The Social Distancing Festival

By: Angela Guardiani

Friends, it’s a strange and scary time, isn’t it? Here in Toronto we’re still very much at the beginning of a crisis that will test our resilience and community bonds. Social distancing and self-isolation, while both endurable and absolutely the best way to halt the community spread of COVID19, is hard. It’s hard for humans not to gather together and participate in shared experiences - a meal, a game, a story. Here at The Charming Modernist, it’s no secret that we love theatre. All of us, the audience, sitting in the dark with strangers, moved to tears or laughter, connected through the skill and hard work of actors, writers, musicians, crew . . . it’s hard to give that up. And it’s harder still for those same arts workers to watch their productions shutter, one after another. Of the many incomes and livelihoods lost during social distancing, arts workers are among the hardest hit. 

I want to tell you about three local productions that have been cancelled or postponed: 

All the Little Animals I Have Eaten, written and directed by Karen Hines, a Nightwood Theatre/Crow’s Theatre production. Funny, twisted, dark but absolutely not hopeless, this play follows a tender-hearted young server through an intense shift at a postmodern, upscale restaurant. It’s about being rich (and what that means), about being poor (and what that means,) about trying to be good and about trying to find a home. At the time of writing, Nightwood is in the process of making a “creative documentation” of this play for those who purchased tickets - I hope they’ll make it widely available. 

Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again, written by Alison Burch and directed by Jennifer Tarver, a Discord and Din Theatre production at Buddies in Bad Times. Bold, brave, and exhilarating, Revolt dives into well-established ideas and structures (and even language), only to gleefully tear them apart and make something new out of them. It’s a feminist play that demands we think about feminism differently. At the time of writing, all events at Buddies have been suspended until May 1st. 

Franz Ferdinand Must Die, written by Adam Bailey and directed by Tyler J. Seguin, at Red Sandcastle Theatre. Starting with the titular assassination, this production twists the past into the present, looking at angry, lonely young men and examining why it is that they are drawn to acts of political violence. It is both historical and very much of the moment. At the time of writing, Ferdinand has been postponed. 

It would easy to look at all this lost potential and mourn. But if we’re defined by how much we love doing things together, humans are also pretty well known for being resourceful, creative, and optimistic. Toronto playwright Nick Green has put together something small that’s blossomed into something big and beautiful. The Social Distancing Festival is an online celebration of theatrical productions just like the ones above that have had to be postponed and cancelled. It’s not at all depressing - it’s a vibrant, loving, tribute. More and more productions are being featured there, and you’ll also find a calendar of live-streamed events (opera! concerts! singalongs! dance!), where many, if not of all of them, are free. There are art exhibits and fundraising and discussions happening there too. Do check it out at: socialdistancingfestival.com

Stay safe and healthy, friends. Wash your hands, check in on each other, stay at home and learn to love the space you’re in. We’re going to hunker down and beat this thing, and when we do, it will be all the sweeter to meet in physical space again. In the meantime, we can be alone together. Hang in there.