The Emigrants

The Emigrants

NOV 11

7:30 PM

Presentation House Theatre

The play is written by Slawomir Mrozek, and translated by Henry Beissel. Directed by Cristiana Zachau, produced by Exact Resemblance. Akshaya Pattanayak and Jacob Machin deliver spellbinding portrayals of immigrant characters. Kate Chan designs the immersive soundscape.

The theme of the performance is immigration and the issues migrants face, where two immigrants in a typical democratic country share a unique and interconnected bond. One dreams of literary greatness, aspiring to write an incredible book, while the other yearns to return to his homeland with hard-earned savings for a better life for his family. On a transformative New Year's Eve, they engage in a riveting battle of hopes and realities, grappling with the complexities and dilemmas many immigrants face. Witness their journey as they strive to balance their dreams with the practicalities of life.

Please note there is a talkback after this show.

Content Advisory:

This show features a scene suggesting an attempted suicide, portrayed mildly. Viewer discretion is advised.

Cristiana Zachau

Cristiana is a Romanian-Canadian theatre director and educator. Her work has been staged at several state theatres in Romania and performed in multiple languages at festivals across Europe, such as Balkan Theatre Festival, International Theatre School Festivals (Greece, Netherlands, Albania), and
Freistil Festival (Germany).
Cristiana has worked as an acting teacher and director for independent theatre companies and organizations in Canada and Germany.
She also works in community-building and social outreach programs with sociocultural organizations in Germany. After spending the last 14 years in Germany, Cristiana has now relocated to Vancouver, where she is looking to join other creators to enrich the Canadian theatre scene.

Akshaya Pattanayak

Akshaya (meaning “never-ending”) is an actor and teacher based in Vancouver. He was born in Montreal but raised in different parts of India. He has an MFA in Acting from the University of Southern California and teaches acting at the Vancouver Film School. Notable theatre credits include:
Bad Hamlet, Milkcrate Monologues, Macbeth and 90 Days.
Film and TV credits include:
‘Last Bite’ and ‘Digby and Glass.’
He will be starring in the short film ‘Wellington’ and will be featured in an upcoming TBA
television show.

Jacob Machin

Jacob's career started in pantomime before finding a brief but successful calling in stand-up comedy,
winning the 2007 Melbourne International Comedy Festival's 'Class Clowns' competition.
Jacob went on to various theatre productions such as Death Of A Salesman, Next To Normal, Young and Jackson, directed by Wayne Harrison, August: Osage County, and Much Ado About Nothing with Melbourne Shakespeare Company.
Now based in Vancouver, Jacob has recently appeared in ‘Big Sky,' 'Supernatural,'
and 'Twilight Zone. ’

Kate Chan

Kate is a musician originally from Hong Kong. She completed her bachelor's in music from Royal Holloway, University of London and is now based in Vancouver.
She centers on intercultural identities and representations in her art. Kate enjoys exploring how sound connects people and creates meanings while interacting with different materials and media.
Her musical style is deeply rooted in minimalism, ambience, jazz, and indie pop. Her work can be found in various films, theatre productions, and on the radio.