The Oxford Roof Climber's Rebellionby Stephen Massicotte
A play about fighting for ‘home' in 1920, very much like fighting for ‘home' today.
Suffering the aftermath of war and foreseeing the dawning of new ones, Lawrence of Arabia and poet Robert Graves lay siege to a sleepy university town. Their demands? An end to imperialism for oil? Democracy? Or something more profoud -- the emancipation of the college deer or the freedom to fly politician's trousers from the pinnacles. Armed only with their wit and charm they determine to go mad, which is the only reasonable thing left to do in a world that's already done so.
"What life to lead and where to go. After the War, after the War?"
- Robert Graves
by STEPHEN MASSICOTTE
directed by ROGER DANFORTH
Cast: Dylan Chalfy, Stafford Clark-Price, Tom Cleary,
Erin Moon, George Morfogen
Roman Tatarowicz - Set Design
David Toser - Costume Design
Josh Bradford - Lighting Design
Daniel Baker & David Thomas - Sound Design
Alex Koch - Video Design
Dialect Design - Amy Stoller
Stage Manager - Dan Zittel
Props - Joe Osheroff
Frances Hil, Artistic Director, Urban Stages
Sonia Kozlova, Managing Director, Urban Stages
Urban Stages Theater: 259 West 30th Street, betw. 7th and 8th Ave.
Box Office open 30 minutes before each performance
All ticket requests: 212.868.4444 Smarttix
Administrative office: 212.421.1380
or email us: inquire@urbanstages.org
PRAISE FOR THE OXFORD ROOF CLIMBER'S REBELLION:
"The drama of this riveting play could not be more timely...excellent new play... first-rate performances" - Wilborn Hampton, The New York Times, Oct. 27, 2007
"These 95 minutes are among the most sophisticated and absorbing currently on a New York stage... it glows with an uncommon intelligence." Karl Levett, Backstage, Oct. 18, 2007
"Chillingly relevant ... Director Roger Danforth, with the help of a superb cast create a powerful theatrical experience" CurtainUp, Nov. 1, 2007
"good theater sometimes come in small packages. Massicotte is a talented new Canadian playwright who deserves to become better known in the US" stagestruck-nyc
"The script is good, and it seems that Massicotte did thorough research on Lawrence and Graves, and he provides a strong sense of the political climate of 1920 and post-war disenchantment in England, but beyond the research, it is an emotionally satisfying play as well. Wonderful cast, all 5 actors are fine, and it is a special treat to see the incomparable George Morfogen as Lord Curzon. … While I enjoyed "Ross", I found this play to be more emotionally engaging and of greater relevance.” TalkingBroadway, stagestrick-ny
Curzon: If the Indians are to have India and the Arabs are to have Arabia, what are the British to have?
Lawrence: For the life of me, I believe it was some where around here. Do you think there's any hope in finding it again?
The Oxford Roof Climber's Rebellion, despite its harmless beginnings, brings the Arab Revolt dangerously close to the heart of the Empire.