Travesties  at  Burning  Coal  Is
Riveting and Not to Be Missed

Travesties at Burning Coal stars (from left) John Jimerson, Ryan Pater, Dan Oliver, Jenn Suchanec, and Steven Roten (photo by Bert Cook)

When you head over to Murphey School Auditorium in Raleigh to catch Burning Coal Theatre Company's riveting production of Sir Tom Stoppard's Travesties, don't forget to bring your thinking caps. This verbose tour de force is not for the faint of heart or light of vocabulary. Indeed, it's a veritable theme park for overthinkers who live to ruminate on the complexities of human existence against the background of societal, artistic, and political upheaval.

Burning Coal's production of Travesties stars John Jimerson as Tristan Tzara (photo by Kevin Lord)

That might sound heady, and in less capable hands it very well might have been. With the deft hand of Flora Bare at the helm, however, this vibrant cast dances through the Tony Award®-winning script and delivers a charming and gripping verbal tango. The play, set in Zurich, Switzerland, during The Great War, is told through the eyes of Henry Carr, whose wandering memory imagines the unlikely crossing of paths between poet/author James Joyce, poet/artist Tristan Tzara, and political revolutionist Vladimir Lenin.

Travesties at Burning Coal stars Ryan Pater as James Joyce (photo by Kevin Lord)

If that isn't already brain-bending, then know that Carr is also the most unreliable of narrators. His memories meander through time and logic like a drunken sailor, making up in inventiveness what he lacks in truthfulness. Played with commanding charm by Steven Roten, Carr deftly captivates the audience from the get-go. His palpable synergy with John Jimerson's exuberant Tzara is the kind of theater magic that transports, and their verbal sparring easily shoulders the bulk of the play. Vuitton Bond's Lenin is more stoic but no less engrossing, and his grounded dominance in Act 2 balances Carr's escalating imagination beautifully. Dan Oliver's subtly impressive Bennett also makes an impression.

Burning Coal Theatre Company's Oct. 8-25 production of Travesties stars Vuitton Bond as Vladimir Lenin (photo by Kevin Lord)

And then there's the women: Alexandra Finazzo's Nadya is more than a match for Lenin, and Jenn Suchanec's Gwendolen Carr brings a flighty, vibrant energy every time she is on stage. Meanwhile, Edith Snow's Cecily Carruthers takes Act 2 by storm, thanks to her indomitable personality, Carr's colorful imagination and an unexpected ceiling prop (wait for it). Overall, this cast of characters does an incredible job of handling lofty material with alacrity and the kind of consummate professionalism that you'd see on London's West End.

Burning Coal's production of Travesties stars Steven Roten as Henry Carr and Edith Snow as Cecily Carruthers (photo by Kevin Lord)

Props are due to the talented crew as well. Chris Popowich's lighting design made Eugene Bush's lush set even more rich and dynamic throughout the night, and Adrien Ewens positively slayed with the period costumes. Dramaturg coach Rebecca Bossen did double-duty, helping her cast master a bevy of distinct accents that shift constantly -- and intentionally -- along with Carr's drifting memories, with polished effect.

A feast of intellectual and social commentary, this production is not to be missed. Grab tickets while you can, as this is sure to be a sold-out run.

Sir Tom Stoppard TRAVESTIES (In Person at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 15-18 and 22-25), https://burningcoal.org/season-30/travesties/">TRAVESTIES directed by Flora Bare and starring (in alphabetical order) Vuitton Bond as Vladimir Lenin, Alexandra Finazzo as Nadya, John Jimerson as Tristan Tzara, Dan Oliver as Andrew Percy Bennett, Ryan Pater as James Joyce, Steven Roten as Henry Carr, Edith Snow as Cecily Carruthers, and Jenn Suchanec as Gwendolen Carr (Burning Coal Theatre Company in the Murphey School Auditorium in Raleigh). STUDY GUIDE: https://www.canva.com/design/DAHK3tbFeYs/L8_r313wEN1XmEI_Rlf6aQ/view. PRESENTER: https://burningcoal.org/, https://www.linkedin.com/company/burning-coal-theatre-co/, https://www.facebook.com/burningcoaltheatrecompany, https://www.instagram.com/burningcoaltc/, https://www.tiktok.com/@burningcoaltc, https://x.com/burningcoaltc, and https://www.youtube.com/@BurningCoaltc. PODCASTS: https://burningcoal.podbean.com/. 2026-27 MAINSTAGE SEASON: https://burningcoal.org/season-30/. VENUE: https://burningcoal.org/plan-your-visit/ and https://burningcoal.org/history-of-the-murphey-school/. DIRECTIONS/PARKING: https://burningcoal.org/plan-your-visit/. ACCESSIBILITY: https://burningcoal.org/accessibility/. TRAVESTIES (1974 West End and 1975 Broadway Dramatic Comedy): https://www.concordtheatricals.com/p/7644/travesties, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-show/travesties-8853, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travesties. THE SCRIPT (excerpts): https://books.google.com/books. BURNING COAL STUDY GUIDE: https://www.canva.com/design/DAHK3tbFeYs/L8_r313wEN1XmEI_Rlf6aQ/view. SIR TOM STOPPARD (Zlín, Czechoslovakia-born British playwright and screenwriter, nee Tomáš Sträussler, 1937-2025): https://www.concordtheatricals.com/a/2050/tom-stoppard, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/tom-stoppard-8912, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001779/, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tom-Stoppard, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Stoppard. CONTENT ADVISORY: Burning Coal Theatre Company cautions that this show contains "Brief, barely visible partial nudity, one or two swear words, suggested sexual activity (unseen), [and] suggested urination (unseen)." TICKETS: $30 ($20 students, educators, and active-duty military personnel and seniors 65+), except $5 students 18 and under and $20 Thursday Special, plus taxes and fees. Click here to purchase tickets. INFORMATION: 919-834-4001 or info@burningcoal.org. PLEASE DONATE TO: Burning Coal Theatre Company and Historic Oakwood Cemetery.

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