This dark comedy is based on Nickolai Gogol’s novella presented by Living Picture (Wales) and QTP, supported by the British Council. British Council as a part of its UK-India Year of Culture is supporting the play ‘Diary of a Madman’ based on Nickolai Gogol’s novella in Bengaluru on November 26. The show is touring India showcasing the supremely talented Robert Bowman bringing to life the dark comedy about one man’s reality as he spirals deeper into a fantasy world. Considered by many to be Nickolai Gogol’s best work. Diary of a Madman, is set in St. Petersburg. Poprishchin is in his 40’s – a low ranking civil servant of the government, struggles to make his mark in life, but one day he makes an amazing discovery. Could he really be the next king of Spain? This dark comedy focuses on how one man’s need for power throws him into surreal chaos. Dogs talk – they write love letters, his bosses are mad and hell-bent on destroying him. Driven insane by Government’s bureaucracy and hierarchy, Gogol’s dark comedy exposes one man’s reality as he spirals deeper into a fantasy world. Although written in 1835, its themes still resonate and audiences find a connection with the current issues of mental health.
Casts and Credits
Performer: Robert Bowman
Director: Sinead Rushe
Producer: Kate Perridge
Lighting design: Katy Morison
Designer: Sarah Beaton
Composer: Roland Melia
Show Technician: Ryan O’Shea
Production Skills: Sinead Rushe
When: 26 November 2017, 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Where: Ranga Shankara, JP Nagar, Bengaluru.
