Story Archives of 'Theater'

For over two decades, a British theater troupe has toured the world, breaking down barriers between dance, theatre, and politics.

DV8 Physical Theatre was formed in 1986 by an independent collective of dancers who say they had become disillusioned with the direction of most dance companies. Their performances attemt to communicate ideas and feelings clearly and without pretention. They’ve produced 15 highly acclaimed dance and theater pieces, as well as five award-winning films for television.

They’re bringing their latest performance to Dartmouth College this weekend. It’s called To Be Straight With You, and it takes an unflinching look at religion, sexuality, and tolerance in contemporary life. It makes use of audio culled from hundreds of hours of audio interviews with people directly affected by these issues. Today on Word of Mouth, we talk with DV8’s artistic director, Lloyd Newson.

To Be Straight With You will have its North American premiere at Dartmouth’s Moore Theater this Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Click here for more info.

(Photo courtesy of DV8 Physical Theatre)

Since the war in Iraq began in 2003, it’s believed that more than 4 million Iraqis have fled their homes. About half of the displaced are still living within Iraq, and the other half in neighboring countries, mostly in Jordan and Syria.

It’s a growing humanitarian disaster. Without legal status, refugees are forced to turn to crime or prostitution. Aid groups are overwhelmed, and governments are afraid that sectarian tensions could spill over among the exiles.

Two playwrights from New York, Jessica Blank and her husband, Eric Jensen, travelled to Amman, Jordan last summer to interview some of those refugees. Those conversations are now being transformed into a series of monologues that will be performed at Dartmouth College this weekend, as part of the New York Theatre Workshop. Jessica Blank joins Word of Mouth to discuss the process of turning interview transcripts into documentary theater.

You can catch a performance of the "Iraq Refugees Project" at Dartmouth's Warner Bentley Theater on Friday, August 15 at 8 pm, and on Saturday, August 16 at 5 pm. Tickets are $10, Dartmouth students $3, all other students $6.

(Photo by James Gordon)

The Peterborough Players are offering their audiences a generous helping of Oscar Wilde this week - with a bit of a difference.

Their current production is one of Wilde's lesser-known comedies, "An Ideal Husband."

Kevin Gardner has this review.

The Winnipesaukee Playhouse, in Weirs Beach, has opened its new production of Theophilus North.

It's an adaptation of Thorton Wilder's semi-autobiographical novel.

NHPR's Theatre Critic Kevin Gardner has this review.

The final production of the season up at Northern Stage in White River Junction, Vermont, is The Full Monty.

It's a musical comedy adapted from the film of the same title.

NHPR theatre critic Kevin Gardner has this review.