Infinithéâtre Presents Ars Poetica 1/17-2/12

Infinithéâtre is set to offer yet another original work from Arthur Holden- the world premiere of the comedy, Ars Poetica, playing at Bain St-Michel from January 17-February 12. Directed by Guy Sprung, the talented cast includes favourite Montréal actors Noel Burton (Equus, Village Scene Productions), Danielle Desormeaux (Umloüt and MöcShplat, Clowns Gone Bad), Paula Jean Hixson (Four Minutes if you Bleed, Power Play Productions/Centaur Theatre Brave New Looks) and Infinithéâtre ‘regular’, Howard Rosenstein (Cornered, Rabbit in a Hat Productions), along with up and comer Elana Dunkelman (Hamlet, Montreal Shakespeare Theatre Company).

The air conditioning has failed. The creditors are circling like sharks. And the publisher wants to sleep with anything that moves. Welcome to the offices of “Ars Poetica”, a Montréal literary magazine where chaos reigns and disaster is never more than an errant BlackBerry click away. Into this swirl of high culture and low morals steps lawyer Hugh Rose, whose idealistic daughter Naomi works as a summer intern for the magazine. When Hugh discovers the desperate state in which the periodical finds itself, he joins the struggle to keep the enterprise afloat – willingly at first, then with increasing reluctance as he becomes caught up in the intrigues of George the publisher, Julia the editor, and a singular Canada Council officer named Diane. During the course of the play, the temperatures are extreme and so are the stakes; everyone has their secrets. Ars Poetica is a comedy about poetry, wireless communications and the wayward impulses of love.

This from playwright Arthur Holden: “In Ars Poetica, choice excerpts from the works of distinguished Canadian poets alternate with moments of pure farce, generously garnished with allusions to the pure, and less pure, pleasures of Montréal life. It is a story of artists, their hopes, their conflicts and peccadilloes. With winter upon us and the usual dismal headlines in our newspapers, theatergoers will appreciate a story set in the steamy dog days of summer, featuring a periodical in which there is no bad news at all – only poetry.”

Ars Poetica is the result of vital gestation and incubation, including a reading at Infinithéâtre’s Pipeline and workshops with Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal. Director Guy Sprung is enthusiastic about the rehearsal process, “I think we will find a performance style that Arthur never imagined.” Even before the lights go up, the audience is exposed to a cacophony of the sound of poems and projected words. For Sprung, the story strongly resonates, “We live our life in poetry, not in science. When we try and put into words the true essence of our lives as we humans live them, science is useless. We must look to poetry to adumbrate our experience.”

Ars Poetica is about poetry; but it’s also about smartphone communications. For Holden, in this 4G world, where anyone’s phone can be used to receive, store and send all kinds of information – including the sexually explicit kind – catastrophe is never more than a keystroke away. Ars Poetica mines that comic potential with energy and literary flair.

Howard Rosenstein plays Hugh, father to Naomi, the young intern. “The play’s most compelling theme is that of a parent wanting to protect his child from the unending rejection and financial insecurities of an artistic career. That and denigrating what he secretly loves.”

Veronica Classen’s set and costume design create the tone with translucent 'paper' walls and sculptures that allow for lightplay as well as a fitting backdrop for local poets’ and various smartphones’ text. Adding to the vision is lighting designer, David-Alexandre Chabot, sound designer, Dmitri Marine and video by Brian Morel. The stage manager is Michael Panich.

Ars Poetica
Infinithéâtre
Bain St-Michel
5300, rue St-Dominique (corner Maguire)
Tuesday to Saturday at 8:00 pm
Sunday matinée at 2:00pm
Tickets: $10-$20, 514 987-1774 ext. 104 or online at www.infinitheatre.com, Infinithéâtre 6pack available
January 17 & 18 previews are 50% off, Sunday, January 22 is pay-what-you-can
Ticket sales at the door are cash only

 

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