Vincent

The tragic but brilliant story of one of the nineteenth century’s most iconic painters, Vincent is the much acclaimed theatrical interpretation of the life of Vincent van Gogh. Set in the week following van Gogh’s suicide, Jim Jarrett plays the artist’s grieving brother, Theo, who presents the assembled crowd with an extended eulogy, seeking absolution for the genius he feels has been deeply wronged by the world. The script is constructed by writer—and former Vulcan—Leonard Nimoy, from some 500 letters spanning almost 20 years of correspondence between these brothers, with Jarrett at times assuming the persona of the artist who alternately rhapsodises over and rails against his older sibling.

Having returned to this role repeatedly over the past 12 years, Jarrett deftly portrays the kind of good-humoured nostalgia with which Theo tenderly, yet with that slight older-brotherly air of condescension, recounts his brother’s life. Theo’s affectionate musings are starkly contrasted with Jarrett’s depiction of the more manic, overzealous Vincent. Though confusingly, at points, the distinction is obscured as Jarrett does little more than raise his voice to indicate the impassioned artist.

Theo’s narrative delves deep into some of the lesser-known fissures of the van Gogh’s life, explicitly questioning the extent to which the life of the artist should be considered when evaluating his art. This question is implicitly echoed throughout the production as the continuous projection of images of van Gogh’s work aesthetically parallels the various events Theo relates. Thought-provoking and illuminative, Vincent innovatively demonstrates how through both his life story and work, van Gogh continues to interrogate and challenge his public.