Developing large-scale, big vision theatrical imaginings is always a challenge.  After two years of pre-development at PTD, including scattered small workshops, endless intellectual musings and lots of coffee, Canadian Stage RBC Emerging Artist (Director Development Residency) Elif Işıközlü went in to the Rehearsal Hall Jan. 18-31 for an extended workshop of The Equation of Wonder. A mangled toy piano is one of the first objects from the early days of our work in the room. Equation’s two actors, two dancers and lone pianist inhabit a universe where the melodious “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” lingers, fragmented as cosmic dust. Emanating from a grand piano, this star-like fractured refrain – beautiful, destructive and intangible – envelops each character in its light and sound. Is there still a space for wonder? Equation engages with the new frontiers in quantum physics from the point of the view of the artist, navigating this debris field of knowledge with the light of stars that died many years ago. Joining Elif and I in this exploration were artists Marie France Forcier, Njo Kong Kie, Lissa Léger, Mathew Miwa and Takako Segawa.

– Lisa O’Connell