American Repertory Theatre
 

"This is Lepage at his very best." - The Guardian (London)

the far side of the moon

written and directed by Robert Lepage
performed by Yves Jacques
original music composed and recorded by Laurie Anderson

February 4-27, 2005
at the Loeb Drama Center

photos - synopsis - links - restaurant - credits

the far side of the moon is a fantastical voyage into space - outer space, and the space within ourselves. Canadian director Robert Lepage's glorious investigation of the limits of human perception uses dazzling technical wizardry to tell two stories - the public history of the space race, and the private story of two brothers coming to terms with a personal loss. the far side of the moon has captivated audiences across the world, and we are proud to be presenting it to New England audiences for the first time.

"Staged with such beauty that the result - sensual, emotional and intellectual - is breathtaking!" - the Australian

... produced by Ex Machina ... see the company website for more details about the production and reviews from The Daily Telegraph, Financial Times, Evening Post, Los Angeles Times, and La Presse ... the far side of the moon was first performed at Le Théâtre du Trident in Québec City on February 29, 2000 ...

PHOTOS

Click any thumbnail for a full-size image of actor Yves Jacques.

SYNOPSIS

"Before Galileo turned his telescope towards its surface, people believed the moon was a polished mirror, its dark scars and mysterious contours reflections of our own mountains and seas. Much later in the twentieth-century the Soviets launched a probe to circle the moon. When it returned images of the hidden face of the moon, the one we can never see from earth, we were shocked to learn that there existed a pounded and scored face of the moon, wounded by countless meteors and storms of celestial debris. For many years American scientists called this the disfigured side of the moon. Perhaps this was because the features that comprise the far side of the moon bear the names of Soviet cosmonauts, poets, and inventors."

So begins the epic story of Philippe, a man coping with the recent loss of his mother; the estrangement of his only sibling, his younger brother André; and the mysterious teachings the universe holds for those brave enough to look up to the stars and ponder. Time and place are secondary to Philippe's search for meaning in the universe and his place in it.

The competition between the Soviets and Americans during the space race, the SETI program (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence), and memories from childhood and adolescence act as touchstones for this production dealing with the fundamental question, "Are we alone?" Punctuated by Laurie Anderson's haunting score, the far side of the moon is a production that transports the audience to other worlds on the steady wings of Lepage's theatrical magic.

RELATED LINKS

Order the poster by
designer Burt Sun via
the zazzle.com website.

CREDITS

script consultant
  ... Adam Nashman 
puppeteer
  ... Éric Leblanc
artistic collaborator and
project originator
  ... Peder Bjurman
set consultant
  ... Carl Fillion
images produced by
  ... Jacques Collin, Véronique Couturier
assistant to the director
  ... Pierre-Philippe Guay
set consultant
  ... Carl Fillion
assistant set designer
  ... Marie-Claude Pelletier
host's voice
  ... Normand Bissonnette, Martine Rochon
assistant lighting designer
  ... Bernard White
audio editing
  ... Jean-Sébastien Côté
puppet designers
  ... Pierre Robitaille
additional music by

  ... Beethoven, John Coltrane, Led Zeppelin

  ... Sylvie Courbron
Soviet space images
  ... Ultimax Group, Inc.

Production Sponsors: Michael Roitman and Emily A. Karstetter

Opening Night Sponsors: Millennium Partners

This page updated March 1, 2005
webmanager@amrep.org