Napoleon Vs. the Turk is an exciting minute-by-minute drama loosely based on the real Turk and its match against Napoleon. It was first performed at the 2006 Toronto Fringe Festival, directed by Luke Davies.
1809. Napoleon Bonaparte has invaded Austria and is working out a treaty at Schönbruun Palace. Also visiting Schönbruun is The Turk, a mechanical man seemingly able to play chess and defeat many seasoned players.
Napoleon, a chess enthusiast, challenges the Turk to a game. But as Johann Nepomuk Maelzel, the last steward of the famous Turk, drunkenly recalls, all is not what it seems.
Before the match, Maelzel feuds with his love, Lotte, who wants to stop the match and for Maelzel to give up the Turk. Meanwhile, the brilliant chess player Allgaier matches wits with defeated Austrian general Sterzl, in a conflict that could spell disaster for Napoleon and Maelzel.
Author Bio
Tom Robertson has written and produced plays in Toronto, Canada, since graduating from Queen's University in 2002 where he studied Drama and History.
His past work includes collaborating on Ninja Heaven, an 'action play', at the National Film Board Cinematheque stage in 2005, Napoleon Vs. The Turk, which was performed at the Toronto Fringe Festival in 2006, and writing for the production Sit On It, a monthly live 'sit-com'.
He is the winner of the J.C.W. Saxton Prize for Playwriting from Queen's University for his play, Horses, and won first prize in the 2004 Toronto Fringe Festival 24-hour Playwriting Contest with his play, Let's Start Over.
Tom makes his living as Senior Project Manager for Shaw Communications.