video archive
This video was recorded for the purpose of company archiving. It was recorded on an earlier generation smartphone, and was not originally intended for public release.
Migration was performed live at the Russian Hall in Vancouver, March 24 - April 2, 2022. It's based on a series of visual art and animation works by Tomoyo Ihaya, known as Eyes, Water, Fire. These works were a tribute and a visual record of monks, nuns and lay people who have, over several decades, immolated themselves in protest of the occupation of Tibet.
Our goal was to scale Tomoyo's works up to theatre size and perform them using the depth and width of the hall, while employing the scenographic practices of Fight With a Stick. We wanted to emphasize the human and non-human materials involved - gampi paper, bamboo, human performers, light and sound - while creating a ritual of guiding the deceased to the next world.
Migration was collectively created by Alex Lazaridis (Director), Tomoyo Ihaya (Visual Artist), James Maxwell (Composer), Jamie Sweeney (Light Design), Paula Viitanen (TD/Set Design), Delia Brett (Performer), Amy Kubanek (Performer), Hin Hilary Leung (Performer). Video recorded by Parjad Sharifi.
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Part classic animation, part David Lynch and part indescribable, Now Showing is a 10 minute surrealistic trip. Shehzar Abro, a transplant from Karachi, tries to comprehend North American culture by entering the world of the musical Oklahoma! — as an animated avatar!
In Binaural Audio by James Maxwell: Headphones recommended!
Now Showing was inspired by Fight With a Stick’s 2018 and 2019 stage production Oh What a Beautiful Morning!, in which we playfully investigated the legacy of the iconic, genre-defining American musical Oklahoma! — which receives 800 separate productions a year! Using the 1955 film of Oklahoma! as a reference, each collaborating artist was asked to examine and redefine their relationship to the musical, the world it represents and its cinema-size characters.
Shehzar joins two of the original creators of Oh What a Beautiful Morning! — composer James Maxwell and director Alex Lazaridis, as well as assistant animator, Raech Sardina, for his own exploration, this time using the tools of digital animation. Now Showing includes short video excerpts from our stage production, featuring performers Hayley Gawthrop and Hin Hilary Leung, video creations from artist Josh Hite, and set constructions from set designer Paula Viitanen.
Video excerpts from Oh What a Beautiful Morning! (2019), A Vista (2018), and Cinerama (2017). (See "past works" page for contributor details).
Video excerpts from Revolutions (2016). (See "past works" page for contributor details).
Watch the full length version of our 2019 remount of Oh What a Beautiful Morning!
Excerpts from Steppenwolf (2015). See "past works" page for contributor details).