The Postman and The Poet (UK Cast – 2 CDs)

Description

Based on the famous Italian film ‘Il Postino’ – the show stars Ethan Freeman. 

Based on the novel “Ardiente Paciencia” by Antonio Skarmeta

 

Book by Trevor Bentham and Eden Phillips

Music by Michael Jeffrey

Lyrics by Eden Phillips

Orchestrations by Craig Barna

National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Craig Barna

Studio Performance Directed by Philip Swan

 

Cast:

Pablo Neruda, the Poet Ethan Freeman

Matilde, Neruda’s wife Jennifer Hepburn

Mario Jimenez, the Postman Simon Thomas

Jose Jiminez, Mario’s father Stuart Pendred

Beatriz Gonzalez Joanna Ampil

Rosa Gonzalez, Beatriz’s mother Siobhan McCarthy

Labbe, the Political deputy Hal Fowler

Cosme, the Postmaster Graham Bickley

Father Zulueta, the Priest Arvid Larsen

 

Women of Isla Negra:

Guilietta Robyn North

Carmen Jennifer Hepburn

Raffaela Madalena Alberto

Dolores Sarah Lark

Francesca Aimie Atkinson 

Maria Rosa O’Reilly

 

Fishermen:

Antonio Ben Watson

Paco Paul Betts

Miguel Adam Ellis

Tomas Robin Chalk

Paolo Stephen Carlile

Fernando Matt Harrop

 

THE MUSICAL

Ardiente Paciencia is the novel by Antonio Skarmeta on which the 1994 Oscar-winning film Il Postino was based.

 

In contrast to the movie, the musical follows the setting and time frame of the novel: Isla Negra, a fishing village on the Chilean coast, 1970-73. Mario, inarticulate and wildly romantic, gets a job as postman to the poet Pablo Neruda. Learning from Neruda, Mario woos the beautiful Beatriz in a way that is unusual to her: in words. The pair fall in love, and after being caught in a delicate situation are forced by Beatriz’s mother, Rosa, to marry. She puts the couple to work in her taverna.

 

The up-and-down love story of Mario and Beatriz is set against Chile’s political backdrop in the years between the election of Marxist president Salvador Allende in 1970 and General Pinochet’s military coup of 1973. Throughout the story, Cosme, Isla Negra’s postmaster and a dedicated left-winger, clashes with Labbe, the right wing political deputy, a contest which ultimately costs Cosme his life.

 

Meanwhile, Mario’s hero-worship of Neruda leads him to become not only poet and lover but a Marxist follower as well. His notebook, in which he has naively written ‘Mario Jimenez – Communist’ is found by Labbe, now a henchman of Pinochet, and

 

as Neruda is taken into custody Mario becomes one of Chile’s ‘Disappeared’, leaving Beatriz about to give birth to their baby. She and her mother leave Isla Negra, in the hope that the child will embody the spirit of poetry and freedom with which Neruda has entrusted Mario.

 

1.Overture

Orchestra

2.Morning On The Quay/Be A Postman

Company

3.Please Go On Dancing

Mario, Neruda, Matilde

4.Taca-Taca

Raffaela, Carmen, Dolores, Beatriz, Mario

5.Strangers

Beatriz, Rosa, Labbe, Mario

6.See The Light

Labbe, Cosme, Mario, Jose, Rosa

7.Metaphor

Neruda, Mario

8.Dance At Rosa’s

Company

9.Lost In Love/The Argument

Mario, Beatriz, Rosa

10.Speak From The Heart

Neruda

11.Poetry Is Poison

Rosa, Neruda

12.Now Is The Time

Labbe, Cosme, Neruda, Mario, Beatriz, Rosa, Company