I Weep at my Piano
26th May 1998 - 30th January 1999
Synopsis
A moving homage to an exceptional friendship.
Following Northern Stage's invitation to open their Lorca Festival in May 1998 to celebrate the centenary of Lorca's birth, Told by an Idiot devised a new piece of work, I Weep at my Piano.
Inspired by a mutual fascination with the work and imagination of three great artists, Lorca, Dalí and Buñuel, the Company has created a show as captivating and as charismatic as the men themselves. They were drawn to these three artists because of their anarchy, reflected in works such as Buñuel's Viridiana, their imagistic poetry, seen in all of Lorca's plays and their teasing morality, a running theme in the work of Dalí. Overall we were probably most attracted by their startling innovation. Told by an Idiot recognise and respond to this area of creativity, where there is no judgement of ideas and a wildness of the imagination.
Rather than making an autobiographical play, the Company captures something of their spirit, their use of truth and lies, their naughtiness and passion, their genius and glamour.
I Weep at my Piano marks a departure for the Company in several ways: for the first time, narrative is not the driving force within the production. The focus shifts instead to a dreamlike world full of atmosphere and illusion. To avoid a simple collage of images the piece is set in a real environment and situation from which we can constantly depart and return.
Three men, one tough, one skinny and one ugly, meet for the first time. The men would come to be regarded as three of Spain's greatest and most influential artists: Salvador Dalí, Federico García Lorca and film maker Luis Buñuel. I weep at my piano is inspired by the tempestuous relationship between these one-time friends.
Lorca waits in a government building hours away from the bullets that will kill him. He begins to remember the years past when he first met Salvador Dalí and Luis Buñuel, at the Residencia in Madrid in 1923. As these stories combine a strange dreamlike world is evoked.
Whilst making no attempt to make a purely autobiographical play, I weep at my piano takes elements of Lorca's life, mixes them up and adds some bits. Told by an Idiot aims to capture something of the spirit of these three great artists, with Buñuel and Dalí appearing as Lorca's memories leading him to his fate.
Commissioned by Northern Stage. Funded by the Arts Council of England, the Baring Foundation and the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation.
Creative team
Directed by Paul Hunter, Devised by the Company, Designed by Naomi Wilkinson, Music by Iain Johnston, Lighting design and Production Management John MacKenzie
Cast Hayley Carmichael, Richard Clews, Stephen Harper
Dates
1998
26 - 30 May Gulbenkian Studio, Newcastle
1 Nov Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal
3 Nov Weymouth College
4 Nov Bridport Arts Centre
5 Nov Yeovil College
6 Nov Shaftesbury Arts Centre
7 Nov Colchester Arts Centre
9 - 11 Nov Sheffield Crucible Studio
12 Nov Hurtwood House, Dorking
16 Nov QEH Theatre, Bristol
17 Nov Phoenix Arts, Leicester
18 Nov The Theatre, Chipping Norton
19 - 21 Nov Ustinov Studio, Bath
24 - 25 Nov Komedia, Brighton
27 - 28 Nov Unity Theatre, Liverpool
1999
13 - 30 Jan BAC, London
Reviews
- The Journal, Newcastle on I Weep at my Piano
A surreal but true triumph.
- Time Out on I Weep at my Piano
Visual excitement ... superb evocations .. . and an inspired piece of storytelling.
- Sunday Telegraph on I Weep at my Piano
I WEEP AT MY PIANO underlines what theatre can and should be.
- The Independent on I Weep at my Piano
A drop-dead-gorgeous performance.
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