A synthesis of different sources, cultures and art forms, Peleus and Thetis fuses Eastern and Western theatre to create a new way of looking at the epic representation of Greek myth.
Peleus and Thetis is the product of a five-year partnership and student exchange program between Concordia University and the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts (NACTA). Since 2008, a total of 23 university students have travelled to Beijing to study Jingju (Chinese opera) at NACTA, and countless more have had the chance to take a studio course at Concordia.
Born of an innovative collaboration between co-directors Robert Reid (Concordia) and Suosen Lu (NACTA), Peleus and Thetis is a ground-breaking production that features a storyline inspired by a popular Greek myth and showcases Jingju's beautiful and intricate costuming, spectacular acrobatic fighting and dancing, and ornate language. Using the story of the marriage of Peleus and Thetis to root the production in theatre more familiar to North Americans, the play makes connections between the western understanding of theatrical form and the complex modes of performance inherent in Jingju.
In western theatre, "we try to attract an audience with the story but we often sacrifice the poetic aspect of the performance," says Reid, an associate professor in the Department of Theatre. "In Chinese opera, artist and audience come forward with knowledge of the story. Jingju has a detail and a poetic quality that we just don't have in western drama. Peleus and Thetis is our way to bridge the gap between these two art forms."
Drawing from another principal of eastern theatre - combining artistic disciplines into one fantastical form - , the Peleus and Thetis creative process has created partnerships between different art forms in Montreal. By commissioning Sandeep Bhagwati, an associate professor in the departments of Music and Theatre, to assemble a group of musicians from both Concordia and McGill universities, Peleus and Thetis features two of Concordia's three performing arts departments. Under Bhagwati's direction, student composers have incorporated traditional melodies found in Jingju into the original score, which will be performed live during the play.
When: November 28 to December 2, 2012
Wed., Nov. 28, 2012, at 8 p.m. (preview)
Thurs., Nov. 29, at 8 p.m. (opening night)
Fri., Nov. 30, at 8 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 1, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 2, at 2 p.m.
Where: D. B. Clarke Theatre, Henry H. Hall Huilding (1454 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W.), Sir George Williams Campus
Box office:
Tickets prices are $10 regular, $5 students and seniors.
To reserve tickets, send an email to tickets.finearts@concordia.ca with the following information:
• Name
• Phone number
• Number of tickets requested
• Preferred date and time of performance
A box office representative will contact you by email regarding ticket availability. This service is available until November 28, 2012, at noon, after which tickets are only available at the venue on the day of the performance.
Tickets will be held under your name at the door until 20 minutes prior to the start of the performance, at which point they will put on sale.
Tickets will also be available at the door; the box office opens one our prior to each performance.
Related links:
• Robert Reid's profile page
• Sandeep Bhagwati's profile page
• Harry Standjofski's profile page
• Department of Theatre 2012-13 season
