Stage Door News
Stage Door News
“Imagine moving into the cutest little house in Toronto only to discover a string of hidden defects that drain your life savings and threaten to ruin your life.” Writer and performer Karen Hines explores the darker side of property ownership in CRAWLSPACE, a new play opening at esteemed gallery and performance lab, Videofag. “I used to want a black enamel farmhouse sink. Now I just want shelter.”
CRAWLSPACE is inspired by Hines’ true story of when she bought a fully detached ‘condo alternative’ in a hip downtown neighbourhood in the heated market of 2006 . . . and then it all went horribly, nightmarishly wrong. The story became a National Magazine Award-nominated feature called My Little House of Horrors (Swerve Magazine), which detailed the horrific events that unfolded in the tiny home. Now, ten years later CRAWLSPACE filters real estate through the lens of Antonin Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty to come up with this hybrid: Theatre of Realty.
Join the Host (Hines) at Videofag, where a total transformation of the tiny Kensington Market space will offer up a dreamy re-incarnation of the actual living room in the hellish little house. The Host will entertain fifteen of her ‘closest friends’ Scheherazade-style; except instead of delighting her audience with tales steeped in poetry, history and philosophy, the Host engages her guests with floor plans, cut-lines from MLS real estate one-sheets, and erotic incantations inspired by Pottery Barn catalogues.
CRAWLSPACEa highly visceral and wildly theatrical experienceis a darkly comedic, cautionary tale about the brutal battleground of real estate, decorative twig orbs and the state of the human soul.
Videofag presents
CRAWLSPACE
A World Premiere Created and Performed by Karen Hines
Director & Dramaturg Sandra Balcovske • Director & Effects John Turner
Scenic & Lighting Designer Patrick Lavender
Composer/Sound Designer Greg Morrison and Kiran Sachdev
Special Effects Advisor Michael Kennard
The Caterer Georgina Beaty • Executive Producer Kendra Bator
VIDEOFAG, 187 Augusta Avenue, Toronto
September 11 – 27, 2015
Opening Night: Friday, September 18 @ 7pm
All Ticket $30 ($25 Arts Workers / $15 Students)
Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite-CRAWLSPACE
VERY LIMITED SEATING (Maximum 15 per performance)
@videofag #Crawlspace • videofag/FB
Presented in association with Keep Frozen Productions
Photo Karen Hines with raccoon. ©2015 Gary Mulcahey.
2015-08-25
Toronto: Videofag presents the world premiere of Karen Hines's "Crawlspace" September 11-27