Love and Human Extinction, because, what could be more romantic than human extinction?
We’re giving away a pair of tickets to the 11pm show of Love and Human Extinction playing at 11pm at Royal St. George’s Auditorium.
To enter the draw, all you need to do is leave a comment* sometime before 8pm today (Saturday) to be entered for tickets to tonight’s show.
More detailed information about the show:
POST-APOCALYPTIC FRINGE PLAY CHRONICLES SOCIETAL COLLAPSE
TORONTO: When an unknown event results in human extinction, what
happens to two men fighting for the love of the last woman at the end
of the world? Personal obsessions, alliances and community survival
become entangled in "Love and Human Extinction," a tragicomedy
written/produced by Shaista Justin (whose book, “Winter, the Unwelcome
Visitor” was endorsed by Nobel Prize Winner JM Coetzee). Directed by
Saniya Ansari (“Oh Sweet Sitha” & “Damme”), the play will be presented
by the Toronto Fringe Festival from July 2 through July 11.
"Contemporary theatre about environmental issues tends to be didactic,
re-telling audiences what they already know," says poet and playwright
Shaista Justin. "People are tired of being talked at — they want
interesting conundrums to think about."
By stripping away present-day society, Justin enables the audience to
look closely at communities in their barest form to examine how
personal interests disadvantage group survival.
"In my play, the worst has already happened, the debate about what
could happen is over,” she says. “I wanted to write about the actual
consequences of our negligent behaviour towards the earth and each
other.”
The three-person cast includes: Jennifer Neales, Damien Gulde and
Matthew Manhire. The cast members are enthralled with the disturbing
plot-line, and excited to take on such diverse character roles. "The
script is thought-provoking, for example, what scientific phenomenon
causes extinction in the play,” says Manhire, who plays gun-totting
Andy. “There are so many issues an audience can explore.”
A businessman and a construction worker bring the issue of masculinity
to the fore as they compete for the love of the last woman alive. Is
it the wheel of God or the inevitability of human behaviour which
causes their demise? "Shaista’s writing is mischievous, poetic and
layered as it weaves a story of uncompromising truth," says director
Saniya Ansari.
With a largely South Asian creative team of women involved in the
production the relevance of contemporary global issues are inherent in
the process as well as the play. “Extreme global circumstances
continually shape our perception,” says Ansari. “At a drastic time of
Taliban resistance I wanted to focus on male and female oppression in
the play”.
‘Oh Susanna’ (Juno Nominee 2007) and Aidan Mason (former guitarist for
Anne Murray) will collaboratively work on writing an original score
for the play, creating a symbiotic fusion of Justin’s lyrical
play-writing and indie-folk melodies.
The 60-minute play is presented by the Toronto Fringe Festival, and
will have a seven show run. The first show is on Thursday, July 2 at
Royal St. George Theatre (120 Howland St., Bathurst & Bloor) at 7:00
pm. Tickets ($10) can be found at fringetoronto.com or can be
purchased at the doors. For more information, go to
loveandhumanextinction.com
Venue 9: Royal St. George’s Auditorium
Thu, July 2 7:00 PM
Sat, July 4 11:00 PM
Mon, July 6 1:00 PM
Wed, July 8 7:30 PM
Thu, July 9 4:15 PM
Fri, July 10 9:15 PM
Sat, July 11 Noon
*be sure to include your email address in the email address field so I can reach you – it won’t show up to people coming to the site. If you won’t be near your email, please send me an email at info@mooneyontheatre.com to let me know an alternative way to reach you – please include “Love and Human extinction contest” in the subject line.