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Nehal El-Hadi

The Observer Effect

“In this residency, I am working towards live arts events that challenge the audience to consider their relationships with technology, and to explore both positive and negative implications for racialized groups. The narrative focuses on a pair of young Black children in Toronto witnessing these changes. I invite audiences to consider near and distant futures, imagine new ways of being while combatting the anxiety that is a by-product of change, and work towards producing more just futures.” 

Nehal El-Hadi is a writer, researcher, and editor. She is the Culture + Society and Science + Technology Editor at The Conversation Canada, an academic news site, and Editor-in-Chief of Studio, a magazine dedicated to Canadian craft and design. Her work explores the relations(hips) that render us human; these include the interplays between us and technologies, objects, and spaces/places, focusing on the professional fields of design, planning, journalism, and healthcare.

media

“What is the most important show on the Fringe? It might just be Sea Sick.”
Lynn Gardner
StageDoor
Aug 2019
★★★★★
“a remarkable feat of storytelling and reportage”
The List
2019
★★★★
“Sea Sick is a quiet call to action, a reminder of our responsibilities, and a crucial examination of an underexposed issue.”
The Arts Desk
2019
★★★★
“Can a science journalist save the world through the power of theatre?”
The Guardian
2019
★★★★
“a thrilling…cautionary tale”
Toronto Star
2014

creative team

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Alanna Mitchell

Creator and Performer
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Alanna Mitchell

Creator and Performer
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Franco Boni

Director
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Ravi Jain

Co-Director
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Shawn Kerwin

Set & Costume Designer
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Shawn Kerwin

Set & Costume Designer
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Tim Lindsay

Sound Designer
mimi-mok

Rebecca Picherak

Lighting Designer
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Melissa Joakim

Stage Manager and Touring Lighting Designer
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Melissa Joakim

Stage Manager and Touring Lighting Designer

production history

  • Toronto // The Theatre Centre (Premiere) // March 2014

  • Montreal // Usine C // April 2014

  • Calgary // High Performance Rodeo // January 2015

  • Vancouver // PuSh International Performing Arts Festival // February 2015

  • Mumbai // Mumbai Lit Festival

  • Luxembourg City // Fundamental Monodrama Festival // June 2016

  • Darwin, Australia // Darwin Festival // August 2017