Death and the Maiden
From June 7 to 23, the Theatre Arts Guild presents Death and
the Maiden at the Pond Playhouse in Halifax. Ariel
Dorfman’s award-winning drama tell the story of a political activist who was
imprisoned, tortured and raped, and demands us to consider fundamental
questions about the nature of justice. Recently we spoke with director Nick
Jupp about the production, and about his own passion for theatre.
What are your
own roots?
Grew up in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, UK and was vaguely aware of my
father's involvement with the local amateur theatre. At the age of
nineteen I moved to Montreal for a full summer of Expo 67 excitement,
funded by working at the northern stores warehouse of the Hudson's Bay Company.
Not really having any plans I stayed on in Montreal, got a better job, went to
school some more and after a few years was transferred to a head office job in
Ottawa with my new Canadian wife. By continued transfer we eventually
settled in Halifax, turning down a move to Toronto, and by 1980 were living
close to The Theatre Arts Guild with a growing family.
When and why did you first get
involved with theater and the performing arts?
One of our kids many after school activities was Neptune Theatre
School where respective parents shared driving for school classmates Oliver
Jupp and Anthony Black. Son Oliver eventually gave up drama for a spot on the
Nova Scotia Canada Winter Games fencing team and Anthony went on to create 2b
Theatre. My involvement started in 1992 with an audition at TAG as an
enticement to get my son to audition for a kid’s role. I got a part and he
didn't.
Are they the
same reasons you do it today?
Today the many different aspects of theatrical production make an
excellent hobby. Variety is the spice of life and theatre has more than its
fare share.
What are the challenges involved?
Theatrical production has all the aspects of a business crammed into a
few short weeks. The product delivery date (opening night) cannot be moved but
the artistic and technical team has to be put together with a presentation
ready for the public. It's a logistical and planning nightmare that needs to be
tamed and smoothed with tact and consideration.
What are the rewards?
Reaching opening night with all the artistic and technical participants
feeling good and happy with the result. If the audiences feel the same way
that's even better.
What makes for good theater?
When an audience connects with the characters on-stage good things
happen. They may feel sympathy or perhaps anger or some other emotion but when
a connection is made good theatre is the result. A fine story is important but
without character-audience connection a great performance can't happen.
How did you get
involved with this particular production?
Over ten years ago I submitted Death and the Maiden to TAG's Artistic
Director at the time and then mentioned it again more recently requesting the
directing job.
What can audiences expect during
the run?
To see a woman who fifteen years in the past during a brutal
dictatorship was grabbed off the streets by authorities and brutally abused get
her chance for retribution. She is one of the strongest women audiences will
ever see on stage as she overcomes objections, reasoning and lies to make her
own decision.
What are your thoughts on the
current state of theater in Halifax and Atlantic Canada?
Halifax theatre is thriving with more professional and amateur
productions underway than ever before.
What's next on your agenda?
Along the way I started wring plays that have been produced at
festivals, The Fringe, TAG etc. Next winter I plan to spend writing and
we'll see what happens after that.
Death and the Maiden
June 7-23, 2018
The Pond Playhouse, Halifax
