Mass for Shut-Outs: Souris Showhall

Mass for Shut-Outs is a multidisciplinary performance that plays with the shape of a Catholic mass to ask new questions, challenge old stories, and dismantle the gatekeepers’ fortress. Written and performed by Tanya Davis, with musical support from Carlie Howell, Mass for Shut-Outs is a rousing and poetic take on Sunday service, with orature, music, and opportunities for play and communion.

It features verse dressed as prayer, monologue mimicking homily, joyful singalong, and sombre reflection. It is designed for those of us on the spiritual fringes, who also seek meaning and connection, even while being historically shut out of—or disinterested in—traditional communities of faith, their liturgy, and their institutions.

Mass for Shut-Outs is a shout out to anyone grappling with the complexity of faith, the inconsistency of awe, and the politics of organized religion. It is for atheists seeking connection, agnostics asking questions, and believers kindly curious about other people’s gods.

About the Souris Show Hall
The Souris Show Hall was built by the Benevolent Irish Society in 1891 and has delighted audiences ever since. In 1916 the Souris Show Hall began screening silent films, and the venue served as a community cinema for many years during the 20th century.