www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, January 15, 2016 | 20 Bringing a little history back into theatre Sad Ibsen Theatre Company, founded by Ryan Borochovitz, staging first production Jan. 20 by John Bkila Oakville Beaver Staff Artscene "Connected to your Community" A n Oakville theatre student aims to bring back some history to the productions staged by his theatre company, Sad Ibsen. "I felt that there was not enough emphasis these days on older plays, especially forgotten gems. I wanted to create art for art's sake," said 21-year-old Ryan Borochovitz. "So, I founded Sad Ibsen to explore works with some historical, literary or spiritual significance." That's why his theatre company's first staged production will be Exiles by James Joyce, which opens its 10-run performance at the Red Sandcastle Theatre in Toronto Wednesday (Jan. 20). "James Joyce is considered to be one of the most influential novelists of the early 20th century," said Borochovitz. "Exiles is his only surviving play. It was written in 1914, after the publication of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and before Ulysses." Heavily influenced by Joyce's own life, the play follows the story of two love triangles and deals with the themes of religion, nationalism, identity, and, of course, love, Borochovitz explained. Richard and his common-law wife return from nine years of self-imposed exile in Italy, and as they attempt to settle back into life in Ireland, old feelings are reignited. The characters attempt to manoeuvre their relationships to reach their own ends, I felt that there was not enough emphasis these days on older plays, especially forgotten gems. I wanted to create art for art's sake. So, I founded Sad Ibsen to explore works with some historical, literary or spiritual significance.... James Joyce is considered to be one of the most influential novelists of the early 20th century. Exiles is his only surviving play. founder of Sad Ibsen Theatre Company Ryan Borochovitz from here on," said Borochovitz. Described as "an inside joke he has with himself," Sad Ibsen is named after famous Norwegian playwright, theatre director and poet, Henrik Ibsen, Borochovitz noted. Ibsen is often considered "the father" of modern theatre. An appreciation for Henrik Ibsen "It stemmed from a dissatisfaction I had about the way Ibsen is discussed, taught, and often looked down upon in today's theatrical and academic climate," Borochovitz said of why he chose the name for his theatre company. While he said Oakville is a great town for community theatre and the large-scale productions staged at the Oakville Centre for Performing Arts, where he regularly ushers, Borochovitz said he instead chose to base Sad Ibsen in Toronto. "The type of productions I want to stage are plays that are typically performed by large-scale theatres, but adapted to the smaller and more intimate settings that you find throughout the Toronto downtown Ryan Borochovitz leading to many "cat-and-mouse dynamics," described Borochovitz. The Iroquois Ridge High School graduate founded the Sad Ibsen Theatre Company, officially, in November 2014, but he says back then it was only a label he would attach to smaller theatre productions he was involved in. Exiles will be Sad Ibsen's first large-scale show. "We have been referring to it as our `debut' production, because it marks the direction that we intend the company to take core," he explained. Born in Montreal in 1994, Borochovitz moved to Oakville with his family in 1999 and said his love of theatre and performing began at an early age -- taking part in high school productions and even writing, directing and acting in one of his own. The York University student is currently completing his Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Studies. Shifting his focus from performing to play writing, Borochovitz has had a number of his original plays produced at Oakville Players' One Act Nights, The Toronto Paprika Festival and York University's playGround: Fringe Festival of New Plays in Development. Exiles is being staged Jan. 20-23 and 2730 at 7 p.m., with matinees on Jan. 24 and 31 at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for general admission or $15 for students, and can be bought at the door or in advance by calling 416-8459411. The Red Sandcastle Theatre is located at 922 Queen St. E. Trio of artists featured at Trias Gallery exhibit until Jan. 31 Trias Gallery has a new exhibition mounted featuring three new artists who have recently joined the Oakville organization. Until the end of the month (Jan. 31), art lovers will get to see the works of stone sculptor Chaka Chikodzi, and oil painters Vadim Dolgov and Brian Wyers. Born in Russia in 1962, Dolgov graduated from the Art Academy of Orenburg in 1986. He achieved early success when his work was sold at Drouot Auction House in Paris in 1991 and touring with a group of artists to India in 1997. As a result of this tour, his painting was included in an exhibition at the Russian state museum, Tretyakovskaya Gallery, in Moscow. In 1998, he moved to Canada and since then, his landscape paintings have been exhibited across the world, garnering eight American Oil Painting Awards. · · · Wyer studied Architecture at Ryerson University and has had his renderings displayed at trade shows to represent the school. His first public art showing was at the Toronto Art Expo in 2005, where he received accolades and invitations to show his largescale, floral oil paintings in Canadian and U.S. galleries. · · · Born in Zimbabwe, Chikodzi is an arts educator and activist, and has developed youth immersive arts' programming that has received support from the Ontario Arts Council for seven consecutive years. The "Out of the City" program is for new Canadian and immigrant youths that fosters cross-cultural exchange and encourages young people to build relationships through interdisciplinary arts exercises and stone sculpting. His current sculpting project explores the connection between geological time and human memory. · · · Trias Gallery is located at 11 Bronte Rd., unit 29, and open Wednesdays-Sundays from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information on this exhibit or upcoming shows, visit www.triasgallery. com or contact 905-465-1113 or info@ triasgallery.com.