These pages are a summary of my work in theatre, film and technology policy. You can find a brief synopsis for each in the sections immediately below, followed by some informal notes on how those interests have evolved and often merged. Various productions and publications are listed at the end.
Theatre
1990 – Current
Since 1990 my plays have been produced in Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic, France, Portugal, Spain, England, Nova Scotia, across Quebec, and in Toronto and Vancouver. A recent play on the 2008 financial crisis ‘Instructions to Any Future Government Wishing to Abolish Christmas’ was a finalist for the 4th International STAGE Competition, the Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui production (2013 & 2014) toured through twenty-five theatres in Quebec (2015-2016) and played at the National Arts Centre of Canada (Ottawa). The Portuguese translation, produced by A Companhia de Teatro do Algarve, toured fourteen theatres through Portugal and Spain (with Spanish sur-titles). I’ve directed various productions (not my own plays) for professional theatres in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and New York City. I’ve worked with Robert Lepage and his ex machina company on a number of projects, starting as dramaturge for 'Elseneur' in 1997 and most recently on the English translation/adaptation of Lepage's 'Dragon Bleu'. I was was variously dramaturge/consultant/translator on the Cirque du Soleil shows, ‘Toruk’ (toured 2016-19) and ‘Ka’ (currently playing at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas).
Theatre Representation, North America: AgenceM. Contact Antonietta Passarelli: <apassarelli@agencem.com>
Theatre Representation, Europe: S. Fischer Verlage. Contact Barbara Neu: <barbara.neu@fischerverlage.de>
Technology Policy
1983 – Current
My first feature film as a writer/director was ‘The Baroness and the Pig’, an adaptation of the play, and was produced by Media Principia. It was selected for the Toronto International Film Festival (2002), Festival du Nouveau Cinema (Montreal 2002 where it was selected for the closing film), Sundance Film Festival (2003) and San Francisco Film Festival (2003). It starred Patricia Clarkson and Colm Feore and was nominated for "Best Direction", "Best Cinematography" and "Best Editing" for the Quebec Jutra Awards (2003). It was theatrically released in Canada in 2003. Its current IMDB rating is 5.6. My second feature film as director was ‘Adam's Wall’. Co-written with Dana Schoel, it was produced by Couzin Films. It premiered at the Festival du Nouveau Cinema, Montreal (2008) and went on to a number of international festivals including Zlin IFF (Czech Rep.) 2009, Stony Brooke IFF (U.S.) 2009, Skip City IFF (Japan) 2009, Troia IFF (Portugal) 2009. It was theatrically released in Canada in 2008. Its current IMDB rating is 6.6.
Film and TV representation: Agence Omada: Contact Natalie Brunet <nbrunet@omada.ca>
Film
2002–Current
A Ph.D from L’Institut d'Histoire et Sociopolitique de Science, (sadly now defunct) at Université de Montréal, and before that a B.A. (2.1) in philosophy from Kings College, London University. A number of non-tenured academic posts have included Visiting Fellow at the (then) Woodrow Wilson School of Public Policy and International Affairs. I also taught in the Humanities Dept of Vanier College, Montreal over a period from 1980 to 2016. Scholarly publications on technology policy and related topics include a book with the late Jorge Sabato and scholarly papers, a number co-written with Peter Keating and Alberto Cambrosio, in academic journals. An article on ‘economics for the anthropocene’ I wrote with Leonard Nakamura was published in The Los Angeles Review of Books in Dec 2021. Leonard and I are currently working on a book together.
I met the late Jorge Sabato when I was a graduate student, he became a mentor and we went on to write a book together about the role of science and technology in economic development. He also had an interest in theatre and film, especially westerns, and we had some great conversations about that. With his death and the triumph of ‘the Washington Consensus’ (a neoliberal model of development) in the early eighties I became somewhat disenchanted by academia and my interests shifted to writing plays. When my first play, ‘Geometry in Venice’ (an elaboration on the Henry James novella ‘The Pupil’), was seen by Robert Lepage (in its French translation ‘Le Precepteur’) I was invited to work with his newly formed ex machina company. This led me becoming one of the writers/adaptors for his and Marie Brassard’s play ‘Le Polygraphe’ for the movie of the same name, which led on to other movie projects.
My interest in technology and economics has shown up in my other work, notably in the play ‘The Baroness and the Pig’ which, set in the 1880s, is about the impact of photography on social relations and perceptions, and in ‘Instructions to Any Future Socialist Government Wishing to Abolish Christmas’ a play about the 2008 financial crisis.
Happily the Washington Consensus has been debunked by scholars such as Dani Rodric, and Economics and its relationship to technology has got very - let’s say - interesting. Conversations with a very old friend and colleague, Leonard Nakamura, brought me back full circle to trying to come to terms with issues around technology and economics (ref our December 2021 article in the LARB). Issues around technology and economic continue to inspire my work in the arts. What follows is a few abbreviated lists to give an idea of my work in theatre, publications, etc.
This (left) is the poster for ‘Adam’s Wall’ with the wonderful actors Jesse Dwyer and Flavia Bechera. It was a great privilege to both make this movie and see its impact. It was a superb team - from the producers Ziad Touma and Olivier Sirois, co-writer and story Dana Schoel, cinematographer Francois Dutil, music Ben Charet and Patrick Watson on through the whole company. It ran in Montreal Cinemas for over eight weeks. When the lights went up in the cinema at the end of a show you could see people from the Jewish and Lebanese communities, in among the other patrons, politely (if awkwardly) acknowledging each other as they headed for the exits.
THEATRE
PLAYWRIGHT (incomplete list)
Instructions to Any Future Government Wishing to Abolish Christmas.
Portug. 2020-2021 Tour of Spain and Portugal, 15 regional theatres, Faro production (despite Covid!)
Portug. 2020 Companhia de Teatro do Algarve, Faro, Portugal) Mar.
Catalan 2017 Sala Becket, Barcelona, Spain. November. Public readings
Eng. 2016 Coal-Mine Theatre, Toronto, May-Jun.
French 2015 Centre National des Arts, Ottawa (production, Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui)
French 2015 Tournèe de Québèc, 15 theatres province of Quebec (production, Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui)
Eng 2014 Tristan Bates Theatre, London, U.K.(11th Sept., AAUK Festival presentation).
French 2013 Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui, Montreal, (dir. Marc Beaupré, transl. Alexis Martin) Oct-Nov.
Eng. 2011 Centaur Theatre (with Crows Theatre), Montreal (dir. Chris Abrahams) Mar-Apr.
Eng 2011 Hotlinks Festival, The Lark, New York, U.S.A. Public reading-
The Baroness and the Pig
Eng. 2018. Shaw Festival, Niagra on the Lake, Ontario.
German 2017 Theater im Containe, Telfs, Tyrol, Austria. Jan-Feb.
Czech 2015 Divadlo Kalich, Prague (in rep) 2005 – 2016 (Baronka a sluzka)
German 2012 Theater K in der Bastei, Aachen. Jun-Aug
German 2012 Kellertheater, (Hamburg) Frankische Theatersommer. Upper-Franconia (tour). Mar-Sept
Czech 2012 Divadlo Bolka Polivky Brno.
German 2011 Stalburg Theater, Frankfurt, Aug-Dec
Eng. 2008 Imago Theatre (dir: Catherine Bourgeois) Montreal, May.
French 2006 Le Theatre du Trillium Ottawa. Apr-May.
Czech 2005 Divadlo Na zábradlí Prague (dir: Peter Gábor) Rep. Of Czech. 2002-2005 (in rep).
Hung. 2005 Barka Theatre, Budapest (dir. Laszlo Berczes) Sept 2000-2005. (Elohivas)
French 2002 Omnibus, Espace Libre, Montréal, (dir. Francine Alpine) in rep. Oct 1998-Mar 2002.
German 2001 Tri-Buhne, Stuttgart. 2001-2002.
Portug, 2000 Companhia de Teatro do Algarve, Faro. Portugal Mar.-May. (A Baronesa e a Porca)
Eng. 1997 Pink Ink Theatre, Vancouver, (director S. Sandano) Nov-Dec.
Eng. 1993 Black Box Theatre, Prague, Republic of Czech (director Elizabeth Russell); Sept.
Eng. 1993 Atelier National Arts Centre of Canada (dir. M. Mackenzie), Ottawa Mar-Apr
Geometry in Venice
Eng. 2010. Segal Theatre, Montreal (dir. Chris Abrahams) Feb-Mar.
Eng 2009. Festival Antigonish, Wolfville, N.S. (dir. Anthony Black) Sept.
Eng 2000. Factory Theatre, Toronto, (dir. Ken Gass), Oct-Nov.
Eng 1998. B.B.C. (radio), U.K., (dir. Gordon House) Dec.
French 1998 Omnibus, Montréal, (dir & transl. J. Asselin) 1994-98 (rep) (‘Le preceptuer’).
Eng. 1997 Bristol Old Vic, Bristol, U.K. (dir. Dave Durant) – Mar.-Apr.
Eng. 1990 Theatre Plus, St Lawrence Centre, Toronto (dir: Peter Hinton); Apr. - Jun.
Other produced plays include ‘Unconscious in the Sistine Chapel’, ‘The Last Comedy’ (‘Farce’ in the French translation), ‘Le Circle’ (with Jean Asselin).
Play Publications (English, French, German, Hungarian)
Geometry in Venice: P.U.C (Canada), 1993. French: L’Herbe Rouge (translated by Jean Asselin) 1995, 2nd edition 1997. German: Fischer-Verlag 2002 (translated Andreas Jandis).
Baroness and the Pig: Rock Mills Press. 2018 French: L’Herbe Rouge (translated by Paul Lefevre) 1998, 2nd edition 2000. German: Fischer-Verlag/ Deutscher Theaterverlag 2002 (translated by Andreas Jandis). Hungarian: Hajonaplo (translated by Torok Tamara) 2001.
DIRECTING (incomplete list):
2017 Director/translation/adaptation Vic and Flo Tallsman Theatre (Centaur Stage) Nov.
1997 Director Bikini written and performed by Linda Mancini,Vineyard Theatre, N.Y.C. Feb.
1994 Director, Tip or Die by Linda Mancini. Here, New York City, Sept.
1994 Director, Freaks; the Musical by Michael O'Brien, National Arts Centre (Atelier Theatre), Jan.
1992 Director, Last Temptation of Christopher Robin' by M. O'Brien. Toronto Theatre Centre,May.
1987 Director, Member of the Wedding, by Carson McCullers Tarragon Theatre, Toronto.
TRANSLATION/Dramaturgy/adaptation (incomplete list):
2019 Translation Through the Echoes by Olivier Kemeid Lune Rouge PY1
2017 Translation Hangzou 2018 Cirque de Soleil Hangzou, China, (postponed Covid).
2017 Translation/adaptation Le Pre-nom/What’s in a Name. Just for Laughs/Segal Theatre July
2016 Translation/adaptation/dramaturge Toruk Cirque de Soleil. Touring 2016- 2019
2013 Translation Dragon Bleu/Blue Dragon by Robert Lepage, ex machina. Touring 2013-2016
2006 Dramaturge/Story Consultant Ka Cirque de Soleil/MGM production, Las Vegas, ongoing.
1995 Dramaturge, Elseneur (prod: ex machina) created, performed by Robert Lepage. Tour 1995-98
BOOK
La producción de tecnología’(translation:The Production of Technology; Multinational Corporations, Technology, and the Third World) co-author with Jorge Sabato. México: I.L.E.T. Editorial Nueva Imagen. 1982.
Monographs, Reports and Articles: (selected) scholarly, peer-review only
‘Technology and Responsibility to Future Generations; An Historical Perspective’. Ottawa, A.E.C.B. 1978.
‘Technology and the Productive Structure’, (co-author). Interciencia, Vol.5, #1. Feb. 1980 ‘
‘Technology and the Productive Structure’, (co-author) Commercio Exterior, Mexico City, 1979.
‘Policy Considerations in Alternative Technology’, in Technological Forecasting and Social Change, (co-author), Vol. 17,Fall, 1980. p329-338
‘Développement technologique et dépenses militaire’, dans Bulletin de L'Association Economie Politique, Vol. 5, # 3, Dec. 1984.
‘Technology and Crisis; Marx, Schumpeter and Beyond’, Technology and History, Vol.1, #3. 1985, p249-75.
‘Motivation and Future Generations’, Enviromental Ethics, Vol.7, Spring 1985, p63-69.
’Conceptualising the Science/Industry Interface: Monoclonal Antibody to Diagnostic Kit’, (co-author) Research Policy, Vol.17, Spring 1988, p155-170.
‘Scientific Practice in the Courtroom" (co-author), Social Problems Vol.37, #3, 1990, p275-293.
’Patents and Free Scientific information in Biotechnology; Territorializing Monoclonal Antibodies" (co-author) Science Technology and Human Values, Vol.15, #1, Jan. 1990.
’Standards, Models and Measures: The Case of Antibody Affinity’ (co-author) in The Right Tools for the Job; Materials, Techniques, and Work Organization in 20th Century Life Sciences (Ed. A.Clarke and J.Fujimura), Princeton University Press 1993.
TECHNOLOGY POLICY
DIRECTING
2002: ‘The Baroness and the Pig’, produced by Media Principia.
2008: ‘Adam's Wall’, produced by Cousin Films.
SCRIPT / STORY
1996: Le Polygraphe co-written with Robert Lepage and Marie Brassard; a film by Robert Lepage (Genie Award nomination for best adapted screenplay).
2002: The Baroness and the Pig (adapted from play of the same name). (Jutra Award nominations for Best Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing).
2008: Adam's Wall co-written with Dana Schoel.
2018: Ten Minute Call (short), script, directed by Jennifer Tarver.
2019: Multiverse, story by (screenplay by Doug Taylor) directed by Gaurav Seth.
Theatre and Film Awards and nominations:
2010 Finalist, STAGE International (U of Cal.) competition for ‘Instructions to Any Future Gvmt…’
2009 Finalist, SKIP International film festival, Tokyo ‘Adam’s Wall’ (director and co-writer)
2008 Best English Production L’Association québécoise des critiques de théâtre (AQCT) and
2008 Best English Production Montreal English Critics Circle Awards ‘The Baroness and the Pig’
2003 Nomination Jutra Award for Best Direction for ‘The Baroness and the Pig’ (film)
1996 With Robert Lepage, Marie Brassard, Genie Award for best Adapted Screenplay ‘Polygraphe’
1990 Nomination Chalmers Award for ‘Geometry In Venice’ (theatre).
MOVIES