William Head Inmates are acting up again…in Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast
William Head on Stage is proud to present its 50th production in its 30th year: Gormenghast, a stage adaptation by John Constable of Mervyn Peake’s classic fantasy trilogy. Gormenghast is directed by local director, actor and producer Ian Case (Elephant Man, Macbeth, Waiting for Godot, Richard III). Gormenghast is a magical show delving into the genius one of English literatures undisputed fantasy classics. Mervyn Peake received the Heinermann Prize for Literature.
“A spellbinding performance . . . It’s a testament to the power of theatre to change lives.”
- The Globe and Mail
“Performed with gusto and with visually impressive stage direction, the inmates of William Head made me a believer. Go for the adventure; stay for the show.”
–Monday Magazine.
“A more fitting environment for a production of Gormenghast would be hard to find. The male characters in Mervyn Peake’s gothic fantasy – a trilogy completed in 1959 about the trials of Titus Groan, the 77th Earl of Gormenghast – are vividly portrayed by men who show an acute appreciation for the struggle between absolute power and individual aspirations.”
- The Globe and Mail
“I applaud the tenacity and perseverance of people who strive to light the creative spark within. . . the trek to William Head on Stage and Gormenghast is well worth the effort.”
-Janis La Couvee www.janislacouvee.com
“The expression of people whose daily movements are otherwise suppressed and restrained, is a beautiful thing to witness.”
- The Marble www.themarble.tumblr.com
Gormenghast tells the story of a kingdom determined to remain untouched by change and time. “No Change!” is the motto of the kingdom’s strange and wonderful denizens. Gormenghast itself is a gargantuan castle, filled with nooks and secret passages, dungeons and unknown turrets. But time has worn down the walls and the inhabitants of the castle. Inevitable change comes in the form of two young men: Titus Groan, the 77th Earl of Groan who dreads the life of ritual forced upon him; and Steerpike, a nasty and ambitious young man who wheedles his way into the Castle Kitchen where he begins a murderous campaign to topple the Groan family and all they hold dear.
Gormenghast features a cast of 9 inmate actors and 3 local actresses. Ingrid Hansen (CHALK, Pretty Little Instincts, Little Orange Man), Kate Rubin (The Importance of Being Earnest, Macbeth, The Fall of the House of Usher), and Michelle Chowns (The Cursed Cabaret of Kelowna Day Taylor) bring the women of Gormenghast to life.
Gormenghast runs October 14 through November 12.
Performance dates are: October 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29, November 3, 4, 5, 10, 11 and 12.
Gates open to the public at 6pm and close at 7:30, the performance will begin shortly after 7:30.
No latecomers will be admitted.
Tickets are $20 each and are available at the following outlets:
* My Chosen Café – 4480 Happy Valley Road – 250-474-2332
* Ticket Rocket (online, by phone or in person) #2-1609 Blanshard Street, 250-383-2663, www.ticketrocket.org
WHOS is located inside a Federal Institution. No persons under the age of 19 will be admitted. You may be electronically scanned. Money, wallets, purses, cell phones cannot be taken into the institution, as well as tobacco products, lighters, etc and must be locked in your vehicle or locker provided.
For more information please contact Stan or Mike at the WHOS Office 250-391-7078
CLICK HERE for a map to William Head Prison
Must be 19+
Email snafudance@gmail.com to join the WHoS mailing list and we will keep you in the know, or find us on facebook
WHoS - William Head on Stage is an inmate initiated, inmate run theatre company inside William Head Institution on Vancouver Island, British Coumbia, Canada. This is the only theatre company in a canadian federal prison which opens it's gates to the public audience.
