The Bald Soprano was the first play by Romanian-French playwright Eugene Ionesco and along with Rhinocerus it became a signature contribution to the movement “Theatre of The Absurd”.  This piece was first performed at the Theatre des Noctambules, on May 11, 1950 in Paris, France. Since then it has become one of the most frequently performed and re-imagined plays in the country.

The Bald Soprano welcomes us into the home of the Smiths, a well-to-do couple spending a seemingly delightful English evening like any other. Their eccentric maid, Mary, interrupts them as she alerts them that they have had guests waiting at the door for them for 4 hours! Then there are the Martins, a loving and agreeable couple who at times cannot remember who they themselves are.

Once the two couples sit together at last they come to the jolting realization that they have nothing to say to each other, but silence is torturous so they try desperately to engage. Momentarily they are rescued by the curious Fire Chief who though on active duty, entertains and confuses with his experimental fables. Yet once all the stories, conundrums, and topics have run out, the Martins and Smiths find themselves once again desperate for communication and understanding and an ever-growing difficulty in maintaining civility. 

This production features video projections, audience interaction, non-sequiturs, experiments in movement and composition, and mask work.