LIMERICK Youth Theatre is back on stage with a muscular cast of 13 staging Franz Kafka’s famous ‘The Trial’. Experienced director Ann Blake (Wildebeest Theatre, Brad Pitt Light Orchestra) is leading in seven weeks work with actors “cast after two days’ intense auditioning”, which should culminate in a dark, eventful night’s drama.
The story goes: “Josef K wakes up one morning to find himself arrested, has no idea why and cannot find out why”.
Blake’s succinct summary lends well to Steven Berkoff’s adaptation of the novel. “We have gone for strong, simple decisions,” she states. “There’s a lot of scope with ‘The Trial’, stage direction is not tight and the way Berkoff adapted it, there was little sign of a set – the cast made the environment. They created the room, the world, the street they are on”.
Having come up through LYT herself, she is full of praise for their talent, observing that other than Liam Hillen as Josef K, each actor plays at least one character and is chorus. Most are on stage for the duration of this 100minute play. The audience will gather around on three sides within No. 69 O’Connell Street from August 19 to 22, 8pm.
“Limerick Youth Theatre is a training ground for those interested in professional theatre. They get to do everything and work alongside professionals such as Marie Boylan on costume who has a theme and is keen on giving them a clear look as an ensemble”.
Darren Maher of Magic Roundabout Theatre is writing music for the piece. This Dublin man is also on set design which should be interesting, given the audacity of his ‘Big Beautiful Woman’ in December 2014 which interlaced silhouette puppetry with a stark framework. Boylan herself excelled with an Irish Times Theatre Award nomination and was co-producer with Dante for the exhilarating rollercoaster ‘I Do’ in Savoy Hotel bedrooms.
‘The Trial’ of this humble bank official is pertinent against the present day enquiry into The Crash and its drivers. We also love a poke at bureaucracy and mindless power so let’s rage at the machine fuelled by youth power next week at the former Belltable. Book through the venue manager www.limetreetheatre.ie or stroll up to box office by day on O’Connell Street.
