Adaptation and Interpretation

As the father of the concept of “unity of effect,” Poe's prose subtly and stringently leads its audience into the deepest psychological wasteland of its characters. As adapted by renowned Steven Berkoff in 1974, The Fall of the House of Usher is a highly stylized portrayal of melancholy and madness. It is a psychological thriller with heavy gothic undertones that arise from the representation of the inner deterioration of the mind and spirit. The blurring of reality and madness, heightened by Berkoff's adaptation, evokes an otherworldly sensation that allows a unique and original directorial vision to flourish.

The condition of the twins is entwined with and complicated by their association with the physical House. Central to Poe's tale is Roderick's assertion that the House itself pulses with malevolent intent. The cast must also embody the house. Organic and sentient, the crumbling integrity of the House both mirrors and gives impetus to the splintering lives of those who inhabit it. All is new in its antiquity on this “strange metaphysical planet” (Berkoff).


Quotes from Reviews on our previous Shows

On Roberto Zucco and Richard III:

“Eminently able Gerald Garutti…This is simply divine.” (Varsity)
“A deeply unnerving, provocative and unforgettable play”(Cambridge Evening News)
“A beautiful human adventure… Vertiginous” (Le Parisien)