The Refugee Hotel
Run: October 26th –November 13th 2016, The Segal Centre for Performing Arts
Playwright: Carmen Aguirre
Directed By: Paulina Abarca-Cantin
Assistant Director: Sophie Gee
Cast: Charles Bender, Pablo Diconca, Braulio Elicer, Craig Francis, Ziad Ghanem, Shanti Gonzales, Juan Grey, Gilda Monreal, Sally Singal, Mariana Tayler, Vera Wilson Valdez Bryan Javia
Creative Team: Translation and Surtitles: Bruce Gibbons Fell, Light & Production Manager: Audrey-Anne Bouchard, Production Assistant: James Douglas, Set & Costume: Diana Uribe, Assistant Costume Designer: Martha Moncaleano De La Torre, Video & Sound: Christopher Scott Wardell, Associate Sound Designer: Jesse Ash, Stage Manager: Danielle Skene, Apprentice Stage Manager: Orlando Lopez, Technical Director: Bruce Lambie, Publicist, Media Relations: Janis Kirshner, Cueca Dancer: Bryan Javia
In the aftermath of the Chilean coup d’état of 1973, The Refugee Hotel is a story of exile, trauma and the Canadian resettlement experience.
Photos by Jean Charles Labarre
“The spirits of the newly displaced Chileans in The Refugee Hotel fight hard not to be broken. The Chilean sense of humour, irony, camaraderie, love of music and of life, prevails.”
— Camila Fitzgibbon, Montreal Theatre Hub
“Ms Aguirre and Teesri, with the direction of Paulina Abarca-Cantin…have managed to interject elements of love and even humour into this story of various refugees/exiles descending upon a hotel in Montreal in early 1974.”
— Byron Toben, Westmount Mag
“You can’t fault the heart, compassion and fighting spirit of Teesri Duniya… Aguirre wrote her play at the turn of the millennium in response to the ecstatic news that Pinochet might finally be brought to justice, and the anger and disgust at what he inflicted on his people is palpable.”
— Jim Burke, Montreal Gazette