TROMPE-LA-MORT
or goriot in the 21st century
adapted from honoré de balzac's "père goriot" by anthony macmahon // directed by ted witzel // premiered at the 2016 summerworks festival
an anarchist holds the world’s secrets on a hard drive. three developers try and disrupt stagnant markets, missed connections, and freedom of speech. a venture capitalist finds his profit in the rubble. the old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters.
a loose adaptation of honoré de balzac’s le père goriot smashed up against thomas piketty’s capital in the 21st century asking what’s the difference between terrorism and whistleblowing? what’s the difference between a human being and a start-up corporation? what is the difference between freedom and control? this digital age thriller explores what happens when your work life, relationships, and ideas are reduced to data processed in an app.
“spoiler alert buddy, there is no great society. this isn’t star trek, this is dog rape, kill, and eat fucking dog. if there’s anything good, it’s in the future, and we gotta accelerate to get there. for now? there are no more rules in this card game, and you have a stacked deck.”
written by anthony macmahon. directed by ted witzel. set and costumes designed by anahita dehbonehie. lighting designed by c.j. astronomo. sound and video designed by wesley mckenzie. stage managed by alanna dunlop. production managed by justis danto clancy. produced by michelle yagi. performed by mark crawford, farah merani, lindsay owen pierre, ewa wolniczek, & jeff yung.
REVIEWS & PRESS:
what to check out at summerworks 2016 // torontoist
summerworks '16 part VI // kelly bedard
artist profile: anthony macmahon // inthegreenroom.com