marlis schweitzer
iPhoto caption: Graphic by Krystal Abrigo.
York University’s Facing Backlash symposium builds solidarities in tough times
The symposium’s two packed days felt to me like the collective pursuit of an elusive, shape-shifting prey. But as participants shared experiences, and common-interest groups opened up their internal dialogue to the rest of the symposium, the contours of what we’re all up against started to come into focus for me, and I felt a collective sense of purpose growing.
iPhoto caption: Photo courtesy of York University.
“I think the fundamental issue is that the foundation of inequity is still intact,” says co-curator Mariló Nuñez. “If you think about when Canadian theatre was first established, the theatre we were watching and learning about was Eurocentric, Western theatre… We place everything against that [perceived] ideal. Until that changes, I don’t think we can really make a change.”
iPhoto caption: From left: Hope Van Der Merwe, Liam Lockhart-Rush, Ho Ka Kei (Jeff Ho), and Dr. Marlis Schweitzer.
In Shaking Up Shakespeare, crunchy conversations on casting abound
How might we cast Shakespeare in 2023 and beyond — besides in marble? That’s just one of the questions on the mind of Shaking Up Shakespeare, a new podcast about the ongoing negotiation of Shakespeare’s legacy in Canadian theatre.