Bas Bleu Theater - "Duet for One" - Saturday, May 10, 2008 7pm
Jefferson Unitarian Church - 14350 W. 32 nd Ave. - Golden, CO 80401
Duet for One, by Tom Kempinski, is a fictional dramatization of the battle fought by the world-renowned cello virtuoso, Jacqueline du Pré, against multiple sclerosis. The playwright wisely gives his protagonist a different name and instrument, thereby distancing the work from the limitations of factual biography, and allowing him to explore his real subject: the inner reality faced by any creative artist deprived by illness or disability of the one thing that brings meaning to his or her life, the sharing of art through performance.
Violinist Stephanie Abrahams is young, wealthy and attractive, and one of the greatest violinists in the world. Then one day a strange feeling in her fingers prevents her from playing. At first she denies there is anything seriously wrong, but eventually she has to face up to the fact that she is suffering from multiple sclerosis.
The play unfolds as a series of sessions between Stephanie and her psychiatrist, Dr. Alfred Feldmann. The interplay of her attempts to avoid the reality of her pain and increasing disability, and the therapist's efforts to bring her to face them, deal with them, and accept them, provide both emotional fireworks and remarkable insight into the inner world of the artist.
The spirit and power of music pervades the tragedy and deepens our understanding, not only of what it means to face the challenge of a life changing condition, but of how precious our powers of expression are to us.
When actors Wendy Ishii and Jonathan Farwell last performed the play in 1996, the
Reporter-Herald's Phyllis Walbye wrote: "Bas Bleu's
Duet for One affords a marvelous opportunity to see two exceptionally fine actors at the top of their game. Don't miss this one if you love excellent theatre."
Tickets
Get tickets online at
www.juclive.org, or in the South Commons between Sunday services.
For more information, call 303-279-5282
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