Playwright and actor Jessy Ardern has re-imagined the classic French drama Cyrano de Bergerac for Edmonton's Citadel Theatre, infusing it with hip-hop influences while preserving its timeless tale of unrequited love and hidden identity. The production opens on May 2 and promises sword fights, clever wordplay, and a fresh take on the 17th-century story.
A Modern Twist on a Classic
Ardern describes her version as a "verse-ish adaptation," reworking the language and dialogue without altering the core plot. The original 1897 play by Edmond Rostand featured rhyming couplets, which Ardern felt made the dialogue predictable. By breaking up rhymes and altering pacing, she aims to keep audiences engaged and surprised.
"I think what drew me at first is just to play with all the good stuff. It's got sword fighting, and clever wordplay, and rich, pompous villains who get taken down a peg, and love triangles. It just kind of has all of the juicy stuff," says Ardern. "What made me really fall in love with it was the language."
Hip-Hop Influence
While not a hip-hop play, Ardern listened extensively to hip-hop while writing to achieve a poetic yet unpredictable rhythm. "Every time the audience thinks they understand the rhythm, the rhythm changes," she explains. This approach ensures the language remains quick and dynamic, echoing the original's sensuality while surprising modern audiences.
Timeless Themes
The story follows Cyrano, a nobleman and soldier with a large nose, who doubts his ability to win the love of his cousin Roxanne. He helps the handsome but inarticulate Christian woo her, using his poetic words. Ardern sees parallels to contemporary issues of masculinity and online culture. "We've got this online culture that's growing, of young men trying to go back to what they think of as the good old days of masculinity being dominant and violent," she notes. "I think, in a strange way, that's a question we're coming back around to: what does it mean to be masculine?"
The production retains all the excitement of the original, with sword fights, subterfuge, and love triangles, now delivered with a fresh, rhythmic energy. Cyrano de Bergerac runs at the Citadel Theatre starting May 2.
