Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities
Kirk Smith's adept take on Dickens' monumental tale of a world turned upside down in Revolutionary France is as fresh as it is honest. This adaptation molds the immense detail of a story in which two men's lives intertwine with an almost star-crossed duality into a satisfying, accessible vehicle, complete with Paris mobs, storm-swept highways, crowded streets, and treacherous courtrooms. Best of all, it's done briskly, without the burdensome trappings and extravagant indulgences that curdle other adaptations.
- Staged reading, High Time Cafe , Austin, TX 1997.
- Produced by SYT with five professional actors and fifteen students.
- Produced by VORTEX, 1998. Directed by Bonnie Cullum.
- Published in 2001 by Encore Performance Publishing
Nominated for 4 B. Iden Payne Awards including: Outstanding Script.
Winner of the David Mark Cohen New Play Award.
Winner: Best Director of a Drama, Austin Critics Awards.
"Smith has managed to distill the drama and create an evening of surprisingly engaging theatre. Everyone should check out Kirk Smith's A Tale Of Two Cities . This show is enough to make even the most classics-scarred person want to pick up the novel and give it one more try" -- The Austin Chronicle
"Kirk Smith has pulled the disparate parts of Dickens' long, tortuously wrought plot together with a mix of verve and passion, intimacy and grandeur. All the elaborate extras are unnecessary when you pare down to such immediate raw storytelling.” -- The Austin Chronicle .
“(The) adaptation will impress readers and theatregoers alike. A story of human resilience and honor, Smith's DICKENS' A TALE OF TWO CITIES honors the original while making a mark of its own.” -- The Daily Texan.
“As Paris rages and riots with the drama of the Terror, it's Smith's script that's the real star here. Smith has done an excellent job of capturing Dickens' masterful literary style and his intricate and complex brand of storytelling.” --Citysearch.com
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