Beloved by literature lovers the world over, James Joyce’s “Ulysses” is widely considered one of the most difficult reads in any language, like conquering a literary Everest.
Now Aris Theatre, Atlanta’s troupe dedicated to Celtic culture, has announced that it will stage the North American premiere of Irish author-playwright Dermot Bolger’s adaption of “Ulysses,” June 16-26 at 7 Stages.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
The pitch on Aris’ website is pretty funny: “It’s famous! Yet most of us have never read it. It’s BIG! So how am I ever going to get around to reading that?? It’s ... steamy! Okay, go on ...”
Steaminess and sex come up a few more times, which is probably a smart way to sell the challenge of what Aris succinctly summarizes as “[following] Leopold Bloom as he walks the streets of Dublin, encountering the challenges and trials worthy of an ancient epic.”
Bolger certainly is expert in the trials of trying to shape Joyce’s 1920 epic into a watchable play. He discussed the challenges with the Irish cultural site HeadStuff in a 2018 interview, when his adaption was being staged at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre.
“Because the book is 18 episodes, a dazzling array of linguistic styles, covering 265,000 words,” he said, “you have to figure out what to cut.”
Bolger’s strategy was to hyper-focus on Ulysses’ emotional essence.
“Novels give you a lot of scope, because generally novels aren’t read in one sitting and you’re able to have subplots,” he said, “I just had to figure out the emotional journey of Bloom, and of [his marriage to Molly], what made their marriage. In the end I had to go into the areas of the book that most engaged my intellectual curiosity, but also most engaged my empathy.”
Atlanta winners of new monologue competition
LaNiyah Simone K. Grovell of Dunwoody High School recently won the Atlanta Regional Finals of the Next Narrative Monologue Competition, a new national program for high school students in which they perform works by a host of contemporary Black playwrights.
Orchestrated by Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company, the program replaces the troupe’s longtime August Wilson Monologue Competition. In launching the Next Narrative competition, True Colors Artistic Director Jamil Jude sought to help bring new works by Black playwrights to American stages. The contestants are drawing from a 2022 compendium that includes 41 monologues by 20 playwrights created especially for the competition.
Grovell won a $600 cash prize and an all-expenses paid trip to New York City for the Next Narrative National Finals to be held at the historic Apollo Theater on May 2. Also heading to the Apollo will be Atlanta Finals second-place finisher Zaria Williams, who attends New Manchester High School in Douglasville. Williams won a cash prize of $400. Third place and a cash prize of $200 went to Jayden Griffin from Atlanta Classical Academy.
“Along with our publishing partner Theatrical Rights Worldwide, our vision was to develop a new repertoire of theatrical expression grounded in the Black aesthetic,” Jude said, “but uniquely crafted and available to young thespians everywhere seeking age-suitable and relevant audition content.”
Additional regional finals are being held in Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Milwaukee, New York, Pittsburgh, Seattle and New Haven, Connecticut. Some 18 students from across country are expected to compete in the inaugural national finals next month.
Credit: ArtsATL
Credit: ArtsATL
MEET OUR PARTNER
ArtsATL (www.artsatl.org), is a nonprofit organization that plays a critical role in educating and informing audiences about metro Atlanta’s arts and culture. Founded in 2009, ArtsATL’s goal is to help build a sustainable arts community contributing to the economic and cultural health of the city.
If you have any questions about this partnership or others, please contact Senior Manager of Partnerships Nicole Williams at nicole.williams@ajc.com.
About the Author
