Egon Schiele meets Modigliani on stage?

I decided to treat myself to the theatre the other night at Harbourfront's Fleck Dance Theatre. While taking advantage of art and culture in Toronto might be a New Year's resolution, this last minute decision was inspired by the following image in the Toronto Star: 

Taken from the Toronto Star- article 929182

Stylistically and emotionally, it resonated with me - Egon Schiele meets Modigliani on stage?  I had to see it.

Questo buio Feroce, The Wild Darkness, is a contemporary performance by an Italian theatre company that draws inspiration from the lives of the socially excluded, to the extent that  "non professional" actors are included in the company. "Non professional" actors meaning street-involved persons and political prisoners with no formal training. The theatre piece was adapted from essays and memoirs of American writer, Harold Brodkey, capturing his journey towards death while fighting a long battle with AIDS. 

I had an idea that it might be dark and artsy, but wasn't quite prepared. Questo buio Feroce was an hour and a half of very disjointed dream-like sequences, interspersed with comedic acts, dances, a karaoke performance and eerie theatrics. It was minimalistic in that it was just a white box, with few props, but way out there with costumes and make-up. Think Venician carnival meets 80's drag show. Despite not being able to understand the entire performance, themes somehow came across and were beautifully illustrated, from lust and longing, the war on mens' bodies by the medical world, to death and dying. Although the more carnival-esque aspects were out of my comfort zone, and the drawn out scenes made me squirm in my seat, the play inspired me enough to want to share the trailer with you. (And the music was great, especially the use of the theme music from In the Mood for Love! I'm a big fan.)



Plus you never know what you're going to find at Harbourfront...we stumbled across a few vernissages to top of our night. More art we didn't quite "get". Who knew that Harbourfront in the winter could be this much fun? 

S.  

The 80s are making a comeback...at Harbourfront

Toronto's Harbourfront-
It could be so much more I know. Right now it's lined with condos, and cut off from the rest of the city by the Gardiner Expressway. Its inaccessibility, lack of aesthetically pleasing and meandering boardwalks/bike paths have contributed to my not really bothering step down to the water- which is hard because who doesn't love waterfronts?


But, when I heard from my cousin that you can revisit old friends like Molly Ringwald, James Spader and Jon Cryer on the big screen, watch Blane confess his love for Andy, outside, by the water and for free, I thought: Harbourfront is on to something. Yup, every Wednesday this summer you can see 80's classics at the Sirius Stage (see first pic!). It's fun, it's loud, there's plenty of seating space, people are a-hootin' and a-hollerin', you can feel the summer breeze and smell the water as you eat your popcorn (which they sell, but we brought our own). Even the CN Tower looked pretty and summery from our seats. I tried to take pics, but clearly have not mastered the art of night-time photography with a point-and-shoot, so the blurriness it is.

Next week: Breaking (80's break-dancing! Now how can you say no to that?)
July 22nd: Desperately Seeking Susan
July 29th: Stop Making Sense
August 5th: Say Anything
August 12th: Labyrinth

We're gonna try and see all of them. Come join!