The American Embassy presents original theatre direct from New York City, in Colombo when The Concrete Temple Theater performs their play "The Whale", an innovative one-man adaptation of American author Herman Melville's classic tale of one sea captain's epic pursuit of the giant white whale "Moby Dick".
Using only his body, voice, and an extraordinary collection of hand-crafted and rigged props to create life on a whale ship, actor Carlo Adinolfi invokes a variety of storytelling traditions to turn the stage into a raging sea. With direction by Renee Philippi, dramatic lights and staging by Casey McLain and original music by David Pinkard, the effect of one man embodying this enormous literary epic in 60 minutes is both playful and profound.
The Whale will be staged on August 22 at 7.30 pm at the British School Auditorium, Elvitigala Mawatha, Colombo 8. Entrance to the show is free! Passes are available at the American Center, 44 Galle Rd. Colombo 3, and the British School, 63 Elvitigala Mawatha, Colombo 8.
Additional passes for the performance will be available at the door on a first come, first serve basis with limited availability.
Herman Melville's "Moby Dick", published in 1851 tells the tale of Captain Ahab and his maniacal pursuit of the ever-elusive white whale, Moby Dick. The story is told primarily through the thoughts of its narrator, Ishmael, a dreaming sailor aboard Captain Ahab's ship, the Pequod. Not only does the story guide its readers through the adventures of Ahab and Ishmael, it entertains and provokes its readers with stories of sailors, savages, plundering the depths of human existence.
The Concrete Temple Theater emphasizes the creation of compelling new theatre works, incorporating drama, dance, puppetry, and the visual arts, which focus on the individual's struggle for identity and society's struggle for cohesion. Through touring and presenting workshops Concrete Temple Theater strives to bring myth and ritual back to the centre of dialogue. The performance in Sri Lanka is part of their South Asia tour.
Actor and co-artistic director Carlo Adinolfi trained first as a dancer, and then as a carpenter. His work has been presented at theatres in Rome, Milan and Edinburgh, as well as numerous venues in New York City and throughout the United States. Carlo has danced with numerous companies and has served as technical director to various American performance groups. |
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