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Le Naufrage by Victor Hugo
# Vox-Pops # His representation of VH was both thoughtful, youthful and full of passionate energy while his effortless switching between the author himself and skilfully represented characters, with their wonderfully authentic accents, gave a vitality to his piece. Angus Bodmin. Loved everything about it ...the brilliant script to the simple but very effective set…… a very clever, gifted performer. Eileen Davis. What a story and what a storyteller...... a "salty yarn" in which the characters, interwoven with Hugo's personal life, unfold in a tale of romance, obsession, and sacrifice set against the stormy seas surrounding the unforgiving, rocky coastline of Guernsey. This is an intimate, rewarding theatrical experience, giving one a glimpse into the creative mind of one of France's greatest writers whilst in exile in Guernsey. Bravo. Richard Mathews. What an amazing evening … really excellent ... a beautifully written piece. Pauline Scott. The whole performance, with its tragic but romantic end, held the audience enthralled throughout. …. not to be missed! Dr John Toynton. Patrick evokes the island at the time of writing and tells the story with perfect pace, lightness and darkness. Chapeau! Amanda Barnes. ….thoroughly absorbed and immersed in the performance. It was just delightful, so seamless ... a beautifully constructed idea. …. brilliant - it felt to us that you were in Victor Hugo’s shoes, conceiving the story and indeed telling it. Jane Hunter. We LOVED it!! …. bowled over by the ingenious, imaginative portrayal of The Toilers of the Sea. Gill Drake. 
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Audience reviews of The Brainstorm
….. a clever and fast-paced tapestry of comedy, intrigue and tragedy…. …. Patrick captures brilliantly the immense energy of Victor Hugo and the intense focus of his story of one man’s super-heroics - a lonely quest to rescue the shining grail of progress in the shape of a technologically advanced steam engine…. The story is told with great gusto, the characters well defined and differentiated. Above all, the sense of duty that Hugo felt in devoting himself to the ideal of liberty, his acceptance and dogged persistence in remaining exiled and his sorrow at the effect of this on his beloved family, are fully brought home both in the allegory of the storyline and Patrick’s portrayal of the lonely but determined author himself…. Dinah Bott ... Chair, Victor Hugo in Guernsey Society. A highly innovative production, entertaining and erudite in the manner that it combined elements of Hugo's life with the breathless excitement of Gilliatt's quest in the novel. An excellent piece of theatre and a pleasure to take students to see. Magnus Buchanan ... Head of English, Elizabeth College, Guernsey. ….one of the most satisfying evenings of storytelling I have enjoyed in many years. Dickson's adaption is gripping, cinematic and funny. Jim Delbridge ... Deputy Director of Island FM ….thought it was superb, as did the whole audience!! Russ Fossey ... Head of Arts Development Guernsey Arts Commission ...a neatly-crafted dramatic gem.... suffused with the elemental power of the sea... Supported by Maeliosa Stafford's deft direction Dickson maintains dramatic tension throughout by means of sharp technique and intelligent timing. As we watch Hugo experimenting with ideas and acting out scenes we begin to feel the full force of his dark narrative. You can't help feeling that Victor Hugo's ego would approve. James Burge ... Burgeoning Media Blog Engaging, gripping, evocative, with a simple stage set but a clever interweaving of sound effects, music and imagery to bring what is a difficult story to read, very much to life. Patrick's performance will linger on in your memory as he recreates Hugo's great tale of passion and intrigue with a sensitivity and poignancy but also with wry humour that makes for a thoroughly enjoyable evening's entertainment. Jo Delbridge ... Director of Public Relations, Specsavers UK & Ireland > Flyer/Poster <
*** PRESS RELEASE ***
Patrick Dickson grew up on the island of Guernsey and now lives in the Bega Valley. His acting career spans more than four decades and includes stage, screen and radio. Audiences may recognise him from ‘Seachange’ or Bell Shakespeare, or they may know his work on the independent theatre scene with O’Punksky’s and other companies.
Patrick became fascinated, perhaps obsessed, with the true story of Victor Hugo’s exile in Guernsey and with the fiction he wrote there, ‘The Toilers of the Sea’. We all know of ‘Les Miserables’ and ‘(The Hunchback of) Notre Dame’, but, unlike his contemporary, Dickens, we know very little about Hugo’s immense and tumultuous career. The Brainstorm is a ‘one-man’ play, conceived, written and performed by Patrick. Hugo is at work in his studio as he pulls together the essential ingredients of a ripping yarn which will become a best-selling novel. He conjures up a cast of characters and spices their relationships with betrayal, obsession, love, sacrifice and a dash of skullduggery. The beautiful, rugged seascape of the Norman Archipelago isn’t simply a back-drop; for Hugo it’s a powerful and unpredictable player in the drama of life and death. This production can only happen with the creative support of O’Punksky’s theatre, a Sydney company Patrick has been associated with for nearly 30 years. The project also features the essential and welcome contribution of local, regional media artists. |
For more information, interviews, photographs etc please contact Patrick Dickson on +61 401 000 922 or [email protected]
