June 22 - 25, 2023
At the Vancouver Opera Rehearsal Space - 1955 McLean Drive, Vancouver
With the rise of social media and partisan propaganda, and with conspiracy theories connected to every facet of life, it is little wonder that some have dubbed this the "post-truth" era? Truth & Lies examines some of the tensions and desires that are generated in a world where reality is mutable and narratives are cynically crafted for personal and political advantage.
This collection of 3 short plays, and a complementary VR narrative, has been written by some of the brightest stars of the Canadian playwriting scene. The world around you proves to be not what it seems as digital reality and real life collide.
The experience takes place on-site in the newly equipped Martha Lou Henley Rehearsal Hall in the Vancouver Opera production. Each short piece will use the same 4 actors and creative team to ensure a captivating and fully realized vision. Read on for details about the individual pieces!
QAmom explores a seemingly innocuous online relationship that masks sinister intentions. A man and a woman engage in some innocent DM flirtation. A Mommy vlog YouTuber has some fantastic tips on affordable meals for the whole family. But who has time for the frivolous when our children are under threat. The storm is coming. Like and Subscribe.
When a young man applies to work as a content moderator, he finds the job to be tougher than he expected. Can he stomach its gruesome requirements?An examination of the lives of those who "clean up"the Internet at the expense of their own psychological well-being,Sin Eaters of the 21st Century is a pitch-black horror-comedy for the digital age.
As the trans mountain pipeline comes into operation, politician Aya Lopez wearily warns British Columbians once again of the climate change crisis, only to be met with ridicule. Her husband, Clem, anASMR artist, tries to comfort her and support her by laying in similar messages in his ASMR videos. Meanwhile, Aya’s sister, Camila, is holed up in a basement suite in her cosplay outfit, living out an entire lie of an existence as Spytryx. Her delusions grow as she starts to flirt online with Grig, a Russian disrupter in Canada for some nefarious work.
Smother Me In Your Love, by Pippa Mackie, is a dark, playful and absurdist VR experience that explores the themes of truth and lies, and thrusts the viewer into an interactive experience. Loosely inspired by certain events in Shakespeare's Othello, Smother Me In Your Love, challenges the audience's role as a spectator and asks what responsibility we all have as viewers.
Featuring: Carmel Amit, Kwasi Thomas, Manuela Sosa, and Robert Garry Haacke
Voiceover performance by: Francis Dowlatabadi, Libby Willoughby
Video Performance by: Andrii Krupnyk
Playwrights: Pippa Mackie (VR), Vishesh Abeyratne, Sebastien Archibald, and Lucia Frangione
Directed by: Richard Wolfe & Libby Willoughby
VR Film Directed by: Jordan Watkins
Assistant Director & Producer: Libby Willoughby
Stage Manager: Jasmin Sandhu
Lighting Designer: Jacob Wan
Sound Designer & Composer, Projection Designer: David Mesiha
Costume Designer: Julie Edgeley
Set Design Consultant: Jergus Oprsal
Russian Dialect Coach: Andrii Krupnyk
Fight Coordinator: Richard Meen
Sound tech for the VR: Dwayne Morgan
Production Manager: Alexander Forsyth
The VR film was produced with the co-operation of the Union of B.C. Performers.
Where: The Vancouver Opera - 1955 McLean drive
When: June 22 - 25, 2023.
Showtimes: June 22, 23, 24 @ 8pm. June 24 & 25 @ 4pm.
Run time: 75 minutes with a 15 minute interlude
Tickets: $25 including service fees
*if cost is a barrier for you, please contact Libby at libby@pitheatre.com and she'll be happy to help.
Warnings: VR can cause motion sickness (viewing is optional). As this is a roving piece, the audience will remain standing. If you require a seat please let us know and we will arrange one for you. The pieces feature strong language, mentions of death, rape, suicide, mental illness, pedophilia, themes of violence, and content which is sexual in nature. If you have questions about specific content warnings, please contact Libby via email at libby@pitheatre.com.
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