SHOW DESCRIPTION
Set in a shifting universe of domestic trappings and interlocking stories, People Watching’s debut creation ‘Play Dead’ brings us a surrealist chronicle of the familiar. The show's inventive mix of acrobatics, dance, and physical theatre casts circus in a fresh and unexpected light. By giving place for seemingly unexceptional stories to unfold, we look closer and marvel at how beautiful, twisted, and sometimes laughable reality can be. Far from settling into bored fatalism, this show marvels at the absurdity of the mundane and celebrates life, the same way people desperately dance to the last song before the party ends.
“Not only did the six Montreal artists of People Watching offer us the festival's favorite show, but they also created one of the most memorable contemporary circus shows of recent years.
La Presse; Montreal, Canada -- 9/10 review
“Play Dead is currently one of the truly sublime artistic achievements of contemporary circus. It includes the world's highest artistic level of an uncompromising character, captivates with visually engaging images associating tenebrism and naturalism in 17th century painting, and with the overall action on stage draws you into the dreamy timelessness of surrealism. Emotions flowed from the performance, it moved and amazed, it entertained and even elicited spontaneous laughter. Behind this unique project is a solid group of creators, virtuoso artists, personalities of different nationalities and disciplines, as well as totally available artists with the willingness to break away from the perfectly familiar and open themselves up to a challenge.”
Dance Zone; Prague, Czech Republic
CREDITS
Artistic Direction & Performance Ruben Ingwersen, Jérémi Levesque, Natasha Patterson, Brin Schoellkopf, Jarrod Takle, Sabine Van Rensburg
Set Design Emily Nicole Tucker
Sound Design Colin Gagné
Music Michal Aloni, Francisco Cruz, Olivier Landry-Gagnon, Stefan Boucher
Lighting Design Émile Lafortune
Costumes Camille Thibault-Bédard, Catherine Veri, Jonathan Saucier, Paul Rose
Carpentry Alastair Davies, Atelier Moa
Dramaturgic Assistance Peter James, Isabelle Chasse, Gypsy Snider
International Representation Aurora Nova
Production & Tour Management Léah Wolff
Funded by Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, Canada Council for the Arts, Conseil des arts de Montréal
Support The 7 Fingers, White Wall Studio, Patro Villeray, Phantom Theater