Curious Voyage will take local theatre fans to England

It’s probably the most ambitious project Barrie-based Talk is Free Theatre (TiFT) has ever tackled.

But TiFT Artistic Producer Arkady Spivak is accustomed to doing the unexpected, so maybe we shouldn't be surprised he is taking theatre-goers off to England this fall to take part in a tour of the land where theatre as we know it began.

This fall, The Curious Voyage will take place over three days to provide groups of no more than 36 participants an immersive adventure that will provide a unique, personal experience for every audience member, surprising them with curious artistic encounters as they inhabit new worlds here in Barrie, and across the foam in London, England.

After a production of The Music Man two years ago on the streets of Barrie, Spivak says, “I am immensely proud to contribute to Barrie as a progressive and burgeoning cultural centre and honoured by the unwavering support from Barrie’s open-minded and open-hearted community.”

Spivak also says the show is about the essence of traveling, and not just leaving hearth, home and country, but “being exposed to an environment and culture you don’t know and being open to everything that this new world has to offer to you.”

And, like most mysteries, this trip leaves clues.

“For example, you should expect things to happen in the hotel where you stay overnight, as well as some narrative components on the flight you embark on. You will always be kept on your toes, as one situation settles, (there will be) a new surprise."

Director Daniele Bartolini, who specializes in 'Audience-Specific Theatre', says travelers enter a narrative of bread crumbs spread out through the English towns, and to “receive pieces of information relevant to the story, you are supposed to travel to different parts of the city. As you travel, you gather information and find out where you have to go next. Your next step is always kept secret from you and is revealed as you move further in the experience.

“Anyone around you could be the next actor you encounter and any place you see while walking down the street could be the next location where you will end up. It is like if the city itself becomes the stage of your action.”

Ultimately, travelers will be brought in to witness a mystery musical directed by English-born Mitchell Cushman.

Cushman has spent most of his life and career in Canada, but he did return to the U.K. recently when invited to take part in an immersive theatre Virtual Reality Lab at the National Theatre. In 2015, he became the youngest person ever to direct at the Stratford Festival, where he now has three productions under his belt.

Cushman has expressed excitement in the project, saying, “The opportunity to craft a site-specific staging of this Tony-award winning musical would be exciting enough – but to collaborate with Bartolini and extend its themes into this grand adventure is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

The musical’s cast will feature a mix of Canadian and England-based talents, including TiFT favourites David Coomber, Izad Etemadi, Craig Lauzon, Mike Nadajewski, Glynis Ranney, and Michael Torontow.

Tickets are $1,950 for single fare, $3,600 double plus meals and incidentals. Time is of the essence; you only have until June 27 to get your tickets.

Spivak enthuses, “It is proving ideal for those curious travelers and art lovers who want to be the first to discover the next best thing, which this is. Imagine - they will all congregate in Barrie to start the experience. There is certainly enough audience interest to make this a success.”

To learn more about TiFT and The Curious Voyage, click here.