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The Imaginary Real

Well, it’s been live since mid-July, but I’ve been so GD busy that I haven’t really helped to promote this very cool thing… until now!

The Imaginary Real is a free app by Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland (the same folks who did I Forgive You). Download it to your phone, activate your GPS, and go exploring in St. John’s. Follow the map to specific sites, and when you find one you get to hear a story. There are 20 stories in all, by writers who feel a strong connection to St. John’s. Some of them perform their own stories; some are performed by actors. A small team of directors helped to bring together the performances. Sound design by Chris Brookes and Rebecca Nolan elevates the stories and each one is accompanied by images designed by Andrea Cooper.

I was lucky enough to be asked to direct 5 of them:

Mainland Money, written and performed by Daze Jefferies

The Happiest Place on Earth, written by Azal Dosanjh and performed by Behak Rueentan

Sanctuaries, written and performed by Ayse Sule Akinturk

By the Hush, written and performed by Fionn Shea

Dovy, written and performed by Paul David Power

If you’re in town, you should definitely get this app. Once you’ve downloaded it, all the stories are just hanging out in your phone, so you don’t have to use any data while you’re out and about.

It’s a really neat experience. I have the app on my phone, and whenever I’m out and about with a few minutes to spare, I’ll open it up and see if there’s a site nearby. It offers a few minutes of stillness, taking in the view, hearing a story as if someone was whispering it into your ear.

Advertising image for “The Imaginary Real.” At the centre, the words “The Imaginary Real” are written in a stacked, all-caps font with teal and yellow-green lettering, set against a hot pink square background. The square is surrounded by a thick white border. The central image is set against a background showing a zoomed-in version of the text, in which portions of teal and green letters are visible amid more of the hot pink base.
Design by Nadine Hodder and Graham Blair