Current Production
ANNA KARENINAadapted by Helen Edmundson from the novel by Leo Tolstoy Directed by Nancy Meckler LYRIC THEATRE HAMMERSMITH SEPTEMBER 15TH - OCTOBER 10TH BOX OFFICE (0181) 741 2311 Winner of several prestigious awards, including a Time Out award for Outstanding Theatrical Event, Shared Experience Theatre's imaginative and deeply affecting production distils Tolstoy's great novel into extraordinary and gripping drama. Russia 1877. Anna Karenina, a married woman falls passionately in love with the devastatingly handsome Count Vronsky. She deserts her husband and child to live with her lover. But as society shuns her, fear and suspicion of Vronsky's love and fidelity grow. As Anna's world disintegrates, Helen Edmundson's adaptation interweaves her story with that of Levin, the fervent idealist, and his stormy relationship with the beautiful young Kitty - a story of hope set against that of Anna's despair. Multiple award-winning : The show was first produced in 1992 and 1993 and won several awards, including Outstanding Theatrical Event (Time Out Awards 1992) and Best Touring Show (Martini / TMA Theatre Awards 1993). Teresa Banham plays Anna, the role for which she won the Manchester Evening News and London Fringe Theatre awards for Best Actress) Cast SIMEON ANDREWS Stiva, Bailiff, Petritsky KAREN ASCOE Dolly, Countess Vronsky TERESA BANHAM Anna KATHARINE BARKER Princess Betsy, Agatha, Governess, Railway Widow IAN GELDER Karenin, Priest RICHARD HOPE Levin DEREK RIDDELL Vronsky, Nikolai POOKY QUESNEL Kitty, Seriozha Peasants, muffled figures played by members of the company Director NANCY MECKLER Design LUCY WELLER Music PETER SALEM Lighting CHRIS DAVEY Company Movement LIZ RANKEN Production Associate Director RICHARD HOPE The action is set in Russia in the 1870's The performance lasts approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes with one interval. ANNA KARENINA TOUR DATES August 27th to September 6th 1998 Brisbane Festival, Brisbane, Australia September 15th to October 10th 1998 Lyric Theatre Hammersmith, King Street, London W6 Box Office (0181) 741 2311 October 13th to October 17th 1998 Warwick Arts Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL Box Office (01203) 524524 October 20th to 31st 1998 Derby Playhouse, Theatre Walk, Eagle Centre, Derby DE1 2NF Box Office (01332) 363275 November 11th to November 15th Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York November 19th to 29th Buenos Aires, Argentina (*venue tbc) TOLSTOY'S ANNA KARENINA by Helen Edmundson The first time I read Anna Karenina, I became totally absorbed in Anna's story. The presence of the irascible Levin was an irritant. I found myself constantly turning the pages to see how long I would have to wait before Anna's next appearance. I was therefore surprised when I began talking to Nancy Meckler about the novel, to discover that she had virtually the opposite response and was very caught up in Levin's story - his love for Kitty and his search for the meaning of life. I read the book again. Levin began to appeal, but what really started to occupy my mind was why Tolstoy had chosen to put these two stories together? What is the relationship between Anna and Levin? We searched for answers to this question and soon began to realise that the adaptation must involve both characters. Without Levin, Anna Karenina is a love story, extraordinary and dark, but essentially a love story. With Levin it becomes something great. In choosing to tackle both strands, we were creating problems for ourselves. Levin''s story is not, in itself, dramatic. ":What! You're going to dramatise Levin?" people would cry when we revealed our intention. Of course, this just encouraged us. Two other things confirmed our thoughts: watching the films of the novel, all of which deal solely with Anna and none of which get beyond melodrama and cliche; then visiting Russia itself and finding that Russians talk about Levin and Anna with equal familiarity and affection. "Levin must be part of Anna",one man told us, "and Anna must be part of Levin".