Venus: Future Love, a Black cabaret-style show, thrilled audiences in February at Arts Commons.
From the minds of Yolanda Sargeant and Evgeniy “Comrade” Bykovets, also known by their stage name Sargeant X Comrade, the show explored a future where black perspectives imagined an all-encompassing society.
Featuring works from artists such as Adetola “aloT of Poetry” Adedipe, MC rapper Bubba B and many more, Venus: Future Love showcased the idea of letting people showcase their authentic selves.
Yolanda Sargeant, one of two TD incubator fellows for the series, explained that the show explored features of afro-futurism.
Sargeant says the idea for a talk show on a different planet came from the desire to have artists express themselves in an environment where they could speak freely and not feel confined by the interference of differing mindsets on Earth.
“It’s about knowing who you are at this particular moment regardless of what has happened in the past or present and then propelling yourself into a brighter future,” Sargeant said.
The show, which features performances in rap, spoken word, singing, video documentaries, and skits, allows members of Calgary’s community to share their stories, ranging from the importance of practicing forgiveness to asking the city what love is.
According to Joshua Dalledonne, the associate director of social impacts at Arts Commons and producer of the TD Amplify Cabaret Series, the series is meant for artists to showcase what they are all about and allows them to meet audiences they would not get the chance to meet otherwise.
“The show provides a platform for artists who are multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary,” Dalledonne said. “Artists who have their hands in multiple different things, artists for whom their work is in conversation with the world.”
The TD Amplify Cabaret Series will continue on with this style in two more shows. Earth: Mothership will premiere on April 21 and 22, and the third instalment, Moon: Indigo Child, on June 2 and 3.
Sargeant X Comrade’s newest album, titled Lofi Future, will be released later this year.