The Man Who Laughs Poster

Synopsis

Stolen Chair's The Man Who Laughs is an horrific, comedic, and romantic melodrama, freely inspired by Victor Hugo's novel of the same name. A band of gypsies kidnaps a gentle young boy and surgically disfigures his face into a permanent smile. He finds his way into the wagon of a lovably misanthropic itinerant performer who adopts him and a blind foundling girl he has discovered in his travels.

As the children age, they fall in love and join their father on stage, gaining fame and fortune in their roles as clown and ingénue. They live happily together, but when their performances command the attention of a debauched Duchess, her lust for the deformed clown threatens to tear the family apart.

Stolen Chair's collectively created adaptation is staged as a live silent film, with stylized movement, original musical accompaniment, and projected intertitles.

Part 1 of the CineTheatre Tetralogy:
4 years, 4 productions, 4 classic film styles adapted for the stage...

Production History

Winter 2005

Presented @The Red Room
by Horse Trade

Conceived and Directed by Jon Stancato
Scenario and Text Written by Kiran Rikhye
Music Composed and Performed by Emily Otto
Lights and Set Designed by David Bengali
Stage Management and Props by Aviva Meyer
Costumes Designed by May Elbaz
Poster Designed by Jon Stancato
Make-Up Designed by Arielle Toelke

Featuring: Jon Campbell, Cameron J. Oro, Ariana Seigel, Alexia Vernon, Dennis Wit*, and Jennifer Wren*

*appears courtesy of Actors' Equity

Press for The Man Who Laughs

"Utterly tremendous!"

-Trav S.D.
Actor, Playwright, Author, and Critic

"By any measure...a triumph. [T]his bona fide tour de force of theatre...has the real capacity to tug at something inside of us and make us feel in a raw, spontaneous, and very essential way. Bravo."

"By any measure...a triumph. Billed as a live silent film for the stage, that's precisely what it is: a faithful, loving recreation of an art that already seems ancient...

The folks at Stolen Chair tell the story with economy and affection in about ninety minutes. All of the accoutrements of the silent film are here: A dark translucent scrim stands between actors and audience, giving all the action a grainy sepia look that's spot-on. Titles—on transparent cards; there's no high-tech PowerPoint presentation here to jostle us into the 21st century—are projected on the scrim, providing narration and dialogue as required. (They're written by scenarist Kiran Rikhye, who has done a skillful job.) A live soundtrack is played by pianist Emily Otto, stationed just to the front left of the screen; next to her, Aviva Meyer takes care of the sound effects. From somewhere in the back of the theatre is a sound of a film projector—a really lovely touch.

The action, delivered (astonishingly!) by just six actors, is performed in the heightened expressive style of silent movies. The performances are splendidly stylized. Director Jon Stancato maintains consistency of tone, pace, and approach throughout with remarkable acuity. Jennifer Wren, as Dea, is the standout: in her long blonde curls, she's channeling Gish and Pickford in a portrayal of pure and unfettered innocence that comments on itself without seeming reflexive or ironical...

Jon Cambpell, as Gwynplaine, is nearly as impressive, in a wrenching performance of the tragic hero...this is a fearless and dedicated actor sacrificing for his art.

Alexia Vernon is suitably malevolent as the Duchess, while Cameron Oro is, until the final scenes, mostly comic relief as her languid lover Lord Dirry Moir. Rounding out the company are Dennis Wit, invaluable as Ursus, and Ariana Seigel as the young Gwynplaine. One of the many amazing things that Stancato and his collaborators accomplish is the illusion of crowds and minor characters, bolstering the scenario though always unseen.

Otto's accompaniment, which (she confided in a talkback after the performance) is mostly improvised, feels entirely authentic. The sound effects are used sparingly, and provide some neat surprises.

But nothing surprised me more than the fact that, not only was I bowled over by the precision and commitment that brought together this bona fide tour de force of theatre, but also that I enjoyed it so much on its own terms. The journey back in time that we take in The Man Who Laughs is neither academic exercise or gimmicky theme park ride—it's a genuine immersion in a kind of storytelling that, for all its apparent hokeyness and naiveté, has the real capacity to tug at something inside of us and make us feel in a raw, spontaneous, and very essential way. Bravo."

-Martin Denton
NYtheatre.com

"[It] works, and it works to convey an interesting and captivating story. It reminded me that theatre can be fun."

-James Comtois, Top 10 Shows of 2005

Interview: Director Jon Stancato, w/NYtheatre.com's Rochelle Denton on style vs. story in Stolen Chair's work.

Interview: Playwright Kiran Rikhye, w/New York Theatre Experience's Michael Criscuolo , on the origin of the company and of the work.

Production Photos:

Photos by Carrie Leonard, 2009
(Click here to view Stolen Chair's Picasa album if the gallery does not appear)

Full text published in Playing with Canons.

Excerpted from Scene 4 of The Man Who Laughs
Copyright ©2005, Kiran H. Rikhye. All rights reserved.

1. Intertitle

Nineteen years later…

2. Lights up on Ursus, Gwynplaine, and Dea asleep--Dea sleeps on the bed (head stage left, feet stage right). Gwynplaine sleeps on the floor (head right, feet left) beneath her. Ursus still on the chair.

Ursus has a handkerchief on his face. Inhales it slightly with each breath.

Inhales too much and wakes himself up.

Sits straight up in his chair. Shakes his head.

Stands.

Stretches.

Looks upstage. Is shocked to see that Gwynplaine and Dea are still there.

Ursus is disgusted by them.

3. Intertitle

“If only I had found a way to get rid of them…”

4. Ursus urges his children to get up.

They don’t hear him.

Ursus crosses to Dea and Gwynplaine.

5. Ursus: “Up and at ‘em.”

6. Gwynplaine and Dea keep sleeping.

Ursus yells louder.

They keep sleeping.

Ursus screams.

7. Ursus: “GET UP!”

8. Gwynplaine and Dea keep sleeping.

Ursus shakes them.

Gwynplaine and Dea wake up. Yawn. Stretch laterally.

Gwynplaine props himself up on his left arm and yawns.

9. Ursus: “Good morning!”

10. Ursus takes Dea’s face in his hands.

11. Ursus: “How’s my little princess?”

12. Intertitle

“Good morning, Dea! How’s my little princess?”

13. Ursus coos at Dea. Stop. Looks at her.

15. Intertitle

“Your hair is a mess.”

16. Ursus hands Dea a comb.

Ursus kicks Gwynplaine’s arm.

Gwynplaine falls.

17. Intertitle

“Gwynplaine! Get up and practice your juggling.”

18. Ursus urges them to get up.

19. Ursus: “We’ve got a big day.”

20. Intertitle

“Idiots! Have you forgotten that today is the Southwark Fair?”

21. Ursus: “Hurry up and let’s go!”

22. Ursus pats Dea roughly on the shoulder.

Exits upstage.

Gwynplaine picks up his juggling balls. Begins practicing his juggling.

Dea picks up her hair brush. Crosses left, sits in the chair.

She begins to brush her hair.

Gwynplaine accidentally drops his juggling balls. Notices Dea.

Crosses to her. Stands behind her, slightly right.

Takes her brush in his hand.

Gwynplaine brushes Dea’s hair.

Dea’s shirt slips off her shoulder.

Gwynplaine stops brushing her hair.

Dea slides her shirt back up.

Gwynplaine returns to brushing her hair.

Dea’s shirt slips off her shoulder.

Gwynplaine stops brushing her hair. Reaches for her shirt.

Dea reaches for her shirt. Their hands meet.

Gwynplaine retracts his hand.

Dea slides her shirt back up.

Gwynplaine returns to brushing her hair.

Dea’s shirt slips off her shoulder.

Gwynplaine stops brushing her hair.

Gwynplaine reaches for her shirt.

Gwynplaine slides her shirt back up.

Kissses her clothed shoulder.

Dea turns her head right, placing her face close to Gwynplaine’s.

Gwynplaine slowly stands.

He returns to brushing her hair.

Dea pulls her dress/nightgown off her shoulder.

Gwynplaine looks at her exposed shoulder.

Dea waits.

Gwynplaine reaches for her naked shoulder. Pulls away. Put her brush back in her hands. Turns to exit. Crosses back to the bed to get his scarf. Wraps his face. Exits upstage.

Dea brushes her hair.

23. Intertitle

Thus they began every morning…

24. Back to Dea brushing.

Smiles.

Keeps brushing her hair.

Blackout.