I dipped my toes in theatrical waters with 8Box Productions during Winnipeg’s 2018 Fringe festival. Cubical Jockeys written and produced by Avery Gilperson and Allan Coleman, is not just a theatrical play, but a performance art piece.

 Through interactive multimedia, Avery and Allan spin a quirky musical comedy exploring working life at a call center. The story revolves around Arpen (played by Avery Gilperson) who falls for Sandy M. (played by Arlene Libich) who are stuck working the grave yard shift during a political crisis. They eat pizza, flirt, have a short illicit affair in the office, Arpen has to deal with a  call from a crazed  Unicaller (played by Shereen Ramprashad), he ends up being interrogated by the FBI, fear of stairs, elevators, MeowDogs, and explosions, in the end Arpen and Sandy M. end up on a commune out in the middle of nowhere.

Critics had no idea what to make of the play, however the play write’s bold and untraditional approach did not go unnoticed and was recognized for its creativity and artistry. The production had a shaky start but as the days passed Cubical Jockeys attracted a cult following. Which is short of amazing considering there was no budget for advertising other that a few posters, social media and word of mouth.

I think it’s fair to say given a few years Avery and Allan will be setting trends and blurring the lines between theater and performance art.

 

Blog written by Shereen Ramprashad