Tarquin Productions are a new theatre company based in London who believe in bringing new adaptations of classic literature to the stage. We are a group of like-minded individuals who have come together with a shared belief in breathing new life into novels, revigorating them for the theatre without sacrificing the integrity of the author's voice or intention. Our latest work is a new adaptation of Matthew Lewis' THE MONK, and we are looking for funding to help the project come to life on the stage.
Under the umbrella of Christianity, man has got away with some of the greatest crimes against humanity. In Tarquin Productions’ latest play, Matthew Lewis’s 1796 blasphemous masterpiece THE MONK comes to the stage in a brand new adaptation by artistic director Benji Sperring. It is already tipped to be the must-see production of the 2012 Halloween season, and promises to be an experience that the audience will never forget.
THE MONK runs for three weeks at the beautifully atmospheric Barons Court Theatre, deep within the vaults of the Curtains Up pub in Kensington, West London. The first adaptation of its kind in the UK, Matthew Lewis’ terrifying novel – and cornerstone of the Gothic genre – places the audience within the action, assaulting the senses and bringing to life the terrible consequences of repressed desire and lust. Unsettling and horrific, THE MONK is as shocking now as it was on its first publication, when parents would turn pale to see the book in the hands of their offspring.
THE MONK follows the downfall of Ambrosio (Francisco Ortiz), the most pious monk in all of Madrid, as he faces the temptations of a young girl, Matilda (Sadie Tonks). As Ambrosio falls from grace, nothing is sacred as he seeks to satisfy his desires. Murder, incest, rape and infanticide are trivial consequences for Ambrosio’s lust. No-one in the auditorium is safe, and as the action builds, the theatre itself is dragged into Hell.
Tarquin Productions has gathered a world-class team for this production. Francisco Ortiz breaks onto the UK stage after receiving nationwide acclaim for his performances in film and television, and as a presenter of MTV. Sam Marriott and Will de Renzy-Martin, two of Eton College’s rising stars, also take their first steps onto the London stage, joining a professional cast of eleven. Director Benji Sperring, fresh from directing at Eton College – one of the UK’s most prestigious residencies – also returns to the London Fringe with a crack of thunder.
With a shared vision of creating atmospheric, spellbinding performances which place the text at the centre of the work, Tarquin Productions let an author's writing come to life on the stage like never before. Using theatrical techniques appropriate to an text's narrative form and style, we enter into a dialogue with the author, finding answers from other work and writings to guide us through our process. We intend to let an author's voice ring out through our performances, and hope to add a new dimension to the classic books we, as a company, have known and loved.
Our company website is at HERE, the director's website is available HERE and Francisco Ortiz's website - with reviews and videos - is viewable HERE.
The owner of this project has not made any updates yet. FR
