'SFJ’s winter season brings an exciting venture for the many thousands who heard or read about, but haven’t yet seen our acclaimed production of Cyrano de Bergerac, winner of the 2013 Sydney Theatre Award for Best Independent Production. One of the world’s most original and finely crafted romantic comedies; the tale of the beautiful Roxane and the man who would love her, but for his outrageous nose – the play that brought the word ‘panache’ into the English language! Cyrano is a complete theatrical masterpiece.
'We are thrilled to announce that off the back of the huge success of Antigone and Of Mice of Men, Canberra Theatre Centre and Illawarra Performing Arts Centre have bought Cyrano for their 2017 seasons and we will bring this exceptional show back for a 2 week run on the big York Theatre stage at the Seymour Centre in June before going on the road. Damien Ryan’s new adaptation of the play won enormous acclaim in 2013 and we are thrilled to bring it to new Australian audiences.
CYRANO:
You see it, but you’ll never have this plume,
It soars above the battle’s mud and ash,
It stays with me, one thing…
ROXANE: (kissing him)
…this!
CYRANO:
MY PANACHE!
'Cyrano’s ideas and concerns are simply and profoundly human – what does individualism mean and how do we remain faithful to what we believe in? What is love and how do we get past its clichés and false ideals? How does self-esteem define us all our lives? What is beauty? What drives male aggression? What is courage? And for Rostand, it was a passionate condemnation and plea for a France that he felt was losing its soul, its romance and its creativity to return to a more enlightened, brave and individual sense of its identity – its panache.' (Production summary)
'Cyrano is the most interesting person in any room – a wordsmith, a charmer, a ruthless fighter. She works twice as hard and runs twice as fast as any of the pretty boys, because she's deeply ashamed of something about herself. She's fallen hard for Roxanne, the brilliant, beautiful new girl in town with a penchant for poetry and a way with words. Just like Cyrano. But Roxanne's only got eyes for Yan: hot, manly Yan; all-brawn-and-no brains Yan, who's dumbstruck around Roxanne – probably shy, right? Until suddenly he starts saying the most amazing things. But it's not Yan writing these perfect love scenes, it's Cyrano …'
Source: Publisher's blurb.
Cyrano de Bergerac is included in AustLit because of Australian-written adaptations.
