There Is So Much More To Say
A performance that makes multigenerational conversations with the people who are in the room.
There Is So Much More To Say is grounded in the belief that connection and communication between people at different stages in life is important in navigating our shared world.
There Is So Much More To Say is created and performed by Erin Brubacher, Chloe Cha, and Anne Wessels, with support from collaborators Sara Constant, Janet Morton, Andrea Nann, and Reza Nik. It was first performed, in its current form, at Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto, in June 2024 and subsequently at Eastern Edge Gallery in St. John’s Newfoundland, in July 2024.
See project history below.
AUDIENCE RESPONSES
When I walked in, I wrote that I am 39 but feel 12. Partially because I spend a lot of time playing and being silly, but also because I think 12 is challenging socially - especially for girls. There's the fear of not fitting in and feeling like a stranger in your own body. I often return to those feelings of insecurity in social spaces with strangers. So, when I walked in, I felt a rush of 12. By the end of the performance, I didn't feel 12 anymore and it felt very healing to be part of a process whose arc focused on developing connection rather than resolving conflict.
A space where complete strangers felt comfortable being so vulnerable with each other. As someone who is generally anxious about participatory performances, I appreciated that there were opportunities to share publicly, and equal opportunities to engage in smaller, more intimate ways. In two short hours I learned about family deaths, new love, first kisses, recurring nightmares, precious gifts, and favourite dances…
A calm and reflective space created in the centre of the Megacity. Most welcome in the turbulence of daily living.
The Performance gave me a gentle nudge as if to say: “Hey. Are you truly present with the people in front of you?” And then gave all of us in the audience a chance to connect with each other and try out a deeper kind of listening and sharing.
Powerful, emotional and a once in a lifetime experience that felt very sacred and special… Regular in person conversations around a table to share life experiences is a big part of being human that has been lost in the hustle and bustle of today's technology drenched culture... I was emotional because it put me back in touch with that urge to share and listen thoughtfully in-person… The artwork creates an instant community.
This work has received funding from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council and the Toronto Arts Council.
Project History
Early iterations of There Is So Much More To Say were called Talk To Me, originally conceived by Erin Brubacher and Erum Khan.
The January 2023, iteration of Talk To Me was created and performed by Erin Brubacher, Erum Khan, Chloe Cha, Felix Chew and Anne Wessels, supported by Sandy Plunkett, Matthew Pencer and Adrien Whan, with consultants Kaitlin Hickey (design) and Cara Spooner (movement).
Toronto, December-January 2023. Photos by Jeremy Mimnagh
The first iteration of Talk To Me (presented by the SummerWorks lab in 2022), asked:
Who are the people we come from, and how do we know ourselves through them?
Four grandchildren began a conversation.
Creator / Directors: Erin Brubacher and Erum Khan
Creator / Performers: Hiyab Araya, Chloe Cha, Felix Chew, and Iris MacNada
Stage Manager / Production Manager: Franco Pang
Apprentice Stage/Production Manager: Saraphina Knights
Toronto, July-August 2022. Photos by Jeremy Mimnagh