In Conversation with Helene Tardif | NOW
- 18 hours ago
- 3 min read
In today's Backstage Blog, we spoke to Helene Tardif, writer and performer in NOW, the contemporary exploration of the digital world we live in coming to Explosives Factory next week after a successful debut season last year.
A 60 minutes DRAMEDY where you will travel in VIRTUAL REALITY where MAGIC meets FAKE COMEDY. Covid, lockdown, birthdays. The one decides to create a virtual reality to evade this dying world. His way to fight pollution, discord, inequality. The older generation is not ready, they want the past to come back. They fight against it, against each other, they lose themselves to find others. This dark comedy explores inter generational conflict provoked by the rise of new advanced technology. The father figure collapses as all his beliefs are challenged by this new world, is it toxic masculinity or fear? Are women freed from expectations? Will X managed to save her family as mother always do? Will she find her reason to live? To survive? Or will she finally find freedom. For all mothers who are struggling to understand the younger generations, for all adults who battle constantly against technology, for all technology lovers who fail to realise their struggles, come and reflect, laugh, interject (yes we had audiences interjecting with us and we love it!) come and live truly and really what virtual can be.
Q: Virtual Escapism in the age of AI, digital isolation and (sorry to bring it up) the lockdowns provides is a topic under heavy interrogation at the moment. Where does NOW position itself in this conversation? What questions are you looking to ask? Are there any that you're trying to answer?
I wrote NOW as a positive future, where the young generations find a way to create a virtual world to tackle societal issues. Unfortunately new brings anxiety to many, especially controlling humans who thinks they know better. They would be even scared of a new world where everything and anything is possible. It asks the question about generation conflicts, why do we always want the past to come back? Or why don’t we learn any lesson from our past and keep making the same mistakes. I’m not sure I want to give an answer, I open doors for others to question themselves. How do you feel about technology? Would you accept a new world if it could be an alternative? Why do you always regret the past and can’t see what the future could be? And what do you do for yourself and others to make a better future possible.
Q: The show has lived in previous renditions before this, how do you think it's evolved in that time? What do you think will strike returning audiences as most different when they come to see the show at Explosives Factory?
I wrote a new scene to start the show, with lots more comedy and gave more depth to the characters especially Y as I want the audience to like him too. I found he was too much of a toxic male and that’s not what I was going for. It is much stronger to see a character you like falling into toxicity, showing it could be anyone. When scared or loosing control you can go really dark.
Q: Depicting the online experience onstage is something that everyone tackles differently. How did you go about creating the digital landscape onstage when developing NOW?
I am lucky to have an amazing director Marion Arditti, talented set designer Silvia Shao, light magician Tomas Gerasimidis and brilliant musician Damian Pitcon. They created a unique, vibrant set and atmosphere that brings you in and out of the NOW world with subtlety. When you have talented story tellers, they know how to do it with not much.
Q: What will surprise audiences about this work?
They will feel part of the story, live in à future that is already past. We had member of the audience interjecting with us, because they felt alive. The audience will not feel they are sitting in a theatre. They will go on a journey to the NOW world with us.
Q: What has been the most memorable moment in the process so far?
Me creating two bathrobes with used sponges collected among the neighbourhood. I can not believe how people felt feeling part of a creative process. Each of those sponges gave a smile to à face, connections among neighbours, brought together a community. When you come see the show, and you see those magnificent robes, have a warm feeling because they may be filthy but they are full of love.
NOW plays at Explosives Factory 25 February - 7 March. It is double-billed with I THOUGHT YOU SAID.
Comments