The B-Side: Is it my turn to play?
Curated by Sue Balint as part of The B-Side Series
From arcades of the 80s to LAN parties to classic couch co-op games, to Let’s Play videos on Youtube, and the growth of Twitch streams, the landscape of video games has been and continues to be a social space mixing various kinds of performance, labour, play, and spectatorship.
Extending from some of the provocations in the show asses.masses, co-creators Milton Lim and Patrick Blenkarn meet with Dr. Kristopher Alexander of X University to discuss how video game cultures have historically produced certain forms of social gathering, where things are at now, and what it means for play of the future.
Experience notes: The three conversationalists, as well as ASL interpreters, will be coming together online from different locations. We recommend the following for all the at-home performance experiences:
- Cast to a large screen if you have one
- Lower the lights to mimic the darkened in-theatre experience
- Good sound (big speakers or wear headphones) & turn it up!
- Have your favourite snack or beverage nearby
- Stay tuned to @thetheatrecentre on Instagram for updates on the nightly signature cocktail by Aislinn Rose that you can make at home!
ASL interpretation provided.
Location: Livestream + streaming in the Café
Patrick Blenkarn and Milton Lim are the co-creators of the donkey video game performance, asses.masses, as well as the arts economy card game, culturecapital, and the national performance video documentation archive, videocan.
Dr. Kristopher Alexander is an Assistant Professor at Toronto Metropolitian University. He focuses on video game design, esports broadcasting, and virtual production in The Conduit, a new research lab at The Creative School. His work at The Digital Citadel focuses on how video game technology provides a model for developing active engagement within higher education, entertainment, and media production.
ASL will be available for most performances. The Theatre Centre is a physically accessible venue with barrier-free washrooms on each floor and a lift for public use.
Need help planning your visit? Email us!
From May 13, 2022
to May 13, 2022
Tickets are FREE — donations happily accepted.
Cafe, online
May 13 @ 7:30 pm – ONLINE
This performance is 60 minutes
April 16, 2021
Here's a rundown of what's in this month's issue: Milton Lim and Patrick Blenkarn reflect on the process of sending their video game to a festival in Argentina; Peggy Baker is winding down her company after 30+ years; Secret Life of a Mother is being published and you can pre-order your copy right now. In Learning, Unlearning, we shared be water, an art project from two anonymous artists collecting memories of their Hong Kong.
Hybrid by Design is made possible by the Canada Council for the Arts Digital Now Fund, and the Department of Heritage Canada Arts Presentation Fund.