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| The cast of Faith Healer |
It is being put on by Tidemark, a company of talented performers, writers, directors, crew and technicians, many of whom belong to other St Albans drama groups including the Company of Ten, Breakaway and OVO.
Tidemark was formed in 1996 and has been staging productions of original writing in a variety of venues, including Herts, London and Edinburgh, winning numerous awards and excellent reviews along the way.
The production of Faith Healer, which runs in the Abbey Theatre Studio at 8pm from Monday, November 19, until Saturday, November 24, is a departure for Tidemark and is the first time the company has produced an established play by another author.
Friel has four characters in Faith Healer, speaking four monologues. The first and last belong to Frank Hardy, a travelling faith healer who, after slogging through one-night stands in Wales and Scotland, returns to his native Ireland in the hope of restoring his ailing powers.
The second monologue comes from his wife who has given up her life as a successful solicitor in order to join her genius and charlatan husband.
The third monologue is delivered by his manager Teddy, a seedy showbiz agent who has stayed with them through the good and bad times out of sheer devotion and unconditional love.
Frank's final monologue describes his journey back to Ireland and the fate that befalls him when he takes on a client whose friends will not accept failure.
Each account differs slightly from the other as Friel reminds us that the story is as much to do with the perception of the story teller as the actual events.
The play has been unavailable for some time with productions at the Almeida and then on Broadway.
Tickets are available from the Abbey Theatre box office on 01727 857861.
© Herts Advertiser 2007. Reproduced by permission