Title File type Publiseringsdato Download
Season program Black Box Teater the spring of 2010 pdf 2010 Download

Assassins

Assassins is a theatre production by Random Scream (USA/Belgium), based on the musical by Stephen Sondheim (music and lyrics) and John Weidman (book).

Davis Freeman directed it.

Originally the musical Assassins was staged Off Broadway in 1990, but it was taken off after the Iraq invasion the same year. Ironically it was also attempted revived in 2001 shortly before September 11. In 2004 the play won four Tony Awards.

Assassins is a dark, disturbing black comedy based on the musical by Stephen Sondheim about the presidential assassinations in the US and the reverse side of the American Dream.

Information

(Objekt ID 2857)
Object type Production
Premiere March 14, 2010
Produced by Random Scream
Coproducers , Kunstencentrum BUDA, ,
Based on Assassins by Stephen Sondheim, John Weidman, Stephen Sondheim
Audience Adults
Language English
Keywords Musical, Theatre, Musical theatre
Duration 90 minutes
Website Random Scream

Requirements to venue

Blackout No
More

Assassins is a about the men and women who have, with varying degrees of success, tried to assassinate the American president, and it provides a dark and comical outlook at life, love and the will of the nine known presidential assassins and the dark undercurrents of The American Dream.

The setting is a press conference in which all presidential assassins are played by actors liking to sing rather than professional vibrato singers. We meet strong individualists with strong wishes to change the world. The big question in Assassins is whether they have succeeded and whether there is room for them within the American Dream? As the 44th President in the United States, Barack Obama has received more death threats than all other presidents together. Assassins is more up-to-date than it has ever been.

The musical Assassins offers juicy American satire in sober Belgian packing. Musicals aren't programmed on the European contemporary theatre stage every day. This version of Assassins is a result of the American actor and director Davis Freeman's wish to make the Arch-American musical genre attractive for a selective European art audience.

Freeman has formerly worked with internationally renowned companies such as British Forced Entertainment, Meg Stuart, Superamas and several others. In 2001 he started the company Random Scream with Lilia Mestre.

Assassins was supported by Monty, Work Space Brussels, Theatre Garonne, Bains::Connective and Visual Kitchen

Sources:

BIT Teatergarasjen spring program 2010. 04.08.2010: http://www.bit-teatergarasjen.no/article/300

Spring program 2010, Teaterhuset Avant Garden.

Contributors (18)
Name Role
Stephen Sondheim – Author (Sangtekster)
Davis Freeman – Text
John Weidman – Text
Davis Freeman – Direction
Stephen Sondheim – Music
Dianne Weller – Music
Sam Vanoverschelde – Video/Film
Vincent Malstaf – Lighting design
Caroline Daish – Actor
Bernard Eylenbosch – Actor
Adrian Fisher – Actor
Davis Freeman – Actor
Karim Gharbi – Actor
Bernd Maier – Actor
Alejandro Petrasso – Actor
Dianne Weller – Actor
Mohamad Yamani – Actor
Alejandro Petrasso – Musical Instructor
Performance dates
March 18, 2010Verkstedhallen, Svartlamon & Co Show
March 17, 2010Verkstedhallen, Svartlamon & Co Show
March 15, 2010Studio Bergen, Carte Blanche Show
March 14, 2010Studio Bergen, Carte Blanche National premiere, Norway
Press coverage

"The main argument against the performance which to begin with is original, funny and has a good text, is that it from time to time becomes unnuanced."

Charlotte Myrbråten, review in scenekunst.no, 04.08.2010: http://www2.scenekunst.no/egenkritikk_6975.nml