Episode # 187 - The Cenci
Director John Jahnke is the guest on this episode. John talks with host Martin Denton about his upcoming project, a revival of the rarely-seen play The Cenci by Antonin Artaud, which will be at the Ohio Theatre in February 2008.
Among the highlights of this conversation: John talks about the historical background of the story of the play, which concerns a real Italian family whose patriarch was murdered by his children; and he provides a lot of fascinating information about Artaud’s play, which he describes as a kind of “cut-up” incorporating text from Shelley’s play about the same subject along with other material. John also discusses why he commissioned a new American translation of this play for his production.
John shares with listeners some great insights about what the production will look like, including why he selected the Ohio as the appopriate venue for this show. He provides some really fascinating insights into his process in staging the show as well.
John’s company, The Hotel Savant, is producing The Cenci. John is also a playwright, and his work The Shady Maids of Haiti is in NYTE’s anthology Plays and Playwrights 2004.
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