The climate crisis meets the cabaret as the Cultch gets ready to stream the 2019 Luminato Festival hit The Cave., from January 22 to 24.
Conceived by Martha Ross, John Millard, and Tomson Highway, J Mar Electric’s The Cave has a setting that’s part-forest dwelling, part-nightclub.
MC John Millard and a six-piece band provide the musical backup for a group of animals who seek refuge from a violent forest fire in Bear’s cave. Waiting out the inferno, they reflect on their lives, their lost garden, and their impending doom.
Performers taking part in the interspecies song-cycle include Alex Samaras, Derek Kwan, Neema Bickersteth, and Andrea Koziol, who transform into the characters of Bear, Moose, Beaver, Skunk, Snake, Wolf, Crow, and Fox. Telling the story through their own perspectives, the animals sing a rousing collection of songs in Cree and English.
Using a multimedia mix, the show aims to stimulate discussion about our planet’s precarious survival, and at the same time showcase what sets Canada apart on the international arts landscape. The Cave is by turns funny and moving as it takes on its timely themes.
Cultch executive director Heather Redfern has been seeking out theatre works like The Cave that take part in the conversation around the climate crisis. Working with the Cultch board, staff, Youth Program, and the community, she hopes works like these can be a starting place for discussions.
From the beginning, creators of The Cave have wanted the show to be shared as widely as possible, reaching communities and cities all over the world. It started its life in 2018, with a residency at Soulpepper Theatre, and a webcast performance, and when it was part of Luminato in June 2019, an integral element was the livestream broadcast.
