exploration of the themes of love, pride, passion
and violent death. In this trilogy, Lorca makes powerful commentary on restrictive social limitations and
the intensity of the human passions they can’t contain.
"Escape the summer chill for an evening
or three . . . . Pangs Theatre Ensemble
presents Federico García Lorca's "rural
trilogy" of plays" - SF Bay Guardian,
Weekly Pick
or three . . . . Pangs Theatre Ensemble
presents Federico García Lorca's "rural
trilogy" of plays" - SF Bay Guardian,
Weekly Pick
The production emphasizes the actors'
movements and the spaces between
them, adding a level of physical intensity
to spurned passion, repressed
emotions, lust, and betrayal. - Flavorpill
movements and the spaces between
them, adding a level of physical intensity
to spurned passion, repressed
emotions, lust, and betrayal. - Flavorpill
Blood Wedding
Blood Wedding tells the story
of true love and passion which
turns tragic because it can’t be
realized. It is a tragedy about
a bride whose social position
keeps her from marrying the
man she loves.
of true love and passion which
turns tragic because it can’t be
realized. It is a tragedy about
a bride whose social position
keeps her from marrying the
man she loves.
Yerma
Yerma tells the
tale of a woman
whose needs and
desires are stifled
by her society.
Yerma explores
the pain of a
woman’s life
under a restrictive
social system.
tale of a woman
whose needs and
desires are stifled
by her society.
Yerma explores
the pain of a
woman’s life
under a restrictive
social system.
The House of Bernarda Alba
The House of Bernarda Alba
is a play in which a tyrant
widow locks her five
daughters away from the
outside world after their father’
s death, but still can’t restrain
the daughters’ passions. The
House of Bernarda Alba
dramatizes the themes of
brutal repression, sexual
jealousy, maternal control and
finally death.
is a play in which a tyrant
widow locks her five
daughters away from the
outside world after their father’
s death, but still can’t restrain
the daughters’ passions. The
House of Bernarda Alba
dramatizes the themes of
brutal repression, sexual
jealousy, maternal control and
finally death.
Wolfgang Thompson's
SONDERKOMMANDO
SONDERKOMMANDO
San Francisco Fringe Festival
An intense modern performance illustrating the
shocking truth about humanity, SONDERKOMMANDO
tells the story of a man violently tormented by the time
and circumstances of his life, as well as by three
Dybbuks, malevolent possessing spirits who under
the system of Kabbalah and folklore are the dislocated
souls of a dead persons.
Dybbuks wander, unable to enter Heaven or Hell,
seeking to posses a human body so as to accomplish
the function they were unable to complete during their
lifetime.
SONDERKOMMANDO features the poetry of Georg
Trakl, one of the most notable Austrian expressionistic
poets, whose admirers include Kafka, Rilke, and
Wittgenstein. Wittgenstein has said of Trakl's poetry
that it has “the tone of true genius." Trakl being a tragic
yet remarkably talented figure unable to overcome his
suffering and mental illness, presents uncommonly
moving poetry offering images of darkness.
Using modern and classical dance, the performance
of Trakl's hauting poetry, and ancient text,
SONDERKOMMANDO seeks to get to the heart of the
experience of humanity.
shocking truth about humanity, SONDERKOMMANDO
tells the story of a man violently tormented by the time
and circumstances of his life, as well as by three
Dybbuks, malevolent possessing spirits who under
the system of Kabbalah and folklore are the dislocated
souls of a dead persons.
Dybbuks wander, unable to enter Heaven or Hell,
seeking to posses a human body so as to accomplish
the function they were unable to complete during their
lifetime.
SONDERKOMMANDO features the poetry of Georg
Trakl, one of the most notable Austrian expressionistic
poets, whose admirers include Kafka, Rilke, and
Wittgenstein. Wittgenstein has said of Trakl's poetry
that it has “the tone of true genius." Trakl being a tragic
yet remarkably talented figure unable to overcome his
suffering and mental illness, presents uncommonly
moving poetry offering images of darkness.
Using modern and classical dance, the performance
of Trakl's hauting poetry, and ancient text,
SONDERKOMMANDO seeks to get to the heart of the
experience of humanity.