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2001 - 2003
- Matt Radz, theatre critic, Gazette (September 27th, 2003)
"…for the brave of heart, Optative
Theatrical Laboratories, producers of the infamous Car Stories at
the 2001 Fringe, as part of its "Reclaim the Fringe"
campaign is presenting a new version of Car Stories every night
throughout the festival."
- Amy Barratt, theatre critic, Montreal Mirror (June 19th, 2003)
"The show is a by-appointment-only
affair that takes pace inside an old bazou parked at a secret
location…Car Stories got booted from the 2001 Fringe when
Optative's experiment with media activism backfired, belching so
much publicity smoke that the brilliance of the idea to do this
sort of street performance vanished with the hot air…"
- Matt Radz, theatre critic, Gazette (June 19th, 2003)
"…Optative Theatrical
Laboratories…has been nominated for the $100,000 Siminovitch
Prize in Playwrighting, the most lucrative theatre prize in
Canada. The nominated work is called Car Stories: What Have You
Heard? King says in an e-mail that it is a "meta-play"
that "explores the corporatizing of the Fringe." It is
available through the Quebec Drama Federation, 875-8698."
- Concordia Thursday Report (November 7, 2002)
"Kicked out of the Fringe Festival last
year after corporate sponsors took offence to its anti-corporate
agenda, it is a highly experimental project where the audience
(only three per performance) is led through four cars at random
locations throughout the city where difference stories, with
plenty of room for improvisation, are being enacted in each. The
audience, of course, is encouraged to participate - 'play' - and
are fully integrated into the performance"
- Brendan Woods, The Concordian (November 6th, 2002)
"Optative Theatrical Laboratories, has
been nominated for the Siminovitch Prize in Playwrighting. At
$100,000.00 this is Canada's most prestigious theatre prize, and
is adjudicated by Canada's leading theatrical luminaries."
- University of Calgary Gazette (September 3rd, 2002)
"Shunned, banned and removed from the
Fringe last year, Car Stories…is parked until June 23 at Bifteck…Warning:
this show comes with its own rules of the road and full
documentation (you might need glasses to read the fine
print)."
- Matt Radz, theatre critic, Gazette (June 14th, 2002)
"Donovan King wants to outfringe the
Fringe fest (coming in June!)…A self-described "Artistic
Facilitator," King is the stage disturber who drove everyone
crazy at last summer's Fringe fest with his Car Stories, and
intimate theatrical experience for as many actors as can be
crammed into the front seat and an audience of three in the back.
The Fringe establishment now shuns King, so this year's Car
Stories will take place in vehicles parked just beyond the Fringe
perimeter."
- Matt Radz, new theatre critic, Gazette (March 7th, 2002)
"When the fringe is infringed on by the
tentacles of capitalist corruption and the inevitable censorship
that follows, it is time for artists and activists to unite to
challenge this disgraceful evil. The fringe is the very edge of
society where our ideas and artistic endeavours brew, where the
potential to change society exists; and when this realm becomes
trademarked and run in a corrupt manner like the Nike Corporation
with its victims being the artists (versus the sweatshop labour of
the third world), it is a clear signal that it is time for all
artists and activists to RECLAIM THE FRINGE. "
- Marie-Claude Ferrier, Canadian Agit-Prop Theatre Network
"1) Why did Jeremy Hechtman tell
everyone that The Gazette had threatened to withdraw funding and
coverage due to King's open letter?
2) Is Mainline theatre planning on
reimbursing OTL and the other 65 companies it defrauded?
3) Will Mainline Theatre release an audit of
its accounting books?
4) Is Mainline Theatre planning on publicly
apologising to King for defaming him?"
- Elhona Blackmore, independent freelance journalist
"Car Stories was kicked out because the
police were called twice by the surrounding neighbours. The police
told us the second time that if they had to be called a third,
they would shut the Fringe down. End of story."
- Patrick Goddard, Fringe™ General Manager
"Except for one small detail: the Car
Stories debacle that wouldn't go away. Donovan King, the maverick
theatre director whose automobile-hopping play was kicked out of
the festival for a long list of reasons, was arrested last night
after rushing the tent where the ceremony was taking place…King
was issued a ticket for disturbing the peace…King had been
circling the tent throughout the ceremonies, handing out flyers
and trying to get in…King's associate, Peter Pelletier,
explained it this way: "Everything he (King) was doing was
theatre. But the reaction that everybody had was real. It's all
within the theory of play, which he is currently studying. This is
actually going to be part of his thesis."
- Pat Donnelly, former theatre critic, Gazette (June 25th, 2001)
"Description de l'infraction: Having
impeded or obstructed pedestrian, vehicular traffic / by standing
still, prowling, loitering on public thorough-fares and places,
and by refusing to move on, by order of a police officer."
- Officer Collin, Station 38, MUC Police
"However, before we begin weeping for
the actors and crew of the show, I'd like to make a point I made
during debacles like this in the past…How a show looks, how it
is acted, and how it is presented to the public (both in
performance and PR) is not only the "fault" of the
director; actors (especially in a collaborative effort like this
one) must assume some responsibility unless they are either
intellectually handicapped or brainwashed automatons…Meanwhile,
according to one Gazette source…there will be no more reviews in
the paper of Fringe shows (and have been none since Tuesday). This
represents a catastrophic vacuum in Fringe coverage in a city with
only one English daily during this, the single most important
anglo theatrical event of the year."
- Gaetan Charlebois, former theatre critic, HOUR (June 23rd, 2001)
"Lisa told me that the Gazette was going
to pull its sponsorship from the Fringe for this year and the next
and cease to review shows (Jeremy later said the same thing to me
in front of a whole bunch of other Fringe performers: "The
Gazette won't be reviewing any more shows, thanks to you," he
turned to the others, "If a critic came to see your show but
hasn't reviewed it yet, it won't happen. There won't be any more
publicity for any of you in the Gazette, thanks to Car
Stories.") as a result of what happened on the night Pat
tried to see the show, and as a result of the letter that (King)
wrote to the Gazette. That letter was going to be used against
(King), the company, and the Fringe in a slander suit that the
Gazette was going to file. I agreed to sign a paper claiming that
I was going to have no more part in the show, and that it would be
discontinued until further notice while the story was analysed
further. The next day was our day off anyway, so I figured that it
would be enough time to clear things up."
- Matt Legault, actor, Car Stories '01
"Car Stories, the experimental theatre
show that takes place in a car, has been expelled from the
Montreal Fringe Festival. This week, the innovative show had
provoked complaints about noise and inappropriate behaviour.
"For a long, long list of reasons, they have been expelled.
We are not selling tickets for them and they are not part of the
festival," Fringe producer Jeremy Hechtman told The
Gazette."
- Gazette (June 22nd, 2001)
"For the first time in the history of
the Fringe, a show has been kicked out. Car Stories will be
presenting no more performances because of problems generated by
the cast, crew, and director. Notable among them, a series of
letters sent by Donovan King, the shows director, et al., all of
whose seriousness is questionable, sent to various members of the
press, to Lucinda Chodan (Assistant Managing editor, Features at
the Gazette), to fringe staff…For her part, when asked if there
will be negative repercussions for the Fringe because of actions
on the part of the CAR STORIES team, Chodan says she is not angry
with anyone. Moreover, "The Fringe is a terrific event. We
wouldn't want to do anything to hurt the Fringe." However,
there were no reviews of Fringe shows in the entertainments
section of the Gazette today. Chodan says she is in discussion
with critic Pat Donnelly on how the Fringe should be covered for
the rest of the event; ie: articles instead of reviews. (Donnelly
could not be reached for comment). Chodan had received an email
apology from some members of the CAR STORIES company, dissociating
themselves from actions by King."
- Gaetan Charlebois, former theatre critic, HOUR (June 22nd, 2001) |
- Richard Séguin, actor, CAR STORIES '01
"06/21/2001 20:00
5148453634
Attn: Lucinda Chodan
The Gazette
Re: Car Stories
Dear Ms. Chodan,
I am writing to you on behalf of the cast and
crew of 'Car Stories,' the Fringe Festival play which has caused
so much controversy. We wish to extend our sincere apologies to
you and your staff as well as to the staff and participants of the
2001 Montreal Fringe Festival.
Donovan King has purported to act on our
behalf during recent events, but in fact we have not been
consulted, and his behaviour has come as quite a shock to us. Most
of us have now resigned from Optative Theatrical laboratories, the
company formed by Mr. King to produce the show. Our intention when
joining the 'Car Stories' project was to create something truly
original and to have fun, not to alienate and offend the Gazette,
The City of Montreal, or The Fringe Festival and its guest
companies.
We would like to state very clearly that we
do not support Donovan King's recent actions, which were
undertaken solely by him. The Fringe Festival is not responsible
for the recent regrettable occurances. Unfortunately Mr. King's
behaviour is now affecting all the Fringe participants and we, the
former members of 'Car Stories' regret that more could not have
been done to stop this beforehand.
I have personally been involved with the
Fringe Festival for the last 5 years in different capacities. It
is the event each year that I look forward to the most. I am
ashamed that a member of this community would single-handedly
attempt to destroy the Festival, let alone a member of a company
that I was involved in. On behalf of the resigned OTL troupe, I
ask you to reconsider your decision to stop reviewing the Fringe
festival this year. It is a marvellous event which is of enormous
benefit to the local theatrical community, and emerging artists.
Once again our sincerest apologies,
Lisa M. Levack
(Also on behalf of the following OTL past
members: Ross Bonnell, Catherine Tasse, Stephanie Kerr, Elizabeth
Westmore, Matthew Legault, Richard Seguin, Amy Sobol, K. Daehler,
Peter Shams)
Cc: Pat Donnelly, Jeremy Hechtman"
- Lisa Levack, former Chaos Organizer, Car Stories '01, fax to Gazette
"It's a non-story."
- Jeremy Hechtman, Fringe™ Producer
"Car Stories is in park for now. As of
this morning, the innovative Fringe Festival production was in
limbo, after having been expelled yesterday afternoon
from the alternative theatre event. Late yesterday, Fringe
producer Jeremy Hechtman said he had not decided whether the show,
which takes place in three parked cars, would be reinstated after
it fired its "artistic facilitator" Donovan King…On
Monday night, Donnelly and King clashed over whether the writer
had to pay $9 to see Car Stories. Although the dispute was
resolved, rumours spread that, because of the confrontation The
Gazette would no longer cover the festival and that the newspaper
would withdraw its sponsorship. Gazette management categorically
denied both rumours yesterday, and Fringe producer Hechtman said
his decision to kick the troupe out had nothing to do with the
Donnelly-King spat."
- Alan Hustak, "journalist", Gazette (June 21st, 2001)
"Car Stories, which starts from the beer
tent, has proved to be the most problematic show to deal with,
Hechtman said, because of differences with the company over box
office."
- Pat Donnelly, former theatre critic, Gazette (June 20th, 2001)
"To: Gazette, Entertainment section
Dear Editors,
Please be aware that there appears to have
been a mistake. Lisa Levack, our Choas Organiser, has sent an
apology to Pat Donnely on our behalf without consulting us at all!
As such I am FWDing this message to all participants, who can
apologise if they see fit.
Personally I see no need to apologise at all
- in fact I believe Ms. Donnely should be apologizing to the
innocent box office volunteer girl, the victim of your
"critic." Ms. Donnely flew into a rage when she realised
that the ticket was not for free for her, and hurled a paper note
at the girl before retreating to the beer tent! This resulted in a
severe paper cut to the face, scarring a once-pretty girl. She
could have lost an eye, and now everyone is teasing her by calling
her "scarface"!
Ms. Donnely then returned and demanded to be
let in for Free. I informed her that all spectators had to pay,
myself included. It was the best $7.00 I'd ever spent on seeing a
show! When Pat still refused, I offered to pay myself out of my
own pocket if Pat agreed to play IN the show the following day.
Unfortunately as negotiations were going on, the ticket was sold
to a very excited girl, who'd been waiting days to see CAR
STORIES.
CAR STORIES has sold out every single show to
date. It's been widely covered by all papers & other media
(except The Gazette), and has the most and the best BUZZ of the
beer tent. With over 30 artists on the payroll and merely 3
spectators per performance, it makes good sense to charge
everyone. Our lazy artists got very little in the form of
sponsorship, and I stand to lose lots of $$$$$$ if we don't charge
admission to everyone.
As such, please open your petty cash box and
give Pat the $9 to see it, or I, a starving debt-ridden artist
will payout of my own pocket, but only if she will play in the
show. She can make up the role, or even play herself: why doesn't
Pat play a role in the show, and write a critique from that
perspective? It would be more original than the other
"critics" - that's (or sure!! And please give her a
little extra to buy her victim a beer and make amends. We just
want to play (except Lisa).
Sincerely and Humbly,
Donovan King, Artistic Facilitator/Corrupt
Accountant"
- Donovan King (in masquerade), letter to Gazette, June 19, 2001
"The best $7 I ever spent on the
"theatre"! "
- BUZZ of the Beer Tent
"Great theatre experience - R U in or
not? You realize after car #4 that you were in - which means it
was a success!"
- BUZZ of the Beer Tent
"Fucking EH? Great show, exciting,
unique, amazing, WORTH IT!"
- BUZZ of the Beer Tent
"It was hot. We were led away - far
away, it seemed - from the Beer Tent. I was scared. But then Car
Stories began and because I could not reach for my notebook (so
crammed into the seats were we) I had to be a pure spectator and I
was indeed, fascinated: both from an intellectual point of view
and from that of a Spectator in Wonderland."
- Gaetan Charlebois, former theatre critic, HOUR (June 16th, 2001)
"A wonderful experience. I would
recommend it to everyone I know and don't know. Nice work. Good
luck to all the actors in the future!"
- BUZZ of the Beer Tent
"I like this a lot! I get to act
in a play I get to see. I like that a lot. Merci!"
- BUZZ of the Beer Tent
"The most interesting theatre &
creative venue! I'd pay the $7 all over again or at least have
someone else pay for me. Check it out. You won't regret it!"
- BUZZ of the Beer Tent
"The visceral, Freudian image that
springs to mind most adamantly as I read the papers related to the
project or speak to its creator is this: "Come into my
parlour" - a seduction followed by an act of theatrical
cannibalism…Plotting is utterly fluid and can change from
performance to performance and day to day. "It's always a
process," says King. "It's not about the product. It's
about challenging the rules. Ultimately, it's about social
betterment." It is also, importantly, about how the spectator
reacts; this determines the final emotional impact, and, says
King, whether "it's a nightmare or dream…whatever you want
to call it." Yikes! "
- Gaetan Charlebois, former theatre critic, HOUR (June 14th, 2001) |