Don Juan

A dark but sympathetic portrayal of Molière’s rogue and scoundrel.

Don Juan is an anti-hero. He is fighting for freedom in love and struggling to hold on to his individuality in a society dominated by rigid codes of behaviour. In that sense it raises issues we face today with our political correctness and social conservatism.

An original adaptation by Joanne Miller and Laurie Steven of Molière’s Don Juan. Based on the old Spanish legend about a wandering scoundrel, Don Juan, who seduces and abandons fair maidens, Molière’s play is critical of society’s excessive desire to punish individualism, to repress sexuality and to limit it to the confines of accepted social institutions. Odyssey’s production shows us a whimsical side of the villain; his moral excesses are balanced by the weaknesses of the other characters who tend to be cold, self-serving, indulgent, hypocritical and ridiculous.

Reviews:

“A manic roller coaster of laughs and melodrama. Molière’s depth has been added to the mile-a-minute pacing of Commedia resulting in a fast paced, entertaining show with a dash of melodrama and tragedy thrown in for good measure… the direction is inspired (the chorus of clownish bouffons and Sganarelle’s supper are truly marvellous).”
—Chris Baker, Ottawa XPress

“…this adaptation has added action, mimicry and noises, shrieking, playful encounters and visual games, and of course, the masks … there was some very, very, good staging… it’s a very entertaining show.”
—Alvina Ruprecht, CBC Radio

DON JUAN by Molière
Adapted by Joanne Miller and Laurie Steven from a translation by W. Ozell
Directed by Laurie Steven
Mask Design and Construction: Karen Rodd
Costumes and Set Design by: Teresa Przybylski
Set Design: Art Penson
Musical Directed and Composed by Timothy Kohout
Lighting Designer: Scott McTavish
Bouffon and Movement Coach: Fiona Griffiths
Fight Choreography: John Koensgen
Poster Design by Vladimir Kovalchuck
Stage Manager: Sarah Gale Berger
Assistant Stage Manager: Tracy Alves
Cast: Ross Mullan, Timothy Kohout, Steven Bush, Diana Fajrajsl, Bernard Arène, Bernadette Hendrickx, Mark Whitbread, Andrew Peck, T.L. Stewart, Yurij Kis, Virginia West