Theatre-circus-dance hybrid ‘Anthropic Traces’ asks: ‘What do we want to leave behind?’

The Anthropocene epoch, the period in which the presence of humans can be stratigraphically traced, has yet to be officially recognized by international geological bodies, but the evidence is not hard to find. Whether it is ancient skeletons, the buried detritus of past wars, the scars of open-pit mining or catastrophic climate change, humans have and continue to leave their mark on the world in ways that will likely outlive our species.

This daunting thought underpins an unusual production called “Anthropic Traces.” Six years in the making, and mobilizing a cast of 10 and an eight-member musical ensemble, “Anthropic Traces” is an unclassifiable synthesis of circus arts, dance, music, mask, multimedia and theatre that reflects on the continuing impact of humanity on our fragile planet.

The 75-minute show includes four discrete but thematically linked works. The physical performers use traditional and experimental circus practices such as contortion, hair hang, juggling, invented apparatus and aerial plastic which, as its name suggests, involves using a translucent plastic material rather than silks.

The music is far more than background sound. It’s integral to their overall effect and, because it’s live, can respond in the moment to the performers’ moves.

“All the pieces are devised from the ground up with music and circus and other disciplines,” said violinist Ilana Waniuk. “The idea of having them come from a place of equal partnership was very important. So the music wasn’t just like a live soundtrack.”

Along with pianist Cheryl Duvall, Waniuk is co-artistic director of Thin Edge New Music Collective, now in its 12th season.

Their organization began a collaborative relationship eight years ago with actor/circus artist Rebecca Leonard and her A Girl in the Sky Productions, which gave birth to Balancing on the Edge, a producing framework through which experimental circus arts and new music can meet.

“We believe contemporary circus and contemporary music are both boundary-pushing disciplines,” said Leonard. “They work so beautifully together to look at on-the-edge topics.”

Both Duvall and Waniuk will perform in “Anthropic Traces” and, as the show’s music directors, have also commissioned scores from Canadian composers Cheldon Paterson (SlowPitchSound), Juro Kim Feliz, Bekah Simms and Anna Höstman.

“Each has a totally different musical language,” said Waniuk. “Each is bringing a unique perspective.”

Duvall explained that Paterson worked closely with Sonia Norris, the Toronto director, teacher, coach, writer and theatre-maker. Paterson’s score is a sampled electronic/improvised live hybrid that can respond in real time to the performers.

Norris and Leonard are the show’s co-directors, with Norris having particular responsibility for the mask work. Items from Norris’s extensive collection of masks created by renowned avant-garde theatre artist Melody Anderson are featured in the show along with others made by Leonard.

“Anthropic Traces” derived its quasi-narrative thread by eliciting personal stories from the cast. The result is a production that touches the issues of human impact on a big-picture scale as well as on a more intimate personal level.

It’s hard sometimes not to feel helpless in the face of what appears to be humankind’s headlong rush toward self-extinction, but Leonard said the intent of “Anthropic Traces” is less to alarm than to awaken people to the realization that change can lead to more positive outcomes.

“What do we want to leave behind?” is the question Leonard hopes people will ask themselves. “We all have choices about how we move forward. Change can really snowball if enough people get on board with it.”

Gideon Forman, the David Suzuki Foundation’s climate change and transportation policy analyst, will be at Thursday’s official opening to make introductory comments.

The producers want to make “Anthropic Traces” as accessible as possible with a pay-what-you-can Wednesday preview, a relaxed Friday matinee, heavily discounted family packages for the weekend’s matinee performances and special pricing for under 30s.

“There’s so much nuance and so many layers to this production,” said Leonard, “that I think there’s going to be something for everyone who comes to see it.”

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