Through blunt text and even blunter physicality, It began with watching offers a brutally humorous take on the political landscape as ‘alternative facts’ and outlandish acts take centre stage. A site-adaptive work that is tailored to each space it visits, the absurdist exchanges between performers and audience members and droll commentary in  It began with watching  provide an entertaining and honest portrait of a sector enthralled with power. A droplet of intelligence here, a hint of a shadowy figure, and we are all marionettes, putty in the puppet master’s hands.

The evening-length site-adaptive version of It began with watching premiered in Edmonton on June 27-29, 2017 at Edmonton City Hall and on June 30, 2017 at the Vignettes Building through The Works Art & Design Festival. 

Excerpts of this work have also been shown at more than ten sites between 2017 and 2020 across Calgary’s downtown, at various on-campus locations at the University of Calgary, as well as at EV Junction as part of Alberta Culture Days and at the DJD Dance Centre for the Canadian National Dance Assembly’s annual conference in 2017. 

The film, MEN in charge, which was released in 2021, is based on the stage and site versions of It began with watching, directed by Melanie Kloetzel and shot and edited by Linnea Swan.

Contact kloetzel&co. to book the MEN for your site – restaurant, brewery or boardroom!