Cliff Cardinal huff
Tuesday, October 4th – Saturday, October 8th | 7:30PM
Sunday, October 9th | 2PM
Run time: 1 h 15 mins
Neptune Theatre Scotiabank Stage
Co-presented with Neptune Theatre
Named by The Globe and Mail as a Canadian Cultural Icon in 2022, Cliff Cardinal is a polarizing writer and performer known for black humour and compassionate poeticism. His solo theatre productions Stitch, huff, and Cliff Cardinal’s CBC Special have won numerous awards. He is an associate artist at Video Cabaret where he develops his new work. Born on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, he studied playwriting at the National Theatre School of Canada and fronts the hilarious and nefarious Cliff Cardinal and The Skylarks.
Cardinal is best known for his one-man play huff, which he has performed over 200 times. This harrowing yet hilarious show about youth who abuse solvents, at high risk of suicide won the Buddies in Bad Times’ Vanguard Award for Risk and Innovation, two Dora Mavor Moore Awards (Outstanding Performance, Outstanding New Play), RBC’s Emerging Playwright Award, The Lustrum Award (which recognizes the greatest moments at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival), and was shortlisted for Amnesty International’s Freedom Of Expression Award. The production garnered a five-star review in The Guardian Observer titled “a hard-hitting tour de force.” huff has been published, translated into French, continues to tour and was released as a podcast by the CBC.
Cardinal lives in Toronto with his wife Sage Paul (Artistic Director of Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto), their dog, Frodo, and their cat, Tiga.
huff
“huff began, like all my stories do, as a creative exploration of the pain of those living outside the mainstream: the weirdos, the addicts, and the romantics. To take the characters to their lowest, where they hurt the most, and to find them there with love. huff represents the people whom I believe are Canada’s most taboo subculture: First Nations youth abusing solvents, at high risk of suicide. The challenge of telling a story so bleak is to draw the audience in, not push them away; to inspire hope, not hopelessness; and especially to incite others to tell their own stories.”
– Cliff Cardinal
Please be aware that this play involves difficult themes, graphic language, and graphic scenes depicting sexual violence, addiction, and suicide.
This play may involve some audience participation.
There will be a cultural support worker and quiet space available at all performances of huff.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us at info@prismaticfestival.com.
Personnel
Cliff Cardinal | Writer & Performer
Karin Randoja | Director
Produced by Cunning Concepts & Creations
