It is an end

finished.

Done.

If you missed it, well, you missed it.

You might be able to see 'Vérité ou Trahison'(I'm improvising a title here) in french, in a couple years.

BUT, the topic is still alive, war is in a continuum raging everywhere on this planet and 'we' are all responsable for our actions or 'inactions' in feeding it -it came out of our discussions. If 'we' keep paying through our taxes for people to get shot in Afghanistan, if 'we' sustain a false sense of duty through patriotism (security), religion or gender, if 'we' do not look into ourselves and admit our guilt, if 'we' are afraid of our inevitable death and therefore support the killing of others, if 'we' think our neighbour is the one who has to start moving and doing unclear actions with unamed goals to stop this, if 'we' do not, individually, realize what 'destruction of life' means and if the thought of our own disappearance doesn't cross our minds, 'we' are together walking, blindly, towards what we haven't accepted to see.

AND 'we' are not talking about some distant locations nor empty 'peace' words for buying ourselves a better consciousness.

AND, hope, candour, your choices and actions, theatre, might seem like a weak shield made out of untouchables dreams.

BUT what else, in the end, is there to do?

There's the possibility of giving up and knowing that a part of ourselves has died somewhere along the path -which is much more terrible than death itself.

Sparkle.

Then there's the other way, which is incomparably more difficult -to a point where you think it might be some sort of joke played on you. It is, I believe, 'our', 'my', only duty -not to our country, God, Buddah, Allah, Raël, not to simply our families, but to life with a big L. And to love with a bigger L. The one that doesn't need words, nor promises. This one stands by itself as an entity. And if you laugh with an uncomfortable, shaking L, by reading this - you might wanna question your integrity.

Using the thin line between preaching and communication, I will conclude.

Thanks for reading, thanks for coming, thanks for talking about it, thanks for your questions and thanks for your actions too.

Stéphanie Lambert

A review in the Concordian

The concordian

I'm nobody's baby and the Royal 'We'

Lots of people coming to the show yesterday, a full house -and talking after, in the lobby. Many from Concordia, thanks to Raymond Marius Boucher and Eric Mongerson and Julie Racine - it is much appreciated. 'We' seemed to be relaxed, after the show, which is wonderful.

Linda, our General Manager is so great - she works hard but also knows when to stop (which I don't) and she's a good 'socializer'-making people feel comfortable, and she's fair, professional, pedagogical, slightly sarcastic, logical, messy (in a way that always creates new anecdotes), empathetic, a strong person who giggles a lot. I'm always learning from this lady who just informed me about Sheila Copp's 'I'm nobody's baby', and how this was an inspiring line for her. I am even starting to pick up Linda's Royal 'We' -which takes away the responsability from -or makes responsable for- whoever is there, whenever it is said. Good or bad, 'we' are analyzing the effects right now.

Only 5 shows left!!!

Tonight
school matinee on friday
friday night show
saturday 2PM show with a panel right after and then
saturday night

More Reviews........................

The Link, Concordia
The Gazette


Saturday after the 2PM show is the last panel discussion; art in relation to war.

You can come to the show and the panel or just for the panel, or just for the show -so many options. It will start around 3h45-4PM (the panel) and last an hour.


Steph

Rover arts- The Art Of Changing The World THEATRE - Truth and Treason, Monument National

A critic... I wonder what people mean, when they say 'change the world'. Have we agreed on a common well-understood-just-the-same-for-everyone-definition? What does 'change the world' mean? Am I the world? Are you the world? If it's not you nor me, then who is it? Have I changed throughout this process? Oh yes. Have the actors changed throughout this process? I was told so. Has the playwright change throught the process of putting on this play? Yes, I would think so. Has the director changed throught this process? Yes, I would also think so. Has my little sister changed because she saw this play and never goes to theater; she told me: 'I wish more people could see this, I wish you could be in all Universities, I wish my teachers brought me to see this kind of theatre. I am so mad that so many people are indifferent and won't even try to go. They don't know what they are missing'. Has the Iranian panelist who saw the play on the Opening Night and was talking on this past Sunday panel changed through seeing it? She said at her panel, something similar to 'I am sorry that I could not stay after the show, it was just too much for me. I am very proud and moved that you were not afraid to portay fundamentalism as boldly as you did, because really, they're not just the 'good guys' over there. I could relate to this oppression so much'. Have the panelists from Échec à la Guerre, who had a floor to speak, changed? Well, they might have, since they could talk. Do you change when you write on a particular topic? Isn't the fact of writing against blankness a change in itself? Please, help me understand. We all can take critic -unless if our intentions were just so good and we get a flying stone after a pile of flowers- but we all like to understand eachother and the judgement we put upon ourselves as well. If I'm wrong about claiming this statement for the whole world, I claim it at least for myself. With all my heart,

Steph

If you wish to read:

article

4 stars from a atuvu.ca user!

'Thought-Provoking
Very strong piece of theatre. An indictment of American involvement in Iraq. The personal and the political blend together to create strong story-telling. Well-directed and acted. See it!

Julie M.
Dim. 13 septembre 2009'

I don't know that person. This was posted on the atuvu.ca website!!!
You can get cheaper ticket through them. Next time you can book through atuvu is on wednesday, 16th for the 8:30 PM show!

ON CTV!

We were sold out tonight and we had a great panel discussion after the show!!
There was a lot of people who where there and participated (although, yes, I have to admit, the event was not planned to be in the Cafe of The Monument with music out loud and people talking.)

Don't miss the one on Sunday afternoon about women in relation to war, it is a promising one as well - in a quiet space.

And we appeared on CTV for a few seconds: http://watch.ctv.ca/news/clip212357#clip212357

Amar Khoday's blog 'Jurisculture Exploring Law, Culture and Media'

Truth and Treason

As with many artistic mediums that we explore on this blawg, theatre has been no stranger to themes of law, politics and resistance. One Montreal-based theatre company in particular, Teesri Duniya Theatre (Third World Theatre in Hindustani) has tackled many such themes over the course of its close to 30 year history. Its latest production, Truth and Treason, written by Teesri's artistic director and playwright Rahul Varma is no exception. Set in Iraq in the aftermath of the US-led invasion of the country, the play examines a variety of issues that stem from the invasion and occupation - many of which implicate the law (particularly the laws of armed conflict, treatment of civilians as well as corruption) into the matrix. Rather than spoiling the play by inadvertently revealing too much information, I provide a brief synopsis of the play here, furnished on the Theatre's website: (...)


Amidst the political statement(s) against the war, about the lies that led to the war in Iraq and the tragedies that have ensued as a consequence are some interesting legal issues that emerge from the play. In connection with the theme of resistance and the law that I have written about on this blawg, one of the legal themes that arises is the conflict that develops between Captain Alston and Commander Frank over the mistreatment and killings of Iraqi civilians by US soldiers - murders that are covered up in order to avoid bringing the military presence into disrepute or to impose liability on those who perpetrated the acts. Alston's efforts to uncover and reveal the extent of the killings and their cover up leads to his disobedience of Frank's orders to remain silent about what is transpiring. Like many resisters, Alston is confronted with the stark choice of being perceived as a patriot or a traitor for his critique of the military's treatment in Iraq.

Confronting unlawful actions advocated by and sustained by military superiors is very real and challenging, whether it is an American soldier in Iraq (or in an earlier period in Vietnam) or other military personnel in various conflicts. As many studies point out, there is a tendency towards obedience, even when such obedience leads to the commission of crimes or their facilitation. Many such individuals face a court-martial, prison and limited career prospects after their incarceration for their disobedience. Some flee and seek asylum in other states only to be denied. Truth and Treason provides a sense of the intense internal struggle one undergoes in challenging their own state and superior officers, particularly when doing otherwise might not only mean a contravention of law, but a violation of one's own moral code.

source

Panel discussion + vernissage tonight

Friday, September 11, 2009 (following the 8:30pm show)

Self-defense or an Invasion?
Is the invasion of Iraq a legitimate response to the horrific events of 9/11, 2001 or was it a continuum of an undeclared war through successive US administrations? Was it a “war on terror” or “war of aggression”? What role has Canada played? Our panelists discuss issues behind the issues.

Panelists: Raymond Legault (Collectif Échec à la guerre), Omar Dewachi (Iraqi-Canadian, Anthropologist and musician), Louis Roy (Vice president, Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), Jooneed Khan (Journalist, Human Right activist)
Moderator: Robert Stewart


* Please note that Omar will come on the 19th instead of today.

* Also, Vernissage and reception tonight at 7PM at the cafe of the monument national.
The vernissage is free, the panel is free.

2 for 1 tonight

It was great to have an audience in yesterday.
I will not say much more cause I think you sould make up your own opinion!

Tonight is a 2 for 1 on tickets (on 15$/ students, on 18$/seniors, on 22$/adults , all +tx) and we still have seats for you.

la premiere ce soir, la premiere ce soir, la premiere ce soir, la premiere ce soir, la premiere ce soir, la premiere ce soir!!!

:)

A lot of warm e-mails going through our cold mechanically cogitating computers as everyone says, as usual, but still meaningfully:



This was visually communicated by Romain Fabre, our Set Designer.

Rahul also gave an Interview to Marc Montgomery from CBC Radio (RCI-The link) you can listen to to their conversation by clicking here . The interview starts at 37 min., and it's in part 2 of the Link, 2009-09-08.

And CTV, CBC, the Gazette and Marie-Andree Parent from CKUT (Cafe) came to the Q to Q / run yesterday - watch the cultural report on tv and in the news papers this week/weekend or even better and with a reality's filter over the top, come to the show!!

Steph

Opening this week!! Radio interview with Arianna, by Estelle Rosen

Floor's painted, lights are hung and so are the tarps, actors are in for 10 working- hours/day, medias kits are printed, Bridges of Hope exhibition's up in the Cafe of the monument, food for the reception; umm... Still need to be ordered...

If you click on that link, you'll be magically transported to the Upstage (CKUT) website where you can listen to Arianna Bardesono talking with Estelle Rosen. The interview was on Sept. 3rd and she's on at around 6:30.

Enjoy!

https://secure.ckut.ca//cgi-bin/ckut-grid.pl?action=showaudio&show=thursday,18:00


Steph

Realities revealed by Jason Gondziola from the Hour

Thanks to Jason too for writing an article on us!! This blog is starting to be a 'virtual press clippings collection';) But the more we've got, the more happy we are. Good job people!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Truth and Treason delves deep into the Iraq war and debates its cultural, political and personal legacy

Motion is the key to emotion. So says Arianna Bardesono, director of Truth and Treason, a new play produced by Teesri Duniya Theatre about the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq.

"Any play can be dealt with in such a way that it's not just an intellectual reproduction of the [written] work," says Bardesono. "If something is going on in the bodies of the actors on stage, we go through the same motions internally in a microscopic way. It's how the audience connects with the performers."

Born and raised in Italy, Bardesono came to Montreal unintentionally, via a puppeteering gig in the Maritimes four years ago. She sees her direction of Truth and Treason as a cultural crossroads, with European direction and movement applied to a very North American script, where character and plot typically play a stronger role.

The play, written by Rahul Varma, begins with the unintentional shooting of a young girl by American soldiers, an act that throws the story's characters into the international spotlight. The ensemble of performers consists of 11 mostly fictional characters, but audiences will likely recognize ex-vice president Dick Cheney as well as General Tommy Franks, Condoleezza Rice and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

The story is told through 30 short scenes, each taking place on a sparse stage where military tarps serve as a changing and evolving set that alternately conceals and reveals throughout the performance - a symbol of our own knowledge of what goes on in the occupied
country.

Bardesono says that the play offers an important critique of the aftermath of the Iraq invasion and reminds audiences that the "war on terror" did not end with the Bush regime.

"Things haven't really changed," says Bardesono. "In his speeches, Obama uses almost the same language as Bush when talking about terror."

Source: the Hour

Who's the terrorist? by Neil Boyce from the Mirror

Oh this is great, Neil Boyce wrote a long article after a discussion with Arianna and Rahul. It is clear and there's passion in there -Thank you so much Neil. It's so encouraging to be able to be heard and seen. Steph
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Teesri Duniya theatre digs into the
complex politics of the war on terror
in Truth and Treason

Photo Credit: Terry Hughes. BRINGING IT BACK TO FACTS: Abdelgharfour Elaaziz and
Christine Aubin Khalifah in Truth and Treason


by NEIL BOYCE

“I’m not talking about some kind of political change that will occur because of the play. The primary change comes when the audience member becomes an active participant in what he or she has seen.”?

Rahul Varma, playwright and artistic director of Teesri Duniya theatre, is premiering his newest work, Truth and Treason, at the Monument National this week. Along with director Arianna Bardesono, he’s talking about the play and casting, but inevitably, when you chat with people who are passionate about politics, it leads to wider issues.

Part of a three-year cycle of plays called “Staging Peace in Times of War,” the story starts with an incident at a checkpoint in Iraq, when a 10-year-old girl is shot by a U.S. soldier, while her father is detained for an alleged terrorist history.?

“The idea came while I was working on my previous play [Bhopal], which was about an environmental catastrophe,” says Varma. “The events of September 11 had already occurred and our play was about to open. There was a known criminal who had caused the deaths of 20,000 Indians in Bhopal and was living as a free man in the U.S. In the case of 9/11, there were suspected terrorists—nothing was proven at that time—but an entire country was attacked. Where is the balance of justice? So there is a link from one play to the other: a link between the industrial and military complex. And we had to pose a new question: who was the terrorist, and why was it happening in the first place? What about state terrorism—is war any different from the terrorism it claims to be fighting??

“And it’s about getting into a more subtle debate than simplistic slogans about the global war on terror.?

“It’s bringing up what they don’t,” says director Bardesono, referring to the arguments neo-cons proffer for the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. “Their strategy is to stay very much on the surface, with no anchor to what is actually happening. We’re trying to bring it back to facts.”?

The history of Teesri Duniya (“Third World” in Hindustani) is a fascinating arc. Beginning as a South Asian theatre company in Montreal in 1981, where they staged plays in Hindi about the experiences of new immigrants, they later shifted to English-language productions, emphasizing intercultural dialogue in plays like Job Stealer and Divided We Stand, before embracing the more overtly political work of Reading Hebron, Bhopal and Counter Offence (which, as L’Affaire Farhadi, made a splash in French-language theatre).

Varma is already busy getting the new work translated into French for next season and will tour the English version in India come 2011.

“One of the best elements of Rahul’s play is that it’s a snapshot,” says Bardesono.?“And in it, we have nine characters who speak their minds and are in a very complex net.?

“To look beyond, to understand a little bit more of what’s going on in the world, that’s the biggest issue—and that’s why we continue doing this.”

TRUTH AND TREASON, SEPT. 8–19 AT
MONUMENT NATIONAL (1182
ST-LAURENT). TICKETS: (514) 871-2224.
INFO AT TEESRIDUNIYATHEATRE.COM

Pat Donnelly: Teesri Duniya Theatre Takes on Iraq War in Truth and Treason

Pat Donnelly from the Gazette wrote a Preview about us! And here's a link to her blog www.montrealgazette.com/stageandpage for more info.

Teesri Duniya Theatre Takes on Iraq War in Truth and Treason

In Rahul Varma's latest play,Truth and Treason, a young woman is shot by an American soldier in Iraq and her Canadian mother is not allowed to go to her side because the girl's father, an Iraqi writer, is regarded as a terrorist.

This sure-to-be-controversial work, directed by Arianna Bardesono for Teesri Duniya Theatre, is scheduled to open September 9, 2009, for a 10-day run at the Studio Hydro-Québec Theatre of the Monument National, 1182 St. Laurent Blvd. ( Box Office: 514-871-2224).

The cast includes: Christine Aubin Khalifah, David Francis, Warona Setshwaelo, Ivan Smith, Karim Babin, Sarah Garton Stanley, Abdelghafour Elaaziz, Jean-Moïse Martin and Alex Ivanovici.

Teesri Duniya (the title means Third World) is one of the most unique theatre companies in Quebec's distinct society. Founded in 1981 as a South Asian company it soon began expanding its horizons, mixing social activism with art and practicing colorblind casting long before it became a trendy affectation and chatter topic elsewhere.

This production is paired with an essay writing contest for high school students called Writing Peace. It's a chance for kids to write (idealistically, of course) for cash: $500 for first prize, $300 for second and $200 for third.

Click here for a YouTube glimpse of Truth and Reason.

Pat Donnelly
Gazette Culture Critic

Les vallons de l'expression -V.O.A. (general)

Sorry I was away for a while - these babies (blogs) do ask a lot of time and attention;

And yes, I do kill plants, but it's never volitional.

Everything is moving along. I see the prod. notes passing by as days go on and, it's gonna be amazing people! Phone is pretty busy in here. We've got high schools groups coming to the show! Yeah! I'm so so happy! I wonder how many times these students will have seen a theatre play that political, that professional and that emotional.

We'll also be in the Hour and in the Mirror this week -great exposure- and really with how 'energy-vore' it is to get somebody to talk about your show, to be forbidden by many many schools/ CEGEP/ Universities to put posters or flyers in their establishments and to present a show in ENGLISH, with ANGLOPHONE publicity material, is quite a task. As a student at Concordia, I did hear people talking about the fragile 'anglophone theatre world' in Montreal compared to the colossal 'francophone one' and I used to think 'ya, ya... We've heard you, are you done complaining? Come on, be brave'.. Well, now that I am experiencing it, I still think the 'be brave' is valuable but I do understand more the complaint, and I empathize. For sure, it's a mountain to put on a play in french. But when you reach the top of the mountain, even higher than the Mont Royal, and you're a little exhausted and the sun shines on you, and you ask for a glass of water and you're so thirsty and you see some people who might want to see the so-moving show that you're working for because they might wanna grow, and you see a clear spot on the wall, and you ask kneeling but still filled with good will ' would you mind if I put a poster thereeeeee'

' sure, what is is about?'
'Oh, the war in Iraq, and so much profound human nature insights surrounding it'
'T H E A A A T R R R E.. hummm, interesting. (you think that you might be an extraterrestrial) well show me your poster, girl! (you're so positive about life in general)
' Ah, it's in english! No sorry, we can't put that on, our clients throw forks at us when we put anglophone music here'
' But mister, mister, I walked 2 miles up, and I'm a francophone too, and I'm thirsty, and I love anglophones too, and I would like people to be conscious, everybody, even you and that despaired beer-drinker over there, and, haaaaaa...'-Last breath

Do you get me? The mountain is the same, but with an extra special ingredient, right at the top, as a cherry -which makes it even sweeter when the only thing you need at that point is a - 'yes girl, here's a whole fountain just for you, and I do understand you desire about a world without language-frontiers. A 'lineless' world. I will go over traditions and the place's policy! No problem.'

Ok, this might be excessive, but, but, but, I cannot be imagining all of it. Part of it is true.

So I'm proud of our team for climbing the steep hill and I think that using this 'demanding baby' that is this blog is one of the ways that we found to talk to you. The exposure is small and I'm sort of rambling, but I am free to invite you, whoever you are, whatever you speak, however you look and dress, whoever you go out with (or do not go out with) and whatever you think and do. All that, at the top of the hill.

I'm fine. :)

Steph

OUR OFFICIAL TRAILER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you think we're playing it sensationalist with this well-made video by Tom Mullins (sound), Terry Hughes (montage and photos), Ivan smith and Christine A.K (voices), or do we appear as if we've got an important message and want to be taken seriously?


Rahul has already talked about a movie (later on), translating the play in french, and bringing it to India...

From inside, I can tell you: we're serious about the work we do.

L'acteur Jean-Moïse Martin parle de Truth and Treason!

Merci Jean-Moïse!

Failed Democracies and the Wars They Wage, An Interview with Arianna Bardesono by Anna Fuerstenberg

Anna


Arianna

TRUTH AND TREASON is a new play by Rahul Varma, one of the most politically provocative playwrights in this country. I went to Teesri Duniya’s new rehearsal venue to interview the young director Arianna Bardesono with a sharpened pencil. Political theatre and directing are two of my personal obsessions. Like the old Diaghilev story, Ms Bardesono managed to astonish me.

I had mistakenly assumed that she was a novice who would not know a diagonal cross from a hot Fresnel. I was very wrong. Bardesono studied acting in Italy where she soon started to direct. She managed to adapt a novel, and working with a dramaturge, she had her first success. From there she went to England where she studied with a teacher of the Lecoq method, or as we know it here, very physical theatre. She followed up with the National Theatre of School of Canada, where she started in English and completed her studies in French, and she noted ironically that the two styles of teaching (and directing) were very different.

Due to her extensive experience with playwrights and dramaturges, she was truly enthusiastic about working on TRUTH AND TREASON. She directed a reading of it last November and has seen it through various rich and fruitful re-writes. In fact I was informed that the version being rehearsed while I waited for the interview, was brand new, and was being integrated as I watched.

Bardesono said that she felt at ease directing a work in progress, where the blocking is in continual flux. The most important thing was to focus on the characters and their very realistic relationships. The style of this play is very cinematic and she called it an action based play. Therefore it is naturalistic, and based on an historical event.

The young director said that her dream was to direct her version of Goethe’s Faust in Italian. She explained that working in a second or third language creates a kind of distance from the material and pointed out that communication with the playwright was yet another layer of language and its traps. She was fascinated by a play in which so many voices are heard and she was delighted with the multiculturalism of the cast.

This play has some of Montreal\s most accomplished actors. David Francis, Sarah Garton Stanley, Alex Ivanovici, as well as a distinguished multi-ethnic cast, promise to make this a provocative and inspiring evening of theatre.

The play, said Bardesono, is about “failed democracies” The United States being the foremost example. We are all complicit in their failure and also their victims. There is no such thing as a “modern war” people die, and whole cultures are bombed into oblivion, and t’were ever thus.

As Sartre said; “There are no villains, only victims and accomplices.”

see complete article: http://www.montrealserai.com/wp/news/

watch out for what we've got in here!

Hello, hello, hello... Hello!

Sorry for repeating myself a little, this is my heart's pace right now as -oh my God!- everything's happening at the same time. I love it, and I don't eat so much anymore. I drank way too much coffee this morning and my head might just explode.

ok watch this:

Did I tell you how multicultural we were in here? We've go a super team of people from Canada, Morocco, Lebanon, Botswana, Italy, Romania, India, and Switzerland!!!

On a un vrai Québécois francophone du milieu du théâtre: Jean-Moïse Martin. Et une designer Québecoise francophone: Ève-Line Leduc.

We've got amazing-experienced-people-from-Canadian-anglo-film-and-theatre backgrounds : David Francis and Sarah Garton Stanley (who's also a teacher at the NTS and at Concordia - I think that's right...)

We've got people who saw war, lived war, are concerned by war.

We've got a promo video of still photos (taken by Terry Hughes) with Ivan Smith's voice and photos of Christine and Abdel coming up in the beginning of next week!

We've got incredible people with incredible stories for the panel discussions! -to be posted soon.

WE'VE GOT A NEW WEB SITE FOR TEESRI COMING UP HOPEFULLY THIS MONDAY EVENING! It is colorfuly and beautifuly designed by a so so very dear friend of mine : Sarah Boutin. She crossed Central America with me!



She's from Lévis and lives in Québec -la ville- She's also married with a fellow from Morocco -and he's a good guy.

Watch out for the new web site!

Oh yeah! :)

ABDELGHAFOUR ELAAZIZ, talking against indifference!

I do not know Abdelghafour that much but he keeps saying 'je t'embrasse' in his e-mails and it feels all really humain and welcoming in this fast and furious moment of the production and PR thing -strangers being friends, not enemies... abdel is also sending a lot of info to all the actors by e-mail, about the topic of the play, beautiful and profound poems... And about the arab world in general.



from America, America
translated from the Arabic by Khaled Mattawa

I too love jeans and jazz and Treasure Island
and John Silver's parrot and the balconies of New Orleans.
I love Mark Twain and the Mississippi steamboats and Abraham Lincoln's dogs.
I love the fields of wheat and corn and the smell of Virginia tobacco.
But I am not American.

Is that enough for the Phantom pilot to turn me back to the stone age?
. . .
America:
let's exchange gifts. Take your smuggled cigarettes
and give us potatoes.
Take James Bond's golden pistol
and give us Marilyn Monroe's giggle.
Take the heroin syringe under the tree
and give us vaccines.
Take your blueprints for model penitentiaries
and give us village homes.
Take the books of your missionaries
and give us paper for poems to defame you.
Take what you do not have
and give us what we have.
Take the stripes of your flag
and give us the stars.
Take the Afghani Mujahideen beard
and give us Walt Whitman's beard filled with
butterflies.
Take Saddam Hussein
and give us Abraham Lincoln
or give us no one.

. . .
We are not hostages, America
and your soldiers are not God's soldiers ...
We are the poor ones, ours is the earth of the drowned gods,

the gods of bulls
the gods of fires
the gods of sorrows that intertwine clay and
blood in a song...
We are the poor, ours is the god of the poor
who emerges out of farmers' ribs
hungry
and bright,
and raises heads up high...

America, we are the dead.
Let your soldiers come.
Whoever kills a man, let him resurrect him.
We are the drowned ones, dear lady.
We are the drowned.
Let the water come.
Saadi Youssef

Emilee Veluz and Rahul Varma read scene 7 at Indyish's 3rd anniversary!

I do not no if Indyish's 3rd anniversary was the best place to bring my mom-from-a-tiny-village-on-the-south-side-of-Quebec-city to (and my visiting builder brother with big arms and his pregnant girlfriend from west Canada) but my mom said she wanted to know what I was doing AND it was, as described below, an inspiring moment for me:

- Young people have a place to express themselves and hang together in a creative environment, not just just dance and drink and sit on a couch --fighting 'inactivity'!

- It is mostly music, but there was also artworks all around the place ; big impressive paintings with sentences that stay in and have the power to bring you into unexplored territories of yourself:

'strong people don’t need strong leaders' Ella Josephine Baker

- Rahul and Emilee got a chance to give a call, they were hot and meaningful. Thanks to the Indyish people! :

Sarah Garton Stanley about Truth and Treason

Sarah is great -she has so much 'meaningfulness' to communicate, but she can also hear and see and act more than most people I know.

things move

Things move. Wow. I love when things move. I am filled with happiness and pride and many feelings that I can't exactly put my finger on,yet -when things move.

Today, it felt like there was a tornado of people wanting change!

Today, I thought, 'but we are not the only onessss.' Today, I met with Martine Eloy from the collective Echec à la Guerre, and it was enlivening, then I met with more and more people and my excitement got stucked into a spiral of wanting to go faster and faster and shine more!

Let's change ok!? Because we are so many who want it, and we just don't know each other! We're a little shy or despaired or desillusionned or hurt or mad or pessimistic or uncertain or cynical or scared, that's all.

First week of rehearsal through the eyes of Ivan Smith and Indyish this week end!

Here is Ivan Smith, actor in the production of Truth and Treason. Thank you for letting us know about your experiences and thoughts - how lucky we are.



REMINDER: THIS WEEKEND, RAHUL WILL TALK ABOUT THE SCRIPT AND READ A SHORT EXCERPT WITH EMILEE VELUZ (SHE ACTED IN MS. ORIENTED FOR TEESRI)AT AN EVENT ORGANIZED BY INDYISH = WE MADE A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL. COME!!! WE WILL BE THERE ON THE 15th, IF YOU COME AT 8PM, YOU WILL SEE US, WE'LL BE RIGHT AFTER THE FIRST ACT.

Here's some info (Part of.. Well most of, Indyish's press release!):



“We Made a Deal with the Devil & Indyish is 3 Years old!”
The next Indyish Monthly Mess is produced in partnership with Methinks Presents.
Place: 435 Beaubien West, Centre Chat Bleu, 4th floor [2 blocks west of Parc ave]
Date + Time: on Saturday August 15 8pm and Sunday August 16 from 4-6pm.

“We’re celebrating three years of independent artists coming together”, says Risa Dickens, co-founder of Indyish. “And what better way to do just that than partner with Methinks on their 16 stop art tour, and link it up with the crazy collaborative art + circus + boxing community we work with at the Chat Bleu!”

“METHINKS is bringing their traveling visual and performing art show, ‘We Made a Deal with the Devil’, to Montreal,” says Paul Aflalo, Indyish Producer “and we’re so excited to have them! Performing art antics and dozens of devil drawings and more!”

We Made a Deal with the Devil is a cultural expedition, touring art show, video project and tour blog – check it out at www.methinkspresents.org.

We’re going to have a remarkable show on Saturday August 15, with great performances from Nista (indie electro Swedes? Yes please: www.myspace.com/nistamus), Gypsy fire from Briga (www.myspace.com/briga123), and irony to make you dance your face off by Commodore84 (www.myspace.com/COM84A1) and Garbageface (www.myspace.com/garbagefacemusic), and a brand new collaboration between Franco Proietti (The Franco Proietti Morph-tet) and Brie Nielson (The Unsettlers) a Billie Holiday Tribute like you’ve never seen.

In addition, Rahul Varma the artistic director off Montreal’s celebrated Teesri Duniya theatre company – committed to “socially and politically relevant theatre that supports a multicultural vision of society” – will be presenting a special preview of his new production, ‘Truth and Treason,’ exclusively for our audiences. ‘Truth and Treason‘ takes place in Iraq and, in part, is about what could drive a person toward accepting a suicide mission, it is about the devil with whom we make deals in ourselves, and in our culture.

For more information, please visit www.indyish.com.

A US soldier talks about the Iraq war

What's your opinion about this video?

This week, actors, playwright and director are doing table work... Talking and working on the script and discussing our post 9/11 world situation...

A song and a message from Abdel, our actor

Salam Stephanie, Salam everybody,
Do you like listening to radio? I love this medium and I rarely watch TV. There is too much mise en scene on TV in opposition to listening to the radio which allows you to imagine what you want...So let's play the radio and I will be the animator...
Ladies and gentlemen, today I will take you in a trip to the other side of the Atlantic...we will go to Marrakech to listen to the GNAWA music. It s a style of Moroccan music developed by sub-Saharian Africans who came there many centuries ago. The song is called " My Trance" and is made in Montreal by Said Mesnaoui and Transe Gnawa. This music of The Maghreb can find its echo in Baghdad where the events of TRUTH AND TREASON take place. In other words, the trance can be a way to forget momentarily the inability of millions of people to understand what is happening around. It happens often that we discuss with friends there the current wars in the area and the political, economic, social situation in the Arab World trying to clarify the reasons of the depressing reality, and you talk, you talk, you talk finishing the discussion every time with the same statement " Oh! My God! It s complicated", having a bitter taste in the mouth!!! The discussion becomes a way of trance too!!!
So, when you see that the dreams of the majority of your people are shattered, that pseudo-modern political systems are always waiting for orders from powerful countries, that millions of innocents are victims of stupid conflicts and wars, come and join our TRANCE...but not like an ostrich which hides the head in the sand ...Join the trance, to dance , to get energy, and to continue the fight...Sure, our radio is too idealist but is near to the TRUTH and disgusts TREASON...
You'll hear at the beginning of the recording a statement in Arabic. I translate it " Look! Look my dear! my name is Abdelghafour Elaaziz, and, you are listening, now, to Dan Behrman , Espace Musique, Radio Canada,,,,I swear! I swear!) wallah wallah.
Thank you for your attention dear audience...thank you Stef...
Abdelghafour Elaaziz
With Dan Behrman's permission to use the song... Thanks Dan.

SAÏD MESNAOUI.
source:http://www.radio-canada.ca/radio2/artistes/434.shtml

Beautiful, beautiful, caring for the future of our race; beautiful

This weekend I did some Kayak on a beautiful lake, surrounded by beautiful trees, with my beautiful aunt and I slept at my beautiful grand-father's place, who's just working really hard all the time, even after his big operation 2 weeks ago. I saw the lastest Harry Potter and was quite upset, about so much power given to the dark forces- Harry, stop them! Because you're a light, it's your responsability... Thought about the beautiful Kayak and the beautiful nature again: I love nature and I love them.



A significant quote from our Director:

Riding the refreshing ‘wind of change’ brought by Obama’s presidency and acknowledging the enlightened mood that has spread among other world leaders; being aware of the growing threat of nuclear weapons and space militarization, and of the many difficulties that our planet is presently facing; caring for the future of our race and for the present safety of our dears: Truth and Treason is a play not to miss.

Tomorrow: Workshop starts...

I understand, but Rahul, why do people lie?

Thank-you for writing Rahul.

I hope that you will keep doing it and that other people will join us in the conversation. I really hope that they will try to communicate as best as they can also, in order to create a peaceful dialogue and not a huge wave of criticism on us, so that everybody can expose their idea without feeling ashamed or tortured by the thought of being criticized personally and openly. It is already hard to take a step and say what we think without being anonymous. We need to have freedom to speak in an open and favorable environment.

Rahul, I understand your point. War is ugly, from every angle, on every single side. And never ever, will anybody make me believe the opposite.

You say that 'the truth about the present war against Iraq is that it was launched on the basis of manufactured lies'- there are no weapons of mass destruction over there.

My question is: But why do people lie?

Why do they lie in the first place and make people think that in some cases, it can be right to kill someone else? What is it to them? People in power convincing others of moral codes... What is it to anybody, if you don't get anything in return? Unless your are one of those people who care for real.

Words and values without aim to action = nothing, air, wind. So, there has to be an action and a goal (or a goal to act). Then maybe in that case, it is a protective act 'no other choices for the immediate security of people, us or them';'Otherwise, we'll destroy ourselves'.

How terrifying. That's not what I want. Nobody wants that, unless you are suicidal. We want to be protected.

Or maybe, the act is to get petrolium, sell it, become someone.

WHO can I trust? It really is hard to tell.

For that person in position of power though, he/she knows what he/she's doing.

Why would someone lie? Isn't lying a sort of protection against something? I don't say 'this, this and this' because you might think that I am 'this, this and this' or that my motives are wrong. Why would I bother about what you think of me in the first place? Because I need your support? Your appreciation? What am I without that support? Nothing? A lonely human being with crazy ideas of destruction, or power?

Do people lie to be valuable in the eyes of others? That would be so sad. And yet, who can claim that 'ha it's ok if people don't value(love) me!'. Very few people, I would assume. Let's say a few free people.

More so and more terrible would be that everybody would believe a lonely human being that needs to be someone in the eyes of others. Why would they trust him and be willing to follow his orders? Because there is no other choice or to be valuable/protected in the eyes of others/from others, also? That would be a very vicious cycle of insecurities, indeed.

Do you think that it could be that simple? That it would be at the core of all our human drama? Or is it more complex? Maybe it is if we add fears, desires, love, pain and the fact that we change and learn through others.

Would there be a way out?

For now, it's just too much on my plate and I'll start by myself and act good myself.

I'm filled with questions. Thank-you for being outspoken, but still respectful of others (not racist) and real to me (not anonymous). It takes a lot of courage.

This week, I asked some questions to Dave Surette, our Technical Director and Production Manager.

Only People can stop the war

Hi Stephanie,

There is no justifiable war, but too often, many people in positions of power have tried to justified war under one pretext or the other. But the truth about the present war against Iraq is that it was launched on the basis of manufactured lies. More than a million dead, millions more made homeless, a destroyed country and a dictator sent to the gallows -- where are the weapons of mass destruction? George Bush declared the war in order to change the regime and install democracy. One has to question: what kind of democracy will it be that has been imposed by military might rather than by popular vote. When a country imposes democracy on another country by undemocratic means -- we have problems bigger than "regime change" or "bringing democracy".

A recent poll suggests that a majority of Americans oppose both wars. Then why is the war still on? Probably because the US is not run by majority -- it is run by a minority that controls money and thinks that war is a good business.

War will stop only by people's opposition against it. That is why we are presenting Truth and Treason. It is our creative response to end war and bring about social justice to the victims and survivors of the war.

Oups, sorry! By impish, I meant :espiègle...

Thanks for writing Arianna!!

You speak french... I meant: espiègle! Childlike, with a little laughter inside... Who likes to play and tease... Anyway, I guess my online translator is not quite a human translator yet. Ha, it is really something to communicate!

Sorry for this.

Also there was an event on the 23rd of July called In Place of War in England. It aimed to study how and why theatre emerges in Place of War... I just thought you should know that (I cannot post a video...)

Impish???

Impish???

My dear Stephanie,

I just happened to navigate through the impressive T&T blog; I am so taken by this well made video interviews, the quality of the artistic style and the poignancy of the contents. I am smiling and taking pride in being an active member of this community to the point I decide to share this with my husband and Kevin (lovely housemate in PEI), to whom I read excerpts of the articles and:

A: "Oh! Someone has posted a 9-adjectives definition of me!"

Zach: "What do they say?"

A: "oh well. (with a self-complacent 5 y.o. look on my face) that I am impish, energetic, spiritual... wait a minute: what does impish mean?"

Kevin: "Someone said you are IMPISH? Someone said that of you?? Oh..."

Zach: "Ape-like, mmm... sort of... mmm... I mean..."

Kevin: "It's not a compliment, not a compliment indeed..."

Zach: "well let me check. Mischievous. I guess that's the nicer way of saying it"

.

so, my dear Stephanie, I am IMPISH???

Because English is not my mother tongue and is not your either I guess I'll forgive you this time around.

Jokes aside I simply wanted to congratulate you for the great job on the blog and the PR element in general. Your own video interview is highly appreciated and respected. That's something needed : personal involvement, honesty, passion.

Now back to my side of the work.

AB

'On the street' panelists

My uncle saw this blog, he said 'I've seen that you were looking for Iraqis, I've got a friend who has some stories about Saddam', and we met. Someone else told me ' my girlfriend is from Iran and she experienced war, are you interested in meeting with her, maybe she'd like to talk about it'.
- Sure

Forgive or welcome the 'on the street' look of it. Here they are, natural:

The 9 Adjectives

Although I do not know them a lot, lot, lot, I'd say in 9 adjectives, I perceive:

ARIANNA : impish, energitic, spiritual, team worker, curious, unclouded, leader, restless(hard working) and intense

RAHUL: generous, sensitive, strong sense of righteousness, outspoken, never-say-die, inquisitive, humble, restless(hard working) and intense

Any similarity?

I thought...

She accuses the person on the right. She accuses the person on the left. She turns up there and blames the one on the top, then those underground. But we are here as a Canadian hockey player, greatly stopping each one of her escapes as if she was a puck, as if Shakespeare was right about the world being a vast theatre.

Is religious fundamentalism VS patriotism our new Cold War or is it about us playing Self Defense, still?

This play is a tribute to Habib Tanvir (a mentor of Rahul)

I did not know about this man before he died in the beginning of June. I wish I knew more of those extraordinary people who stand and step out, while they were still alive. I wish they had all the honors they deserved, while they were still alive, and that they inspired as many people as they could, because really, I think that it is those people who make us move forward -their dedication, mostly. I've read that he was a theatre person, poet and activist. Rahul was deeply close to him and wrote in his tribute:

' Through his life, he always responded to events around him, both through work and in an activist mode by taking part in marches, protests, and rallies. He remained an uncompromising enemy of parochialism, sectarianism, communalism and all other narrow-minded ideologies.

He loved children and had special fondness for our daughter Aliya who called him baba ji.

He was wonderfully warm, affectionate and a voracious reader. He was very curious about the world, what people were doing, the new productions, etc. He could not stop himself from living life to the fullest. Right till the end he was active and always making new plans.

In my last meeting, he told me that if health permitted, he would like to direct Truth and Treason in Canada. We didn’t get that opportunity, but we dedicate Truth and Treason to him. We celebrate his life with more meaningful theatres…'

I wish you can also allow yourself to be touched by this loss, and inspired by the man's life.

When you have a lot of money, you spend a lot of money

Linda Levesque, General Manager at Teesri Duniya !

What we want is an event that creates hope for global peace, what we want is not to be normal but to be true

Michelle + I + Khadija's art

Workshop and rehearsals will be an exciting time, but they won't start until August, so you'll have to bear with me 'til then! I have more willing people to present you before. Like next week, I'll introduce you to Linda; why she believes in what she's doing, why she quit her supra lucrative job (not that I think that it's bad to make a lot of money...Depends on how it's earned and what you do with it) and turned to do work with Teesri. At some point -and it is very striking- she says 'if we don't do it, who will?'

And Khadija Baker, the artist from Syria I talked about last week gave me a link to her very human work, have a look it: she told me "This was my project about the mass-graves in Iraq"

Finally here's a video of Michelle (prod. assistant and assistant stage manager) and myself. Why am I here?



Best,

Stephanie

Because Dr Nawal El Saadawi said I should tell the truth

MY VIEW OF WHY WE ARE STILL AT WAR ( AND I'M POSITIVE ABOUT US DISCUSSING AND IMPROVING THINGS, YES!)

You thought you were black or American or white
But now you get that you got screwed, by folks who got screwed
History shows you if you search well : followers, are we?!
What do you think?

I am opening up, oh yes I am –careful, there’s lava inside
And I may sound cheesy and I may sound extreme, and also, I surely sound romantic

You may think I’m selfish, talking about me, me, me, or you may see it as a way to get into you more easy.
Take it as you want but take it, it’s a gift
from inside a chest to another
Super simple!

Are you aware that people are talking to you? From everywhere, now and since ever
Not only do they blow you answers in the in the wind, they even modernized

I write because I need to tell you : oh man, look around, my dear world, you are sick! I think we’ve been tricked you and I finally -where’s the treat?

I thought I was Quebecoise and meant for glory
I didn’t like it; Quebecois have no self esteem and if you’re too good we hate you
That’s not what I longed for, who wants to be the devil’s pet

But then I grew up and the devil didn’t exist anymore
I even lost the frontiere between myself and a goat
Am I crazy, or should everyone be?

Plato thought the solution was a philosopher’s city
Everyone gets to be wise!
Plato I agree, but it has to be individualized

Or was it Aristotle?
Hum…One of them…We used to be close
I can’t seem to remember

Come on, I’m giving you a hand
Think!
Who are you?
If you can answer, go back to work, I’ll be there, but make more efforts
When everything gets blurry and you walk alone, know that it is where you need to be

And if I sound prophetic, it’s all right

You thought you were black or American or white
But now you get that you got screwed
History shows you if you search well : followers, are we?!
What do you think?

The chief whale’s going nowhere but to dark, I know that's not what you want
Walk your own path!
Oh, my little you, I love you so much
How will ya hide further and further and always longer?

I can’t wait anymore, I found the secret

It’s pulsing in there!
Do you hear it?

I know why you are still killing people!
After all these years, can you believe it?
I’m amazed at how we multiplied fears

We have them in the States and in Canada,
They are in Iraq and all around here, when I think about it

(-Might as well be a terrorist act…)

We have them as twins and sometimes triplets
Why is it that we accelerated ‘r curse?
Don’t we like ourselves?

This world is a scary paradise
Yes, this world
let’s be honest and forget ’bout the sky

I can try to explain, but what are my words to your experiences?
Are you scared?
I know, it is so, so, so
I know why you are still killing people!
This way you’ll be safe, this way you’ll be loved

A slap : Sorry, sometimes it’s needed
No slap : Ah! Go back to work, I’ll be there, but make more efforts
And by the way, make them for real and make them quick cause I care

And if I sound prophetic, it’s all right, and still,
you are there as you’ve always been and you think you are black or American or white
You appear to be a viril man or a sexy wife
But then, if you search and hopefully before your fly out of here,
You’ll get that you got screwed -Oh, oh!

History will show you if you search well : we are followers my friend.

What do you think?

-stephanie

Poster image

This is the basic look of it! Christine's on the left, design by Tracy Martin.

Women’s involvement in the Kurdish struggle

It is the title of the chapter I finished reading in my book.

On tuesday, we met with a friend of mine who’s from Iran and her friend who’s from Syria; she is Kurdish, she’s an artist and she deals with topics such as war, identity, stories/memory preservation. She is strong and dares to face what she finds difficult. She wishes to use art as a means to engage, communicate and preserve life, in a peaceful way. Thank you for talking to me, for your commitment and care.

In my book is written:

As Kurdish peshmerga had been receiving military and financial support from Iran, the Iraqi government retaliated brutally. The most known element of this systematic killing of Kurds was the 1987-88 Anfal campaign, nominally a counterinsurgency operation but in reality a carefully planned and executed program of ethnic cleansing in which fifty thoulsand to two hundred thoulsand people are estimated to have been killed, most of them men and adolescent boys. Thousands of Kurdish villages were systematically destroyed, and over a million and a half of their inhabitants were deported to camps with no water, electricity, or sewage. Others were executed as they were leaving their villages.

It is hard to imagine, it is very crushing, and yet it happened.

So what did they do?

A couple pages further, that same book states :

Hedi F., a member of the Women’s Union of Kurdistan who fled Kurdistan in 1990 and returned in 2005 to help rebuild her country, told Nicola in the spring of 2007 : ‘At the end of the eighties, Kurdish people fled to the mountains and to Iran. A group of us women thought, ‘We can’t just sit here, we have to be included in the Kurdish revolution’. So the Women’s Union of Kurdistan was founded with two aims : to support the national struggle and to support women. 'We were under attack by the government. Men were fighting and women were sitting and crying. We thought, we could provide nursing and support, to show that we can do something. Women needed education, health, and political awareness. So we provided this.'

And what do we do now?

I invite you to a Public Conference, organized by citizens in action and featuring an Internationally Renowned Human Rights’ Activist, Author & Feminist Dr. Nawal El Saadawi

the topic is :

The Paradox of our Post Modern World
Politics, Religion, Sexuality & Creative Dissidence


Date: July 6, 2009.

Place: Atwater Library, a National Historic Site

1200 Atwater Ave. (corner Tupper), right across from Metro Atwater , auditorium upstairs,

Time: from 7:00 sharp to 10.00 p.m.


photo by Mansour Nasiri

Dr. Nawal El Saadawi is an Egyptian medical doctor, a prolific writer, philosopher, international speaker, university professor and outspoken critic of blind fundamentalism. Her novels & books have been translated to thirty languages. Her most famous novel is “The Hidden Face of Eve,” published in 1980. She has received several literary prizes and honorary doctoral degrees, from various universities around the world. On account of her writing on political & sexual taboos, she lost her position at the Ministry of Health in Egypt . She was exposed to different types of oppression, including prison, exile and the banning of her books. She was accused of heresy by Al Azhar University but she won all the court cases brought against her. In 2008/9, she taught at Spelman College , in Atlanta . She continues to write and struggle for justice and freedom locally and globally.

No Pina Colada for Mr. Play It Safe

Hello!

This week, we are ‘keeping the fort’,as Rahul said; Linda (the General Manager) is in vacation for 2 weeks. Repercussion Theatre has just started rehearsing a Shakespeare play in our joint space so there is a lot of mouvement on the battle field.

This week, I’m also painting a book. It’s about a mole named Lowell. I didn’t write it, I’m the image-maker. And an article I wrote in french on transhumanism got published on an online greek magazine, in english and in greek. I wrote it in french because I really cared about all the words I wrote, I wanted to be exactly sure of what I was saying,but, it got morphed in the translation. Alanis sang :

Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids good-bye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought
'Well isn't this nice...'

The translation does not feel so much like my words and even sometimes, meanings. Gotta talk to them.

Paradoxically, it feels like things are in suspension, floating around. Maybe it’s because everybody’s drinking pina coladas. Except all those who can’t. I’m hectic. Do you follow me?

We’re starting to meet with people who are interested in the panel discussions, and get more appointments. I don’t mean to give up at the first sign of resistance, but it’s just encouraging when you’ve got special friends to move on. Then, the world feels generous and less oppressing, generically speaking.

I would have loved to receive Patch Adams for one of those Panel. Yes, yes, THE Dr.He is such an amazing human being and an incredible speaker. He transforms people (at least, this is true for me). And you know, I thought it was quite related Peace and Peace. But it will not be possible. For those who are interested, he will be in Quebec city and in Montreal on the second week of September 2009,just when our play will be presented -which means 2 major events in the same week.



I like when people can be that frank with themselves and the world, and yet, still want to pursue their 'mission', for the better, again and again, indefatigably.

And talking about people who make much efforts to make the world a better place, here is Risa from Indyish. I mentionned this Montreal-artist-network-group earlier, they’ll feature us in mid-August at an event (the monthly mess) called ‘We made a deal with the devil.’ Apparently, their ‘May monthly mess’ was a chaos of fun. You should come in August, we’ll passionatly talk about true & deep vital life elements in this creative space! So to Speak- Rahul talking about his script.



For more info : www.indyish.com

The playwright

Hello all,

I hope that you are doing well.

I will be quiet this week and let Rahul Speak for himself. Why did he come into theatre?

week 3: Identities

3rd week. And summer hitting. And me moving again. Great! Hello all.

I was told I sound Texan when I write 'you all'- Oh well, split in between identities. Not new, not original. But true. As if all along the centuries, identity-pride, definition and escape have been overwhelmingly recurrent themes. Something we love and battle against -a stormy relationship with the border of our humanit(ies).

When I worked in England, they thought I was French and teased me with the fact that the French soccer team lost to the English one -which they were very intense and fervent about. In France though, they said 'oh, our cousin, come here my friend!!!'

Elsewhere, people often ask me if I'm from Israel... But certainly, the most surprizing intro/self-description I ever experienced was in a train in India. A guy sat beside me and he said 'Hi! My name is blablabla, are you catholic?'

'Catholic?!' I repeated, laughing.

'Yes, I just thought you looked so catholic'

Identities.

So I just do the same. I go in a shop. I incircle people with their origins. I go in a shop and ask the wonderfully smiling shop keeper 'are you Iraqi'?
'Yes I am', he says smiling.
' Ok, I'm on this project... A theatre play. About the war in Iraq. I would like to meet up with some Iraqis. We have to bring people together, would you like to speak with me?'

Then he stops smiling and becomes very serious. 'sorry, I can't help you. Next!'

There might be many valuable reasons. But I'm left in a void of unanswered wonders.

Why don't you want to speak?

So I read. I read one of the most feminist books I have ever read (after Virginia Woolf's 'A Room of One's Own'). It's a recent book from Nadje Al-Ali & Nicola Pratt ' What kind of Liberation? Women and the occupation of Iraq'. There is an anthropological flavour to it -makes it very interesting to me. Personal. I usually do not focus my universal quests on women. Maybe I should. Maybe it's an axis worth taking.

There are a lot of women working on Truth and Treason. Here is one:

Video #2: Being a franco playing in english

Hi,

so second week running by... No news from the 'united for Peace' people BUT making contacts with great groups here in Montreal, like Indyish! I know them from a previous project collaboration (my company DOC. THEATRE and Remember Griffintown). They organize 'engaged events' here and I believe it usually is quite a young crowd. So I'm happy -of course everyone should come to the play-, but I've noticed that people of my age (+- 25 years old) generally do not know theatre that well. I'm thrilled to have the chance to maybe make more connections with them, and you, and all! Not because I think we should promote the container of our art and expression, but because the content is brought through this container. The content is rich. And what's amazing about the 'theatre container', is that it's live- people sweat near you, you almost feel their breath if you're close enough. You see them crying and laughing and trying to figure out life, right in front of you. When it's good theatre, there is something to it that reminds me of a trip, you grow without knowing it. You confront tides and tempests. You become stronger. And then it dies, I like that it dies; what's left is inside.

On these words, let's get back to our new video embracing the beauty and challenges of being part of (at least)two cultures. Karim speaks.

www.unitedforpeace.org

I found a web site of people fighting against the war in Iraq... I contacted them to see if they know people here who share the same views... If we can have support in moving things around and upside down! If they can announce the event on their web site. Here is some info about them:

United for Peace and Justice

United for Peace and Justice is a coalition of more than 1400 local and national groups throughout the United States who have joined together to protest the immoral and disastrous Iraq War and oppose our government's policy of permanent warfare and empire-building.

We welcome the participation of any and all national, regional and local groups who share our goals and wish to work with others.

Since our founding in October 2002, UFPJ has spurred hundreds of protests and rallies around the country, and organized the two largest demonstrations against the Iraq war.

I hope we can find some ways to collaborate!

Steph

VIDEO #1 !!! Arianna (Dir.) and Christine (Act.)

first week

It's my first week at Teesri, and up to now, well, I'm getting used to the place, and getting used to working in an office. Trying to say 'Teesri Duniya Theatre' properly on the phone, all pretty new, all pretty new! I will be a production and PR assistant for this show. I think I'll have a big job! I would really like to be able to reach a lot of students and other people, everyone, because sincerely, I've been to the public reading last November and I believe this play is very powerful. There is no muddy part, we're right at the core, and it's why I love it.

I've got a video of Arianna (director) and Christine (actress) talking about the show and the auditions! I'll post it very shortly. and also post some research about the Iraq war...

steph

NEW PLAY!! NEW BLOG!!

I'm starting off this blog to draw the visual, textual and psychological path of our journey from now on to the end of our show (which means Sept 19th 2009). We have a lot of exciting ideas! I'll keep you posted as soon as we get any new material. Then maybe you can walk side by side with us and experience, in your way, the excitement, the struggle, the ambition and the feverish union of our theatre production, clash-ing together, for a few months. Let's get it started!