Ulysses

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Steven Rumbelow's production of Ulysses from James Joyce was the biggest landmark change in his development as a director since King Lear five years before.

Steven went away on his boat to work on the adaptation after the cast expressed fears of working on one of the most complex works in English literature. He allowed himself six weeks for the adaptation and began to get concerned when after four weeks all he'd accomplished was a complete repainting of his boat. He was ready to give up until he noticed a letter from Joyce to a friend about his creative approach to the work. He outlines the Linati Schema, which likens each chapter of the book to a part of the body. Steven at last had everything he needed and wrote the adaptation in a week. The production came together in rehearsals over six weeks and everyone knew they were working on something special.

Ulysses won accolades and awards in about 20 countries over it's four year tour. Steven cast the production with input from Grotowski's Laboratorium collaborators Jacek Smyslowski and Malgo Swiantec. Julian Richings played Bloom and Carole Pluckrose took on the role of Molly Bloom. The Joyce society hailed the production as the best stage adaptation of Joyce and after Grotowski stopped performances of his brilliant Apocalypsis Cum Figuris he posed Ulysses as a good representation of his principles for presentation of his events in Toronto. Grotowski's Lab also honored the production by asking Rumbelow to stage Ulysses at the Apocalypsis Studio in Wroclaw.

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