Trail of Stones - FEATS 2014
About the performance
The 12 poems/monologues are written from the different perspectives of characters from well-known fairy-tales. Whether it is a princess waking from a hundred years of sleep, an evil Queen still bent on revenge or a wolf, convincing himself of having taken the right path,all the characters are compelled to turn inwards. It is the moments of reflection, self-doubt or denial that offer up opportunities for self-revelation and transformation. They have entered the dark wood - but will they ever get out again? The poems are written in the first person, with the psychological insight of the 21st Century, and that gives them an immediacy and reality that speaks to us about ourselves.
The title of the poems are listed here with the Fairy tales they were inspired from.
Their father - Hansel and Gretel
Confessions of a witch - Snow white
The seventh dwarf - Snow white
The Prince - Rapunzel
The waiting wolf - Red Riding Hood
Cinderella - Cinderella
Bluebeard - The legend of Bluebeard
Fox-woman - Fox woman
The Frog Princess - The Frog Princess
Her Shadow - Rumpelstiltskin
The Beast - Beauty and the Beast
Sleeping - Sleeping Beauty.
A selection of these will be presented during the Fringe of the 2014 FEATS festival.
by Gwen Strauss
9 June 2014 - Centre Culturel Kinneksbond, Mamer, Luxemburg
Cast
The witch (Snow white) - Ruth Armstrong
The waiting wolf (Red Riding Hood) - Alastair McDonald
The frog princess - Alexandra Sokolowski
Fox woman - Geneviève Chasse
The Prince (Rapunzel) - Eric Beveridge
Their father (Hansel and Gretel) - Alastair McDonald
Sleeping (Sleeping Beauty) - Alexandra Sokolowski
Comment on the monologues by the director
Ruth Armstrong was inspired to direct these poems as monologues because the ESOC Theatre group was looking for something 'special' to celebrate their 25th Anniversary with. The poems have always presented themselves to her theatrically when she read them and she has owned the book - illustrated by Anthony Browne - for many years. Having read and re-read them many times she was discovering more each time!
About the director
Ruth Armstrong is an experienced secondary school teacher of English and Theatre Arts. She has lived in Germany for 15 years now and currently works part time in a Kindergarden in Darmstadt. She has been a member of the ESOC Theatre group for many years and has performed in as well as directed plays with the group.