Wednesday 29 February 2012

Dead Souls


Chichikov is a scoundrel with charisma...

He only wants to buy the names of your serfs who have died.

'Wealth exists on paper - this is true for individuals, families, corporations and nations.'


Nikolai Gogol's comic masterpiece Dead Souls... was his ironic legacy... his undoing...

his name sold to eternity.  With Gogol, the fun never stops, only life does.


LAZZI adaptation by David W W Johnstone starring Robert Williamson in bravado performance.

Scotland-Russia Forum, 9 South College Street, Edinburgh : 23 & 30 March 2012, 7.30 pm.

Tuesday 21 February 2012

Comic Destiny

the lost blurb...


Ben Okri's The Comic Destiny


Lazzi Director David WW Johnstone's new adaptation finds a storytelling doorway into Ben Okri's surreal fable. A world of patriarchs, skeletons and imps, asylum escapees and a young couple seeking more loving arguments.


What..... ?

Tuesday 14 February 2012

Dead Souls

for all us Russophiles...

Lazzi's adaptation of Nikolai Gogol's madly comic novel, Dead Souls, will premier at The Scotland-Russia Institute/Forum on Fridays 23 and 30 March 2012 at 7.30 pm.
Directed by David WW Johnstone, this original solo performance stars the madly comic actor, Robert Williamson.
Scotland-Russia Institute is located at 9 South College Street, Edinburgh. 0131 668 3635
info@scotlandrussiaforum.org
Reception to follow : nibbles and vodka most likely.

Sunday 12 February 2012

Komedia



Laurel & Hardy from The Music Box.... exquisite dumbshow.  --  dwwj

... colour ?

Saturday 11 February 2012

The Comic Destiny

LAZZI is currently working on a new project for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. We have created an adaptation of Ben Okri's The Comic Destiny, which originally appeared in his book Tales Of Freedom (2009).

Joining me in the production are actors Charlotte Jarvis and Robert Williamson and we are thrilled that artist Alice Boyle has provided an original painting for our posters and leaflets, designed as usual by Julie Johnstone.

We are delving deeply into Ben Okri's writing and are swept away by the man's vision and spirit.  We hope to do him justice with our Lazzi-style freewheeling improvisation and soulful jamming. 

As ever, we will treat each rehearsal and every performance as a one-off so that they are all unique, fresh and spontaneous.

Opening night is Tuesday 14 August at The Scottish Storytelling Centre and Ben Okri is keen to attend in person.  We will run for a fortnight until 26 August and then we're looking forward to some touring... watch this space.

Hope to see you there.

David