Baker finally brings ‘Zastrozzi’ to stage

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/05/2018 (2965 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Unusual. Sensational. A play with intense drama and elements of horror — yet is still full of laughs.

This is how director Chris Baker describes “Zastrozzi: The Master of Discipline,” by Canadian playwright George F. Walker.

“One of the great things about this playwright and the play itself, is that as soon as you get comfortable, thinking you know where the play is going, it just changes direction,” Baker said. “It’s a real roller-coaster.”

Baker is making his directorial debut with the Assiniboine Theatre Company, and he is thrilled to finally be able to bring “Zastrozzi” to life.

“I’ve wanted to do this play for a long, long time — almost 30 years,” he said.

One of the reasons why Baker chose this particular play was the fact that it is a very unusual one for community theatre.

“It provides a very good stretch for the actors,” he said. “Some of the actors are very well known to Brandon audiences, but you won’t have seen them in a role like this, at all, ever. It’s an artistic challenge for the cast members, and of course it’s a thrilling play for audiences.”

The Gothic comedy is set in 1893 and follows the title character, Zastrozzi who is a master criminal in Europe.

“He robs, he steals, he murders … he’s basically a virtual tornado of evil,” Baker said. “But for the past three years, Zastrozzi has set aside his criminal endeavours to chase down the man responsible for his mother’s death.”

He finally caught up with the man in a small Italian village, and when the curtain opens, the day of his revenge is at hand.

“You have these larger than life characters dealing with these incredibly bizarre life and death situations,” Baker said. “It will keep you on your toes, it will thoroughly entertain you.”

The play features a cast of just six people: Bernardo (Randy Lilley), Verezzi (David Simard), Victor (Cam Tataryn) and Zastrozzi (James Warnez), Julia (Brena Abbey) and Matilda (Christine Penner).

Simard, president of the Assiniboine Theatre Company, said the advantage of a small cast is the ensemble feel.

“You work very closely with the actors at all times,” he said. “We’re almost always present for the entire rehearsal.”

Simard’s character has gone insane because of a crime he committed, and as a result has the emotions of a 10-year-old.

“Preparation of the character is just acting a little bit like a child, when it’s appropriate,” he said. “Just getting in his head … gotta act a little crazy.”

The Assiniboine Theatre Company officially launched in 2015, following its first production in 2014. They have gone on to provide entertainment at galas and Christmas parties, and were thrilled when Baker approached them with “Zastrozzi.”

“We founded it to allow others out in the theatrical community to put on their art, put on their vision of theatre, without the stresses of paying for loyalties, and making sure there’s enough money for costumes,” Simard said.

“The membership has stepped forward to create the sets and the costumes, and organizing the front of house and helping on the production. It is community driven and member driven.”

Baker is originally from Brandon, and is one of the founders of Theatre 85. He got his start in community theatre, and dabbled professionally for a brief period of time. He was chair of the board of governors for Theatre New Brunswick, and worked as a theatre critic in Ottawa before moving back to Brandon four years ago.

He said the stars aligned for this production, with ATC being open to new ideas and fresh approaches.

“It’s a very solid production, the only thing we’re missing now is the audience,” he said. “It’ll be a lot of fun to see how the audience reacts to this material.”

The play is for mature audiences, and runs Thursday to Saturday at the Evans Theatre. Show times are 7:30 p.m. nightly, plus a matinee on Saturday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20, available at Ted Good Music or at the door.

» jaustin@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @jillianaustin