The Good Soldier Schweik
by Michael John Nimchuk
Sept 26 – Oct 14
Nimchuk’s adaptation of Czech novelist Jaroslav Hašek’s 1923 great anti-war satire was a model of experimentation in the early heyday of Canada’s alternative theatre movement when it was first produced by Toronto Workshop Productions in 1969. Hašek died having completed only four volumes of his planned six-volume masterpiece, but Nimchuk has expertly woven together highlights from this massive work in such a way that we are immediately flung into the constantly evolving story of Joseph Schweik with a momentum that never abates. Schweik is either an idiot or a genius, and we are never sure if his survival and success are the result of the former or the latter. As with other great comic characters he never seems to be aware of the dangers approaching, and it is this ignorance that proves his greatest ally. Schweik’s escapades with the army and with the established church represent Hašek’s indictment of both institutions, and – as is the case with any long-standing institution – his observations ring as true today as they did almost a century ago.
“Muirhead embodies the bewilderment and insouciance of the title character—shrugging his way through situation after situation with a devil may care attitude… As subversive and thought-provoking as the day it was written.” Janis Lacouvee, I Have My Own Life to Live
“There’s a lot of humour in it…strong political points…quite fun…absurdly comic.” Monica Predergast, CBC On the Island
Directed by Don Keith
Staged Managed by Kathy Macovichuk
Choreography by Sylvia Hosie
Costumes by Pearl Arden
Props by Maureen Colgan
Sound and projection design by Don Keith
Cast (alphabetically): Anton Brakhage, Kara Flanagan, Julie Gray, Pati-Ann Lawe, Justin Muirhead, Ken Yvorchuk.
Preview: Sept 26 @ 8pm
8pm shows: Sept 27, 28, 30, Oct 3, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14
2pm show: Sept 30, Oct 7, 14
Reservations and Ticket Sales
Through TICKET ROCKET: ticketrocket.co or 250-590-6291 (a $2.50 surcharge will be added).
Directly through THEATRE INCONNU: Phone (250) 360-0234 or by Email.
(please do not reserve through Facebook)
Complimentary tickets, special needs seating, and subscribers: need to reserve directly through Theatre Inconnu.
Ticket prices: $14 regular, $10 seniors (60+) /students/unwaged
Sept 26 – Preview is $7
Tuesday Oct 3 is Pay-What-You-Wish admission
The show is about 2 hours long, including one intermission.
Theatre Inconnu is located at 1923 Fernwood Road (across the street from the Belfry Theatre). For parking we suggest the side streets west of Fernwood Road as these do not have parking restriction signs.
We are wheelchair accessible.
