Home is a Beautiful Word is the title of Joel Bernbaum’s new play on homelessness.
Joel has a Masters in Journalism from Carleton University. His thesis topic was “Verbatim Theatre as a form of journalism”. This play is entirely made up of the words of people in Victoria, interviewed by Joel. It is running in Victoria until January 19.
“A kaleidoscopic view of a subject about which everyone has an opinion and almost no one has an answer.”
This very special project was commissioned by the Belfry Theatre, and playwright/journalist Joel Bernbaum spent over a year interviewing hundreds of people in Victoria about homelessness.
Conversations in grade four classrooms, senior citizens homes, businesses, homeless shelters and on doorsteps have been transcribed and edited into a fascinating play: a portrait of homelessness in our community, in the words of our community.
“Moving, enlightening, funny and surprising.”
Jim Spinelli doesn’t like the term ‘low-barrier housing,’ despite his 17-year involvement with finding affordable housing for local residents.
Some of Canada’s homeless people are being described as “frequent flyers”–
In the spring of 2010, several individuals and the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation filed a landmark legal challenge at the Ontario Superior Court. The ‘Right to Housing challenge’ argues that the governments of Canada and Ontario are in violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms for their failure to address, and their contribution to, the growing crisis of homelessness and inadequate housing. 