THEATeR

Drama is what literature does at night.

George Jean Nathan (Drama Critic and Editor)

Although these shows pre-date the founding of this company, they played a pivotal role in the development and formation of THEATER ViSiONS. Stay tuned for productions like these in the near future.

“Theatre is in our veins; it’s what we do and what we breathe. It’s a collective of people, audience, performers and crew, gathered together to create a shared experience. When it’s done right it pulses through us.” – Mark Modzelewski

Romeo & Juliet

By William Shakespeare Directed & Shaped by John Jack Paterson & Mark Modzelewski

Set & Costume Design by Bethany Seddon, Lighting Design by Mark Modzelewski & Alan Blakoe, Photographed by Wayne Brewer & Keith Stanbury

CAST: Romeo- Mikey Howe, Juliet- Helen Randall, Mercutio- Jon Barnes, Tibalt- Asha Cecil, Ben- Edward Kettle, Volio- Steph Smith, Mr. Capulet- Toby Harris, Mrs. Capulet- Adele Cordner, Friar Laurence- James Pritchard, Nurse- Cari Barley, Balthasar- Carys McQueen, CREATIVE ENSEMBLE: Mark Sadler, Becs Parker, Tom Roderick, Lilly Hart, Lauren Phillipou, Oliver F. Domínguez-Quero, Luke Slade

First Taste. First Touch. First Love. First Kiss. “This is the place, there where the torch doth burne.” In modern Verona, violence erupts between the Montagues and Capulets with tragic consequences. With the death of their children, the citizens come together and through song, movement and story examine how they came to such tragedy. Shakespeare’s classic tale of “star-cross’d lovers”, forbidden love and blind passion is a tale of firsts. Swept away in their first love, teenagers Romeo and Juliet irresistibly drawn to each other, fall in love and marry in secret as their families’ long standing feud comes to a head. When you are passionately in love, nothing else matters – not even life itself. Defying the hatred and violence surrounding them, they dare to believe they can, and must, be together. A blend of physical theatre and choral work which facilitated our vision of a community working through the grieving process by reenacting the stories of their deceased friends. Produced by Cardiff Open Air Theatre Festival – Everyman

Romeo and Juliet Theatre Cardiff Juliet masked sitting

Romeo and Juliet Theatre Cardiff Balthasar sitting with candle

“These violent delights have violent ends, and in their triumph die, like fire and powder; which as they kiss consume” Shakespeare

The Burning Gadulka

Written by Rayko Baychev, Translated by Angela Rodel, Directed by Milena Aneva, Performed by Miro Kokenov, Assistant Direction by Mark Modzelewski, Photographed by Boris Urumov

The Burning Gadulka/ Гъдулката is a contemporary Bulgarian monodrama. Bulgarian actor Miro Kokenov he takes audiences on a tragicomedy journey of doubt, sarcasm and the wonders of nature in his solo performance steeped in Bulgarian folklore. Written by award-winning Bulgarian writer Rayko Baychev, the play delves into love, loss, conflict and self-belief will resonate with anyone searching for answers.

Following a series of performance failures at music festivals, a Bulgarian musician faces a midlife crisis as his lifelong love affair with his instrument – the Gadulka, comes to a crashing end more or less at the same time as the sudden arrival of a mysterious girl?

Will his crippling shyness and his crisis of confidence destroy any relationship before it can begin? Has he lost his power over the musical instrument, or has the instrument lost its power over him? Where do the pandas come into the dilemma?

The performance is inspired by Bulgarian culture and reveals to the audience the characteristics of Bulgarian folklore, traditional dances, and costumes.

This show was performed in Bulgarian or English depending on the venue and has been performed throughout the UK including the Edinburgh Fringe and in Sofia and Veliko Tarnovo, BG. An independently produced show with some assistance from Torchlight Collective.

“Sometimes the Balkans seem to me a terrible place, full of absurdities and severe apathy, that disintegrates everything around. Other times I see their beauty and joy, a strange smile peering stupidly everywhere and makes you smile, go figure out yourself how and why.” Rayko Baychev

Liliom – A Legend in Seven Scenes

Written by Ferenc Molnár, Adapted by Mark Jackson, English Translation by Benjamin F. Glazer

Directed by Mark Modzelewski, Costume & Prop Design by Gabriela Tsonkova, Lighting Design by Alex Walker, Stage Management by Sarah Trim West, Assistant Direction & Marketing by David Gasperetti, Dramaturgy by Adam Burak, Photographed by E’like’m Agbeko Akpalu

CAST: Liliom- Blain Neale, Julie- Dana Ologeanu, Marie- Sam Kamras, Mrs. Muskat/ Rich Man- Regina Russell, Mrs. Hollunder/ Magistrate- Alariza Nevarez, Ficsur/ Poor Man- Harold Addo, Linzman/ Guard- Laurence Bourne

Liliom is Hungarian playwright Molnár Ferenc’s troubling expressionistic masterpiece about two broken souls who find each other. Liliom is a carousel barker and Julie is a young serving girl. It is set in Budapest in the early 1900’s and explores themes of being an outlander, domestic abuse and the value of one human life. Our production seeks to answer the question, “what kind of world creates these two broken people?”

“The venue will be transformed into a semi-immersive fairground, which becomes our backdrop to tell the story. Liliom is best known as the source story for the musical Carousel. Produced by Torchlight Collective.