Requiem for Dalinka – The Artisan Collective
A Holocaust story gets a rare theatrical showing in this premiere work from these indie favourites.
Overview
The horrors of the Holocaust have spawned countless, often interchangeable stories on film and television. In comparison they've inspired far fewer pieces of theatre — although plays like Arthur Miller’s late work Playing For Time spring to mind. In its depiction of musicians interned in concentration camps Miller's play has a kind of resonance with The Artisan Collective's Requiem for Dalinka, which will soon have its premiere at Gasworks.
Since late 2009 the indie company — helmed by Requiem director, Benjamin Pfeiffer — has won praise for its honed, stylish pieces of theatre unafraid to confront difficult material; plays like Brendan McCallum’s If It Bleeds, or Kristina Brew's adaptation of John Fowles' The Collector. Alongside this impressive reputation, co-creator of Requiem Peter Marks is both an experienced musician and the son of a Holocaust survivor, attuned to the sensitivities required when spinning art out of lived experience. This story will undoubtedly be no exception.