translations

Abraham Lincoln Goes to the Theatre

“By turns absurdly fascinating and maddening, but always hugely entertaining...”

— Calgary Herald

Also by Larry Tremblay: 

Child Object

BY LARRY TREMBLAY (QUEBEC)

3M

The actor John Wilkes Booth assassinates Abraham Lincoln during a performance of Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC. Mark Killman — a feared but much admired director — draws inspiration from this historical fact to create a show about the schizophrenia of America. He hires two actors to reenact the Presidential assassination through the comic characters of Laurel and Hardy, and keeps for himself the role of Abraham Lincoln's wax figure. Why is Killman interested in this political assassination? Why does he want to stage a tragedy using the means of a comedy? And by the way, who is hiding behind Abraham Lincoln's wax figure?

Commission

This translation was commissioned by The Lark.
 

Productions

Alberta Theatre Projects, Calgary, 2010