PARADE curated by Patrick Macaulay

A Quack Cure, 2013

Lisa Hirmer, as DodoLab - Guelph, Canada

Performance Art

A Quack Cure, 2013
Photo: Lisa Hirmer

Inspired by traditional mummers parades, A Quack Cure will bring to life a merry troupe of otherwise-extinct creatures for a night of revelry aboard a float designed especially for these strange animals.

View full project description

Inspired by traditional mummers parades, A Quack Cure will bring to life a merry troupe of otherwise-extinct creatures for a night of revelry aboard a float designed especially for these strange animals. 

Dating back to the medieval ages, mummers parades were put on by groups of masked performers traveling through the streets and into houses during holidays and festivals. A performance of some kind would occur at one or more points during theses processions, often telling a story of combat that would result in one of the characters being killed. In these plays a quack doctor would appear just in time, responding to the assailant’s regret at having killed his opponent, and bring the dead character back to life. At this point, with catastrophe avoided, the entire troupe would break into revelry and continue on their happy journey.

This project is based on the same lighthearted reversal of consequences. This all-night performance supposes that a “quack cure” has undone, for this festive night, the human-caused extinctions of a small but lively selection of creatures.

Unfortunately, quack cures are never quite what they hope to be.

Suitable for all ages

72

Queens Park Crescent East & Wellesley Street West

This project is outdoors.