Skip to main content

TO Live and DLT Invite Audiences to Explore St. Lawrence like Never Before in The Spectators’ Odyssey – o dell’Inferno

int(97080)
An image of a Dora Mavor Moore Award on a white background. The statue displays a bronze humanoid figure, its arms raised above its head to create a circle. Surrounding the statue is text reading
/By / Nov 6, 2021
SHARE

TO Live and DopoLavoro Teatrale (DLT) have teamed up to present a dual-ticket immersive theatre adventure adapted from Homer’s The Odyssey and Dante’s Inferno. 

The Spectators’ Odyssey – o dell’Inferno, running November 2–14, puts the audience at the helm of the narrative as they explore DLT’s interactive re-imagining of both iconic historical epics. The show offers two distinct paths for audiences to explore, each of which are inspired by one of the two source texts. Both experiences utilise techniques from alternative reality gaming and showcases the combined creative talents of numerous Italian and Canadian artists, including poet and writer Luke Reece and choreographer Esie Mensah. 

In groups of up to eight people, viewers will control the story together, selecting to explore either the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts or the St. Lawrence Market (or both)! No matter which path audeinces choose to travel, they are sure to encounter a rich, immersive world filled with interactive art, music, dance, and more.

DLT’s Artistic Director Daniele Bartolini says of the experience: “It is as if each audience, in each space, through a different art form, encounters a different side of themselves. It is an odyssey of art forms, an inferno of the expiration of the human condition.” 

This sort of audience-centred work is what DLT does. The company, originally founded in Italy but now Toronto-based, has achieved international acclaim for their immersive multidisciplinary work. Some theatre-goers may recall DLT’s The Stranger, which was presented at SummerWorks before it was rebooted in 2019; others may have seen Inferno – Experiment 1 at the St. Catharines In the Soil Festival that same year. DLT promises, however, that The Spectators’ Odyssey – o dell’Inferno is their most ambitious work to date.

Indeed, the show features twenty-five cast members and was developed over two extended artistic residencies with TO Live. According to VP of Programming Josephine Ridge, “residencies such as this and our support of artists are very important to [TO Live’s] vision going forward.”

Bartolini says the show’s form is not only well-suited against pandemic-based challenges for theatre but “also offers a tantalising and innovative way in which to experience theatre today.”

The World Premiere of The Spectators’ Odyssey – o dell’Inferno, presented by TO Live and DopoLavoro Teatrale, runs from November 2–14, 2021. To purchase tickets and find out more, click here.

Mae Smith
WRITTEN BY

Mae Smith

Mae Smith is a former associate editor for Intermission Magazine. Outside of theatre, she is a crafter and a Pisces.

LEARN MORE

Comments

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


/
iPhoto caption: Photo provided by Canadian Stage.

Canadian Stage marks 42 years of Shakespeare in High Park with Romeo & Juliet

This summer, Canadian Stage returns to the High Park Amphitheatre with a new staging of Romeo & Juliet, directed by Marie Farsi.

By Krystal Abrigo
Kay-Ann Ward, El Experimento, and Adam Francis-Proulx in a promotional shot for the Toronto Fringe. iPhoto caption: Photo of Kay-Ann Ward, El Experimento, and Adam Francis-Proulx by Joy Adeola.

Toronto Fringe unveils full 2025 programming

Tickets are now on sale for the 37th annual Toronto Fringe Festival, showcasing over 100 shows in 22 spaces across the city.

By Liam Donovan
iPhoto caption: Photo by Hans Ravn.

A sand dune rises under the Gardiner for Sand Flight, a dance show premiering this June

This spring, the Bentway will present the world premiere of Sand Flight, a large-scale outdoor performance by Norwegian choreographer Ingri Fiksdal and theatre director Jonas Corell Petersen. The production features eight dancers and a 50-person community choir performing atop a constructed sand dune.

By Krystal Abrigo
iPhoto caption: Louise Lambert in People, Places & Things. Photo by Elana Emer.

TAPA reveals 2025 Dora Award nominees 

This morning, the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) announced the nominees for the 45th annual Dora Awards, which will be given out at Meridian Hall on June 30.

By Krystal Abrigo
iPhoto caption: Photo of Legally Blonde cast, taken after rehearsals.

Theatre Calgary announces full cast and creative team of Legally Blonde

Theatre Calgary has revealed casting for its spring production of Legally Blonde, running from May 20 to June 15 at the Max Bell Theatre.

By Krystal Abrigo
Production photo of 'A Strange Loop' at Soulpepper Theatre. iPhoto caption: 'A Strange Loop' photo by Dahlia Katz.

Announcing the winners of the 2025 Toronto Theatre Critics’ Awards

The Toronto Theatre Critics’ Awards jury has announced its 2025 results — 22 winners across 17 categories, plus a pair of special citations.

By Liam Donovan