“Maybe it’s time to listen to the animals. A garter snake with 77 babies has something to say. So does a workaholic beaver, a surfeit of skunks in a funk, a dog who calls out humans for overconsumption and the oldest creature of them all: a grandmother spider who sings in Cree. All of these creatures and more are hanging out in a super-moody makeshift nightclub in the Distillery District, singing gorgeous songs written by John Millard with lyrics by Cree playwright/national treasure Tomson Highway.” ( 3.5 / 4 Stars ) – Toronto Star
“Ushered in from the holding bar area the audience enters the cave, a dark, almost womb-like space. There’s a lot to love about The Cave… The experience is worth it for the singing and aesthetic alone.” – Mooney on Theatre
“I love playing animals. I also love it when Art imitates Life. Especially now, one year into the pandemic, this piece resonates with me: we have all been seeking refuge in our caves, trying to make sense of the world outside. I have been Wolf, I have been Lynx, I have been Fox, I have been Moose.” — Derek
The Cave is a new cabaret event by renowned Canadian artists John Millard (composer) and Tomson Highway (lyricist). It is their distinctive and imaginative response to our planet’s precarious survival.
A group of animals hide in a cave while a forest fire rages around them. They sing about their memories, their growing anxiety, and their condemnation of the human race for evicting them from their homes. Awareness of their impending doom intensifies.
The Cave is an interspecies song-cycle, cabaret, and an unforgettable event.
The Cave Collective presents:
The Cave
music by John Millard, lyrics by Tomson Highway, book by Martha Ross
June 18 – 23, 2019
Tankhouse Theatre, Young Centre for the Arts, Toronto
Featuring:
Neema Bickersteth, Andrea Koziol, Derek Kwan, John Millard, Alex Samaras
with Rob Clutton, Germaine Liu, Karen Ng, Gregory Oh, Matti Pulkki
Director: Adam Paolozza
Stage Manager: Tamara Protic
Music Director: Gregory Oh
Costume Designer: Allie Marshall
Lighting Designer: André du Toit
Set Designer: Trevor Schwellnus
Sound Designer: Chris Ross-Ewart
Producer: Victor Pokinko
This production was presented as a part of Luminato Festival 2019, where it was broadcast across Canada. It was subsequently digitally broadcast as part of Luminato Festival 2020, and The Cultch 2021.
For more information regarding upcoming touring, please visit HERE
