Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Toronto: This May, two up-and-coming Toronto theatre companies present an innovative production of a lost British drama: The Land of Promise by Somerset Maugham. Theatre Double Take (2014’s Madeleine Robin Known as Roxane) and Snowdrop Productions (2013’s The Glass Cage), known for bringing modern perspectives to classic material in their productions and adaptations, team up to introduce Toronto to this forgotten classic.
The Land of Promise, written by the famed British playwright Somerset Maugham, has remained unknown to local audiences despite it being his only play set in Canada. The play tells the story of Norah, a lady’s maid in England who, finding herself without work and without prospects, decides to travel to the wilds of Manitoba to live with her brother and his new wife. Upon arrival, it quickly becomes evident that Norah is not prepared for the rough life of a Canadian pioneer. What follows is a hasty marriage, and a war of words, of genders, and of classes.
Somerset Maugham said of The Land of Promise that he had gathered a lot of great material for a Canadian-set tragedy, but “this is rather unfortunate since I have been commissioned [by Charles Frohman] to write a really pleasant play.” TDT and Snowdrop Productions will take this juxtaposition of source material and genre as a starting point for their inquisitive production of the play. Grace Smith, the production’s director and AD of Theatre Double Take, states, “This play often brilliantly depicts gender and class warfare; but it was also written in 1913, so there are a lot of problematic moments. We’re really excited to bring the contemporary perspectives of our cast and crew to this material.” Sarah White, who will be playing Norah as well as co-producing, adds “It is always exciting and a challenge to tackle a role with such a surprising character arc, and to find a way to make the various plot turns ring true.”
The Land of Promise is a co-production between Theatre Double Take and Snowdrop Productions. It will feature White in the lead role of Norah, alongside Šimon Mizera, Leah Holder, Christopher Legacy, Matthew McGrath, Geoff Mays, Shannon Maunder, Leete Stetson, and Kayla Whelan, with designs by Jackie McLelland and stage management by Faith Thomson.
Theatre Double Take is committed to creating works that challenge traditional cultural narratives and readings of classic texts. Since its formation, TDT has produced its ‘sort-of sequel’ to Cyrano de Bergerac, Madeleine Robin Known as Roxane (which Mooney on Theatre called “clear and entertaining”) and an interactive adaptation of Browning’s Poem “My Last Duchess”, My Last -, at the 2014 Toronto Fringe (Now’s Jon Kaplan – “NNN”, Bloody Underrated - “well worth stopping in to see”).
Snowdrop Productions focuses on stories by and about Canadians. Their inaugural production The Glass Cage by J.B. Priestley (Priestley’s only play to be set in Canada) was the first staging of the play on a Canadian stage in 50 years (said Stage Door’s Christopher Hoile, “those interested in Priestley and in Canadian theatre should not hesitate”). Snowdrop’s founder Sarah White will step into the role of Norah, following her acclaimed performance as Jean McBane in The Glass Cage
The Land of Promise
by Somerset Maugham
Presented by Theatre Double Take and Snowdrop Productions
May 1st-3rd and 6th-9th, 2015
Red Sandcastle Theatre (922 Queen St. East)
Tickets $20/reg $15/stu/sen
http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-land-of-promise-tickets-16277563631
2015-03-25
Toronto: Two companies combine to present "The Land of Promise" – Somerset Maugham's only play set in Canada