Documentary Theatre
Do you consider yourself right wing or left wing? Where do you stand on topics like immigration, the Islamic veil, QAnon? Do you sometimes find yourself politically misunderstood?
Political polarization has reached a boiling point and is putting increasing pressure on the practice of democracy. Annabel Soutar teams up with Alex Ivanovici and Brett Watson to create a thrilling theatrical response to the rise of extremism and tribalism in political discourse today.
The Assembly is not a battle of abstract ideologies, it’s a very human encounter between unique people. And although their dialogue is not always rational, the four Assembly characters express emotions and personal experiences that we can relate to, even if we don’t always agree with them.
The Assembly started in 2017 as a long-term documentary project. In each touring city, the play’s creative team sets up and records encounters in which four strangers of wildly different ideological leanings face off and candidly confront the issues that most divide them. A play script is created from the verbatim content of these recorded encounters and, on stage, actors play the four real-life characters in unique debate-like plays, specific to each city.
One city at a time, one episode at a time, The Assembly weaves together the different threads of our social fabric. The series thus creates a safe but challenging space for open democratic discussion, where everyone who is ready to engage in a real dialogue can speak freely.
The Assembly also exists in a 100% digital format. The theatre framework is replaced by a live, web streamed dialogue without actors in which four citizens speak on their own behalf with the support of two moderators.
The tragic reality of our mutual deafness and lack of respect for those with whom we disagree has never been so palpable.
This episode of The Assembly tackles the complex and often contentious discussions surrounding Canada’s energy transition. A Calgary oil and gas entrepreneur, an Indigenous pipeline engineer, a Toronto divestment lobbyist, and a BC climate activist gather for dinner—and a clash of ideas.
After stops in Montreal, Sao Paulo, Munich and several other cities, Porte Parole is heading to Quebec City for a new edition of The Assembly. La Bordée’s audience will get to meet a left-wing activist, a businessman with libertarian leanings, a young Wendat storyteller and a social economy worker committed to traditional values. Which issues are polarizing the people of the Old Capital? And how can its citizens find common ground?
In this episode, four citizens confront their ideas on freedom of speech and immigration.
In this episode, four citizens confront their ideas on national identity, reasonable accommodations and feminism. (In French)
In this episode which takes place against a backdrop of generational and moral divides, four Lithuanian citizens discuss their differences about abortion, LGBTQ rights and aggressions. (In Lithuanian)
In this episode that takes place at the height of the pandemic, when thousands are dying every day in Brazil, a group of four Bazilian citizens discuss their differences about race, liberalism and economic disparity. (In Portuguese)
In this episode, four citizens confront their ideas on German identity, inclusivity, racism against Arab immigrants and migrants, and fear that right wing nationalism might be on the rise again. (In German)
In this episode, four citizens confront their ideas on racism, affirmative action, free speech and identity politics on university campuses.
Porte Parole is grateful to our donors for their support.
