(Photography by Pia Johnson)

Theatre is such a personal experience for each and every audience member. We take our baggage with us – our whole lives and internal biases informing our experience of what unfolds on stage. And Because the Night feels like that idea made literal.

It’s a loose adaptation of Hamlet, and takes place in a logging town plagued by deaths, ghosts, disappearances, and a forest that seems hungry. The sense of place communicated through the sound, lighting, and set design was incredible. We never saw the woods, but their presence was always there, pressing in on us from all sides. We never saw the ghost of Hamlet’s father, because we were the ghostly presence – haunting the characters and judging their decisions behind our masks and cloaks.

There was no speaking, but it never felt like an isolated experience. We shared glances with other audience members during the performance, finding a hidden bunker together and sharing our discoveries. We compared notes with friends who saw the show, even running into a stranger at the tram stop and marveling at how different their experience was.

The merch and posters for this show are branded with the words “LONG LIVE THEATRE” and it’s the perfect representation of this experience. It’s a call to action, a remembrance of the year that was, and a bold statement that we are here and we aren’t going anywhere. Theatre is back and it’s better, stronger, and brighter than ever.

Because the Night has extended its season at the Malthouse Theatre until June 27th!