Volpone by Ben Jonson
Written sometime around 1605-06, Volpone is a fascinating combination of feel-good play and moralizing sermon. It pillories the greed for money and the corruption of the elite of 17th-century Europe – as such, its target could hardly be more contemporary in 21st-century Europe…
Jonson employs the caricature figures of commedia dell’arte to make his satire simultaneously biting and supremely comic: Signor “Fox” is surrounded by a group of grasping legacy-hunters: “Raven”, “Crow” and “Vulture” all come sniffing at the presumed carcass, with Sir and Lady Parrot squawking around them, all of them unaware how the Fox has been fleecing them for the past few years – but who will have the last laugh? What are the servants, the Fox’s “Fruit-fly” and Sir Parrot’s “Peregrine”, up to: are they as harmless and helpful as they initially seem? And will the innocent finally be granted justice, or will greed and corruption prevail?
The Foules (never was a name more suitable than this time!) offer their usual brightly colourful evening with not a few surprises and plenty of comedy in somewhat modernised and simplified English with musical support.
Tickets are available direct from the theatre, and cost €12 (€8 for pupils and students).
A
schools pack [http://www.fb10.uni-bremen.de/anglistik/kultur/pdf/School_pack_Volpone.pdf]
and
programme [http://www.fb10.uni-bremen.de/anglistik/kultur/pdf/Volpone_programme.pdf]
are available for download.
For further information please contact Michael Claridge at
claridge@uni-bremen.de [mailto:claridge@uni-bremen.de]
Performance details:
When
Tuesday, 11th – Saturday, 15th June
Doors open at 6.30; performances begin at 7 p.m.
Where
Theaterhaus Schnürschuh
Buntentorsteinweg 145
28201 Bremen.
Tel. 0421-55 54 10
Email:
karten@schnuerschuh-theater.de [mailto:karten@schnuerschuh-theater.de]
| Web:
www.schnuerschuh-theater.de [http://www.schnuerschuh-theater.de/]
Public transport: No. 4 or 5 tram, Gneisenaustr. tram stop.