The Fantasia International Film Festival and Title 66 Productions are excited to present the remount of the acclaimed The History of the Devil, written by prominent author, film director and visual artist Clive Barker, playing at Place des Arts' Cinquième Salle for three shows only, August 1-3.
This visually stunning piece is the vision of Title 66 Productions' Co-Directors Jeremy Michael Segal and Logan Williams. Segal is also the show's director, and Williams the set and costume designer along with performing in the show. Using specially created masks, the gifted cast of eight play 34 characters spanning thousands of years in this powerful, one-of-a-kind production. Clive Barker wrote, "If this story is worth telling it's because it's about being human. The Devil's tale is the tale of our own confusion, ego and inability to live without hope for Heaven."
The History of the Devil tells the satiric tale of the Devil's trial at the hands of the human race, with which he's shared the world for millennia. If he can prove that it is humanity that is indeed culpable for his alleged crimes, he may return to paradise forever. In a theatrical eruption of darkness, philosophy and humour, a seductively wide range of characters travel through time to tell the Devil's story. Whether it is angels falling from heaven in a 1212 BC Russian winter, a decaying prison cell holding accused witches in Lucerne, or a boxing match in England with stakes high enough to make a man out of a machine,each testimony seamlessly transports the audience to that time period and reveals the Devil wearing a different skin, until, by the end, he sheds them all.The History of the Devil exposes Lucifer as a fallen angel so like ourselves. Does the Devil deserve paradise? Do any of us?
People at the helm of the Fantasia International Film Festival can't say enough about the production, including Mitch Davis, Festival Co-Director, "This thing is alive with ingenuity and flair... dark, inspired bliss. I loved it, as did everyone I was with. Wow." For them, director Jeremy Michael Segal and his team have created a 'macabre mounting that writhes with visual invention and primal acrobatics of performance, all artfully staged with eccentricity and precision.'
Segal is honoured to be part of the Festival and the huge opportunity it offers Title 66 Productions, "The show has been met with such enthusiasm and having the chance to present our work at such a prestigious event is something we'll always be grateful for and proud of." For Segal, the play's theme of humanity is key, "As human beings, we are constantly searching for paradise; grasping at wisps of divinity, trying to understand our existence- terrified to die and disappear. We want so badly to be good that we delude ourselves into believing that evil cannot be natural to our being. History proves otherwise." He maintains, "Perhaps by a trick of the light cast on that mirror we call Satan, the image of Lucifer may begin to distort and look a lot like us." Segal hopes the play will spark discussions about what it means to be human. He also hopes audiences leave with an appreciation of the craft of theatre, "I'd like people to be inspired and see theatre as an entertaining art form, as exciting as film or television." Throughout the creation process, Segal endeavored to respect Clive Barker's mantra of 'High art and low, intellect and spectacle, pretension and fun.'
Logan Williams started Title 66 Productions, a young, committed company, with fellow theatre program graduates 'to continue deepening our artistic expression and defy constraint'. In The History of the Devil he also plays the roles of Jesus and Lilith among others. The issue Williams finds most relevant is the pursuit of happiness coupled with the capacity to be both cruel and forgiving at the same time, "Do we deserve anything better than what we've been given? Do we judge and create images of others with scant knowledge? Is it fair, wrong or right?" For Williams, that's ultimately for each audience member to decide.
Design is an integral part of all of Title 66's projects for both Segal and Williams. Segal explains, "We strive to create innovative design concepts with strong aesthetic values interrelated with the themes of the plays and their stories." For Williams, The History of the Devil's set poses the question of flawlessness, "You're struck by a sea of shining white mannequins against a landscape of angular building blocks and pops of yellow tangled rope- the colour of caution. We look at the pursuit of perfection and what it takes to become like those beautiful mannequins." He continues, "From theatrically vibrant Victorian costuming, masks and painted faces, we shed layers, eliminating all but the body, heart, mind and soul; the most basic elements of a human being. By the end of the play we are left with empty space."
Performed by Lucas Chartier-Dessert as the Devil; with Delphine DiTecco, James Harrington, Lily MacLean, Kyle McIlhone, Liana Montoro, Arielle Palik and Logan Williams. Set and costume design, Logan Williams; mask design and creation, Danielle Fagen and Joshua Cape; lighting design,Alexander Smith; sound design, Jeremy Michael Segal.
"The demonically talented Title 66 are about to bear you witness to divinity."- Fantasia International Film Festival
About Title 66 Productions and Fantasia International Film Festival: It is Title 66 Productions' mission to move theatre in an exciting direction, bringing forth new ideas of drama, art and performance to create work that is representative of art in the 21st century. Inspired by playwrights and artists including Chekhov, Brecht, Beckett, Dali, Bob Wilson and the Dada movement, the company looks to fuse acting at its purest base with an innovative design concept. They are gaining recognition as an ambitious company unafraid to take on large projects.
Fantasia International Film Festival ('the film festival that feels like a rock concert') runs July 18-Aug. 6. Their brave programming makes room for work from original, talented artists. Since its inception in 1996, the Festival is now recognized as the largest and most influential event of its kind in North America, a leader on the genre film scene and one of the country's most popular film festivals. With varied programming and an emphasis on the imaginative cinema of Asia, Europe and the Americas, Fantasia's offerings range from unique and powerful personal visions to international commercial crowd-pleasers rarely seen in North America. fantasiafestival.com
The History of the Devil (3 shows only)
Produced by Title 66 Productions presented as part of the Fantasia International Film Festival
Playing at Place des Arts- Cinquième Salle, 175 St. Catherine Street West
Thurs. August 1-Sat. August 3, 8pm
Tickets: $24.00 (including all taxes and service charges)
514 842-2112 or online: Place des Arts box office
Please click HERE for more information and stunning photos on Title 66's website
Follow them on History of the Devil on Fantasia's website- HERE.
Clive Barker is best known for his work in fantasy and horror fiction, coming to prominence in the mid-1980s with a series of short stories which established him as a leading young horror writer. He has since written many novels and other works, and his fiction has been adapted into motion pictures, notably theHellraiser and Candyman series.
Jeremy Michael Segal- Director and company Co-Director: Jeremy is a Montreal-based theatre artist and a graduate of the Dawson College Professional Theatre Program. Trained as an actor, his focus is on the performing arts, though he is interested in many different artistic mediums. Creatively, Jeremy strives to stray from the common and challenge traditional structures. A proud nerd, he is equally inspired by quantum entanglement and string theory as he is by boundary-breaking, contemporary art.
Logan Williams - Set and Costume Designer; Jesus, Lilith, The Actor, Judge Felix Popper; and company Co-Director: Logan is a multi-practitioner of theatre arts, based in Montreal. A graduate of the Dawson College Professional Theatre Program, he has an avid background in costuming and directing. Along with Title 66 Productions, Logan has worked for and alongside Scapegoat Carnivale, Geordie Productions, Black Theatre Workshop, Teesri Duniya and The Segal Centre.
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