Presented at Théâtre La Bordée
1:30(without intermission)
In English, surtitled in french
Crow's Theatre (Toronto)
Cliff Cardinal is an Indigenous author, actor and stage director born on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. He trained at the National Theatre School in Montréal and currently resides in Toronto. When asked if he is American or Canadian, his answer is, “Neither. I’m an Indian.” Over the past fifteen years, he’s become a star of English language theatre in Canada. He is the vision behind a number of polarizing shows, including the dazzling Huff, which garnered multiple awards and was performed over 200 times, including at the Théâtre Périscope in 2016.
The title itself suggests a free and open interpretation. “All the world is a stage”, as Shakespeare says in As You Like It, which offers a new take on love, friendship and power by playing with pyrotechnics and other dramatic conventions. The action takes place in a forest, a space of freedom where anything goes, and deals with issues of exile, identity, warring brothers and the usurpation of a kingdom. Cliff Cardinal’s subversion of the work sidetracks the well‑known plot, offering an explosive adaptation that combines black comedy, unsettling dialogue and raw emotion.
Can people change the course of history? Shakespeare’s comedies are often tragedies in disguise, full of irony and designed to arouse the public’s political consciousness. In his day, Shakespeare wrote pieces that took place in the past in order to influence the present. Cliff Cardinal’s latest work offers a contemporary take on this formula with plenty of spirit, heart and daring.
This show contains language that some people may find upsetting or disturbing.
Production Crow’s Theatre
Writer & creator Cliff Cardinal
Lighting designer Logan Cracknell
FULL CAST TO BE ANNOUNCED AT CURTAIN TIME OF EACH PERFORMANCE.