Following a sold-out run at the Toronto Fringe Festival, a remount at Crow’s Theatre and a spot on Intermission Magazine’s list of top theatre picks of 2024, cult (forgive us, Father) favourite MONKS returns for seven performances at The Theatre Centre from Wednesday, February 26 to Sunday, March 2, 2025.
People come back to the show over and over again wondering: What else could possibly go wrong?
“Are you there, God? It’s us, MONKS.” The medieval monks who reside in the hilltop Spanish monastery have always lived in total isolation… but when the Abbot ventures into town, two Brothers take the opportunity to invite a wagon full of strangers to their austere abode. Trying to complete their tasks of counting lentils, caring for their donkey and keeping the monastery standing becomes the quest of a lifetime.
Created and performed by Veronica Hortigüela and Annie Luján, MONKS invites you on a journey for a good time in this shockingly grotesque, interactive clown show* featuring magical realism, live music, unbridled chaos and every interpretation of the word “ass”.
“When I first saw MONKS, I didn’t know what to expect. It looked weird, it looked like fun – it looked like a secret party! – and I am pleased to report that all those initial impressions were dead on. […] The artists’ talent, their vision, their absolute commitment to absurdity, and the fact that the show’s (non-invasive) interactive nature will always change depending on who is in the house – these things make MONKS a must-see (more than once, if you can swing it).”
– liza paul, Associate Artistic Director, The Theatre Centre
About the cast/creators
Veronica Hortigüela (she/her) is a Scarborough-born and raised actor, clown and playwright who graduated from TMU’s Theatre Acting program. Her performance credits include: Feast (upcoming – Tarragon), The Bidding War (Crow’s Theatre), Bremen Town (NextStage, Dora nomination – Best Ensemble), Prodigal (Crow’s Theatre, Howland Co.), Casimir and Caroline (Howland Co., Dora Award – Best Ensemble), Little Women, Every Little Nookie (Stratford) and Dry Land (Cue6, Globe and Mail 10 Best Productions 2018).
Annie Luján (she/her) is a Dora Award-winning Costa Rican-Canadian actor and clown. She is a graduate of the 2022 Soulpepper Academy and Concordia University. As a clown, Annie has trained/worked internationally in Italy, the U.S. and across Canada. Her credits include: A Little Closer (The Vault Creation Lab at Coal Mine – upcoming), Last Landscape (Buddies in Bad Times/Bad New Days), Peggy Pickit Sees the Face of God, King Lear (Soulpepper), Comedy of Errors (The Grove) and Storybook Search (Bad Hats).
About The Theatre Centre
The Theatre Centre is a nationally recognized live-arts incubator and community hub. Their mission is to offer a home for creative, cultural and social interactions to invent the future. They make work that spans disciplines and genres; work that pushes the boundaries of what is considered “art”. Their programming and their role as a community space are inextricably linked. Art is not made in a silo: it is connected to the world around it.
* A clown show is a physical, playful form of theatre, often incorporating improvisation (unscripted action and dialogue) and satire. The performers don’t necessarily wear the makeup and costumes that we often associate with traditional circus or birthday party clowns.
(Photo credits: Annie Luján & Veronica Hortigüela in MONKS. Photo by Audrianna Martin Del Campo.)
Event details
Hosted by: The Theatre Centre
Type of event: clown theatre performance
Created & performed by: Veronica Hortigüela & Annie Luján
Dates: Wednesday, February 26 – Sunday, March 2, 2025
Start times:
- Wednesday – Saturday evenings @ 7:30 PM ET
- Saturday & Sunday matinées @ 2:30 PM ET
Duration: 75 minutes (no intermission)
Cost: C$30.00
Discounts are available for anyone who may be looking for financial accessibility, including students, seniors, arts workers and The Theatre Centre’s West Queen West neighbours. Please email The Theatre Centre at boxoffice@theatrecentre.org or call 416-538-0988 to ask about discounted tickets.
Location: The Theatre Centre, BMO Incubator, 1115 Queen St. W, Toronto, ON, M6J 1J1
Trailer: Scroll down to watch the trailer.
Booking link: Book your tickets here. See discount availability above.
Contact details: The Theatre Centre, 1115 Queen St. W, Toronto, ON, M6J 1J1, Canada; Box office: 416-538-0988, boxoffice@theatrecentre.org, theatrecentre.org
Content warning: For audiences 18+. Please be advised that MONKS uses mature language, partial nudity, strobing lights, abrupt sound or lighting cues, and audience participation. If you have an allergy to lentils, you should not see this show. Since MONKS uses improvisation in large parts of the show, they cannot promise any one outcome of a game. MONKS contains many instances of sensory stimulation. This may include: loud music, interaction with props, and water/food being sprayed around the space. Please use your discretion when deciding to attend.
Accessibility: The Theatre Centre is physically accessible to audiences and artists alike. Each level has a barrier-free washroom and there’s a lift available for public use. If you have questions or need specific accommodations, please email or call the box office at 416-538-0988 and they’ll do their best to help you out. While the box office staff is working from home there will not be anyone on site to answer the phone. Leave a message and they will endeavour to return your call within 24 hours. More info here.
COVID-19 policy: Info here.
Refund policy: Please contact the organizer.