Tony Adams and Cory Thibert in Happiness TM. Photo credit: Isaac Vallentin
Happiness™ by Tony Adams, Cory Thibert, and Madeleine Boyes-Manseau
August 11- 16, 18, 19, 21 at Venue #41: Rutherford School
More information: happinesstm.ca
An interview with Cory Thibert.
Describe your show in five words.
High-Energy Dark Satirical Comedy
Okay, now that we’re intrigued… what’s the longer description?
Happiness™ is the immersive self-help seminar for anyone who’s ever wanted it all – and is willing to pay for it!
Experience HPL™’s answer to universal unhappiness – hosted by spokesmen: James Lemon and Peter Barrel. A glimpse backstage threatens to undermine their shiny exteriors: Can two men who really don’t know happiness sell it?
Where did the idea to create the show Happiness™ come from?
The basic concept came from Tony Adams (co-creator/performer) imagining the world of sales and two salesman trying to sell something completely unattainable: Universal Happiness.
Happiness™ takes place at a self-help seminar – why set the show here?
Happiness™ is set at the self help seminar/ product launch for the company HPL™ that has found the answer to happiness. We created the world of HPL™ that the two salesman work for, the biggest product launch to date is the biggest day of both of their careers. The pressure is on for these two to be on their top game. The audience at our play is the audience that these salesman are selling to. The show is also set the hour before the launch as you see the two men preparing for the launch that the audience is there for.
Your show’s description asks: “Can two men who don’t know happiness sell it?”. Without giving too much away, of course, what approach do you take in the show to exploring this question?
We present a company with all the answers and two characters who seemingly are completely happy and can promise that to everyone else. That is a strong claim on both parts and it’s through exploring these characters over the hour, things from their life start to come to the surface. We kind of ask the question throughout it, is happiness just avoiding sadness?
Anything else you want audiences to know about the show?
This show has toured across the country over the past year and a half and we are very excited to bring it to Edmonton for the first time! We have an interactive website where you can learn more about the world of HPL™ at www.happinesstm.ca.
The 35th Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival is August 11 – 21. Tickets go on sale August 3 at noon and will be available at tickets.fringetheatre.ca.