Migraaaants

Migraaaants is a theatre piece by Matei Visniec translated by Nick Awde and currently playing at Theatre Passe Muraille in a production directed by Siavash Shabanpour.  The programme describes it as a “dark comedy”.  I’m not so sure.  It certainly has absurdist elements and is occasionally funny in a very uncomfortable way but “comedy” I’m not so sure.  Besides, the subject matter; forced migration and people trafficking into and around the EU, is seriously grim.  The “dark” part is on the money.

Migraaaants promo photo by Zahra Salecki

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Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo

I guess when events are just too horrible to treat any differently one makes a comedy out of them.  The aftermath of the US led invasion of Iraq certainly fits that category and Rajiv Joseph’s Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, currently being performed by Modern Times Stage Company at the Streetcar Crowsnest, is as black a comedy as you will likely ever see.  It’s also very difficult to write about without major spoilers.

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