Witness this classic novel come to life in a highly imaginative production where drama and dance intersect. The Bundren family embarks on a 40-mile funeral procession to bring their mother to a final resting place and fulfill her dying wish. Through their calamitous journey, each member struggles with the promises made to the departed, revealing secrets and confronting their own selfish desires along the way. Faulkner’s expressive characters leap from the stage to present a gripping and unforgettable examination of humanity—with all its virtues and vices.
Arts Club Artistic and Managing Director, Bill Millerd says, “We’ve proudly partnered with the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival again this season to show both our audiences how classic texts can be adapted for new terrain. The Goldcorp Stage is our most versatile and intimate venue; a perfect match for As I Lay Dying. The story is told solely through the actors’ innovative physicality and they share the narration of Faulkner’s rich text; I’m excited for audiences to experience this unique style of storytelling!”
PuSh Artistic and Executive Director, Norman Armour calls Theatre Smith-Gilmour, “A staple in the Toronto theatre scene” and refers to their adaptation of William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying as, “Iconic, challenging, and epic.” He adds, “I’d venture to say that they are a signature company for a certain generation of devised theatre makers in Toronto. It’s long overdue that they are out here.”
“We have been touring around the world for 30 years and this is our fourth remount of As I Lay Dying,” says Theatre Smith-Gilmour Co-Artistic Director Dean Gilmour. “It has been our dream to perform in the PuSh Festival, so we are very excited and proud to be part of it this year. Our theatre is as much for the eyes as it is for the ears and our goal is to mobilize the audience’s imagination. Over the years, the story and the text of our adaptation continued to evolve and we’ve discovered that audiences love how our unique physical language gives value to William Faulkner’s words.”
IN BRIEF Arts Club Theatre Company’s As I Lay Dying at the Arts Club’s Goldcorp Stage at the BMO Theatre Centre (162 West 1st Avenue) from January 19 to February 12, 2017. Tuesday–Thursday at 7:30 pm, Friday & Saturday at 8 pm, Wednesday at 1:30 pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm. Tickets start at $29, inclusive of taxes and fees. Call the Arts Club Box Office at 604.687.1644 or visit artsclub.com.
Photo: Katherine Fleitas
