Stage Door News
Stage Door News
As one of the most controversial elections in the world is underway in the United States, an acclaimed new show from Europe is making its way across Canada, playing Vancouver and Toronto.
FIGHT NIGHT examines the notion of how we choose our political candidates and how we ultimately decide on who to support. FIGHT NIGHT (performed in English) begins November 4 - 20 at the Panasonic Theatre, the first offering in the Off-Mirvish 2016-17 subscription series. (The show plays October 18 - 29, 2016 at the Cultch in Vancouver, prior to its Toronto run.)
Set on a platform reminiscent of a boxing ring, FIGHT NIGHT takes the form of an actual election. But the competition is fought not with fists but with words and looks. We in the audience are the electorate. We are each given a mobile electronic device with which we can cast our votes. Five candidates offer us their background and platforms. We then have to decide who to vote for.
But then, we are given more information, some of it quite surprising. All of a sudden how we view each candidate changes.
As we in the audience decides who stays and who goes, we get entangled in an increasingly complex and puzzling system of rules and manipulations. As in mediatized political campaigns, polls and predictions, debates and charm offensives challenge the voters’ loyalty and common sense.
FIGHT NIGHT is thoroughly political, but never explicitly so. The candidates don’t voice a particular ideology, nor do they comment on social issues or economic realities. By stripping their discourse of identifiable political messages, the show draws attention to the very reasons and motivations that compel voters to vote.
How much of our choice is based on preconceived notions on each candidate’s looks, clothing style, race, gender, age and speaking style? How much of it is based on the content of each candidate’s speech?
FIGHT NIGHT is playful, immersive theatre. It is a timely, exciting exploration of democratic processes. Every performance is different because the vote is yours and can never be predicted. But can it be? After all, do we really have “free choice” in any election?
Directed by Alexander Devriendt, and composed by David Heinrich & Cameron Goodall, FIGHT NIGHT is produced by the internationally acclaimed theatre performance group Ontroerend Goed and The Border Project in co-production with Richard Jordan Productions, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Kunstencentrum Vooruit in association with Adelaide Festival.
FIGHT NIGHT stars Aaron Gordon, Abdel Saoudi, Angelo Tijssens, Aurélie Lannoy, Charlotte De Bruyne and Michai Geyzen.
FIGHT NIGHT has toured the world. The show has played to critical acclaim in Belgium, The Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Australia and Hong Kong. There has been a remake in Istanbul (Turkey) and Ontroerend Goed has even taken on Avignon, with the French version of FIGHT NIGHT.
“A vital exploration into why we cling to our democratic institutions despite their failures” – The Scotsman, Edinburgh
“A precarious analysis of the consensus politics our democratic system seems to be stuck in. An utterly clever political game.” - De Standaard, Brussels
"A playful and immersive night of theatre” – The Daily Review, Edinburgh
"This is witty, engaging political theatre" – Arts Hub, Edinburgh
FIGHT NIGHT
Performed in English
November 4 - 20, 2016
Panasonic Theatre, 651 Yonge Street,
Toronto
Performance Schedule:
Tuesday - Saturday at 8:00 PM
Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 PM
Added matinee, Thurs. Nov. 10 at 2:00 PM
No show Tues. Nov. 8
Tickets: $39 - $92
Ticketking 416-872-1212 or 1-800-461-3333
Online Ticket Sales: www.mirvish.com
Groups of 12 or more 416-593-4142
Twitter @mirvishFacebook: Mirvish Productions
Photo from Fight Night. ©2015 Reinout Hiel.
2016-10-14
Toronto: "Fight Night", a show about elections, plays the Panasonic Theatre November 4-20