My Pet Lizard, Liz: The Shakespearean Existential Crisis that Led to His Ultimate Demise
- Company
- The Lost Scribe Collective
- Writer & Performer
-
Shaharah "Gaz" Gaznabbi
- Runtime
- 60 minutes
Gaz performs a whimsical, puppet-filled musical comedy whilst reconciling, one year later, with the grief of losing their friend and pet lizard, Liz. Who’s responsible? Shakespeare. That blasted balding bisexual.
The theatre industry and creative process itself becomes part of this not-so-typical solo-show. From character and accent work, puppets of found materials, and music from local Toronto artists, this show invites a fresh approach to storytelling.
This show explores framing vulnerability with humour, and audiences are advised that this production deeply addresses themes of grief and suicide. Audiences can therefore walk in-and-out as needed.
Credits
- Director
- Anand Rajaram
- Stage Manager
- Maxwell Cowan
- Dramaturg
- Malika Daya
- Puppet Designer
- Lindsey Griffith, Natasha Ross, Shaharah Gaznabbi
- Lighting Designer
- Vasilisa Filippova
- Social Media Manager
- Jeya Nkrumah
- Musician
- Michelle Qadir, Kicksie
- Sound Designer
- Hannah Smith
More about the show experience
(*) Indicates a mask-mandated performance. We encourage you to bring your own mask from home! And, if needed, masks will be available at the venue.
Venue
21 : Tarragon Theatre Solo Room
30 Bridgman Ave
Toronto
Ontario
M5R 1X3
Access
- Level of Physical Access
- Accessible
Covid-19 policy
- Masks
- Not required
More about the show and company
The Lost Scribe Collective's mandate is to foster the original intersectional narratives from Brown & Muslim, Queer, Disabled and/or Gender Expansive Storytellers. We also prioritize upholding ideologies surrounding a thriving collective environment. Our purpose is to support new works that challenge expectations, embrace complexity and explore intersections that may be at odds.
Land acknowledgement
We pause to acknowledge that the land on which we create and perform is the traditional
territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples. Our creative journey unfolds in multiple places—Toronto, Mississauga, and
Etobicoke—each contributing its own unique energy to the work. We also honour the diverse
backgrounds of our collective members, whose ancestral homes span from Guyana, Saudi
Arabia, Somalia, and India, to this land we now share. As we create, we do so with gratitude for the land and its original stewards, recognizing that the act of creation is not just a celebration of our own voices, but also an opportunity to listen, reflect, and give back.
Content advice
Not recommended for persons under 14 years of age Audience participation Mature language
Audience participation details
We will never bring anyone onstage, do not worry! The Performer will provide moments of small in-seat audience interactions.
Audiences will be asked to do some small 1-1 puppetry interactions, and write a small note onto a provided paper to be thrown onstage.
Sensory description
Every show in this run will be a relaxed environment. Therefore, audience members who wish to walk out and come back in may do so. There will be a sensory area set up at Front of House for audiences who need a break during the show.
The most enjoyable visual elements of the show are it's puppetry and comedic character physicality, which can enjoyed by sighted audiences.
The musical and character accent elements makes this show enjoyable for hearing audiences.