Big Theatre Company are all grown up and turning 25. To celebrate their much-anticipated first production of the year, Melmoth the Wanderer will play at the Mullingar Arts Centre, on Thursday March 1.
In keeping with their effervescent and eccentric style, this colourful, quirky production is an adaptation, scripted by Nicola McCartney, of the first-ever horror novel of the same name.
In this dark, gothic tale five chancers present a terrifying tale of temptation and torture, with a traveller desperate to find someone to take over his pact and release him from immortality.
But who in their right mind would agree to take on his curse? Throughout the production that features squeaky toys, animation, projections and a fair amount of chaos, we meet some such people - desperate in their own ways to change their situations.
Starring Keith Singleton, Shelley Atkinson, Colm Gormlet, Dennis Herdman, and Clare Lamont, the cast take on the darkly humorous roles of a stranger in the depths of despair; an innocent child raised on a desert island with no knowledge of the world; and the clowns compelled to play out this extraordinary tale of temptation, desire, and cannibalism, having possibly bitten off more than they can chew.
World-renowned mask director and international theatre practitioner, John Wright has joined the creative team, bringing with him a wealth of experience which will serve only to enhance further the highly skilled visual spectacle of the performances.
If one company could pull off this twisted tale of surreal comic horror Big Telly are it, Renowned for their unique take on the world, the Portstewart-based theatre company are as enthusiastic about this production as they were about their first, 25 years ago.
Zoe Seaton, artistic director said “We are thrilled to be presenting Melmoth the Wanderer as the follow-up to the nationally successful Puckoon. Challenging our audiences, and ourselves is what we have always been about and this production has certainly done the former. But it’s not about being hard work; we want to enthuse our audiences, engaging them in laughter and a few poignant moments of thought too. Big Telly are about quality performances that step outside the safety zone.”
Melmoth the Wanderer is a playground of bizarre and ridiculous situations inspired by Saw; Psycho; director Tim Burton; and Fawlty Towers - where innocent eccentrics struggle to survive. It is the sort of dizzy delirious drama that sets Big Telly apart and is the reason for their success over the last 25 years.
Melmoth the Wanderer will be at the Mullingar Arts Centre for one performance only, on Thursday March 1, at 8pm.
For bookings contact the box office on (044 ) 9347777, or call into the Arts Centre, Monday to Friday, between 9am and 9.30pm; and on Saturdays from 9am to 6pm.
