The Philosopher’s Wife snarls into Toronto December 4-16th.

Part One of Susanna Fournier’s much anticipated THE EMPIRE trilogy,
The Philosopher’s Wife snarls into Toronto December 4-16th at Aki Studio .

(Toronto) - Coming Soon: PARADIGM productions premieres The Philosopher’s Wife, a gothic romance replete with dog training, opium terrors, and a civilization on the brink of revolution. This large scale independent production is Part One of three plays that make up award-winning playwright Susanna Fournier’s (Stencilboy and Other Portraits, LULU v. 7 aspects of a femme fatale, Patrick Conner Award Winner 2018) THE EMPIRE trilogy; The Philosopher’s Wife, The Scavenger’s Daughter (Buddies in Bad Times January 2019),  and Four Sisters (Luminato festival June 2019).

Director Leora Morris (Orphans/Coalmine Theatre, He Left Quietly/Summerworks, Yale Directing Fellowship) envisions this modern gothic with her talented design team, comprising of Designer Kaitlin Hickey (I Call Myself Princess/Cahoots, Kiinalik: These Sharp Tools/Buddies in Bad Times), Sound Design by  Christopher Ross-Ewart (Imogen Says Nothing/Yale Repertory Theatre, The Ballad of Weedy Peetstraw/Caravan Farm Theatre)  and Set and Costumes Designed by Triga Collective members; Shannon Lea Doyle (JOHN/The Company Theatre- Dora Mavor Moore Award Set Design) and Alexandra Lord (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom/Soulpepper, The Goat or Who is Sylvia/Soulpepper).

We find ourselves on the cusp of a new Empire rising as refugees Tereza and Thomas- played by Dora Award Winning Actor Aviva Armour-Ostroff (The Great War/VideoCabaret, Moment/ARC) and Danny Ghantous (A Midsummer Night’s Dream/Shakespeare in the Ruff, SHEETS/Veritas Theatre), make their way across the Northern border escaping persecution from a religious war raging in the South. They’ve journeyed to find  the Crown Prince’s most trusted advisor, an exiled Philosopher, accused of atheism, played by television star Conrad Coates (Star Trek Discovery/CBS, Cardinal/CTV) who’s offering  a hefty sum to anyone who can tame the violent wildness that has overtaken his Wife, played by Chala Hunter (lulu v.7 //aspects of a femme fatale/redlight district, Beaver/we will meet productions).

What begins as an experiment in canine obedience quickly mutates into a darkly comedic exposé of our societal obsession with power. Wildly subverting our notions of civilization, sex, class, freedom and submission, The Philosopher’s Wife, unleashes our most primal urges in a contentious reckoning with the animal within.

In addition to the live experience, The Philosopher’s Wife is also available across Canada and internationally online as free, serial podcasts released through PlayME, Canada’s National Digital Theatre, produced in partnership with Expect Theatre and hosted on The Empire website and iTunes.

This large scale independent production is Part One of three plays that make up THE EMPIRE; Coming Soon: The Scavenger’s Daughter (Buddies in Bad Times January 2019)  and Four Sisters (Luminato festival June 2019).

The Philosopher’s Wife

by Susanna Fournier

The Philosopher’s Wife December 4-16th, 2018 Aki Studio Theatre

585 Dundas Street East

Previews December 4 &  5 // 8:00 PM

Opening Night Thursday, December 6  // 8:00 PM
Tuesday-Saturday// 8:00 PM Saturday & Sunday// 2:00 PM

TICKET PRICES

REGULAR

Previews  $20

All Other Shows   $35

UNDER 30 / SENIOR / ARTS WORKER

Previews  $20

All Other Shows  $25

PAY WHAT YOU CAN (PWYC) available Saturday & Sunday Matinees

Wheelchair accessible venue

For more information and to purchase tickets visit www.empiretrilogy.com

The Philosopher’s Wife is Supported by the Canada Council for the Arts New Chapter Program

Media Contact Claire Burns at claireburns49@gmail.com

#empiretrilogy instagram: paradigm_productions_theatre Twitter: @paradigmtheat