Dionysus: A Celebration of Defiance
June 22, 23, 24 2016 in the Isabel Bader Studio Theatre
In Euripides' play, The Bacchae, Dionysus, the god of wine, prophecy, ecstasy, and fertility, comes to Thebes with his band of bacchants. He is angry because the insolent city rulers refuse to allow anyone to worship him.
"Oh yeah?" he says.
Disguised as the beautiful “Stranger,” Dionysus turns Thebes upside down, driving the women into the mountains to rock and roil in frenzied passion, while seducing the men of Thebes with his coyly curled tresses and perfect pout. In the end, oppressors are - literally - torn apart and true lust lives happily ever after.
Chipped Off Performance Collective, inspired by Euripides tale of Dionysus, is tackling head-on the theme of cheeky defiance. “Just watch me” is our chosen catch phrase for this June’s performance extravaganza. And if this phrase conjures memories of an audacious former Prime Minister of Canada, you know what we are talking about.
The phrase, “Just watch me” implies brazen defiance.
“You’ll never amount to anything.” Just watch me.
“You’ll never get that done by midnight.” Just watch me.
“How will you get that up the hill?” Just watch me.
“You aren’t… you can’t… you won’t… you shouldn’t…”
Just watch me.
Chipped Off willl be weaving together poems, songs, dances, projections, videos, paintings, puppets and performance ideas on the theme of defiance encapsulated by the phrase, “Just Watch Me.” Community participants, together with an eclectic collection of local artists, presenters and performers will collaborate to create an original performance tapestry of ideas, inspirations and impressions to be performed in the Isabel Bader Studio Theatre June 22, 23 & 24