There's a new inmate at the penitentiary who's just learning the ropes. Anything could happen.
My experience with improv theatre is limited to a few Fringe shows that had me laughing all the way through, but now I couldn't tell you what I had been laughing about. It is very much an in-the-moment performance style. The ensemble behind Orange is the New Blank does an excellent job of having that momentary humour as well as creating a story that is worth remembering, which is no small feat. And that story will be different every night.
Off to Dancing on the Edge tonight - went to a new Mascall Dance piece called The Three Cornered Hat. Featuring five dancers with choreography by Jennifer Mascall, it's happening at Chapel Arts which is just down the road from the Firehall Arts Centre. The music is by Stefan Smulovitz - he's also in the show playing live violin.
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@AllysonMcGrane At Mascall Dance show The Three-Cornered Hat - happening tonight at Chapel Arts!
@AllysonMcGrane Now everyone is talking! To the audience directly... Some seem interested, others bewildered.
@AllysonMcGrane Now a few start to...
Lara Barclay & Billy Marchenski (Photo by Chris Randle)
Touchstone Theatre has this wonderful mandate of producing only contemporary Canadian plays. In addition to this their Flying Start program (in association with Playwrights Theatre Centre and the Firehall Arts Centre) gives new Canadian professional playwrights an opportunity to develop and showcase their work. The Concessions is the product of the Fourth Flying Start Cycle.
I have come to expect a lot from Touchstone Theatre. They typically produce strong work and I always look forward to their season. I have yet to see a Touchstone Theatre production that didn't have an innovative set and an intelligent, complex script....
Emma Slipp and Sebastian Kroon - Photo by Tim Matheson
The Art of Stealing, playing at the Firehall Arts Centre until May 31, is a new dance creation from Response Dance and the creative mind of Artistic Director Amber Funk Barton. It is a mesmerizing work that integrates innovative dance with multimedia seamlessly. In Barton’s own words; “My fascination with themes of survival and transformation allowed my imagination to create my version of a post-apocalyptic world that became a vessel to explore the literal and conceptual theme of stealing.”
I think in fact she, along with fellow dancers Heather Laura Gray, Maiko Miyauchi, Manuel Sorge, Kevin Tookey and Lexi Vajda...
The opening night production of Spamalot at the Arts Club Stanley Theatre was exactly what I was hoping it would be, a hilarious spectacle dripping in silliness. Self described as “lovingly ripped off ” from the comic genius 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, this musical ‘extravaganza’ includes many iconic scenes from the film.
It opens with King Arthur scouring his kingdom, servant Patsy closely in tow banging two coconut shells together to mimic the hoof sound of Arthur’s “horse”, in an effort to recruit Knights to his Round Table in Camelot. Once assembled, and at...
The experience is like watching a series of snap shots, moving from one into the next, add the sound of voices individual and in a chorus, a violin and percussive instruments aptly punctuating movement and the poetry and you have the essence of Mother Tongue.
In part one (The Poet's Dream), the snap shots are beautifully lit. Costume designer Barbara Clayden creates layered looks for each performer with a multitude of swatches of black and white; strips, slashes, splatters... blending these contrasting shapes to great effect. Lighting Designer Bryan Kenney uses the white in the costumes to pick up colour in his...
Linda Quibell, Jane Osborne, Peter Anderson, Vanessa Goodman (photo by Tim Matheson)
Running until May 3 at Studio 1398, Equity Collective Bad Dog Productions is presenting Sherlock Holmes' Greatest Adventure. It's a spoof make-over of The Hound of the Baskervilles adapted by a British comedy duo (John Nicholson and Steven Canny) which was such a hit in its 2007 premiere that it ended up touring the UK and transferring to the West End.
Ellie King directs this fast-paced production featuring James Rowley, Mark Carter and Michael Charrois in multiple roles. Our intrepid detective Sherlock Holmes (Charrois) sports a fine French-ish accent and is flanked by a goofy Dr. Watson (Carter). They encounter...
Cast members James Rowley, Mark Carter and Michael Charrois
Mies Julie is an interpretation of August Strindberg's Miss Julie taking place in the new South Africa. The set was simple and symbolic, typical of South African Theatre and as a native South African I was prepared for an imaginative, magical ride with no punches pulled.
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Bongile Mantsai, Hilda Cronje in Mies Julie, pic by Murdo MacLeod
In honour of the visual polyphony attempted by the creative team of Helen Lawrence, two intrepid PLANK reviewers attended the world premiere showing and recorded their discussion post-show in a fairly synchonous fashion. Allyson McGrane and Danielle Benzon weigh in as they hang in a pub drinking Grolsch.
Gerard Plunkett and Nicholas Lea (Photo by David Cooper)
I was embarrassed to be a member of the audience last night at Vancouver Opera’s visually stunning production of Don Giovanni. Not because of the raunchy content, but because of the rude and disrespectful behaviour of so many members of the audience. I was appalled to see almost a quarter of the crowd stand up and leave during the not particularly long curtain call. This is a live performance, you’re not at a movie theatre, the people on stage can see you leaving. Don’t stand for an ovation...
