Atelier Studio Theatre and the Romanian Cultural Institute proudly present the British premiere of Matei Vişniec’s ‘What Shall We Do with the Cello’, a funny and sharply relevant play by Romania’s most prolific and celebrated contemporary playwright. The show is part of the VAULT Festival 2017. Amusing and dark, this surreal comedy goes straight to the heart of intolerance and stupidity and is staged by a mainly Romanian creative crew: director Vasile Nedelcu, actors Simona Armstrong, Mihai Arsene and Tudor Smoleanu, cellist Nick Allen and choreographer Mălina Andrei. The play features the intriguing live music of one of the world’s leading avant-garde composers, Iancu Dumitrescu.
Matei Vișniec: “A storm, a waiting room: the man with the newspaper, the woman with the veil, the old man with the stick. In a corner, the man with the cello is playing his instrument, ceaselessly. At first, they listen to him and appreciate him, but very quickly the repetitive and obsessing tune drives them mad. They try, taking turns, to convince him to stop, at least for some minutes, some seconds… But the man with the cello doesn’t want to, he doesn’t reply to them. He is playing, more and more menacing, alone against everybody… The others will have to organise themselves against this unexpected musical aggression…”
Wednesday 8 – Sunday 12 February 2016, 7.15pm
Matinee on Sat 11 Feb, 4.45pm
Book your tickets HERE
