Synopses and Background
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1. Synopsis (as a thumbnail sketch)
2. Synopsis (using a broader palette)
3. Background of the show
(as a thumbnail sketch)
Vincent Van Gogh is a prisoner of a dream. He dreams he can, through the preaching of the gospels, ease the intense suffering of the poor mining families that he chooses to live amongst. He expects recognition for his selflessness, acceptance for his good deeds and a sense of belonging but receives only condemnation from the church and ridicule from his congregation and is forced to live as an outcast.
Desperate to be loved, his clumsy attempts to woo in his passionate uncontrolled manner only lead to rejection and further embarrassment to his family.
With the bohemian dress of an artist, his lifestyle of bawdy bars and prostitutes does nothing to improve his position in the community. He sets up home with one such woman and her child. His temporary happiness is short-lived as she too turns against him under the pressure of her own greedy mother.
Immersing himself in his work he paints in heavy dark oils oblivious to the vibrant colourful fragmented style of the new Impressionist movement that his brother and patron is quick to appreciate. The first Impressionist exhibition is the turbulent backdrop for the introduction of Paul Gauguin, soon-to-be tutor, comrade but also antagonist of the fragile Vincent.
They come to live and work together in the “Yellow House” in Arles, Vincent’s style now influenced by the Impressionists. The two men could not be less compatible and even their love of painting, absinth and the whores of Arles cannot prevent the strained, volatile relationship from erupting into violent quarrels and razor fights. Deep depression, self harm and breakdown takes Vincent on a cycle of asylum and then release without the necessary support to ensure he continues to get well. Eventually Vincent steals a gun and sobbing and alone in a field he fatally wounds himself.
Prints of his art now fill our homes bringing the light that he felt he had failed to capture. Vincent, the world’s most famous artist yet a prisoner of a dream.
(using a broader palette)
ACT 1
The opening scene is in modern-day London outside the National Gallery. The street is full of tourists and businessmen and other city characters.
Their attention is sought by a street trader who is selling reproduction prints of Vincent van Gogh’s work and offering unofficial tours of the gallery. It is fair to say that his knowledge of art is more “spiel” than fact, however he manages to persuade a small entourage to accompany him into the gallery. But once they are standing before an original painting of “Sunflowers” he begins to flounder. It is left to a mysterious stranger, who has been quietly listening and enjoying the painting himself, to fill in the missing information that the street trader fails to offer.
As the story of Vincent is told we see a young Vincent standing at the graveside of his stillborn brother of the same name. He sings of his strange beginning, the grief of his mother and the lack of love he received as a child.
The curious stranger continues his tale and we hear of Vincent’s generosity. How his only wish is to be of use to the needy and the poor and how he turns to God after being rejected in love, becoming a preacher in a poor mining town.
Frustrated at how little practical help his preaching can provide the impoverished miners he gives his possessions away to them. He gives up his shoes, his shirt and his food. When he is inspected by the church seniors to assess his progress his dishevelled appearance shocks them and they refuse to extend his trial period. The locals he has been helping also misunderstand his motives and consider him mad.
His brother Theo suggests he should not fall into idleness. This offends Vincent greatly as he wants to help so desperately and so he makes no contact with Theo or the rest of his family for a year.
On his eventual return home he argues with his father immediately. Vincent’s appearance has improved little as he’d spent most of his time drawing. He is still bitter about his treatment by the Church and refuses to attend family services.
Vincent becomes besotted by his cousin’s widow and her young son who are both staying with his father. He feels it is his destiny to look after them, love them, hoping for love in return. With no means to support them, combined with his strange manner, his untimely proposal of marriage is rejected and he has to accept that his dream is hopeless.
Distraught, he frequents bars and drinks to excess, occasionally finding comfort in the company of a whore he has befriended. He channels his affection towards her and they eventually set up home together. He looks after the woman, her children and also her vicious mother, all on his small allowance from Theo. But it is not enough to keep them happy so they begrudge him buying paint and other art materials. His family fears he will marry her and warn him that he would be cut off from them if he did. The demands placed upon him became intolerable until finally, feeling rejected and stifled as an artist, Vincent is forced to move on.
Vincent puts all his energies into what will be his first masterpiece, “The Potato Eaters”, a painting of working folk. They are sharing a meal in their dark hovel home, a supper of potatoes dug with their own hands. Whilst Vincent is working with heavy brown tones in a style reminiscent of Rembrandt the new Impressionist movement is born.
Theo visits their first exhibition and is in awe of the vibrant colours and free brushwork. He writes to Vincent explaining this wonderful new style but the other angry visitors do not share his feelings and a riot ensues. Theo meets the artist Gauguin at the exhibition and propositions him to go and live with Vincent in Arles. He agrees to pay his debts if he would keep Vincent company for a while. It has been Vincent’s dream to create a painting community, his “Studio of the South”, but we will see that the two men’s characters could not be more at odds.ACT 2
Vincent is alone in the “Yellow House” in Arles anticipating Gauguin’s arrival. Left only with his thoughts he fills with emotion.
Gauguin is on his way to join him but the two men could not be more incompatible. Vincent is passionate and impulsive. He has little structure to his life and finds it difficult to organise himself and therefore lives in chaos whereas Gauguin is an older, confident, robust character who likes his own space and living a life of order. From the beginning the stresses between the two men show, however they manage to live together, paint together, and frequent the night-cafés together. They disagree on most things except their love of tobacco, absinthe and the whores of Arles. The townsfolk witness the deteriorating relationship between the two artists which is particularly taking its toll on Vincent’s mental stability. This stress, jealousy over Gauguin’s attention to his favourite woman Rachel, frustration at the dominance and frequent ridicule by his fellow painter combined with excessive alcohol causes Vincent to throw a glass in anger at Gauguin and later follow him with a razor intent on harm. No match for the stronger man he is confronted and flees before his attack.
The following day when Gauguin returns he is accused of attacking Vincent and leaving him in a bloodied unconscious state. It is only when it transpires he has a valid alibi, and Rachel tells of her horrific present, the wrapped piece of ear Vincent had given her for safekeeping the previous night, that he is allowed to leave. It is now thought that Vincent has become unstable and attempted suicide.
Vincent suffers terrible nightmares. Unsuccessfully he tries to confront his fears when all of his accusers, tormentors and those that have rejected him enter his troubled mind to haunt him. He is finally committed to an asylum when it is seen he is in no fit mental state to cope with his liberty. The people of Arles add to his troubles by uniting to ensure he cannot return to their town.
In his confinement Vincent shows gradual improvement of his health and an ability to return to painting. He begins by painting the view from his window and later he is allowed to paint in the grounds of the asylum. Eventually he is thought to be well enough to be released and he embarks on a frenzy of work creating many of his most famous paintings but the effort is taking a terrible toll on his fragile health.
Vincent is in a wheat-field having painted his final work and he is carrying a gun. In his weak and tormented state he inflicts a wound to his body that proves fatal. Theo witnesses this final, tragic act and descends the gallery stairs to cradle the dying Vincent. The ensemble sing a lament to the brilliant artist followed by a vibrant finale that celebrates the legacy of wonderful images Vincent has left us.
The show has been extensively workshopped and successfully performed not only as a recital at RADA in London but also as a full production to sell-out audiences at a small theatre west of London receiving impressive local reviews. This musical has the ability to move an audience with its heartfelt melodies, whilst taking them on a rollercoaster of emotions through his colourful life.
The full piano score combined with a young and vibrant cast has proved that an orchestra is not essential. Written at present for a cast of 18 including one child, with some members taking on more than one role, this could easily be reduced for smaller companies to no detrimental effect.
It is preferable that all cast members have soloist capabilities and experience of holding harmony parts within the ensemble choir. Choreography is an integral part of the show though dramatic movement, as opposed to dance routines, is the writers’ intention.
The show is written so that the cast move their own props within the action and at no time are there interruptions for scene changes,
The simple set design is adaptable for varying stage sizes, and the colourful scenery required to complete the spectacle can be projected utilising the artist’s own incredible masterpieces. The writers can provide the images on disc in sequence.
Explore this website for more information including music and images from the show.
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