Michael Martini is a queer playwright and performer who uses techniques of theatre to create performances for various contexts, from the theatre to the gallery to the cabaret. He has presented several projects in Montreal and Toronto since obtaining a BFA in Playwriting from Concordia University in 2017, often collaborating with artists from other disciplines.
Notably, his co-creation Ça a l’air synthétique bonjour hi has appeared at festivals Summerworks and OFFTA, where it won the OFFTA Hybridity Award. He has also presented works at Rhubarb Festival, RIPA, Phénomena, Xpace Cultural Centre, and he was nominated as Outstanding Emerging Artist by the Montreal English Theatre Awards in 2018. His performances shift between the banal and the eccentric, layering text installation with video, theatrical lecture, make-believe, dry humour, and pop.
He is currently at work on bringing to life a full-length performance text entitled Landscape Grindr, reflecting on nature, gender, and violence. Drawing parallels between #metoo and environmental justice as the writer questions his own gender and sexuality, the text proposes an immersive play where video, sound, and performance are on equal footing.