HERO & ZERO
Wiener Zeitung - January 2008
Difficult Self-discovery
Eric is confident - but Eric feels inadequate. As long as all of this is only happening inside his head, it may be acceptable. But one fine day Hero (his over confident ego) and Zero (his sense of low self esteem) leave his head and start to terrorize him, until he is nothing but their puppet, torn between two extremes. Will he manage to get rid of these two pests, and find himself?
"Hero and Zero", the brilliantly constructed comedy by British writer Steve Jones, is playing at the Theater Drachengasse in the room Bar & Co, in a refined and imaginative production directed by Elfriede Schüsseleder. Every movement by the actors is just right. The stellar quartett of actors (among them Eva Maria Neubauer) presents a range from wacky to reflective, the song and dance acts are perfect.
Off the wall entertainment at its best.
The Divine Humanity
Extra Extra – November 2007
MARION DREW
It was always going to be a theatrical challenge, as writer Tim Bruce says of attempting to do justice to the complexity of Blake’s works, and the Theatre of Eternal Values rose beautifully to it, presenting a wonderfully lyrical production of William Blake’s Divine Humanity.
The play interweaves excerpts from Blake’s prophetic work Jerusalem with important events in Blake’s own life, set against a background of his dramatic engravings of the Book of Job.
The beautiful voice and narration of The Bard set a quiet, centred, yet dramatic tone to the play, and gave it an unhurried meditative quality, in which Blake’s visionary message was brought alive. The performance drew the audience in from the beginning, and invited reflection on Blake as a mystic poet, and on how relevant his work still is, 250 years later. The fact that this play is being performed in the heart of London, the city in which Blake spent his life, and one that embodies many of the materialistic capitalist values Blake spoke out against through his work, makes it all the more relevant.
Those who know Blake’s works well might delight in revisiting them in this wonderfully unusual blend of the spoken word, music, dance and visual art, while for those who are perhaps experiencing Blake for the first time, this is an entrancing introduction.
If, as has been said, that William Blake wished his work to ‘purge the senses and open the eyes of the imagination’ *, then his wishes have been honoured in this instance. This was thoroughly pleasurable theatre presented by an international company, whose tightly focused production demonstrates a dedication to the crafting of an artistic and spiritual experience.
William Blake's Divine Humanity
Author: Sara-Mae Tuson Viewed 20 times.
Category: UKTheatre Reviews
With Blake’s beautiful words and the supple and constrained movements of the cast, the Theatre of Eternal Values enact a series of tableaux based on Blake’s etchings, as well as using his work to elaborate on the poet’s life.
If you are a fan of the work of William Blake, catch this new work by the vibrant international cast of dancers, mimes and actors at The New Player’s Theatre until the 2 December.
Although not for the uninitiated, this piece is a loving and sophisticated work created to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Blake’s birth. With the acting at times a little stiff, the cast nevertheless create some startling imagery and a naive joy permeates the piece. While I would have liked to have seen a little more of Blake’s life, the play is chockfull of poetry and dance, and feels quite Victorian (in a good way) in its celebration of Blake’s more visionary and spiritual work.
See it until December 2, at The New Players Theatre, The Arches, Villiers Street, London, WC2 6NG
Zen-Sations 
The Scotsman - Thursday, 19th August 2004
LOUISE RIMMER
IN THIS theatrical equivalent to the Little Book of Zen Wisdom, the highly polished Theatre of Eternal Values present their tales of Zen monks with wit and panache. A snappy pace and tight direction leads to a fun 50 minutes - though I suspect enlightenment itself probably takes a little longer. Recommended for those who like to sit on their ankles.
ZEN-SATIONS tw rating: 4/5
Three Weeks - Sunday, 8th August, 2004
Escape the Festival! Let a group of monks take you to a higher level. Don't worry that a play about Zen sounds a bit, well, new-agey, this team from Italy perform ancient tales of Zen with so much enthusiasm and good-humour that it is impossible not to enjoy it. It also reveals some wise truths about human nature. Simply put together using a brilliant cast, basic props and the audience's imagination this play makes you think, and it makes you laugh, a lot. Go along and be surprised. Zen really wasn't my kind of thing, now, it just might be.
The Imaginary Invalid
The Scotsman,
26. August 1997, Greyfriars Kirk House Theatre
Formed in Belgium only last year, the confident multinational cast of Theatre of Eternal Values begins is UK career with a vigorous adaptation of Moliere's Le Malade Imaginaire. Kenneth Jay is the sprightly hypochondriac Argan, a man preoccupied with his body at the expense of his spirit, who decides to marry his daughter to a doctor to save an bills and indulge his urge to be purged at will.
The ebullient central performance glosses over Argan's selfishness, leaving Nicolette van't Hek as his wife Beline to interrupt the fun and point it out, which she does without losing the audience’s sympathy. Mixing dance, mime and song, The Imaginary Invalid offers originality and a simple infectious exuberance that soon has the house in is hold, although the larger-than-life performances have clearly been honed in less intimate venues.
Gita Hahn as the housekeeper romps away with most of the laughs, a brief turn by Tilman Schillinger as Punchinello comes a close second. Doctor Diafoirus´s dissection lesson is a timeless reminder to make the most of life while you can, and you do a lot worse than start here.
Tom Gordon
THEATRE REVIEW
Theatre Of Eternal Values does well to sustain interest with an intensely modern translation and plenty of invention.
Song, dance, mime and burlesque make this colourful entertainment. If you worry that Moliere is best left to university courses, you should head along and see how close he can get to pure pantomime.
(Stephen Naysmith)
EXPRESS NEWSLINE
22-28 Aug 1997 THE LIST 47
"I was sucked in by theatre"
Just when you begin to write off Indian theatre, and despair sets in on the state of Indian drama, a whiff of fresh air clears the stagnation. This time the manna comes in the form of a unique drama troupe - the Theatre of Eternal Values, a "universal group of performers".
So, the fact that they rehearsed in Gent, Belgium while the Indians rehearsed in India was not a deterrent in this universe in English was no deterrent to the universal language they had developed. In case you missed the show yesterday, try and join the universal bunch that deserves an A for effort and an A for humour.
Austria Today,
24 - 30 October, 1997
If Your memories of Molière from university courses are not the fondest, you need a dose of "Theatre of Eternal Values". This multi-national company has done careful research into 17th-century French song, dance and burlesque and has come up with a colourful new take on "The Imaginary Invalid". Multilingual songs, brilliant dance routines and a hugely talented cast make this a Molière with a difference.
Wiener Zeitung (Austria),
June 20 1997
Of the performance, one thing is sure: it is tempestuous, speedy, colourful. The French director Catherine Gruyer has, together with the actors, completely reworked this biting comedy. (...) Irrevernce and deliberately inserted breaks in style make the whole thing appear like a furious Carnival gag, like an unrestrained prank, which acknowledges nothing but itself.
The likeable team of performers throws itself into its work with temperament and commitment, is on the ball and disciplined. Representative of the whole cast we can name Debbi Eckmann and Tim Bruce, whose naturalness and youthful freshness are enchanting.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
The Stage,
August 28,1997, Greyfriars Kirk House
Theatre of Eternal Values, an innovative multi-national company, after careful research into late 17th Century French dance, mime and burlesque, has most cleverly blended them in this commendably inventive and highly entertaining production of Moliere's classic comedy.
From the moment the hypochondriac Argan takes the stage, plotting to marry his beautiful daughter Angelique into a medical family for his own benefit, the rollicking fun is non-stop, for she is determined to wed her beloved Cleante - and Toinette, the everscheming housekeeper, uses every stratagem to ensure she does.
A very talented cast exploits to the full the richness of Molière’s characters, with deliciously exaggerated expressions and gestures. swift changes of stage styles(from Paris chansons to Victorian melodrama), quick movement routines and multi-lingual songs in a calculated medley of accents, all adding to the appeal.
Victor Vertunni hilariously overacts as Dr Diaforus, Kenneth Jay as a richly expressive Argan, Sigrid Mertens delights as the love-struck Angelique, Debbie Eckmann appeals as Louison, her naughty younger sister, Gita Hahn is an ever-inventive Toinette, and George Barbeton greatly amuses as inept suitor Thomas. Monia Giovannangeli dances beautifully throughout as the angel.
This is Moliere with a difference, expressing the essence of his plot and style in richly imaginative and totally entertaining fashion.
A gem of a show.
Three Weeks
Zen-sations
Theatre of Eternal Values
Escape the Festival! Let a group of monks take you to a higher level.
Don't worry that a play about Zen sounds a bit, well, new-agey, this team from Italy perform ancient tales of Zen with so much enthusiasm and good-humour that it is impossible not to enjoy it. It also reveals some wise truths about human nature. Simply put together using a brilliant cast, basic props and the audience's imagination this play makes you think, and it
makes you laugh, a lot. Go along and be surprised. Zen
really wasn't my kind of thing, now, it just might be.
Cowgate Central @ Wilkie House, 7-21Aug, 4:40pm
(5:20pm) & 8:30pm
(9:10pm),
prices vary, fpp192
tw rating: 4/5