Australia’s Back to Back Theatre brings The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes to Toronto via Canadian Stage, giving us a rare chance to experience their internationally celebrated work.

Written and performed by neuro-divergent actors, this is a funny and beautiful play. The writers are Michael Chan, Mark Deans, Bruce Gladwin, Simon Laherty, Sarah Mainwaring, Scott Price, and Sonia Teuben. Laherty, Mainwaring and Price are part of the cast as well.

Weaving a narrative through human rights, sexual politics, and the rise of artificial intelligence, The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes is a smart production that reminds us that none of us are self-sufficient and all of us are responsible for the future.

I attended a performance of the show with a friend last week and we left smiling, with lots of things to ponder and appreciative of the work the company and primarily, the cast members shared with us. Below are some thoughts on the show in the hopes you make your way to be part of the experience and to support theatre that is not conventional per se but that challenges us to think deeply and creatively about art and the human experience. I highly recommend it.

For more context and about what to expect of the show, I highly recommend this accessibility document provided by Canadian stage.

The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes continues its Toronto run at Canadian Stage’s Berkeley Theatre until January 28, 2024. For showtimes and tickets, please visit canadianstage.com.

Photo credits: The Shadow Whose Prey The Hunter Becomes, Zurich, Back to Back Theatre, Image Kira Kynd 2022