On SUCH a NIGHT
PRODUCTION NOTES
Characters
(Cast of 10-13: 6 women / 4-7 men / 2 neutral)
PAUPI
SONIA GREGORY 1 ANDRE VAL TEMPTER 1 KATERINA HANNA SOFIA 2 NINA 3 MAYOR 2 DEACON 3 GYPSY |
A pauper who bears witness to many goings-on.
A middle-aged widow. The voice of her late husband. Their son; an aspiring artist. Their other son; a carpenter. An ominous voice from the shadows. A cosmopolitan girl who has come to live in the country. Fetching and fickle, the object of Val’s affection; doubles as the Keeper of Drowned Souls. Her friend. Another; a bit shy on wits. A rascal. Hanna’s father; a hypocrite. A mysterious and nomadic woman. |
Numbers suggest doubling.
Walk-on roles may be doubled as well.
Walk-on roles may be doubled as well.
Setting
The play’s setting is “Once upon a time.” Though Gogol’s cultural influences are apparent, there is no particular need to represent any ethnicity or nationality with fidelity. Andre’s artistic aspirations suggest the Renaissance, but again, there is no need to be exact.
Storytelling
Narration gives way to dialogue, and vice versa. It is crucial that actors stay “in the moment,” reliving events, not just retelling them. Pantomime, punctuated with tableaux, may accompany descriptions of specific actions. Projected images of locations, objects, and inner emotions may appear often and on several planes. Furniture should be sparse and versatile. Animals should be heard but not seen; the same principle applies to both Gregory and the Tempter.