Press ReleaseFor immediate release

A Cat Kidd/Scapegoat Carnivale Theatre co-production

Hyena Subpoena

Written and performed by Catherine KiddDirected by Alison DarcyOctober 13–29, 2011

If I could be a hybrid species, here’s what I would beA creature who’s one-half hyena, and one-half meAnd should I be called to testify upon my own behalf,I’ll take the stand, and be sworn in, then laugh and laughand laugh.- Mona Morse

Montreal, October 13 2011

– Cat Kidd productions and Scapegoat Carnivale Theatre are thrilled topresent

Hyena Subpoena

, a new solo multimedia creation by one of Canada’s highly regarded writer/spoken word artists

Catherine Kidd

directed by

Alison Darcy

. Set in a campsite in South Africa’s famed Kruger Park, the show is eight interlinked stories told by activist and poet MonaMorse who has fled civilization for the bushveld. Postcards home claim she’s transformed herself into a hyena. With the humour of hindsight, Morse recounts the rocky ‘school of hard knock knock jokes’ thatshaped her turbulent past. Inspired by encounters with hyena, antelope, lions or elephants, Mona’sstories prowl the boundaries between predator and prey, individual and society, freedom andcaptivity, as she recalls the events that led to her confinement in a residential psych unit.

Hyena Subpoena

is an uplifting work of surprising originality, which shines light on the dark milestones thatmeasure a life’s journey.In the tradition of the

Künstlerroman

, Morse's stories implicitly chafe against the skewed values of hersociety. Her concern for social conflicts shared by humans and non-humans alike question thenature of personhood and what it means to be granted the status of “person.” After a six years touring internationally with her award-winning solo show

Sea Peach,

Kidd took timeaway from the Montreal stage to publish her first novel. With

Hyena Subpoena

, Kidd returns to hersignature performance style, hybridizing poetry with traditional prose narrative, enhancing themusicality of language to create a heightened, magical reality. Les Ateliers Jean Brillant’s open,industrial space will be transformed under the production design of

Jody Burkholder

Long-timecollaborator

DJ Jacky Murda

(Barcelona) contributes original audio soundscapes. Videoenvironments by Kidd and

Geoff Agombar

using wildlife footage collected on tour in South Africa.“Our city’s newest superstar… a knockout…This Kidd is pure gold.”

Montreal Gazette