Between the Lines – Alley Theatre

The Farcical Frenzy of Noises Off: A Look at the History of a Farce

Lauren Pelletier — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 16:14:16 +0000

Farce is a theatre style that can be traced all the way to ancient Greece. At the time, the new style of comedy (aptly called New Comedy) was created by Greek playwright Menander. His work was so influential, that it continues reverberating through our modern understanding of comedic writing.

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Artistic Director Rob Melrose’s Reflections

Lauren Pelletier — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 16:38:43 +0000

I’m so excited that for the 30th anniversary of Alley Theatre’s Summer Chills series, we are returning to one of Agatha Christie’s best-loved plays: And Then There Were None.

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And Then There Were None: A Mystery without a Detective

Molly Pierce — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 20:09:19 +0000

Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None is the highest-selling crime novel of all time, with over 100 million copies sold since it was published in 1939. (In fact, It’s one of the ten highest-selling novels ever). Its publication cemented Agatha Christie’s spot as one of the world’s most successful novelists. Nevertheless, And Then There Were None deviates from Christie’s iconic formula: the central detective character is absent.

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Charlotte Brontë: The Woman Behind Jane Eyre

Molly Pierce — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 15:53:04 +0000

In the enchanting world of literature, few works are as profound as Charlotte Brontë's classic, Jane Eyre. While the novel's narrative brilliance and compelling characters have captivated readers for generations, a closer look at Brontë's personal life will reveal how her own experiences impacted Jane's story.

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Unraveling Scrooge: A Tale of Redemption and Reflection

Molly Pierce — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 16:36:25 +0000

In Charles Dickens' timeless novella, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, Ebenezer Scrooge emerges as a character embodying the change from a miserly loner to a benevolent benefactor. David Rainey, a seasoned member of the Alley Resident Company who has portrayed Scrooge multiple times, reflects on the character's complexity.

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The Christmas Ghosts of A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Molly Pierce — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 22:42:27 +0000

A Christmas Carol is a timeless tale that has captured the hearts of readers and audiences for generations. At its heart, the story is a journey of self-discovery, compassion, and redemption. The visits of ghosts guide Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas Eve. These three Christmas ghosts reveal the effects of one's actions and the potential for change.

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Tiny Tim of ‘A Christmas Carol’ might have suffered from rickets, tuberculosis, or cerebral palsy, UTHealth Houston physicians say

Molly Pierce — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 21:34:44 +0000

We put it to the experts at UTHealth Houston to help us sort out what Tim might have had and how Scrooge could have changed the course of his life.

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Acclaimed Co-Translator on Chekhov and Little Comedies

Caroline Austin — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 17:36:41 +0000

I am pretty sure that Anton Chekhov never imagined an entire evening of five of his short plays, some which he subtitled ‘a joke’ or ‘a vaudeville.’ He did not write them to make up an evening.

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CHARLES DICKENS’ ONE MAN SHOW

Caroline Austin — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 16:33:49 +0000

Dickens loved to perform his stories—so he created a special version of A Christmas Carol for exactly that purpose.

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Uncle Vanya: Translating with the Pevears

Lauren Pelletier — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 14:54:22 +0000

Sometime around 2003, I picked up a copy of what I had known as The Devils, but here had the title of Demons. This was the first translation I read by the translating team (and married couple), Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. Almost immediately I ‘heard’ the voice of another Dostoevsky, one totally human, subtle, alive, and at times very funny.

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