The Community Players of Concord presents The Bald Soprano

by Eugène Ionesco (Translated by Donald M. Allen)

“I started writing for the theatre because I hated it.”

                                                 — Eugène Ionesco

In The Bald Soprano, a clock chimes seventeen times for seemingly no reason, the doorbell rings but there are no visitors, and the Bald Soprano never changes her hairstyle. Inspired by the cliché dialogues in an English phrasebook for beginners, Eugène Ionesco rejected the coherent plot, character development, and concept of realistic drama, instead creating his own nihilistic form of comedy to convey the tragedy of language in a universe ruled by chance.  As a testament to the play’s unique appeal and continuing relevance in an electronically dependent society that is developing its own instant message language of emoticons and anagrams, The Bald Soprano has been performing continually at the Theatre de la Huchette in Paris since 1957 — a world-record run.  A hilarious satire on the futility of meaningful communication in contemporary society, this is a theatre experience in which non-sequiturs fly, people talk at cross-purposes getting nowhere, and the concept of time is turned on its head. This thought-provoking tour-de-force of linguistic acrobatics is sure to delight.

“The Bald Soprano,” directed by Elizabeth Lent, will be performed June 17-19 and 24-26 at Hatbox Theatre, located in the Steeplegate Mall in Concord, NH.  Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m. — Sunday performances begin at 2:00 p.m.  Tickets are $22 ($19 for students, seniors and Hatbox members; $16 for senior members), available online at hatboxnh.com.

“The Bald Soprano (trans. Allen)” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. — www.concordtheatricals.com.  

[Questions?  Contact Elizabeth Lent at:  bettylent54@gmail.com]