Theatre @ York Presents Crime on Goat Island by Ugo Betti

TORONTO, March 3, 1999 -- Theatre @ York presents Ugo Betti's powerful and suspenseful play Crime on Goat Island, directed by Mark Cassidy, opening March 16 at York University.

Crime on Goat Island tells the tale of a family of three women who have exiled themselves to a remote and lonely region of the Italian countryside, where they live by raising goats. One day a stranger arrives, claiming to have been a fellow prisoner of war with their now dead relative.

Having endured years of fascist rule in Italy and witnessed the catastrophic events of both World Wars, Betti created a drama that operates at once as a political allegory and existential fable, fusing elements of classical, naturalistic and absurdist theatre.

Ranking second only to Pirandello among 20th century Italian dramatists, Betti attracted literary recognition late in his life. He spent most of his working years as a judge and many of his works deal with the themes of responsibility, guilt, justice and compassion.

Cassidy chose this rarely-mounted Betti play to underline the irony that as we approach the new millennium, the world has not learned from the devastation of World War II.

"We still have the potential to destroy our world," Cassidy says. "We all have the choice of whether we want to embrace life or more self-destruction."

Cassidy is co-artistic director of Toronto-based Threshold Theatre. His professional credits include In the Zone by Eugene O'Neill, part of the Shaw Festival's Director's Project and O'Neill's The Hairy Ape set in Canada's Prison for Women at Theatre Passe Muraille. He was nominated for the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Director in 1995 and in 1997 for the Pauline McGibbon Award for Directing. He is currently pursuing his graduate degree in theatre at York University.

Theatre @ York productions showcase the performance, directing and production talents of undergraduates and graduate students in York University's Theatre Department. The cast for Crime on Goat Island is comprised of members of the second-year Graduate Acting Ensemble. Sets, costumes and lighting are designed by fourth year production students.

Crime on Goat Island previews Mar. 14 and 15, opens Tues. Mar. 16 and runs nightly to Mar. 20 in the Joseph G. Green Studio Theatre, Centre for Film and Theatre at York University, 4700 Keele St. at Steeles Ave. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. with matinees Mar. 17 and 19 at 1:00 p.m. Admission is $10, $7 for students and seniors; $5 for groups. Previews are PWYC on Sun. Mar. 14 and $4 Mon. Mar. 15. For more information call (416) 736-5172. For tickets call the Theatre @ York box office at (416) 736-5157.

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For further information, please contact:

Carol Bishop
Communications, Faculty of Fine Arts
York University
(416) 736-2100 ext. 20421
email: cbishop@yorku.ca