SYNOPSIS

A few days after the death of little known painter Vincent Van Gogh, rumors are flying in Paris.
Some say he was a penniless madman, a frequenter of prostitutes, a derelict and soon to be
forgotten artist of trifling quality. Others denounce him as a wayward priest and a foreigner.
Many whisper he took his own life in a moment of insanity. His brother Theo, Vincent's
confidante and lifelong supporter, is enraged. Tonight, he hopes to set the record straight.


A FEW WORDS FROM THE AUTHOR

“Vincent Van Gogh was one of the world’s loneliest souls. He was also one of the most misunderstood.
He was an artistic genius yet he received no recognition during his lifetime and his work dismissed as
that of a mad man.

There was one man on earth who encouraged him in his work, provided him with supplies
and money necessary to continue painting, who believed in him and who had an
inexhaustible fund of love, which above all else, Vincent needed: his brother Theo.

Each night, when the fourteen to sixteen hours of drawing and paintings were over,
Vincent sat down with pen and ink and poured his heart out to his brother.
There was no element of his artistic struggle too unimportant for Vincent
to communicate to the only other living person who considered his
every word and feeling precious.

At age thirty-seven, Vincent died in Theo’s arms.

Six months later, at the age of thirty-four, Theo died. He left behind a wife and baby.
Having saved every letter Vincent had ever written, Theo also left behind the story
of Vincent’s’ life — told by Vincent in soul searching detail.

For a number of years I researched these letters – one thousand six hundred and
seventy pages survived – and discovered that at Vincent’s funeral Theo was so
overcome with emotion he was unable to speak. And so, my play begins one
week after Vincent’s’ death. The setting is a lecture hall in Paris. The time is late July,1890.

Theo has rented this space and invited artists, friends, anyone who will listen to him.
His hope is today he will be able to express himself and to do justice to the memory
and reputation of his beloved brother, Vincent. Those of you in attendance tonight
are an integral part of this play. You are the people who came to hear Theo that
warm day in Paris, over one hundred years ago.”

- Leonard Nimoy



CONTACT

Cicada Productions
vincenttheplay@gmail.com
More info at www.facebook.com/VincentThePlay

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