Fringe News
Fringe News
What and where is home? How long after leaving the land of your birth does your new country become home? Twenty years after immigrating to Canada, Rosemarie Jon-Charles Hicks goes back to her home island in the Caribbean to teach a series of head-tie workshops. The journey brings her face to face with her family, her culture, and the uncertain future of her way of life. Both funny and deeply poignant, Dora-nominated performer Kanika Ambrose’s powerhouse one-woman show THE ART OF TRADITIONAL HEAD-TYING plays July 2-13 at the St. Vladimir’s Theatre as part of the 2014 Toronto Fringe Festival. Tickets are available via www.fringetoronto.com or 416-966-1062 ext. 1, or at the door.
“Kanika Ambrose is a force of nature. She demands attention from
the second she bursts through the door to her final bow sixty minutes later.
What happens in between is funny, touching, and informative."
When Rosemarie Jon-Charles Hicks goes back to the island of Dominica to teach a series of head-tie workshops, her idealism and optimism are tested by her two zany nieces, a lethargic boyfriend, a persistent old flame, and a class of workshop attendees who really aren’t that interested. Creator/performer Kanika Ambrose (Binti's Journey, Theatre Direct; Twelfth Night, Macbeth, Humber River Shakespeare; Obeah Opera, bcurrent/Theatre Archipelago) and co-director Virgilia Griffith (Honesty, Suburban Beast/Koffler Centre; Salome's Clothes, Body Theatre) bring to life the story of Rosemarie’s awakening to the realities of the island she left behind. Through a series of trials, an uncanny clan, and six weeks of very trying head-tie classes, Rosie is ultimately faced with this question… “If the values, people, and traditions of the place I call home have changed, where is my home now?”
Kanika Ambrose is a Toronto-based multi-disciplinary theatre artist. Her short plays (My Umm Hmm, Sleep Country, and Aprés) have been produced in Toronto festivals including Paprika Festival, rock.paper.sistahz!, and New Voices. She is a Dora Mavor Moore nominee for her role in Binti’s Journey, and part of the Dora nominated Outstanding Production, Obeah Opera. Kanika is the founder of Mabouya Dance Company, where she teaches Dominican Bélé dancing.
THE ART OF TRADITIONAL HEAD-TYING had its World Premiere as part of Crow’s Theatre’s East End Performance Crawl in May 2014 and opened to rave reviews.
SHOW INFO for THE ART OF TRADITIONAL HEAD-TYING:
Venue: St.Vladimir's Theatre, 620 Spadina Ave, Toronto.
Dates & Times:
Wed, July 2 @ 8:45pm
Sat, July 5 @ 2:15pm
Mon, July 7 @ 3:00pm
Wed, July 9 @ 7:45pm
Fri, July 11 @ 2:15pm
Sat, July 12 @ 12:00pm
Sun, July 13 @ 9:00pm
Tickets:
$10 at the door (cash only) or $12 in advance (Visa or MasterCard, service charge included)
Beginning June 12 via www.fringetoronto.com, by telephone at 416-966-1062 (ext.1), or at the door.
Show running time is 50 minutes. **Please note that there is absolutely no latecomer seating**
2014-06-04
The Art of Traditional Head-tying