The Only Animal
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Kendra Fanconi & Eric Rhys Miller
Co-Artistic Directors
“The only animal that cries, that takes off its clothes and reports to the mirror, the only animal that lies down and flies backwards in time…the only animal…that perceives the tall blue, starry strangeness of being here at all.” Franz Wright
The Only Animal is uniquely concerned with the human experience of boundless imagination inhabiting corporeal form. It exists to create new works of theatre that are original, poetical, physical and far-reaching. The Only Animal thrives in theatrical habitats that range from intimate solo shows to large-scale site-specific extravaganzas . In ongoing actor training we work to master the animal body and connect the group mind. We practice theatre to assert our humanity: to remember and remind our audiences of “the tall blue starry strangeness of being here at all.”
The Only Animal is born from the wilderness of our terror, our bafflement at beauty, and all things extreme in human beings.
The Only Animal roams a vast theatrical territory whose topography includes surreal sensibility, intellectual rigor, sumptuous imagery, and embodied creativity.
The Only Animal migrates through concentric circles of influence from local to international, rural to urban, ancient to post-post-modern.
The Only Animal is only human, we make theatre in a way that is sustainable, joyful, treads lightly on the earth, and works with respect in all levels of collaboration.
The Only Animal believes in a living wage.
The Only Animal’s raison d’etre is to thrill the blood, stir the soul and revitalize the role of theatre in society.
The Only Animal drinks at the waterholes of insight and inspiration and hopes to lead its audience to the refreshment of spirit.
The Only Animal (formally known as The Only Fanconi) is one group of a generation of Vancouver artists interested in creating innovative work. It is distinct in its brand of theatrical magical realism and a delving into the larger questions of what it means to be human. It is the originator and co-producer of 2002’s The One that Got Away (a play in a swimming pool) and The Last Stand (high in the treetops of Stanely Park). Only has done three workshops and extensive development on Other Freds, a theatrical extravaganza about the possibility of parallel worlds and a lonely fella named Fred.
1. Development & production of original theatre works.
Normally one new show a year, and workshop of the following year’s work, plus other activities especially to adapt the work to radio and film.
2. Offering ongoing actor training that is physical, intensive, and accessible.
Begun in September of 2004, low-cost training twice weekly during fall winter and spring sessions. Pointed towards expanded ‘composition’ sessions, weekend intensives, and eventually longer summer intensives.
3. Teaching rigorous methods of creating site-specific work.
Offered since 2003 as a summer course through the Playwrights Theatre Centre.
4. Touring, locally, nationally and internationally from our canon of work.
Also inciting new independent productions of ambitious site-specific shows. We believe in theatre that is post-national, and breaks down borders between peoples.
5. Contributing to the vitality of Vancouver ‘s culture.
We consider ourselves ambassadors of the vital Vancouver theatre scene, and carry the work with us in all of our travels, promoting Vancouver as an international destination for innovative performance.
THE ONLY ANIMAL
The only animal that commits suicide
went for a walk in the park,
basked on a hard bench
in the first star,
traveled to the edge of space
in an armchair
while company quietly
talked, and abruptly
returned,
the room empty
The only animal that cries,
that takes off its clothes
and reports to the mirror, the one
and only animal
that brushes its own teeth?
somewhere
the only animal that smokes a cigarette,
that lies down and flies backward in time,
that rises and walks to a book
and looks up a word
heard the telephone ringing
in the darkness downstairs and decided
to answer no more.
And I understand,
too well: how many times
have I made the decision to dwell
from now on
in the hour of my death
(the space I took up here
scarlessly closing like water)
and said I'm never coming back,
and yet
this morning
I stood once again
in this world,
the garden
ark and vacant
tomb of what
I can't imagine,
between twin eternities,
some sort of wings,
more or less equidistantly
exiled from both,
hovering in the dreaming called
being awake, where
You gave me
in secret one thing
to perceive, the
tall blue starry
strangeness of being
here at all.
You gave us each in secret one thing to perceive.
Furless now, upright, My banished
and experimental
child
You said, though your own heart condemn you
I do not condemn you.
---Franz Wright
for more information, please contact kendra@otherfreds.com