Photos: Experimental Calgary theatre performance explores the meaning of extinction

It’s not a stretch to say the deadline for completing a trio of plays about the meaning of extinction, death, and humanity’s relationship to the natural world was mere hours before performances started.

A trio of plays came out of this year’s three week National Devised Theatre Intensive, put on by Ghost River Theatre’s artistic director Eric Rose, and award-winning artistic director from the United Kingdom, Nel Crouch.

The goal of the theatre workshop was to help established and emerging performers work though an intensive period of hands-on creation.

“For three weeks, we’ve been just kind of moving around in the room, getting to know different ways of of devising, and now we’re putting on a little presentation of the things that we’ve been doing,” said Charlotte Hurdman.

Unlike traditional theatre, this production began without a script. The performers worked together to develop the words, songs, and movements that comprised June 23’s performances.

“You don’t start with anything—you start with concept, maybe an idea that you want to portray, and then you just play around in different ways,” said Hurdman.

“It’s just like finding different ways interact with an idea as opposed to interacting with a script,” she said.

A second showing of the performances, with changes based on audience feedback, is happening on Friday June 24 at the West Village Theatre. The performance starts at 7:30 pm, and tickets can be purchased online through Ghost River Theatre.