January 22, 1974
The Actors Company Arrives in US
The Actors Company wi II be arriving at the International Arrivals Center at Kennedy Airport on January 24th at 3:30 pm on British Caledonian Flight 221. The Actors Company will be following The Royal Shakespea re Company on the stage of The Brooklyn Academy of Music in the Academy's British Theatre Season . Arriving with the Company will be Caroline Blakiston, a founder of the Company, who has appeared as Marjorie Ferrar in "The Forsyte Saga" and has many television appearances to her credit. I an McKell en of West End Theatre fame-"A Lily in Little India". "O' Fiaherty V.C.", "Black Comedy", "White Liars" among others-will also be ther:e . He w i II be starring in "The Wood Demon" at the Academy. Arriving also are Robert Eddison who will play Lea r in the Actors Company's new production of the Shakespeare tragedy, and John Woodvine whose recent f il m credits include Ken Russe l's "The Devi ls" and Richard Attenborough's "Young Winston". The fourteen me mber company wi ll be comi ng fresh from successes at the Ed inburgh Festiva l over the last two years.
Who: The Actors Company Caroline Blakiston lan McKellen Robert Eddison John Woodvine What: The Company will be arriving for their BAM engagement-"Wood Demon" "Knots", " King Lear" and "The Way of the World" When: At 3:30, January 24th, BR 221 Where: At the International Arrivals Center, Kennedy A irport Contact: Charles Ziff Nigel Redden Meg Gordean (212) 636-4123 2. This is Actors Compan~r ' s fi:rst visit to- t:'lese shores, and Ian McKelle.n was asked wha.t plays they were bringing to Brooklyn.
CUT 2 : McKellcn Duration: 1 min 30 sees
91 Cue Out : ••••• get to Brooklyn."
But Actors Company have not only earned their reputation from new insight they have brought to productions of the classics. The fourth play to be seen in Brooklyn will be an adaptation of a modern work, »Knotsvt, a remarkable hook on psycho-therapy by the eminent British psychiatrist and writer R D Laing, which examines in verse the intricate games people play in their minds. Edward Petherbridge is responsible for this experimental production and he explained how it came about.
CUT 3 : PETHERBRIDGE Duration: 2 mins 4 sees Cue Out : "····· how it turned out."
So how have Edward Petherbridge and Actors Company translated this modern-day classic into a stage work.
CUT 4 : PETHERBRIDGE Duration: 2 mins 12 sees
Cue Out : " ••••• some th.~g th e rna tt er with him." FADES
And with that extract from •JK.notsn 1 rea C. by Edwarll,-- Petho:rbric1r;e who adapted the work for the stage, we end our look at Actors Company, who can be seen in repertory at the Broolrl;yn Academy of Music from J anuary 29 thru February 17. Further highlights of the British Theater Season will be the Young Vic's production of "The Taming of the Shrew", opening March 6, and the Royal Shakespeare Company's verse anthology "The Hollow Crown" starring Sir Michael Redgrave, opening April 18. A program of seminars ancl lectures conducted. by the three repertory companies from Britain for students and theatergoers continues at Brooklyn College during the course of the season.
RN 74-09 RECEIVED ON RADIO NEWSLINES C\J January 23, 1974 C\J FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 0 0 ...-4 > z
~ 0:: 0 In support of the British Theater Season taking >- ~ place at Brooklyn Academy of Music, January 9 w z April 28 w :::> z w > With the arrival of Actors Company from Britain next Tuesday, This material is prepared, edited, issued or circulated by British Information Services. 845 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10022, which is registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act as an agent of the British Government. This material is filed with the Department of Justice where the required registration statement is available for public inspection. Registration does not indicate approval of the contents of this material by the United States Government. BAm Actors company For Immediate Release January 15,1974 The Brooklyn Academy of Music 30 Lafayette Avenue. Brooklyn, N.Y.11217 Press Office ( 212) 636-4123 One Man One Vote Rules At BAM The acclaimed Actors Company, England's first major theatrical derrocracy, will feature a production of R. D. Laing's "Knots" as part of an extended engagement for the Brooklyn Academy of Music's British Theatre Season. The Company will present four productions in repertory, January 29 through February 24. The Company's American debut will also include productions of Chekov's "Wood Demon", Congreve's "The Way of the World", and Shakespeare's "King Lear". The Actors Company, formed three years ago is just that-a company comprised of, and controlled by actors. It was formed as a response to what the founding members believed to be a theatre world controlled too exclusively by directors. In this Company, each actor holds one vote and all major matters of artistic and business policy such as selection of repertory, casting, hiring of directors for each production, are decided by the actors themselves. While each direct9r is involved in staging a production, he, too, is given one vote. This system has allowed t~e Company to develop a strong and varied repertory, selected and performed with emphasis on the ensemble, as well as the professional growth of all the performers, rather than the repeated use of specific stars. The Company's production of the "Wood Demon" is believ'3d to be the first major theatrical staging of this little known Chekov comedy. Written by the playwright when he was in his twenties, the material was later to be reworked and pub I ished as a separate work, titled: "Uncle Vanya" (opens Jan. 29). The production features the acclaimed young British actor, I an McKellen in the title role. "The Way of the World", opening at BAM on February 13th,is the last of Congreve's plays, yet (thought by many to be his finest work) written when he was only thirty. Full of the intricacies of plot and the bristling characterizations of restoration comedy, this· production is further enhanced by David Wi II iam's Edwardian period staging. -more- . . "King Lear"-a major new production of Shakespeare's classic tragedy by the Actors Company-will receive its world premidre at BAM. Robert Edison stars in the title role when the production opens on February 2nd. "Knots", a circus-side show, adapted from the R. D. Laing work of the same name will open at BAM on January 30th. This sparkling musical production has delighted audiences both at the Edinburgh festival and in London. The plays will be performed on the following dates: Knots Jan. 30 (8:00), Jan. 31 (8:00), Feb.l6 (2:00), Feb. 21 (8:00), Feb. 23 (2:00) Wood Demon Jan. 29 (7:00), Feb. 7 (8:00),Feb. 8(8:00), Feb. 9 (8:00), Feb. 10 (2:00 & 7:30),Feb. l2 (8:00), Feb.l6 (8:00), Feb.l7 (2:00 & 7:30) The Way of the World Feb. 13 (8:00), Feb. 14 (8:00), Feb. 15 (8:00), Feb . 19 (8:00), Feb. 20 (8:00) King Lear Feb. 2(8:00), Feb. 3 (2:00 & 7:30), Feb.5 (8:00), Feb. 6(1:30 & 8:00), Feb. 22 (8:00), Feb.23 (8:00), Feb.24 (2:00 & 7:30) Tickets for "Knots" are $4.50 for all performances; for "King Lear", "Wood Demon", and "The Way of the World", tickets are $7.50, 6.50, 5.00 and 3.50 for Saturday evenings and $6.50, 5.50, 4.50, and 3.50 for all other pe6..:_,rmances. Tickets 3re available at the BAM box office, A&S, Bloomingdale's and Ticketron. Discounts for grJups and benefits are available. For information, call 636-4100. -30- For further information, ccmtact Charles Ziff or Nigel Redden, (212) 636-4123. "King Lear"-a major new production of Shakespeare's classic tragedy by the Actors Company-will receive its world premiere at BAM. Robert Edison stars in the title role when the production opens on February 2nd. "Knots", a circus-side show, adapted from the R. D. Laing work of the same name will open at BAM on January 30th. This sparkling musical production has delighted audiences both at the Edinburgh festival and in London. The plays wi II be performed on the following dates: Knots Jan. 30 (8:00), Jan. 31 (8:00), Feb. 16 (2:00), Feb. 21 (8:00), Feb. 23 (2:00) Wood Demon Jan. 29 (7:00), Feb. 7 (8:00),Feb. 8(8:00), Feb. 9 (8:00), Feb. 10 (2:00 & 7:30),Feb.l2 (8:00), Feb.16 (8:00), Feb.l7 (2:00 & 7:30) The Way of the World Feb. 13 (8:00), Feb.l4 (8:00), Feb. 15 (8:00), Feb.l9 (8:00), Feb. 20 (8:00) King Lear Feb. 2(8:00), Feb. 3 (2:00 & 7:30), Feb.5 (8:00), Feb. 6(1:30 & 8:00), Feb. 22 (8:00), Feb.23 (8:00), Feb.24 (2:00 & 7:30) Tickets for "Knots" are $4.50 for all performances~ for "King Lear", "Wood Demon", and "The Way of the World", tickets are $7.50, 6.50, 5.00 and 3.50 for Saturday evenings and $6.50, 5.50, 4.50, and 3.50 for all other per~~~rmances. Tickets ::re available at the BAM box office, A&S, Bloomingdale's and Ticketron. Discounts for grJups and benefits are available. For information, call 636-4100. -30- For further information, Cfmtact Charles Ziff or Nigel Redden, (212) 636-4123.