By Mark Shenton
13 Oct 2009
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| Fiona Shaw |
The Young Vic has announced its spring 2010 season, which will include work by directors Luc Bondy, Fiona Shaw, Katie Mitchell and Amir Nizar Zuabi.
A new co-production with rising Palestinian theatre company Shiber-Hur opens the season in the Main House. I Am Yusuf and This Is My Brother, written and directed by Amir Nizar Zuabi — whose Alive from Palestine was presented at the Young Vic in 2003 — will begin performances Jan. 19, 2010 (prior to an official opening Jan. 21), for a run through Feb. 6. Described in press materials as "a powerful new play from Palestine about different forms of love – personal and political," the production opened in Haifa on Sept. 24, and is currently touring the Palestinian cities of Hebron, Nazareth, Shfamru, Acres, Jaffa as well as various venues in the Palestinian villages of Galilee and the West Bank. It comes to London as part of the Young Vic’s international program and is supported with grants from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the Linbury Trust.
It is followed in the main house by a new production of Arthur Schnitzler's classic play Liebelei, presented in a new version entitled Sweet Nothings by David Harrower, and directed by Luc Bondy. It will begin performances Feb. 25 (prior to an official opening March 4), for a run through April 10. It is co-produced by the Young Vic with the Vienna Festival (Wiener Festwochen) and Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen. It is directed by Luc Bondy, who returns to the Young Vic where he made his British theatre debut with the world premiere of Martin Crimp's Cruel and Tender in 2004. His controversial production of Tosca recently opened the new season at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York. He has also directed at the Royal Opera House (Salome and Don Carlos) and for Scottish Opera (Verdi's Macbeth at the Edinburgh International Festival). He has been director of the Vienna Festival since 2001.
According to press materials, the play "explores the power of sexual longing, the cruelty of tradition and the vulnerability of those in love." It revolves around a young man who has an affair with a married woman. He is terrified her husband will challenge him to a duel and kill him. At a party, he flirts with a girl who believes she is truly loved. Life seems full of joy. The doorbell rings. The husband enters the room.
The Young Vic also continue their partnership with English National Opera, with Fiona Shaw directing the modern classic Elegy for Young Lovers, with music by Hans Werner Henze and words by W.H. Auden. It will begin performances April 24 for a run through May 8. Shaw made her opera directing debut with Riders to the Sea at ENO in 2008; the Young Vic's first season of co-productions with ENO won a South Bank Show Award. Shaw is currently performing in Mother Courage and Her Children at the National Theatre. According to press materials, the libretto for Elegy for Young Lovers revolves around a poet who devours those around him in order to nourish his art and his ego. It premiered in 1961 and was revised by the composer in 1986. Stefan Blunier makes his U.K. opera conducting debut with the production, which is designed by Tom Pye.
Also at the Young Vic, the National's previously announced production of Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat will continue its run in the Maria studio, beginning performances Jan. 28 for a six-week run through March 13, after premiering at the National's Cottesloe Theatre in December, where it runs in rep from Dec. 11-Jan. 18, 2010. Katie Mitchell will direct, with Angus Wright in the title role and a cast that also includes Mark Arends, Helena Lymbery and Justin Salinger. It is described in press materials as "a lively, engaging first theatre experience for 3 to 6-year-olds."
To book tickets contact the box office at 020 7922 2922 or visit www.youngvic.org.
