This Is Why We Live

Combining poetry-theatre, live music and collage; two actors and a musician journey through fragmented and visceral encounters with the world. Inspired by the poems of Polish poet Wisława Szymborska, This is Why We Live is a kaleidoscope of characters, thoughts, reflections, and memories; bringing the audience close to the poet's state of astonishment. A unique international collaboration between Canadian company, Open Heart Surgery Theatre (UK), and Theatre de L’Enfumeraie (France); blending three languages, this delightful, surreal, cabaret-style performance celebrates a great female voice of the 20th century.

Wisława Szymborska’s body of work is a canvas of words exploring humanity’s relationship with nature, the irony of existence and the existential questioning of our place within the universe. In Szymborska’s view, no matter how horrific the world may be we can still stand in awe, be amazed and remember what came before us. It’s this state of truly seeing the world around us that is explored in This Is Why We Live.

Originally performed at Plateau 31 in Paris, France in April 2016 and then going on to The Theatre Centre in Toronto in October and the Hamilton Conservatory for the Performing Arts in Hamilton. The piece was part of Off-Miłosz Festival in June 2018 and performed in Krakow and Katowice; we brought this work to NYC at La MaMa Experimental Theater as part of their 58th season.