the far side of the moon

the far side of the moon is a fantastical voyage into space—outer space, and the space within ourselves. Canadian director Robert Lepage’s glorious investigation of the limits of human perception uses dazzling technical wizardry to tell two stories—the public history of the space race, and the private story of two brothers coming to terms with a personal loss. the far side of the moon has captivated audiences across the world, and we are proud to be presenting it to New England audiences for the first time.

SYNOPSIS

“Before Galileo turned his telescope towards its surface, people believed the moon was a polished mirror, its dark scars and mysterious contours reflections of our own mountains and seas. Much later in the twentieth-century the Soviets launched a probe to circle the moon. When it returned images of the hidden face of the moon, the one we can never see from earth, we were shocked to learn that there existed a pounded and scored face of the moon, wounded by countless meteors and storms of celestial debris. For many years American scientists called this the disfigured side of the moon. Perhaps this was because the features that comprise the far side of the moon bear the names of Soviet cosmonauts, poets, and inventors.”

So begins the epic story of Philippe, a man coping with the recent loss of his mother; the estrangement of his only sibling, his younger brother André; and the mysterious teachings the universe holds for those brave enough to look up to the stars and ponder. Time and place are secondary to Philippe’s search for meaning in the universe and his place in it.

The competition between the Soviets and Americans during the space race, the SETI program (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence), and memories from childhood and adolescence act as touchstones for this production dealing with the fundamental question, “Are we alone?” Punctuated by Laurie Anderson’s haunting score, the far side of the moon is a production that transports the audience to other worlds on the steady wings of Lepage’s theatrical magic.

Production Sponsors: Michael Roitman and Emily A. Karstetter
Opening Night Sponsors: Millennium Partners