A theatrical meditation on environmental collapse
In a sometime somewhere devoid of nature, clownish posthuman ‘workers’ enter an empty space and assemble a series of artificial landscapes out of found objects, striving with their bodies to recreate the natural world from memory. But is it the deep past we see – or some genetically modified future?
From Sunday, January 12 to Sunday, January 26, 2025, Bad New Days, in partnership with Common Boots Theatre, presents the world premiere of Last Landscape at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre.
Imagining a future where we find alternative ways to reconnect with & remember nature
Conceived and directed by Bad New Days Artistic Director Adam Paolozza, Last Landscape blends Bad New Days’ signature brand of physical theatre with an eco-dramaturgical,* DIY aesthetic to create a slowly transforming, visual and playful meditation on extinction, ecological grief and interspecies care, where colossal puppets of prehistoric megafauna roam free. In a world on the brink of environmental collapse, Last Landscape offers hopeful possibilities for how we might share this big green miraclemarble.
“Last Landscape grew out of a period of long walks in nature during the pandemic, where I questioned how my artistic practice could more closely align with my ethical principles […] I looked around me and asked: How can we remember nature once it’s gone? How can we tell stories that shift the focus away from the human experience?”
– Adam Paolozza, Bad New Days Artistic Director & production creator/director
The cast includes Nada Abusaleh, Nicholas Eddie, Gibum Dante Lim, Annie Luján, Adam Paolozza and Kari Pederson, with puppets created by Graeme Black Robinson, Clelia Scala and Puppetmongers Theatre; and original music and live turntablism by SlowPitchSound.
(Photo credits: Bad New Days. Megafauna puppet rehearsal photo of Sturla Alvsvåg and Annie Luján by Adam Paolozza.)
Last Landscape prioritizes sustainability in every stage of its creation – from the artistic vision to the materials used in production. Because of its eco-dramaturgical mindset, the play was recently awarded the prestigious Ray Ferris Innovation and Sustainability Grant from the Ontario Arts Foundation and the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts. This sustainable approach attracted Common Boots Theatre to the project as a partner, sharing with Bad New Days a passion for creating sustainable art that fosters environmental awareness to inspire meaningful change.
* Physical theatre refers to a type of performance in which movement is the main method of storytelling. Eco-dramaturgy asks theatre makers to find alternative forms of storytelling that embody climate change rather than merely speaking about it.
About Bad New Days
Since 2014, Bad New Days has established a unique presence in Canadian theatre, creating visually bold and physically innovative theatrical works that explore the complexity of the human condition through a playful blend of lightness and gravity. Their work is as much about “how” we see as “what” we see, and they aim to create theatrical experiences that encourage a more empathetic spectatorship, encouraging their audience to experience the meaning of their work in novel, unexpected ways. They’ve been nominated for 28 Dora Awards, winning seven; and they’ve shared their work across Canada, in the USA, China, India, Scotland and Romania.
About Common Boots Theatre
Common Boots Theatre is a Toronto-based theatre company that has been creating welcoming, engaging and joyful theatrical events and experiences for 40 years. They prioritize the creation of new Canadian work that reflects the place and time in which we live, often in unexpected forms and non-traditional spaces like the outdoors. They value collaboration, care and comedy in the way they engage both artists and the audiences they serve. Their boutique approach celebrates the intimate and intricate human connections they grow in their communities and into the broader world.
(Photo credits: Bad New Days. Photography and treatment by Fran Chudnoff.)
Event details
Hosted by: Bad New Days, in partnership with Common Boots Theatre
Type of event: theatre performance with puppets
Conceived & directed by: Adam Paolozza
Cast: Nada Abusaleh, Nicholas Eddie, Gibum Dante Lim, Annie Luján, Adam Paolozza & Kari Pederson
Music by: SlowPitchSound
Puppets created by: Graeme Black Robinson, Clelia Scala & Puppetmongers Theatre
Dates: Sunday, January 12 – Sunday, January 26, 2025. Masks will be mandatory for the performance on Saturday, January 18 @ 2:00 PM.
Start times: Tuesdays – Saturdays @ 7:30 PM ET; Saturday & Sunday matinées @ 2:00 PM ET
Duration: TBA
Cost: C$13.00 – $78.00 (including $3.00 order fee)
Location: Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander Street, Toronto, ON, M4Y 1B4
Booking link: Book your tickets here. For box office assistance, please contact Buddies in Bad Times Theatre’s Box Office at tickets@buddiesinbadtimes.com
Contact Details: Bad New Days, 1504 King St. West, Suite 2B, Toronto, ON, M6K 1J5, Canada; 416-454-3208, badnewdaysperformance@gmail.com, badnewdays.com
Accessibility: Buddies in Bad Times Theatre accessibility info here.
COVID-19 policy: See info here. Masks will be mandatory for the performance on Saturday, January 18 @ 2:00 PM.
Refund policy: If you would like to exchange your ticket or be granted a refund, please email tickets@buddiesinbadtimes.com. Requests will be approved at the discretion of Buddies in Bad Times and Tallulah’s Cabaret, as well as any producing partners. No refunds or exchanges will be granted within 48 hours of the event start time. If approved, a full refund of the ticket cost minus any applicable service fees will be credited to your account within 30 days.