Sound of the Beast
Donna-Michelle St. Bernard / Theatre Passe Muraille (Canada)
Presented with
“I’m not here to tell you how to feel. I’m just here to tell you what happened.”
Urgent, intimate and magnetic, Donna-Michelle St. Bernard gives a performance of profound poetic justice with storytelling, spoken word and rap.
Humour and timing provide sharp contrast to hardened realities. Doughnut cravings, 5 a.m. moments coming home from gigs, and the friendships of the rap scene collide with layered stories of dog whistle racism, over policing, and legacies of slavery in historic and modern times. Comically absurd, this juxtaposition reflects reality for many of us. Sound of the Beast radically takes us for a spin on the treadmill of socially constructed dehumanization through legal systems, police practices and zombie movies. “If you know, you know.”
Part concert, part theatre, this radical work offers a bold, subversively funny perspective on injustice and the joy in nurturing who and what we love.
Donna-Michelle St. Bernard was interviewed on the PuSh Play podcast by Gabrielle Martin, Director of Programming. Listen to the podcast episode here.
Explore similar shows
Artist Bio
Donna-Michelle St. Bernard/Theatre Passe Muraille (Canada)
Founded by Jim Garrard in 1968, Theatre Passe Muraille (meaning “theatre beyond walls”) is one of the first alternative theatre companies in Canada. It was first based at Rochdale College, at the time North America’s largest free university and student residence.
Since then, TPM has attracted talented performers from across the country, affirming a pioneering Canadian spirit to the works made. As such, TPM has been a home for several well known Canadian theatre makers (Anita Majumdar, Bilal Baig, Brad Fraser, David S. Young etc) and theatre companies (Necessary Angel Theatre, Cahoots, lemonTree creations, Outside The March, etc).
Theatre Passe Muraille has a long history of touring their work nationally and internationally as well as presenting work from across Canada and also the world. Since 2015 TPM has made Accessibility an important part of the work within the company championing several accessibility initiatives including ASL interpreted performances, Relaxed Performances, Audio Described performances etc. Now entering its 55 anniversary season, TPM continues to develop, produce and tour several exciting new productions that take theatre beyond its walls.
Partners
Venue
1601 Johnston Street
Showtimes
- January 20: 7:30
- January 21: 2:00
- January 23: 7:30
Runtime: 90 min, no intermission
Post-show talkback: Jan 23
Content Advisory
Police violence
Tickets
Single Tickets: $39
Buy Tickets
Seeing multiple shows?
Buy a PuSh Pass before you book tickets to save up to 25%, and get free access to Club PuSh. Shop Passes →
Access
Low Vision Friendly with introduction
Access the introduction for patrons who are blind or have low vision (Google Docs)
Credits
Writer and Performer: Donna-Michelle St. Bernard, Co-Directors and Dramaturges: Andy McKim & Jivesh Parasram, Music Composer & Sound Designer: David Mesiha, Original Lighting/Set Designer: Rebecca Vandevelde