Parisian Theatre Company re-write Shakespeare- with a local edge

An emerging French Theatre Company are seeking local opinions and ideas for a European theatrical project based on Shakespeare's Henry the Vth.

Le Bouc sur le Toit, who boast Irish actress and star of controversial film ‘The Magdalene Sisters' Dorothy Duffy as part of their creative team, will come to The Playhouse this week.

The team coming to Derry- Londonderry as part of the International Culture Arts Network ICAN project will be composed of French actor Luc Guiol, French director Virginie Berthier and set designer Juliette Morel.

Using themes in text, the team will work with local participants to explore the representations of strangers and /or enemies, political rhetoric, and nationalism.

The two day ‘Wooden O' playwriting workshop will take place on Wednesday 22 and Friday 24 February from 10.30- 1.30 at The Playhouse.

"The text of Henry the Vth is thought of as a guideline, but the process will be about challenging it by questioning how it "works", rhetorically, how it produces this figure of a "great king", a great leader" Luc Guiol, of Le Bouc sur le Toit said.

"We will therefore work on exerts of the play and confront them to our modern political, cultural and economical world through various sources, ranging from personal interviews to political speeches, imrovisations, journalistic texts, marketing-orientated visual art as well as ‘artistic' one, etc."

"I just love the facet that a Parisian Theatre Company are encouraging us to contextualize one of Shakespeare's most noted history plays within our local setting, encouraging us to create a whole new contemporary adaptation" Elaine Forde, ICAN project co-ordinator said.

"This is a really special chance for the local community to get involved with one of Paris' most promising new theatre companies, and be part of a visionary European project.

The two day ‘Wooden O' playwriting workshop with Le Bouc sur le Toit will take place at The Playhouse on Wednesday 22 and Friday 24 February from 10.30- 1.30pm. To participate contact Elaine Forde at (028)71268027 or email Elaine@derryplayhouse.co.uk.

The Playhouse International Culture Arts Network (ICAN) is an innovative project with a programme consisting of international residencies, local projects and conferences. ICAN is a three year project which has been part-financed by the European Union's Regional Development fund through EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (Peace III) managed through Special EU Programmes Body.