Iceland
Join Theatre Calgary for a tale of greed, money, and righteousness
- Location: Max Bell Theatre, Arts Commons (240 9th Ave. SE)
A powerful one-act, Canadian-born piece that follows three imperfect characters through their relationships with money, greed, and righteousness, join Theatre Calgary for this not-to-be-missed work from Nicolas Billon.
Told through three expertly written and interconnected monologues, this dark comedy explores humanity and the state of capitalism set in Toronto against the 2008 financial debacle signalled by Iceland’s meltdown.
In it we see the ruthless capitalistic philosophy of Halim, a Pakistani-Canadian real estate agent who flips properties. Juxtaposed with the naive outrage of a tenant he has evicted and the family loyalty of an Estonian history student and sex worker, the play exposes socially entrenched greed and racism through stunning reversals.
“Iceland looks at the emptiness and loneliness that we all feel, even when we are surrounded by large buildings and lots of people,” says Theatre Calgary’s Artistic Associate Jenna Turk in a statement. “We all have many secrets that we keep, and in this script, we get to hear a few of them from three truly original characters.”
Turk directs the piece featuring a cast of Calgarians including Praneet Akilla, Arielle Rombough, and Lara Schmitz. And in a twist as unique as the show, the set designed by Hanne Loosen features 16 seats for audience members to observe the play from onstage. Placed to look out of the windows of the surrounding building, these seats add a voyeuristic element of the show and are available to the general public for $35.
There’s even a free lunchtime showing on October 23, 2019! Perfect for an extended lunch date or team get-together to watch your colleagues squirm, book your seats to check out this show without spending a dime.
Iceland runs October 15 to November 2, 2019 at the Max Bell Theatre, Arts Commons (240 9th Ave. SE). The show is suitable for 18+ audiences, and contains strong language and mature themes.
