In the Little Black Box:

Eau as in au revoir

Conceptualized and Created by Anne Hamels, Created by Seth Thomson

Eau as in au revoir is a sensory installation piece that explores themes of home, identity and belonging in a landscape of water. Enveloped by the world held in this little black box, the audience is invited to experience theater in a whole other way

Genesis of the Show:

I have always been intrigued by the textures, sounds and feelings of water, and I wanted to create an artistic project where I could explore the different theatrical possibilities water offers. Engaging with objects in theatrical spaces and discovering the relationships between them allow for meaning to emerge. Engaging with water connects me to my own understanding and experiences of identity. As a nonbinary artist navigating a predominantly cisgendered world, I have had to write my own stories and rules to find belonging in the communities around me. As a human who has always yearned for a place to call home, and travelled to many different places in search of it, I ache to find the space, physical or other, where I can simply be myself. It seemed natural for me to put these two realities together in the same space, and let a dialogue emerge. By creating this immersive work, I hope to connect intimate, universal parts of my own human experience to that of others. I want to curate a space rich with curiosity and discovery where audience members are free to carve their own understanding.

Anne Hamels (they/them)

… is an emerging artist established in Ottawa. They recently graduated from the university of Ottawa’s acting conservatory (2022). In their practice Anne is intrigued by the movements of bodies through space, and the stories those bodies carry. They use theatre as a playground in which to explore and better understand the world we create. Their staging of the show À demain won the Jury’s choice best of fest award at the 2023 Ottawa youth infringement festival. Recently, Anne has performed in the living installation La petite maison (Noémie Avidar, 2021) at the Zones théâtrales festival and in various university productions including Ceux qui se sont évaporés (Gaétan Paré, 2022). Anne wishes to create an artistic space that promotes interaction and collaboration between creators and audiences.

Seth Thomson

… is an Ottawa-based developer and artist. He has recently completed a Bachelors of Information Technology in Network Technology at Carleton University in conjunction with Algonquin College. Fluent in an assortment of programming languages and technologies, he develops interactive performance pieces, technologies and exhibitions. His work has been supported by the Digital Artists Resource Center and presented at Zones Théâtrales, OFFTA, and Fresh Meat Fest. Recent credits include production design and creative technology for CTRL at the Youth Infringement Festival and direction for Stevie Nicks Is My Girlfriend at the Ottawa Fringe Festival.

Festival artwork by Sage Hartly

On stage October 12 - 14, 2023!