2017

A whirlwind, started with immense personal difficulty which spanned several months, and in some ways overshadowed many of the amazing events of the year. Nonetheless, it is resolved, and now upon reflection, it is difficult not to view 2017 as a pretty fantastic year altogether. 

The publication of my essay "Re-Imagining Expectation for the Theatrical Event" as a chapter in a book, On Immersive Theatre. An actual book. A dream I have held since childhood, finally real. You can order copies here. Due to that immense personal difficulty I mentioned, I still haven't been able to order myself one...since being an academic publication, there are no freebies, even for the contributors. 

This was swiftly followed by seeing the work of two major influences on my creative life; 887 by Robert Lepage, and My Arm by Tim Crouch, both performed by them, and a wonderful catch-up with Tim over wine and delightful conversation. Honestly. I didn't see a lot of theatre this year, and to some extent it is because I was so happily full and inspired by those two pieces, that i felt no hunger. I continue to process and think about them now, reflect on how and why they worked in such a powerful way. 

After many years of reading and thinking and planning I was granted the opportunity by the estate of Sarah Kane, and my wonderful and supportive fellow company members at Theatre By The River to direct 4.48 Psychosis. And not only direct it, but do so with little outside influence, entirely as I wanted to, as a full expression of my aesthetic. As a means of debuting as a director in Toronto, I couldn't ask for anything more, and was astounded by the audience and critical reaction here, and in Winnipeg when we toured the show. My immense gratitude to the team for enabling me to do this work, and to Liz Whitbread, John Norman, and Emma Miziolek for being my partners in creation, will not soon fade. 

I also published a short piece for my dear friend S.K.Clarke's website, which was a part of her I Am Loved series. I am grateful to Samantha for the invitation to be a contributor to the series. You can still enjoy it here. 

Finally, I have been invited to direct a new play by Ciarán Myers, a fellow Brit-Drama-School grad (Central) whose plays have been produced in London and at Edinburgh. The play is a one woman show called Sweet Mama and the Salty Muffins, which will be a part of Alumnae Theatre's 100th season and 30th New Ideas Festival, this coming March. This is a wonderful and challenging script that makes me feel that as a director, lightning can strike. I can't wait to share it with you all. 

So, as much as 2017 had a pile of stink to it, there were undoubtedly some amazing counterpoints, which on reflection, far outweigh the bad. 

thoughts. Ghosts

It isn't like I'm not used to the ghosts that live inside plays. Ghosts of previous productions, and even ghosts of our social interaction with plays. Hell, my MA thesis was a performance of the ghosts that stop us from understanding Sophocles' Antigone. But there is something different about 4.48 Psychosis; it is the ghost of Sarah herself, and more importantly, the ghost of her suicide before the play premiered that permeate the pages, and the reception, and the reviews. it is almost impossible to find a review of the play that doesn't talk about it, and ours have been no different.

And yet I believe that the play is so much more than Sarah's suicide note. The density of the language, the cyclical references, the images and ideas that later become words; each breath, space, and sound so specifically chosen to achieve a specific artistic result. Our work on the play has been filled with discovery of just how intricate the text really is, and the result has been a production which is about the audience feeling things, not the actor. The production creates a space in which we ask the audience members to exist within this mind, amongst these bewildered fragments, for a short period of time, and demand that they empathize with how challenging this must be to deal with on your own, in hope that this will help begin to break down the stigma of mental health and open up our ability to talk to one another about the way we're feeling. 

It isn't easy watching, and we are fully prepared that for some audience members, it may be overwhelming. This is okay. We aren't offended if you feel you need to leave. In fact, we're deeply honoured that our work is able to move people, and hope that you will take advantage of one of the support networks listed in our program for Toronto or Winnipeg, or that you'll reach out to your own support system. 

No one has perfect mental health. The sooner we all admit to ourselves that our mental state does not define us any more than a physical state does, the sooner we can all begin to properly help one another move forward. 

I believe that Sarah left us this play unaware that it would be her last. It is unfortunate that it was, but we should not read 4.48 Psychosis as an intentional final note to the symphony. It is one of many movements, and the symphony is left unfinished.  We feel her humour, her power, her life force every day when the words are spoken aloud. 

'Please open the curtains.' 

[4.48 Psychosis has 2 more Toronto Shows - July 14 at 5:15pm and July 15 at 2:45pm, then moves to Winnipeg from July 19-30. Full show times and ticket links available at www.theatrebytheriver.com. Thank you to all who have joined us to listen, share, and think so far.]

4.48 psychosis by Sarah Kane - Trailer

Beautiful trailer filmed and edited by Alana McNeill, with audio by John Norman. Featuring Elizabeth Whitbread. 

Catch us at Toronto Fringe July 5-15 and Winnipeg Fringe July 19-30.