Atlantic English-language premiere of The Net at Ship's Company Theatre
by Rena Kossatz, Ship's Company TheatrePARRSBORO NS: The Atlantic Canada English-language premiere of the gripping story,
The Net – A Tragedy of the Sea,by New Brunswick playwright Marcel-Romain Thériault and translated by Maureen Labonté and Don Hannah, will open to great anticipation on August 4th at Ship’s Company Theatre, 18 Lower Main Street in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia.
The Net is an explosive modern thriller, full of twists, turns, and suspense that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats. The Chiassons – a dominant New Brunswick crab-fishing family on the brink – grapple with tradition and rebellion in their struggle for power and dominance, while meanwhile, down at the wharf, the not-so-wealthy fishermen grow increasingly impatient.
Directed by Ship’s Company’ Artistic Producer, Matthew Tiffin, the play features Michael Chiasson (last seen at Ship’s Company in Snow Dance) as Anthime, Wally MacKinnon (last seen at Ship’s Company in Chairmaker: The Musical and Jacob’s Wake) as Léo Chiasson, and newcomer Douglas MacAulay as Étienne Chiasson.
Set and properties design are by Victoria Marston, with design assistant Wes Daniels with sound design by noted jazz composer Paul Cram, lighting design by Ship’s Company co-founder Michael Fuller, and costumes by well-known designer Krista Levy.
Originally from New Brunswick, Montreal-based playwright, Marcel‐Romain Thériault, earned a diploma in Drama from the University of Moncton in 1983, and a Master’s in Theatre from l’Université du Québec à Montréal in 2006. He also completed the Directing program at the National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal in 1986. He divides his time working professionally as an actor, a director and a writer.
In 2007/2008, while engaged as artist-in-residence at Le Théâtre populaire d’Acadie (Caraquet, N.B.), and thanks to his second writer-in-residency within the CEAD (Centre des auteurs dramatiques), he wrote a drama, La persistance du sable, which had public readings in Moncton, Montreal and Ottawa in 2009, and which will be staged in 2011. Also in 2009, he won the New Brunswick’s Lieutenant-Governor's Awards for High Achievement in Theatre.
Another one of his plays, Disponsibles en librairie – une comédie déspérément romantique was first presented by TPA in the summer of 2008. It also received a production at Le Théâtre de l’Île (Gatineau, Qc.) in 2010. The English translation by Jo‐Anne Elder (On and Off the Shelf, A Desperate Romantic Comedy) was presented by the NotaBle Acts Theatre Company in Fredericton in July of 2009.
Both a Canada Council grant and his first writer‐in‐residency for CEAD enabled him to complete Le filet – une tragédie maritime, which premiered at le Théâtre populaire d’Acadie in 2007. This production toured Quebec and Ontario in 2009. In 2003 he published a collection of his poetry entitled, Le promeneur phychopompe.
Playwright Marcel-Romain Thériault says, “Over the past ten years or so, the Atlantic fishing industry seems on the verge of something of a meltdown. There are no more cod, and now it seems as though there’s no more crab…it’s a drama in itself for all the small and not-so-small communities along the Atlantic Coast. I wrote The Net, a A Tragedy Of The Sea – a family tragedy, really – as a harsh echo of the darker side of life on the coasts, where living is hopelessly reliant on a monoindustrial economy. There, even when the sea is sparkling under the Sun, for some people, it just feels like hell…”
WILSONS, dedicated and generous supporters of Ship’s Company Theatre through its notable history in Parrsboro is 2010 Mainstage Play Sponsor of The Net.
Visit www.shipscompany.com for information about Ship’s Company’s exciting 2010 Season. Call the Ship’s Company box office at 1-800-565-SHOW or 902-254-3000 to reserve tickets. Group rates are available.
