Valentijn Dhaenens explained to the audience in the opening night talk-back of BigMouth that he wanted to provide an unfiltered experience, full and unapologetic, leaving his audience free to think what they please. I must admit, going into the performance at the York Theatre earlier that evening, I was expecting something of a dramatized lecture, speeches interspersed and contextualized by commentary. Instead, Dhaenens plunged headfirst into his material, transitioning from one oration to the next with only a live soundscape, a whiteboard projection and his chameleon physicality to keep us on track.
Hofesh Shechter Company returned to Dance House, Vancouver, last night with Barbarians, a thrilling, gripping piece in three parts. I first saw the company perform in my native UK several years ago and I was equally enthralled by the experience this time. This is a dynamic, expressive performance, brimming with energy.
Having danced with Batsheva under the direction of Ohad Naharin, Shechter, in his work, displays the trademark intensity and subtlety of movement formed from a grounding in this unique lineage. Naharin’s own creation of a language of movement he calls Gaga is central to it. What unfolds is a...
Ballet BC turned 30 this year, one year younger than I am. Attending the first performance of their thirtieth year on the last day of mine felt perversely symmetrical. I can only wish that I had grown as sophisticated, thought provoking and heartfelt with age.
The pre-show talk was concluded with the wish that each audience member honour their own experience of the work, whatever it may be, without worrying whether their response is appropriate. We can distrust our own experience of art, looking to experts to tell us what we should be feeling or thinking. But Program 1 is...
The Damage is Done is a multimedia conversation about trauma, blame and liberation. The run of the production, directed by Ken Cameron and featuring Rita Bozo and Gabor Maté, was sold out before curtain on opening night so I hope you already have your tickets!
More of a conceptual and emotional exploration than traditional theatre, The Damage is Done is highly personal and occasionally "meta". The courage it takes to not only create, but to market and perform such a personally insightful piece is immense. Bozi portrays her family and friends with a fresh, enthusiastic compassion while Maté provides...
Kicking off the Firehall's 2015-16 season is Love Bomb, an original premiere production by shameless hussy productions. Directed by Renee Iaci, this performance aims to meet the company's mandate of "telling provocative stories about women to inspire the hand that rocks the cradle to rock the world." It tells the story of a mysterious connection between a young rocker named Justine and her much older, self-proclaimed superfan Jillian.
Book and lyrics by Meghan Gardiner with original songs by Steve Charles, Love Bomb tries to offer its viewers a rock concert and a mystery tale all in one. This ambitious effort...
I have a lot of sympathy for the first show of the first day, especially since there are only 3 hours of technical rehearsal for fringe artists, but the performers of Spookeasy on September 10th did not make it easy. Starting a show expecting applause will get you off on the wrong foot with me every time. As will breaking character to apologize/complain about your own show multiple times, insulting the audience and hideously missing your light (as in leaning OUT of the spotlight).
That said, in spite of all the disastrous technical issues, the troupe kept their energy up throughout the...
I wish I'd had a chance to see this show earlier in the festival so I could have told everyone I know to see it, although I looked them up and it looks like they're touring the show, so check out http://ryanmellors.wix.com/newconformity for future dates.
I had heard one of the performers describe the show during a flyering on graville island as “juggling as you've never seen it before”. He wasn't kidding. I would describe The New Conformity as something of a hybrid between juggling, dance and stunt choreography.
HUMANbeing is a sweet, poetic piece about a celestial being who decides to make the Earth its home.
Enchanting and great for kids, this simple story lacks pretension, weaving fart jokes, whimsy and wonder together into an innocent tapestry.
The opening images were the strongest. Live music in the dark and great use of practical lighting. I would have like to have seen even more of that creative atmosphere throughout the show.
Performers and co-creators Sarah Roa and Andrea Ashton's strength and full commitment carry the show. There were moments where Roa's heavy breathing and larger than life children's theatre voice felt a little pushed....
I love staged readings, they're pure. Just the words and the actors and the audience. No distractions or fancy staging, no pomp and circumstance. Staged readings really let you see a play bare, stripped of all pretension.
Kitimatby Elaine Avila is about the aforementioned town's reaction to a proposed pipeline. It reads more like a dramatized debate than a story. An argument based on pathos without facts, or detailed anecdotes to support it.
There are some beautiful human moments in the flash backs where we...
Forget About Tomorrow is a play in progress by "Advance Theatre: New Works by Women", directed by Pam Johnson and written by Jill Daum.
The humble little venue at the False Creek Community Centre was packed for this show. In line, I estimated a hundred of people ahead of me. I think I was among the last to get a seat.
False Creek Gym seems to attract meditations on neurology. Last year, it was the stage of Clutter and Contamination...
