Educational, theatrical troupe to perform at Rice

Educational, theatrical troupe to perform at Rice

Using their signature style, the Actors From the London Stage (AFLS) will open the 2006 tour of Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice” at Rice University Feb. 2.

AFLS is now housed at the University of Notre Dame in England. The five-member troupe is an educational and theatrical program that brings classically trained actors from major English theaters to college campuses for weeklong residencies.

By visiting several classes on campus — from humanities to education to music — the troupe will share their skills, helping students enhance their various areas of study.
Started in 1975 by Professor Homer Swander of the University of California–Santa Barbara and British actor Patrick Stewart, the group takes its unique program of performance and education to 20 college and university campuses each year.

In a six-week rehearsal period, the actors find creative solutions to any problems that modern audiences might have with plays that are 400 years old. The group’s main goal is always to tell a vivid story that celebrates the language of Shakespeare and makes it understandable for modern audiences.

In the classic comedy “The Merchant of Venice,” Shakespeare retells an ancient folk legend of a Venetian merchant who borrows money from a Jewish creditor to woo his love. When the young man defaults on the debt, the creditor demands one pound of flesh as repayment.

Armed with minimal props and costumes, the acting troupe conjures foreign lands and numerous characters. Each actor plays many roles over the course of the play, but with broad acting choices and subtle costume changes, characters are easily distinguishable from one another.

The play runs Feb. 2-4 with performances at 7 p.m. in Hamman Hall. Admission is $18 for the general public, $12 for non-Rice faculty and senior citizens and $9 for Rice students, faculty, staff and groups of 10 or more.
For more information, visit <www.ruf.rice.edu/~players/index.shtml>.