SEEDS
By Annabel Soutar
January 22-26, 2014
Presented by Theatre at UBC with
the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival
Starring Theatre at UBC alumnus Eric Peterson
Frederic Wood Theatre
6354 Crescent Road
University of British Columbia
Vancouver CANADA
MAP: http://bit.ly/94dLm6
7:30PM (Jan 22–25)
2:00PM (Jan 25–26)
(160 min, with intermission)
PuSh Conversations:
Post-Performance Talks:
January 23, 24, 26
The Jan. 23 after show conversation features UBC alumnus Eric Peterson with fellow alumnus and Billy Bishop Goes To War collaborator John MacLachlan Gray. Hosted by UBC Professor Jerry Wasserman.
Production co-produced with Crow’s Theatre (Toronto, 2012); Supported by Canada Council for the Arts, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, Conseil des arts de Montréal. Touring supported by Canada Council for the Arts, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec
Tickets: Advance $27–33
Door $29–35
Group rate at PuSh: $23
UBC alumnus Eric Peterson (Corner Gas, Billy Bishop Goes to War) stars in this provocative docudrama about small town Saskatchewan farmer Percy Schmeiser versus biotech giant Monsanto Inc. Based on real events, Seeds leads us through a high-voltage labyrinth of political manoeuvering, patent wars, and cashfuelled science. Passionate and thought-provoking, this deft piece of theatrical storytelling is an intellectual and emotional tour de force. Think you know what’s on your plate? Think again.
Seeds is great journalism and even better theatre... brilliantly original
- Montreal Gazette
Is that a mutant organism on your dinner plate? Some accuse the multinational agricultural company Monsanto of being a latter-day Frankenstein who has lost control of its genetically modified offspring, cropping up unexpectedly in fields and supermarkets across the land. When a Saskatchewan farmer decides to fight back, Monsanto flexes its muscles and a four-year court case ensues.
Consider these three things about this docu-theatre work: one, every word spoken onstage is a verbatim quote from court transcripts and interviews; two, it’s more than a modern-day David versus Goliath; and three, one story conceals a much more ominous one. In a suspenseful staging by Chris Abraham—featuring a cast of seven that includes iconic Canadian actor Eric Peterson (Corner Gas, Street Legal, Billy Bishop Goes to War)—Annabel soutar’s explosive play lets everyone have their say: farmers, researchers, lawyers, activists and Monsanto public relations reps, each one playing a role in the grand theatre that is the modern economy.
Montreal’s Porte Parole uses theatre as its medium to engage in political dialogue. Each of their productions dives deep down into the human detail of urgent current event stories.
From Porte Parole on Vimeo
Preview of the docudrama Seeds, by Annabel Soutar, directed by Chris Abraham. Biotech multinational Monsanto sued Saskatchewan farmer Percy Schmeiser over his use of its patented genetically modified canola, The playwright investigated the matter, giving us a unique account of all the important voices in the case.
If you see nothing else this year, you can say, I saw a great work on the stage of a theater in Montreal". (translated from English) Anna Fuerstenberg, Roverarts.com
Seeds resumed at Centaur Theatre this fall 2013 and the English and French versions will be on tour in 2014-2015. This is the new version of the piece Annabel Soutar, translated by Fanny Britt and directed by Chris Abraham, artistic director of Crow's Theatre in Toronto.
Theatre at UBC alumnus Eric Peterson in the role of Saskatchewan farmer Percy Schmeiser. Credit: Guntar Kravis
The play tells the story of Saskatchewan farmer Percy Schmeiser, which the multinational Monsanto agrobiologie made a sensational trial in 1998 for unlawful use of patented canola. In 2004, the Supreme Court contrasted in favor of Monsanto.
This decision enabled the company to address large markets without raising political debates about the safety of GMOs and their impact on the biosphere. While questioning multiply everywhere, our future is decided under our noses in our plate, and farmers are facing "the lure of grain."
More at porteparole.org
More photos at Crow's Theatre, Toronto
Chris Abraham, Artistic Director of Crow's Theatre in Toronto
Chris Abraham has been the Artistic Director of Crow’s Theatre since 2007. At Crow’s, he has directed numerous productions including Eternal Hydra, I,Claudia, Boxhead, The Country, and Instructions to any future socialist government wishing to abolish christmas.
Chris is a multi-award winning theatre and film director, dramaturg and teacher who has worked with Canada’s foremost artists and theatres, including the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Canadian Stage Company, Tarragon Theatre, Segal Centre, Centaur Theatre, Globe Theatre, Theatre Junction, among many others. In 2000, he co-founded and was the Co-Artistic Director of Bill Glassco’s Montreal Young Company. In 2003, Chris directed the film adaptation of Kristen Thomson’s award winning hit I,Claudia for which he won a Gemini award. The film was also names one of 2004′s top ten Canadian films by the Toronto International Film Festival.
A graduate of the National Theatre School’s directing program, Chris later served as Co-Director of the school’s renowned directing program (2006-2010). Chris was the recipient of the John Hirsch and Ken MacDougall awards and the Elinore and Lou Siminovitch Protege Award, for directors. Most recently, Chris directed the highly lauded Stratford Shakespeare Festival productions of For The Pleasure of Seeing Her Again, The Little Years and returns in 2012 to direct Thornton Wilder’s The Matchmaker.
October 29 to November 24, 2013 / Montreal, Centaur Theatre - BUY TICKETS !
January 15 to 18, 2014 / Calgary, Theatre Junction GRAND
22-26 January 2014 / Vancouver / Frederic Wood Theatre (UBC-PuSh Festival)
March 26-April 12, 2014 / Ottawa, National Arts Centre English Theatre
On tour in Quebec: 15 to 26 April 2014
