At Buddies February 11 - February 25, 2007

Diplomatic Immunities: THE END is the interaction between a company of research artists and the inhabitants of the city. Diplomatic Immunities takes the body of the city, throws it on stage, cuts it open and holds the contents up to the light. Not theatre, not a talk show, not a film or a news report - but all of them at once for the very last time. THE END. .

We scour the city for meaningful encounters, chat things up, knock on doors, check out the decor, eat some food, take some pictures and make new friends, then return to Buddies to debrief. You're invited to our debriefings to get up close and personal with Toronto and the people in it.

Conceived and directed by Darren O'Donnell, produced by Naomi Campbell, co-direction and lighting by Rebecca Picherack, video compositing by Faisal Anwar, sound by Nick Murray and screens by Daniel Young. Research Artists: Faisal Anwar, Naomi Campbell, Ulysses Castellanos, Misha Glouberman, Darren O'Donnell Rebecca Picherack, Tanya Pillay and Beatriz Pizano.

THIS IS WHAT WE DO: We wander the streets of Toronto, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Lahore, Calgary, Edinburgh, San Juan, Edmonton, Mumbai, Peterborough, Chicago, Kitchener-Waterloo and New York City. We stop stranger after stranger, ask them who they are, what they believe and what's going to happen next.

THIS IS WHAT WE'VE NOTICED: There are huge differences between people. The huge differences cannot be attributed to differences in geography, culture, race, gender, politics, class or any other social category. There are also huge similarities between people. Some of these similarities include: generosity, friendliness, fear and an eagerness to talk about themselves and their beliefs.

THIS IS WHAT WE SUSPECT: Global communication networks are creating a shared way of being, one that is able to recognize and accept difference because it's able to recognize and connect with similarities. It's a sophisticated way of being that is as inevitalbe in the slums of Mumbai as it in in the suburbs of Calagary; that only wants a few simple things: peace, prosperity, health and equity.

THIS IS WHAT WE KNOW: Everything will end: you, me, us, them. It will all cease. What will follow? Who knows. Life is good, life is bad; but for good or for bad, it will be over: THE END. So why bother?

Diplomatic Immunities is being developed with the support of Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Alberta Theatre Projects and the Theatre Centre.

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