From Tuesday, January 14 to Sunday, February 2, 2025, Necessary Angel Theatre Company, in association with Canadian Stage and BirdLand Theatre, presents the English-language Canadian premiere of Roland Schimmelpfennig’s dark, razor-sharp satire Winter Solstice, translated by David Tushingham and directed by Necessary Angel Artistic Director Alan Dilworth.
Beware the sincere stranger
Extremism doesn’t kick the door down on arrival: it waits for an invite, then makes itself at home. It’s Christmas Eve, and a charming, unexpected guest arrives at the home of a polite bourgeois family. While holiday tensions simmer, the well-mannered stranger seduces his liberal hosts with a vision of a simpler world order.
Winter Solstice is a comedy of manners with a bite. Family, betrayal and the inescapable presence of the past reverberate throughout. Playwright Roland Schimmelpfennig is Germany’s most performed playwright and one of Europe’s most original voices, with productions worldwide in over 40 countries.
The cast features Diego Matamoros and Nancy Palk, with Frank Cox-O’Connell, Kira Guloien and Cyrus Lane.
“Winter Solstice is one of the most thrilling, audacious and timely plays I have encountered. So we gathered a team of theatrical giants to tackle this breath-taking text which is formally and narratively extraordinary. You must see this play.”
– Alan Dilworth, Necessary Angel Artistic Director & production director
About Necessary Angel Theatre Company
Necessary Angel Theatre Company is one of English Canada’s most vital original creation and touring organizations. The company has a history of innovation and risk-taking, and engages theatre artists from a variety of disciplines in the creation of new work. An influential and original presence on the national and international theatre scene for over 40 years, the company has produced more than 60 productions, including 30 world premieres and 11 North American premieres. Work created by Necessary Angel has been nominated for and has won Governor General’s Awards for Drama, Chalmers Awards for Outstanding New Play and numerous Dora Mavor Moore Awards.
About Canadian Stage
Canadian Stage is one of the country’s leading contemporary performing arts organizations. A collision of disciplines and cultures, Canadian Stage reflects the dynamism and complexity of Canada and is a vital artistic force locally, nationally and internationally. In its over 30-year history, Canadian Stage has employed thousands of artists and developed and produced hundreds of new productions. Many of the plays developed by Canadian Stage have been awarded and nominated for Canada’s most prestigious literary and performing arts honours, including Governor General’s, Chalmers and Dora Mavor Moore Awards. Throughout the theatre season, nearly 100,000 patrons attend performances and workshops in its three Toronto venues.
About BirdLand Theatre
BirdLand Theatre is a Toronto-based not-for-profit performing arts producing and broadcasting company, promoting the art of creative living through dynamic theatre and multimedia productions embodying technology, art and mindfulness. Founded by producer Dr. Zorana Kydd in 2002, BirdLand is now run by Kydd and director Stefan Dzeparoski. The company has produced critically acclaimed work in Toronto, Off-Broadway and Europe, receiving national and international awards and accolades for its work. Memorable productions of Assassins, by Stephen Sondheim, and The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot, by Stephen Adly Guirgis, received six Dora Mavor Moore Awards.
(Photo credits: Diego Matamoros. Photo by Dahlia Katz.)
Event details
Hosted by: Necessary Angel Theatre Company, in association with Canadian Stage and BirdLand Theatre
Type of event: theatre performance
Written by: Roland Schimmelpfennig, translated by David Tushingham
Director: Alan Dilworth
Cast: Frank Cox-O’Connell, Kira Guloien, Cyrus Lane, Diego Matamoros & Nancy Palk
Date: Tuesday, January 14 – Sunday, February 2, 2025
Start times:
- Tuesday – Saturday @ 8:00 PM ET
- Saturday & Sunday matinées @ 2:00 PM ET
- Additional matinées on Wednesdays, January 22 & 29 @ 1:00 PM ET
There will be complementary on-site child care for the performance on Sunday, January 19; and live ASL interpretation on Tuesday, January 21.
Duration: Approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes (no intermission)
Cost:
- Previews (Tuesday, January 14 – Thursday, January 16): C$33.00 – $92.00
- From Saturday, January 18 (Opening night on Friday, January 17 is sold out): C$34.00 – $118.00
- Arts worker and under-29 discounts are available. See ways to save here.
Taxes and box office fees may apply.
Location: Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley Street, Toronto, ON, M5A 2W3, Canada
Booking link: Book your tickets online here or via email at boxoffice@canadianstage.com
Contact details: Necessary Angel Theatre Company; 416-703-0406, info@necessaryangel.com, necessaryangel.com
Content warning: Strong language, mature content, references to white supremacist and far-right ideology.
Accessibility: General info here. There will be complementary on-site child care for the performance on Sunday, January 19; and live ASL Interpretation on Tuesday, January 21.
COVID-19 policy: Canadian Stage has taken enhanced health and safety measures for you, other patrons, staff, volunteers and artists. You must follow all instructions provided in pre-event emails, as well as all posted and verbal instructions while attending your performance. While they have put measures in place to enhance safety and help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission from person to person, an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in public places where people gather. When visiting one of their venues, you voluntarily assume all risks related to possible exposure of COVID-19. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in removal from the venue.
Refund policy: All ticket sales are final and non-refundable. Tickets may be exchanged within the same production to a different performance date, provided the exchange is done no later than 2 hours before the performance for which the original tickets were purchased, subject to availability. The ticketholder must pay any difference in ticket price. Exchanges are subject to a $5 fee per ticket.