Gabriel Shanks, Creative Mechanics artistic director, stages Brecht's play, "a sharp and searing commentary on the nature of war in society told through the rise and fall of the infamous, openly homosexual Plantagenet king of England, whose battles with a despotic and ambitious ruling class led to his deposition and murder," according to the company.
This production "moves the action into an imagined future, finding new modern relevance as it explores the devastating repercussions of a power-hungry, warring society."
The cast features Willie LeVasseur as Edward II, Noshir Dalal as Gaveston, Janice Herndon as Anne, Frank Blocker as Mortimer and Joshua Marmer as Edward III. The cast also includes Josh Billig, Oscar Castillo, John Dohrmann, Christian Felix, R.J. Foster, Avi Glickstein, Damian Houston, Jefferey James Keyes, Shannon Maddox, Christopher McAllister and Matthew Trumbull.
The limited engagement at The Bank Street Theatre (155 Bank Street) continues to Sept. 25.
The creative team includes set designer Allen Cutler, costume designer Shannon Maddox, lighting designer Erik C. Bruce and sound designer Chris Meade. Performances play Thursday-Saturday evenings at 8 PM and matinees on Saturdays at 2 PM and Sundays at 3 PM.
Tickets for Edward II are $15 and are available though smarttix.com at (212) 868-4444.
For more information, visit www.creativemechanics.org.
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Edward II follows Creative Mechanics' critically acclaimed, sold-out revival of the Steven Berkoff adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's Fall of the House of Usher, which was performed at The Independent Theatre last fall and was named one of 2004's Best New York Theatre Productions by Backstage. Other Creative Mechanics production include Stealing Pears (commissioned by Peculiar Works Project); Southern Gothic Novel, the acclaimed comic solo play by author/performer Frank Blocker and Better and Worse, a modern take on the myth of the warrior lovers Achilles and Patroclus created for the stART Series as part of the "April Showers" art event exploring the modern marriage debate.
