Stratford Festival Hosts World Premiere of BRONTË: THE WORLD WITHOUT NOW On Stage

The Stratford Festival presents the world première of Brontë: The World Without, Jordi Mand's engrossing new play about the famous literary sisters, Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë. Directed by Vanessa Porteous, and featuring Beryl Bain, Jessica B. Hill and Andrea Rankin, the production begins previews today at the Studio Theatre.

"Jordi Mand, among the very finest playwrights of her generation, has created a profoundly beautiful and detailed exploration of these three women," says Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino. "In writing they find desperately needed self-expression, but they also find competition as each one seeks to outshine the others, whom they nonetheless love very much. As this truly gripping story unfolds, we follow their personal victories and defeats as their individual fortunes rise and fall."

Commissioned by the Festival, Mand's play examines the sisters' relationships as they deal with their ailing father and dissolute, dying brother, all the while jealously guarding secrets of their inner thoughts and individual creativity. Desperation drives them to a life-changing choice that sees them reveal the literary talent that will win them world-wide fame.

"Our play conjures five important days over approximately five years in their lives," says Porteous. "The field of action is the confined terrain of their parlour, with a view of the village on one side, the cemetery on the other, and the moors beyond. It would be hard for anyone to share such tight quarters, let alone three driven, competitive, and talented sisters, all pursuing the same thing: literary triumph. We explore themes of sibling rivalry, ambition and the struggle of female artists striving for success in what remains a male-dominated endeavour even today.

"As viewed from without, the life of the Brontës might seem a bit bleak. To them, certainly, it wasn't easy. But looked at in a different light, that small space they occupied was their oasis; those five years they had together were their golden age. In 'the world within,' they had love, memory, inspiration, creativity, accomplishment. They had freedom, passion, power, and glory. They had each other."

Artistic credits include Designer Narda McCarroll, Lighting Designer Kimberly Purtell, Sound Designer Anton de Groot, Dramaturge Bob White and Fight Director John Stead.

Brontë: The World Without officially opens on June 21 and runs until October 13.

This production draws on creative learning and development fostered in the Stratford Festival's Laboratory.

Support for the creation of Brontë: The World Without was generously provided by The Daniel S. Bernstein & Claire Foerster New Play Development Program.

Production support is generously provided by Sylvia D. Chrominska and by M. Fainer.

Support for the 2018 season of the Studio Theatre is generously provided by Sandra & Jim Pitblado.

Brontë: The World Without at the Forum

The Forum is a series of events, such as exclusive showcases, guest speakers, special meals, music and family fun, that offer theatregoers a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the ideas and issues raised by the 2018 playbill.

· IDEAS AT STRATFORD: FREEDOM FROM LIES

Saturday, August 18

10:30 a.m. to noon

Freedom of the press is a holy grail in Western societies, but in an era of "fake news" and "truthiness," what are journalists to hang on to? Paul Kennedy, host of CBC's Ideas, moderates a discussion featuring CBC senior correspondent Susan Ormiston; journalist, author and social critic Linda McQuaig; and freelance journalist and activist Desmond Cole.

· IN THE MIND OF THE ARTIST

Wednesday, August 22

10:45 a.m. to noon

A panel discussion considering the artist's mind and the extraordinary demands of artists' work: factors that make them both brilliant and often vulnerable to diseases of the psyche. The panel features Canadian comic icon and Bell Let's Talk ambassador Mary Walsh; David Goldbloom, senior medical advisor at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health; and veteran company member Steve Ross.

· THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF BIAS

Wednesday, September 5

10:45 a.m. to noon

The Brontë sisters hid their gender by publishing under pseudonyms or anonymously. Jordi Mand, playwright of Brontë: The World Without, leads a dialogue on gender bias with guests Kathleen Gallagher, of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, and Kim Solga, of the Department of Theatre and Drama Studies at Western University. Award-winning writer and company member Marion Adler moderates the discussion.

The Stratford Festival's 2018 season runs until November 4, featuring The Tempest, The Comedy of Errors, Coriolanus, Julius Caesar, The Music Man, The Rocky Horror Show, Long Day's Journey Into Night, An Ideal Husband, To Kill a Mockingbird, Napoli Milionaria!, Brontë: The World Without and Paradise Lost. For tickets and more information, visit stratfordfestival.ca or call 1.800.567.1600.

Photo by Clay Stang