Join us for our next session of Reading Theatre on June 3 where we’ll be reading Ronald Harwood’s The Dresser. The reading begins at 1:30pm, so please arrive by 1:15pm if you’d like a chance to read. Please note that casting is not gender specific to the roles.
We’ve secured the Play Set from the Vancouver Public Library, which includes thirteen copies for us to share. If you’d prefer your own copy, you can check one out through the Vancouver Public Library, or simply bring a copy from home if you have one.
ABOUT THE DRESSER
Based on the author’s own experiences as dresser to Sir Donald Wolfit, this bracing, heartbreaking drama is an elegy to a by-gone era. Backstage at a theatre in the English provinces during WWII, Sir, the last of the great breed of English actor/managers, is in a bad way tonight, as his dresser Norman tries valiantly to prepare him to go on stage as King Lear. Unsure of his lines as well as who and where he is supposed to be, Sir is adamantly determined to roar his last. With Herculean effort on the part of Norman, Sir finally makes it on stage and through the performance no thanks to an air raid courtesy of the Luftwaffe. Back in his dressing room after the performance, the worn out old trouper dies, leaving alone his company and the loyal dresser after one final bow.
ABOUT RONALD HARWOOD
Ronald Harwood came to England from South Africa in 1951 and studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He was an actor for seven years, and began writing in 1960. Since then he has written numerous plays for the stage, including ‘After the Lions’, ‘Tramway Road’, ‘Interpreters’, ‘Another Time’, ‘Quartet’, ‘Equally Divided’ and ‘Mahler’s Conversion’, and an adaptation of Chekhov’s ‘Ivanov’. He also wrote the screenplay for the film of his West End and Broadway hit, The Dresser, which received five Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Screenplay, and the screenplay for The Pianist, the Palme d’Or-winning movie directed by Roman Polanski.
Reading Theatre is created for those with a passion for live theatre. A live play reading of iconic plays over the ages. All are welcome and encouraged — from the seasoned professional to the inquisitive amateur and everyone in between.
Show up and read, or listen to others read these incredible shows. A short discussion may take place…or not. This is an event led by the cast and audience.
Readers will be chosen just before the play reading begins and will be cast by those who show up and express an interest in being involved. Some roles may be double cast.
This event is being led by Allan Morgan, Senior Artist in Residence and Vancouver theatre scene stalwart. We’d love to see you there!
ABOUT ALLAN MORGAN
Allan has been a stage actor for more than thirty years. Some highlights include appearing in London, GB, Adelaide Australia, Wellington NZ and San Francisco, all with The Overcoat. He appeared for several seasons at Bard on the Beach, notably in The Tempest as Prospero, as well as King John, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Much Ado About Nothing.
He has toured across Canada with the Electric Company in Studies in Motion. He has appeared at The Belfry, notably in The Drawer Boy, Dirty Blonde, and I am My Own Wife for which he received the Victoria Critic’s Award for best performance. Other favourites include Red, Thinking of Yu, and Abraham Lincoln Goes to the Theatre for ATP in Calgary.
Allan has two solo plays: I Walked the Line; and Pride: for the young gay, the ungay and the jaded queen in all of us.