About the Play:

The Hooves Belonged to the Deer is a full-length drama by Makram Ayache. When the impressionable young Izzy immigrates with his Arab family to rural Alberta, he becomes the salvation pet project for Pastor Isaac, a local Christian youth leader eager to mould him. The Hooves Belonged to the Deer tells the story of a queer Muslim boy attempting to reconcile his sexuality and faith.

The Hooves Belonged to the Deer is about a young queer Muslim boy named Izzy – and sexuality and faith colliding in a small rural town. When Izzy's family moves to a rural Alberta town, the young queer Arab boy becomes the salvation pet project for Isaac, a Christian youth pastor. In his attempt to reconcile his sexuality and spirituality, Izzy imagines a Garden of Eden where Aadam and Hawa (Eve in Arabic) – the first couple of the Qur'an – find their relationship turned upside down when Aadam is tempted by the arrival of the alluring white-skinned man, Steve. Torn between his sexual desires for his friend Will and Isaac's indoctrination, Izzy navigates internalized shame and deep spiritual faith in a struggle that consumes him. An emotionally-charged and ritualistic journey of two universes colliding, The Hooves Belonged to the Deer offers an epic story of life, discovery, and belonging, where small-town Canada meets the Garden of Eden.

When the impressionable young Izzy immigrates with his Arab family to rural Alberta, he becomes the salvation pet project for Pastor Isaac, a local Christian youth leader eager to mould him. Torn between his sexual desires for his friend Will and Isaac's persuasive indoctrination, Izzy must find a way to reconcile his internalized shame and deep spiritual faith before it consumes him. Meanwhile, in a surreal reimagining of Eden/A'den, Aadam and Hawa—the first couple of the Qur'an—find their relationship turned upside down when Aadam is tempted by the proverbial white-skinned man, Steve, from the north.

With the gravitas of a Greek tragedy, The Hooves Belonged to the Deer is a bold and blistering indictment of white Christian imperialism. Makram Ayache's daring play confronts the painful intersections of homophobia, Islamophobia, and colonialism, refusing to offer easy resolutions. Erotically charged and panoramic in scope, this cautionary tale illuminates the lingering scars of religious trauma while offering a profound reckoning and prayer for rebirth.

The Hooves Belonged to the Deer premiered in 2023 at Tarragon Theatre in Toronto; a co-production in association with Buddies in Bad Times.

Cast: 1 female, 5 male (doubling)

What people say:

"Every year, a handful of lesser known theatre artists are so impressive that they break through to a new level of recognition. Makram Ayache's The Hooves Belonged to the Deer was easily the most audacious new script to premiere in town this year." — The Toronto Star

"It is sexy, provocative, and dares to explore the darkest reaches of where internal conflict can be pushed." — Broadway World

"The Hooves Belonged to the Deer, a smart and sensual new play by Makram Ayache ... is the most excitingly theatrical piece of new writing to premiere in Toronto so far this season ... the writing works in all its registers—and even, in instances, calls to mind the world-bending of Angels in America-era Tony Kushner." — The Globe and Mail

About the Playwright:

Makram Ayache is a multiple-award-winning Lebanese-Canadian playwright, performer, director, and educator living between Edmonton and Toronto. His playwriting explores representations of queer Arab voices, and aims to bridge political struggles to the intimate experiences of the people impacted by those struggles.