Nightwood Theatre Presents A BLOW IN THE FACE

Alice's life is perfect. She has a wonderful husband and a gorgeous new baby. The only thing is: her husband has left on a work trip and the baby is colicky. Alice cannot sleep. Into her chaotic world arrive two fantastical creatures who take an unnatural interest in her child. In a play described as Rosemary's Baby meets Fight Club, playwright Lisa Ryder explores the taboo subject of postpartum depression and the extreme places the mind can go. A Blow in the Face is a searing and irreverent take on a subject to which every parent will relate.

"A Blow in the Face is a play I have been birthing for a long time - 13 years in fact," explains playwright Lisa Ryder. "I had just finished five years as an action hero on a sci-fi show. Within a year and a half I got married, moved to the suburbs of Vancouver, and had a baby. Within three days of the baby's birth, my then husband left town for work. I was alone; in a house with a leaky roof; with a brand new baby. It rained a lot. The baby cried a lot. I entered a period I now refer to as The Cave. I now know that many women experience The Cave, but very few talk about it. I think it's time we talked about it."

Featuring Tess Degenstein, Jordan Pettle, Selina Martin and Lisa Ryder

Set & Costume Design - Monica Dottor | Lighting Design - Oz Weaver | Sound Design - Richard Feren
Stage Manager - Troy Taylor| Producers - Kim Blackwell and Lisa Ryder| Production Manager - Suzie Balogh

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE: Tuesday - Saturday at 8pm; Saturday - Sunday at 2:30pm; April 3 & 10 at 1:30pm

Opening Night: Thursday, March 28, 2019
Talkback Tuesdays: April 2 and 9, 2019

In 1991, Bald Ego Theatre was created by Adam Nashman, Stan Rogal, Selina Martin and Lisa Ryder. Over the next seven years, they created 12 original productions including: Cafe Naked (Theatre Centre), Panting of the Victors (Toronto/Winnipeg Fringe), Put Me Away (Tarragon Theatre) and The ThreePenny Epic Cabaret (Theatre Passe Muraille). 20 years later, the women of Bald Ego are back with A Blow in the Face.

As Canada's foremost feminist theatre, Nightwood provides an essential home for the creation of extraordinary theatre by women. Founded in 1979, Nightwood Theatre has created and produced award-winning plays that have garnered Dora Mavor Moore, Chalmers, Trillium and Governor General's awards. The company is helmed by Artistic Director Kelly Thornton and Managing Director Beth Brown, whose leadership has received public acclaim for artistic excellence, the successful training and development of emerging female talent, and its ongoing activism around gender equity.

TICKETS: $20-$35 - available in person at The Theatre Centre box office (1115 Queen Street West), at 416-534-9261, or at theatrecentre.org.

Photo by Brooke Wedlock