Edgar Allen Poe
MONA FOMA Production
Ben Winspear - Director
Tom Rimes - Musical director and conductor
Tracey Patten - Percussion
Matthew Goddard - Percussion
Peter Warren - Organ
June Tyzack - Chorus master
Roz Wren - Masks and puppets
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Choir
Set in an opulent abbey during a rampant blood plague, Prince Prospero seals himself inside with a thousand friends to party until death burns itself out, and it becomes safe to return to the habitable world.
But their plans disintegrate when a mysterious visitor crashes the party, and their haven becomes a tomb. Poe's influential and timely short story is a sumptuous warning for our era.
Building on the recent success of the 2020 The Bleeding Tree and Venus and Adonis season, which played to capacity houses, the creative team would reassemble for a follow up production.The Masque of the Red Death will be a bespoke music-theatre event.
"Winspear and Rimes deliver a hugely engaging, surprising production. The sound palate is notably rich, the chorus is inventively deployed, and the show carefully balances the busy, boisterous, two-dozen strong
Chorus, McQuade’s subtle and expressive storytelling, and the through-composed accompaniment of organ and percussion."
"McQuade delivers her story with threat, great humour, and ultimately, apocalyptic finality. The nuances are all finely judged and, in her final moments, detailing the triumph of death over human vanity, yet tempered with compassion, McQuade is superb."