A new play adapted from Herman Melville’s novel
From the company that created The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Nominated for a Peter Brook Empty Space/Equity Ensemble Award
Nantucket.1851. Centre of a whaling industry that transformed blubber into the oils and candles that lit the world. It’s there that a schoolmaster called Ishmael arrives to ship on a whale-boat. He enrols under Ahab, Captain of the Pequod – a man bent on destroying the white whale that lost him his leg. Certain the destruction of his nemesis will slake his thirst; Ahab’s single-minded pursuit of Moby-Dick consumes Ishmael, the crew and the Pequod itself.
“It’s true. It’s all true for Moby-Dick. He’s a killer, he’s a fury, he’s an angel of hell. Why if the white whale could talk he’d talk like Ahab.”
The spirit and atmosphere of Herman Melville’s masterpiece – romantic, ambiguous, characterful and rich with allegory – is captured on stage by simple8, following their critically acclaimed and sell-out run of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.
“A company possessing the skills, dedication and intelligence to create wonder”
★★★★★ The Times
All music and sound is performed live by the ensemble.
[Click here for to view and download the leaflet for this production](https://arcola1.staging.wpengine.com/whats-on/brochures-and-leaflets)
simple8 Season
12 February – 4 May 2013
SPECIAL EVENT – Monday 22nd April
After the performance of Moby-Dick, Dr. Cindy Lawford will talk about Melville’s wandering days at sea and how his yarn about a whale transmogrified into his great experiment to produce the American epic novel. There will then be a short Q&A with some of the cast.
Moby-Dick will feature the same ensemble as the critically acclaimed Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.
“A transporting experience”
★★★★ THE INDEPENDENT
“A taut and ripping sea yarn”
★★★★ METRO
“This production should put simple8 in the front rank of companies working in the country today”
★★★★ WHATSONSTAGE
“A spectacular victory…the techniques of ‘poor theatre’ have rarely proved so vivid or evocative”
★★★★ EXEUNT
simple8 has a strong commitment to environmental issues and continues to work alongside Arcola Theatre to develop policies based on the principles of ecological sustainability.
[www.simple8.co.uk](http://www.simple8.co.uk)
“Listen to some of the wonderful sea shanties from Moby-Dick through the videos below.”
Saturday matinees at 2:30pm (06, 13, 20, 27 April & 4 May) – £16 (£14 concessions)
Opening performances (27 – 30 March, 1, 3, 4 April) – all tickets £14
Pay What You Can Tuesdays (limited and subject to availability) – from 6:30pm in person on the day.
Valid for use with [Arcola Passport](https://arcola1.staging.wpengine.com/passport)
