The Orchid and the Crow — Toronto Fringe 2015 Press Release

“[A] tragi-comedy about faith, sex, identity and ritual.”

The Orchid and the Crow - Andrew Wuttke

Excerpted from press release:

When death looks you in the eye, whom do you turn to? Your psychologist? God? … Or Lance Armstrong?

Fresh from critical success as part of the The Coopers Malthouse resident artist initiative, Salvador Dinosaur Presents the ‘The Orchid and the Crow’ – a tragi-comedy about faith, sex, identity and ritual, created and performed by Daniel Tobias and directed by Christian Leavesley.

Reflecting on Daniel’s real life (and almost death) experiences, The Orchid and the Crow is a solo performance that features original songs from the award-winning writers of Die RotenPunkte – the lipstick-smeared, tantrum-loving, sonic collision that has gone down a storm at various international Festivals.

At eight days old Daniel’s secular Jewish parents chose to have him circumcised. Having not read the fine print in the Old Testament, this unknowingly triggered God’s ongoing contract with the Hebrews. In return for following his rules, God promised to look after the Israelites.

At 29, Daniel is an atheist, single and living the life of a bohemian artist in Melbourne. And lo, God was not pleased! Appalled with Daniel’s lifestyle choices, God makes an example of him and appears on earth to smite him with stage four testicular cancer. Stage five is death.

As Dan prepares for his upcoming treatment he is left in a spiritual vacuum. He is reaching for faith in something, but he’s certainly not going to find it in a deity who has already stolen one of his balls. Instead, Daniel finds salvation in an unlikely modern messiah, seven-time winner of the Tour de France and testicular cancer survivor Lance Armstrong.

Showtimes: 

  • Thu 2 Jul–8:15pm
  • Fri 3 Jul–3:00pm
  • Sun 5 Jul –3:00pm
  • Mon 6 Jul –10:15pm
  • Tue 7 Jul –10:30pm
  • Fri 10 Jul – 11:30pm
  • Sat 11 Jul – 5:45pm

Venue: Al Green Theatre (750 Spadina Ave)

Tickets for all Fringe productions are $10, $12 in advance. Tickets can be purchased online, by phone (416-966-1062, business hours only), in-person from the festival box office located in the parking lot behind Honest Ed’s, (481 Bloor West), or — if any remain — from the venue box office (cash-only), starting one hour before showtime.

The festival offers a range of money-saving passes for committed Fringers; see website for details.

Be advised that Fringe shows always start exactly on time, and latecomers are never admitted.

Photo by Andrew Wuttke