It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

C'était l'époque de la sagesse, c'était l'époque de la folie.

Dickens' compelling tale of love, cruelty and mistaken identity was brought vividly to life by the award-winning international company Théâtre Sans Frontières. Performed by an international cast in English and French, the story bubbled with satire, spectacle and colourful Dickensian characters. Coupling a sedate, stiff upper-lipped England with the high passion and bloodlust of revolutionary France, Théâtre Sans Frontières used their unique flair for narrative to take the audience on a journey into mystery, intrigue and suspense.   

Don't Miss The Boat:

Achetez Vos Billets Tout De Suite!

'A Tale of Two Cities' toured to venues across the UK  1998 and also to Ireland in January 1999.

Directors: John Cobb & Magdalena Schamberger

Writer Edward Kemp, adapted from Charles Dickens, in French & English

Set Design: Graham Robinson

Costume Design: Kate Reeves

Composer & MD: Jim Kitson

Lighting Design: Andrew Biscoe

Stage Manager: Thom Lester

Assistant Stage Manager: Rivka Owen

Cast:

Juanjo Cuesta Duenas: Dr Manette / Barsad

John Cobb: Mr Lorry / Marquis St Evremond

Andrea Puerta: Lucie Manette / Gabelle

Sarah Kemp: Miss Pross / M. Defarge

Sophie Millon: Mme. Defarge / Mr Stryver

Stephan Kreiss: Charles Sarnay / Sydney Carton

A Tale Of Two Cities- Irish Times

Fri, Jan 29, 1999, 00:00

COLIN HARPER

Adapted from Dickens by the multi-award-winning Edward Kemp, this production, by Theatre Sans Frontieres is nothing if not thrusting in its pace. Originally a satire on class, set in Paris and London at the time of the French Revolution, all subtlety is gamefully guillotined in favour of keeping the thing moving relentlessly forward. The imagination and ingenuity involved in doing so - on the part of co-directors John Cobb (who also appears onstage) and Magdalena Schamberger and, most particularly, set designer Graham Robinson - is exemplary, given the demands placed upon the audience to keep track of quickly shifting locations, six actors playing multiple roles (occasionally in the same scene) and a script in two languages.

While the adaptation and the sheer rigour of the performance left little room for individuals to shine, there were enough oases of calm to allow German actor Stephan Kreiss - this was a totally international cast - to flex a talent for comedy in the expressionled, physically absurd manner of John Cleese or Tim McInerny. The cast was never less than impressive as a unit but ultimately, with corners cut and episodes squeezed in the adapting and staging, one was left with a feeling that a genuinely full appreciation of the production would remain out of reach to those unfamiliar with the book, and/or unlearned in French. In short: more admirable than satisfying.