A Beautiful View by Hapax Theatre June 7-9, 2018. Preview.

A Beautiful View by Hapax Theatre June 7-9, 2018. Preview.

Jarvolution Theatre (Heather Jarvie and Chad Laidlaw) first produced A Beautiful View in 2014, directed by Jim Leard with Jarvie and Caitlyn Croteau in the roles of L and M (the two female protagonists). They’ve now rebranded as hapax theatre and chose to remount A Beautiful View for several reasons.

“It keeps the transition clean” says Jarvie, “it was the first show with Jarvolution and will be the first show with hapax. Before I was looking at it as an actor, and now I’m seeing it through the eyes of a director”.  Ingrid Moore and Rachel Myers take on the roles of M and L respectively.

As for the change in name, she explains “Jarvolution was a bit of an in-joke. When we got married, we were so broke we used jars for everything—storage, drinking, eating.  Therefore—a “Jarvolution”. But, when we named our theatre company Jarvolution people thought it had something to do with my last name and it’s not just my company”.

This time, the couple has taken inspiration from Laidlaw’s linguistic studies—a hapax legomenon is a word that appears only once in a text; it’s therefore rare and unique.  “When you think of performance, it’s in the moment, you’ll never have the same atmosphere or energy again” says Jarvie. “It can’t be replicated. It’s exciting, terrifying and horrible, all at the same time”.

Written be one of Canada’s pre-eminent playwrights, Daniel MacIvor, A Beautiful View portrays “a fascinating relationship where the lines are blurred—the relationship is by turns romantic, platonic, nurturing and tumultuous” states Jarvie, “It appeals to me to put these strong, flawed women onstage. They are not tropes or caricatures—I see myself, my mom, my friends in them”.

Jarvie believes we’re “trying so hard to break out of the boxes that society defines us as. These are women who are doing it in a real way. In four years the conversations have changed.  Four years ago it was about a friendship that may have other components. Now, we’re not defining it”.

Next up in the season for hapax is The Boy in the Chrysalis by Liam Monaghan at the Victoria Fringe Festival.

A Beautiful View by Daniel MacIvor, directed by Heather Jarvie
June 7,8,9 at the Paul Phillips Hall 1923 Fernwood Road
Tickets: $15/$20 online or at the door (cash only)