Who we are:
Conjure Productions is a new theatre company rooted in ensemble and movement, and dedicated to staging modern classics. Based in London, the company of young actors and specialists is led by Anna Barkan, a Russian Acting Teacher and Director, who studied at the prestigious Vakhtangov Theatre School in Moscow and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. She also holds an MA in Actor Training & Coaching from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, where her research included working with International multilingual casts. Anna’s practice is rooted in the Stanislavsky System and the Michael Chekhov technique. She is currently an Associate Tutor & Director at LAMDA.
Why this play?
Orpheus Descending took Tennessee Williams over a decade to write - the longest he spent on any of his works - and wasn't particularly successful when it premiered in 1957. We believe this is because the play was, in some ways, far ahead of its time.
In the dark underbelly of a 1950s Southern American town, the story follows a mysterious young man and charming drifter named Val who meets Lady, an Italian immigrant storekeeper and wife of the local Ku Klux Klan grand wizard. The world around them is grey, ashen, violent, more dead than alive. It certainly doesn't like people who don't fit in. When Val's presence unleashes a maelstrom of passion, discord, desire and retribution, Val and Lady find goodness in each other but, in doing so, have awakened the bloodthirsty monster that is the status quo.
As a company committed to the staging of classics that resonate with our current sociopolitical climate, we believe Orpheus Descending has never been more important to share with modern audiences.
What your donation will pay for:
We're focusing our fundraising efforts on paying for rehearsal space, compensating our designers, and covering the costs of set and costume construction and procurement. In the style of our company, we're committed to keeping our designs as simple and as intentional as possible. But in order for us to lift this piece to its highest possible standard, each and every donation (no matter how small) will be critical and deeply appreciated by each of us.
Thank you for being a part of the journey of Orpheus Descending. You can follow along on our Instagram (@conjure.productions) and on our website.
Please note : the original script contains racist and derogatory language which we will be omitting in the production.
Video credit: Madeleine Bloxam