Trail of Stones
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.
Trail of Stones by Gwen Strauss
31 August and 7 September 2013
Outdoor performances at the International Centre for Forestry Arts, Darmstadt - Free of charge
How to get there
We strongly recommend the use of public transport as there is only limited parking at the location
Cast & Crew
Directed by Ruth Armstrong
Cast
Their father (Hansel and Gretel) - Alastair McDonald
The witch (Snow White) - Hayley Letori
The seventh dwarf (Snow White) - Jens Raymaekers
The Prince (Rapunzel) - Eric Beveridge
The waiting wolf (Red Riding Hood) - Carlo Ghisi
Cinderella - Alice Williams
Bluebeard - Pedro Nabais
Fox-woman - Claudia Tranquilli
The frog princess - Asha Parmar
Her Shadow (Rumpelstiltskin) - Melanie Zander
The Beast - (Beauty and the Beast) - Ivan Aksenov
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!
Alternative venues
In case of bad weather the performances will take place in another venue. We will inform you about this venue on our website.
This special summer production is supporting the ESOC Theatre Group's 25th year anniversary. It is a guided outdoor performance with live music.
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.