Christ Church Cathedral
Friday, January 5th,, 7:30
Directed by John Wright
CAST: Jay Brazeau, Stephen Aberle, Mary Black, Camyar Chai, Duncan Fraser, Adam Henderson, Connor Riopel, Suzanne Ristic, Parmiss Sehat
Set in Jerusalem
… a plea for tolerance
… a masterpiece of reason, compassion and humour
Nathan’s story is set in Jerusalem during the Crusades, when Muslims, Jews and Christians find themselves in a brief, uneasy peace—But it’s a war zone, and no one is safe. This 18th century play is a healing tale for all humankind. Never allowed a performance during Lessing’s lifetime, and later banned by the Nazis, Nathan the Wise now seems a very modern, and highly relevant, work.
In a witty and free-flowing translation by Edward Kemp, Nathan the Wise trumps Trumpery with human kindness, intelligence and truth.
This is a deeply moving drama … brilliantly lucid translation … cannot fail to move
Michael Billington, The Guardian
… balances German gravitas with a comic deftness. As road maps to peace go, we could do a good deal worse.
Ian Shuttleworth, Financial Times
This public reading was a CAEA member-driven benefit. Donations collected at the door were divided between:
The Actors’ Fund of Canada
The Interfaith Encounter Association