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Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
FOLLOWING its 30-venue UK tour, the first English stage version
of Brazilian author Paulo Coelho's best-selling novel, The
Alchemist, opens at Islington's Pleasance Theatre
on May 9, 2005 (previews from May 6) for a limited period only
- until June 19, 2005.
The Alchemist, which was first published in Spanish
in 1988, has been translated into 56 languages, including English
in 1993 and is listed among the BBC's 100 Big Reads.
It's the story of a shepherd boy and his quest for his dream
- a quest that takes him through the colourful bazaars of Tangiers
and across the Egyptian desert.
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And it's a story that has captured
the imagination of readers worldwide, with 30 million copies of
the novel sold to date.
A small-scale production of this same stage adaptation by the
Cornish Theatre Collective, was first seen in 2002 at London's
Finborough Theatre.
It has since been updated with new staging designed by Patrick
and Suki Haughton and music specially written by Phil Innes -
some of which will be played live by cast members. Aerial puppetry
comes courtesy of Paul Antonelli.
The Alchemist will be directed by Dominic Knutton and
will feature Maria Fernanda Guirao, Lauren Hassan-Leslie, TJ Holmes,
David Kershaw and Mario Vernazza.
And for those who have enjoyed The Alchemist, Coelho's
latest novel, The Zahir, is due for publication in the
UK on June 6, 2005.
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