GERALD PAPASIAN IS BACK FROM OPEN-AIR TOURS OF SHAKESPEARE/BROOK ‘MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM’
Translated from the French by Irma Tyler

AZG Armenian Daily
31/08/2006

What happens when you want to bring theatre to places where it
is least expected, such as the gardens of Hermitage in Lausanne,
the Château le Bailly in Montigny/Canne, the Neiderstinzel Castle
or the Gallo Roman ruins of Bliesbruck in Alsace? What happens when
you want to perform an entire Shakespeare play with only six [male]
actors? What happens when it is summer and France and Switzerland
are swinging with festival fever?

What happens is Irina Brook (daughter of the illustrious Peter Brook,
well known to all for her award-winning production of Beast on the
Moon) and six of her loyal company members, who bring Shakespeare’s
Midsummer Night’s Dream to your backyard.

Spurning big budget glamorous productions to which she had accustomed
us, Irina Brook draws upon the complicity and confidence of her
trustworthy actors, to create a joyful and sparkling show with a
minimum of costumes and props, where improvisation lurks at every
corner. The actors excel themselves in this free style where pure
pleasure replaces conceit and pretentiousness.

"Irina Brook explores a different way to summon a spirit of festivity
that accompanied theatrical productions of the past." Official Festival
Journal – Lausanne

The talented actors (Vincent Berger, Jerry Di Giacomo, Cyril Guei,
Gerald Papasian, Christian Pelissier and Augustin Ruhabura) interpret
21 roles, involving quick changes of cross-gender dressing, miles of
crossing uneven ground, braving wind and rain, scorching temperatures,
poison ivy, mosquitoes and even a hornet’s nest!

The brilliant company, which includes a child actor played
enthusiastically by Irina’s own son Prosper, entertains and enchants
thousands of French and Swiss theatregoers over the summer months of
June and July 2006. Created in 2005 the production is scheduled for
a third season of tours in Europe and, if we are good boys and girls,
may even come to the States!

Gerald Papasian plays the demanding role of Bottom as well as the
‘young lover’ Demetrius in this third collaboration with Irina
Brook. His interpretation of the roles, a highly energetic Demetrius
and a wonderfully ‘ham’ but lovable Bottom, are acclaimed both by
critics and boisterous audiences from 7 to 77 years old. "It is the
best interpretation of Bottom I have seen," says Bruce Meyers, long
time member of Peter Brook’s company.

Next month, Gerald Papasian embarks on his fourth collaboration with
Irina in her production of Haendel’s Julius Caesar at the Theatre
des Champs Elysees in Paris where he had rehearsed the first of their
collaborations, Brecht’s The Good Person of Schezuan playing opposite
French stage and film star Romane Bohringer.

"…All this is nothing but a Dream! If we [the actors] have
offended…we will make amends!" says Puck, one of the characters in
the play. Isabelle Viong of the Courrier (Switzerland) rightfully adds,
"No need to make amends, they are already excellent!"

–Boundary_(ID_dhzE44vwjduNk+6pg SO8NQ)–