Landscape Grindr at LA CHAPELLE, SCÈNES CONTEMPORAINES

LANDSCAPE GRINDR by Michael Martini

April 11, 13 *, 14 * and 15* at 7:30 pm | Presented in English | *With surtitles in French

A full-length interdisciplinary theatre performance, Landscape Grindr is a highly personal narrative filtered through reflections on pressing themes: sexual violence, the destruction of nature, and the constant mediation of these concepts through screens. It is a piece that shifts between vulnerability, sarcasm, and discomfort as the author questions his own sexual identity amid the backdrop of the #metoo and environmental justice movements. Caught up in these movements that hinge on believability, when do we ourselves come across as believable as we transgress our assigned gender? How do we question our own nature when our representations of nature, sexuality, and change are most often constant images of violence? The project brings together a group of queer and trans artists from different disciplines in a deconstructed staging where text, video, and performance are on equal footing. Incubated through MAI’s Alliance program and at Playwrights Workshop Montreal, La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines’ presentation of Landscape Grindr is the very first public presentation of this new work written by, facilitated by, and featuring theatre artist Michael Martini.

Teaser

Michael Martini is a queer theatre artist who creates performances for various contexts, from the blackbox to the gallery to the video screen. Since graduating from Concordia University in 2018, he has worked across Montreal’s bilingual interdisciplinary scene, often collaborating with dancers and visual artists. He has shown work at many of Montreal and Toronto’s most exciting performance events. Notably, his co-creation Ça a l’air synthétique bonjour hi appeared at festivals OFFTA and Summerworks, receiving numerous accolades along the way. His creations shift between the banal and the eccentric, layering text, video, and dress-up with a highly social, DIY atmosphere.

Direction, text, video and performance Michael Martini Video Casper Wolski + Timothy Thomasson Performance Gabe Maharjan* + Lenore Claire Herrem + Chadia Kikondjo + Justin DeLuna + Emma-Kate Guimond Lighting Darah Miah Production support Mycelium

*The participation of this Artist is arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance Opera Theatre

CRÉDITS - Development

Advisor – text Susanna Fournier Advisor – staging Sophie Gee Workshop performers Dakota Jamal Wellman + Erin Lindsay + Evan Webber + Kate Hammer + Winnie Ho Thanks to Marie Barlizo + Roxane Halary + Helen Simard Supported by Conseil des arts du Canada + Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec + Conseil des arts de Montréal + Montréal arts interculturels (programme Alliances) + Playwrights Workshop Montréal