DISTANT EARLY WARNING
NOMINATED: OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
DORA MAVOR MOORE AWARDS
“Bizarre and extraordinary…
A persona that borders on mythic proportions.”
– MY ENTERTAINMENT WORLD
“I loved Distant Early Warning in all its goofy, poignant, eerie splendour”
– ISTVAN REVIEWS
Not long from now, in the scorched Arctic Circle, a lone and lovesick survivor counts down the days til The Grand Prize Winner – humanity’s last hope – returns. As she waits, she sings.
Directed by horror-clown legend John Turner (Mump and Smoot), Distant Early Warning is a post-annihilation love story about the warnings we hear, the ones we ignore, and our enduring hope for a better tomorrow.
Premiered at Buddies In Bad Times Theatre in May 2022.
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PRESS
ISTVAN REVIEWS:
“A grotesquely resonant world…
It is an absolute joy to inhabit a space with Pearle Harbour, regardless of context. Like a classic torch song, there is a sad elegance that defines her aesthetic. The crass sexuality and jokey anecdotes are imbued with a persistent, haunting sense of loss and an awful, existential dread.
I’m still gleefully horrified by the image of Pearle plucking glass shards from her flesh as if merely flossing her gums.”
LIGHTS UP TORONTO:
”This knocked me on my ass harder than I ever expected. Go.”
MY ENTERTAINMENT WORLD:
“From the technical elements to Miller’s artful physical comedy to the perfect line of Pearle’s signature red lip, there’s a precision of execution on display in Distant Early Warning I’d gotten used to not seeing in post-pandemic theatre.
She’s facing down the apocalypse and bleeding profusely but somehow she’s stronger than ever.”
INTERMISSION MAGAZINE:
“From her performance of cabaret song-and-dance numbers to her detailed execution of hilarious physical comedy, Harbour is one of the best drag-clown-solo performance artist acts in town, if not in the country.”
VIEW FROM THE BOX:
“Pearle Harbour is downright enchanting. They’re able to keep our focus for the entire performance with a mix of beautiful dialogue, singing, and even a strip tease!
To watch her bright-eyed optimism fade over the course of the show as the event which she has been so patiently waiting for finally arrives is crushing… poignant and powerful.”
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AUDIENCE RESPONSE (IG)
‘The apocalyptic cabaret was a tour de force for Pearle Harbour, and just a small glimpse at her outstanding talents.
I mean, her bizarre character study was essentially I Love Lucy meets The Road meets Judy at Carnegie Hall.’
’The new @PearleHarbour show at @buddiesTO is like a drag Beckett. A campy existential horror show at the end of the world. Go see it.’
’I can’t believe I paid $10 to have my heart ripped out of my chest and smeared all over the floor’
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TEAM
Support for Distant Early Warning has been provided by Buddies In Bad Times Theatre, the Toronto Arts Council, the Ontario Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, Theatre Passe Muraille, Crow’s Theatre, and Outside the March.
Justin Miller // writer + performer
John Turner // director
Sandra Balcovkse // dramaturge
Giuseppe Condello // stage manager
Rebecca Vandevelde // production manager
Steven Conway // music direction
Chris Ross-Ewart // sound design
Jareth Li // lighting design
Jackie Chau // set design
Julia Howman // projection design
Heath V. Salazar // choreographer
Nick Potter // MoonMist video design
Justin Miller // costume design
Ella Wieckowski // lighting associate
Gabriel Woo // design apprentice
Rebecca Ballarin // producer
Lauren Gillis + Justin Miller // prop fabrication
Karen Hines // outside eye