Imaginary Comforts at Berkeley Rep

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Imaginary Comforts, or The Story of the Ghost of the Dead Rabbit

By Daniel Handler
Directed by Tony Taccone
Main Season · Peet’s Theatre
October 5–November 19, 2017
World premiere

Running time: 90 minutes, no intermission

The genius behind Lemony Snicket brings his relentlessly mischievous style to a new play for adults. Sarah’s father is dead, her mother is in hysterics, and the new rabbi totally bungled the funeral. To further the absurdity, the ghost of a rabbit hops into her life, pushing her to confront her deepest issues. Fantastical and wise, hilarious and sobering, Imaginary Comforts celebrates ordinary people trying to make sense out of life in the midst of endless, comedic chaos.

Imaginary Comforts, or The Story of the Ghost of the Dead Rabbit was developed in The Ground Floor: Berkeley Rep’s Center for the Creation and Development of New Work.

Creative team

Daniel Handler · Playwright
Tony Taccone · Director
Todd Rosenthal · Scenic Design
Meg Neville · Costume Design
Nick Solyom · Lighting Design
Jake Rodriguez · Sound Design
Madeleine Oldham · Dramaturg
Amy Potozkin · Casting
Michael Suenkel · Production Stage Manager
Suzi Young · Assistant to Daniel Handler
Sofie Miller · Production Assistant

Cast

Cassidy Brown · Michael
Michael Goorjian · Clovis
Sharon Lockwood · Mrs. Gold
Julian López-Morillas · Dr. Marcus Gold
Susan Lynskey · Sarah Gold
Jarion Monroe · Jack
Danny Scheie · Ghost
Marilee Talkington · Naomi

There is a delight in the absurd that runs through [Imaginary Comforts], as well as compassion for its characters, however they may be flawed. And in tackling adult ideas of loss, loneliness, addiction, self-medication, and delusion, [Daniel] Handler has given us a compelling, often funny, non-linear play…The ideas about the real or imagined comforts of stories and storytelling, no matter how grisly, didactic, or baffling…are where Handler’s play succeeds the most…Tony Taccone’s direction is brisk and comical in all the right ways.”

SFist

An absurdist delight…Under Tony Taccone’s sure hand, this world premiere about the power of storytelling—and love, and ghosts—to console and redirect lost souls, is funny and affecting…[Daniel] Handler is delightfully on his game here.”

San Francisco Examiner

[Daniel] Handler (who also writes children’s books under the nom de plume Lemony Snicket) forges a new mythos…Handler’s point, though, is that any story, even an absurd one, can become your rock, your origin story, your comfort animal. In his vision, our universe is gentle enough, charmed enough, to supply founts of myth and solace to us bumbling humans wherever our imagination might land.”

San Francisco Chronicle

Watch now

Behind the scenes: Childhood stories

We asked the actors in Daniel Handler’s Imaginary Comforts to share a childhood story that influenced them. See which story Jarion Monroe mentions.

Behind the scenes: Childhood stories

We asked the actors in Daniel Handler’s Imaginary Comforts to share a childhood story that influenced them. See which stories Susan Lynskey mentions.

Official trailer: Imaginary Comforts

Get a glimpse at the mischievous new play (that’s not for children) by Daniel Handler, the genius behind Lemony Snicket.

Behind the scenes: Storytime

We asked the actors of Daniel Handler’s Imaginary Comforts to tell The Story of the Ghost of the Dead Rabbit in their own words.

Behind the scenes: Daniel Handler

The genius behind Lemony Snicket talks about his new play for adults, Imaginary Comforts, or The Story of the Ghost of the Dead Rabbit.

See photos

Imaginary Comforts press photos ...

Photos courtesy of Kevin Berne/Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Photos may not be used for commercial or personal use without written permission from Berkeley Rep, and unauthorized alteration, reproduction, or sale of these images is strictly prohibited. Journalists and other members of the media, please visit our online press room.

Imaginary Comforts, or The Story of the Ghost of the Dead Rabbit

Imaginary Comforts, or The Story of the Ghost of the Dead Rabbit

Running time: 90 minutes, no intermission

Creative team

Cast

SFist

An absurdist delight…Under Tony Taccone’s sure hand, this world premiere about the power of storytelling—and love, and ghosts—to console and redirect lost souls, is funny and affecting…[Daniel] Handler is delightfully on his game here.”

San Francisco Examiner

San Francisco Chronicle

Download a PDF of the program

Watch now

Behind the scenes: Childhood stories

Behind the scenes: Childhood stories

Official trailer: Imaginary Comforts

Behind the scenes: Storytime

Behind the scenes: Daniel Handler

See photos