Direct from their starring role in Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity, international physical comedy sensation Spymonkey present Cooped, their deliciously demented take on the pulp gothic romance, at the Big Secret Theatre October 25 to November 12. The show thrilled both audiences and critics upon its opening at the Edinburgh Fringe 2001. GayCalgary.com contacted Daiva Jocius of One Yellow Rabbit to get the scoop on Cooped.
“Cooped toured internationally as the British Council’s Best Contemporary British Theatre’ until 2003 when the company took up its 2-year residency as the outrageous comedy guerillas within Cirque du Soleil’s adult cabaret in Las Vegas,” said Jocius.
The North American premiere of Cooped is produced in association with One Yellow Rabbit and follows Spymonkey’s hugely popular run of their show Stiff at the 2002 High Performance Rodeo, of which the Globe & Mail said “Deliriously funny - credit this young European troupe with impeccable taste and, what’s even better, a skill to match the originals.”
After the Calgary run, the show will continue its international tour which will include Arosa Festival Switzerland, Athens, Australia, and the Edinburgh Fringe 2006.
The production is directed by physical comedy writer/director Cal McCrystal (director of the clowns for Cirque du Soleil’s Varekai and Zumanity) and designed by long-time collaborator Lucy Bradridge. The new version of Cooped will feature fifteen minutes of new material.
McCrystal and Bradridge begin by painting a picture of a misty night. “A young orphan girl arrives at a remote railway station in the heart of darkest Northumberlandshirehampton to take up her position as confidential secretary to the reclusive Forbes Murdston. Beautiful, fawn-like, swinging, but a hostage to passion, Laura knows now that life - and love - will never be the same again...”
“She has ignored for as long as she can the unsettling rumors that surround her new employer, his ominous manservant Klaus and the ancient mansion. But Murdston’s violent mood-swings can only signify one thing: INSANITY! Her terrible dreams seem to warn of some impending calamity. If only she could get word to Inspector Judadench to warn him. In her desperation she turns to the trusty family lawyer Roger Parchment.”
How can she leave? How can she leave him when she has grown to love him?
Yes, now she is truly COOPED_! If you are looking for a good laugh with some great entertainment, then you need to join Spymonkey in Cooped.
“A carefully crafted brand of lunacy... Made me laugh so much my throat hurt” The Times (UK)
“Utterly infectious... perfectly paced hybrid of The Pink Panther and Psycho.” The Independent (England)
“Imagine Mills & Boon rewritten by Monty Python. Or the Muppets doing a cover of a trashy American soap. Fling in a fig leaf or three and some brilliantly ditsy clowning and whey-hey! You’re close to being Cooped with Spymonkey. SEE IT!” The Herald (Scotland)
One Yellow Rabbit presents
Cooped
October 25 - November 12, 2005
Big Secret Theatre - EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts
Tuesdays through Saturdays @ 8pm
Sundays @ 3pm
(403) 299-8888
www.ticketmaster.ca
www.oyr.org
