The Little Theatre Group, Costa Rica’s oldest English-language community theater company, has invited U.S. performance artist and dramatist Joseph Kaknes to present his spectacular interpretation of “Van Gogh,” based on the life of the famed Dutch post-impressionist painter, this weekend in San José.
While Vincent van Gogh was eternalizing his legacy to the world on canvas and paper, his life was crumbling under bouts of anxiety, alcoholism, loneliness and even psychotic episodes. Van Gogh died in 1890, at age 37, impoverished and virtually unknown, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Kaknes transforms the stage into van Gogh’s studio and himself into the tormented artist.
“I walk onto the stage as Vincent, with a blank canvas, and tell his life as he would tell it. As I speak, I paint,” Kaknes says.
Kaknes leads the audience through van Gogh’s tragic life until just before the master’s death. At every performance, he creates an original work of art.
After the performance, Kaknes takes questions from the audience and shares his admiration for van Gogh and his work. The audience will also be able to see more of Kaknes’ paintings.
Since its premiere in November 2002, “Van Gogh” has been nominated for best one-man show at Newport, Rhode Island’s Firehouse Theater Newbie Awards and has been performed more than 100 times throughout the United States.
The show will open with a reception tonight at 7:30 p.m., followed by two more performances July 16 at 7:30 p.m. and July 17 at 2:30 pm., at the Laurence Olivier Theater in San José, Avenida 2, Calle 28, next to Sala Garbo. For reservations, call 8858-1446 or visit www.littletheatregroup.org.
