Preview: 4.48 Psychosis

Necessary Angel Theatre Company presents 4.48 Psychosis at Berkeley Street Downstairs Theatre

4.48 Psychosis weaves the imaginative with the unimaginable, presenting audiences with a glimpse behind the veil of severe clinical depression. British playwright Sarah Kane’s work (Blasted, Crave) has garnered acclaim for its stark, sometimes disturbing authenticity in its representation of isolation, dependency, relationships, and love. With 4.48 Psychosis, Kane creates a cragged landscape where the reality of depression is laid bare.

It couldn’t possibly be misconstrued as a cry for help…

 "Despite the fact that Sarah Kane wrote this before killing herself, I don't see the play as a suicide note, quite the opposite, I see it as a life note,” says director Vikki Anderson. “So much of the play is about love and life and how to survive when you can't hold onto either because you are so lost in your own despair. But there is always a reaching out, a striving to live."

Directed by Vikki Anderson, 4.48 Psychosis features Laura Condlin (Elektra, Stratford), Raven Dauda (Intimate Apparel, Obsidian Theatre Company/The Canadian Stage Company) and Bruce Godfree (War Horse, Royal National Theatre of Britain/Mirvish Productions) and with the creative team completed by award-winning designers Bonnie Beecher, John Gzowski and Yannik Larivee.

As 4.48 Psychosis is free-form in both treatment and casting, Necessary Angel has taken this opportunity to surround the piece with a number of ancillary events, including

The inaugural incite! Salon, featuring acclaimed conceptual/installation artist, Iris Haussler and DT Max (author, Every Love Story is a Ghost Story)
commissioned works (visual, film, literary and performance) presented in the Canadian Stage lobby
a special tribute to Sarah Kane on February 20th (including a screening of her short film Skin as well as discussion with Vikki Anderson, Brendan Healy and Jennifer Tarver) marking the 14th anniversary Sarah Kane’s death

“We need to continue provoking discourse amongst those who engage with the company: artists and audience alike.  The themes, feelings, emotions Sarah Kane expresses in 4.48 are present everywhere, everyday.  Each day is a struggle,” says Matt White, General Manager. “We cannot shy away or pretend that these feelings of despair do not exist.  What we are hoping to offer is dialogue about how to survive this struggle - to shine a light in this darkness.  To live another day.”  

4.48 Psychosis
Berkeley Street Theatre (Downstairs)
26 Berkeley Street, Toronto
February 11 – 23, 2013 @ 8PM PWYC - $38
416. 368.3110 or online here
www.necessaryangel.com
facebook.com/NecessaryAngel
@necessaryangel

Preview: Japan’s Hiroaki Umeda/S20

NOW Magazine’s Glenn Sumi named Political Mother and Dark Matters in his top 5 dance shows of 2012, so it is exciting to see more dance at Canadian Stage in 2013. To start, they're featuring two performances from Japan’s Hiroaki Umeda/S20 as part of the Spotlight Japan festival in February.

A star of Japan’s avant-garde dance scene, Hiroaki Umeda/S20 combines hip-hop, soundscape, and video/light effects in two utterly hypnotic performances. Haptic and Holistic Strata will be presented as a double-bill, and all tickets are $54.

This show runs Feb 26 - March 2nd.  This is a short run at the Berkeley Theatre and tickets will go fast. So click here for information and links to buy tickets 

Preview: Ignorance

Canada’s foremost adult puppet troupe, The Old Trout Puppet Workshop, is bringing their newest piece Ignorance to the Berkeley Street Theatre for a 3-week run starting Tuesday Nov, 27th..

Funny, wildly creative, and visually stunning, Ignorance is a playful show that questions where we went wrong in our search for happiness. Can our grunting, howling, prehistoric ancestors help us find our lost bliss? Bouncing between primitive and modern man, urban sprawl and prehistoric cave life, Ignorance explores this question with humour, over-sized puppet heads, balloons, video effects, and more. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to see Calgary’s world-renowned troupe in Toronto.

On stage November 27 to December 15. Tickets $22 to $49 at our website. Click here for tickets.

PROUD hits the Berkeley Street Theatre

A Canadian Prime Minister attempts to move the country slightly right of centre …. Will he succeed? At what cost?

The third in a trilogy of award-winning plays (Generous, Courageous) about Canadian values by award-winning playwright Michael Healey. Proud is about what we actually want out of our politics, and our politicians. Set in the Prime Minister’s office in the Centre Block of Parliament, it is just after the spring 2011 election but the reality of the play is different from ours. In the play, all the seats won by the NDP in Quebec have gone to the Conservatives. This gives them not only an overwhelming majority in Parliament, but a lot of rookie MPs in the Tory caucus.

One such MP is Jisbella Lyth, from the fictional Quebec riding of Cormier-Lac Poule. A single mother who, up until getting elected was the manager at a St-Hubert franchise, Jisbella nonetheless displays traits that indicate to the Prime Minister that she will be a useful asset to his government. He and his Chief of Staff, Cary Baines, begin to train Jisbella in the various methods and strategies that have made the Conservatives so successful. Their lessons unleash an emotional component that none of them anticipate.

Starts: Sep 20, 2012 Ends: Oct 6, 2012 

Berkeley Street Theatre Upstairs, 26 Berkeley Street, Toronto
Monday - Saturday
Times: 2 pm matinee Saturday, evening perfs 8 pm
Cost: $25 - $40 -Monday PWYC
Ticket purchase URL: www.canadianstage.com

Preview: Our Class

Liza and I very excited to be heading to the Berkeley Street Theatre this evening to see our friend David Beazely in the North American Premiere of the muched talked about new show, Our Class. The world premiere of Our Class was held in the National Theatre in London, in September 2009. It was translated by British writer Ryan Craig and directed by Bijan Sheibani. The Polish premiere of the play is scheduled for later this month at the ‘Na Woli’ Theatre in Warsaw, which Tadeusz Słobodzianek took over this season as Artistic Director.


Show Description:

In 1925 Poland, a group of Jewish and Catholic schoolchildren declare their ambitions: to be a fireman, a film star, a doctor. As the children grow up their country is torn apart by invading armies, and internal grievances deepen as fervent nationalism develops. The tension escalates into violence as these ordinary people carry out an extraordinary and monstrous act.

Our Class explores the events leading up to a dark moment in history and follows the fortunes of ten one-time classmates from one century into the next. This haunting play is a courageous examination of loyalty and treason, individual bravery and collective cowardice and the actions that ripped apart a small community during the Second World War. Studio 180 is proud to present its North American premiere in association with Canadian Stage.

Our Class recently won the 2010 NIKE Award, Poland’s top literary prize. It is the first time the prestigious award has gone to a play.

For tickets please click here!

OUR CLASS
BY Tadeusz Slobodzianek
ENGLISH VERSION BY Ryan Craig

DIRECTED BY Joel Greenberg
FEATURING David Beazely, Jonathan Goad, Jessica Greenberg, Ryan Hollyman, Mark McGrinder, Kimwun Perehinec, Alex Poch-Goldin, Dylan Roberts, Michael Rubenfeld & Amy Rutherford
SET & COSTUME DESIGN John Thompson
LIGHTING DESIGN Kimberly Purtell
SOUND DESIGN Michael Laird
MUSICAL DIRECTOR Lily Ling
ORIGINAL SCORE Sophie Solomon
STAGE MANAGER Robert Harding
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER Liz Campbell
PRODUCTION MANAGERS Derek Bruce & Nathaniel Kennedy

Preview: Parade

Last night Parade opened upstairs at the Berkeley Street Theatre. Unfortunately it has not been getting very inspiring reviews...

For Nestruck's review over at The Globe and Mail click here, and for Ouzounian's review at The Star click here.

We are still planning to see Parade and encourage you to do the same if you are musical theatre supporters as Jason Robert Brown has produced some incredible music here and it is carrying an all Canadian cast. For tickets please click the header or here.

Parade

Book by Alfred Uhry
Music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Directed by Joel Greenberg
Starring Michael Therriault and Tracy Michailidis
At the Berkeley Street Theatre Upstairs
Toronto
Parade runs until Jan. 22.