It is an English night in an English suburb of London. Mr. and Mrs. Smith, an English couple, are awaiting their guests, Mr. and Mrs. Martin, who have been kind enough to visit them without prior notice. The Firechief, ever on his mission to extinguish all fires in the city, joins the two couples for an evening of storytelling and, perhaps, reuniting with long-lost lovers. As the evening progresses, meanings get lost in translation and the uncertain strikes of the English clock seem to predict an unexpected turn of events.

Eugen Ionescu’s 1950 play “The Bald Soprano” is a foundational work in the Theatre of the Absurd, popularising many of its current characteristics. Its now heavily-replicated style of dialogue was a blueprint for playwrights wanting to explore linguistics in theatre. Born as a parody of language-learning books which advertise self-teaching, it is a work highly focused on language, meaning, communication and interpersonal interaction.

The Bald Soprano was directed by Medeea Anton and produced by Joost Doornkamp & James O’Connor.

Cassandra Brand, Bram van Beek, Tord Helliesen, Jana Riederer, Merel Spruijt, Pien van der Wijk

Kim Offeringa, Rosa Kremer, Jan Hein Dikkers, Deandra Hertiandi, Ina Opartyova, Inova Nikolova, Mabel Mensink, Amalia Vesa, Elise Steenvoorden, Niamh O’Shea Scanlan, Davina Proctor