Summer and Smoke at the UVic Phoenix Theatre March 8-19 2016. A review.

Summer and Smoke at the UVic Phoenix Theatre March 8-19, 2016. A review. Summer and Smoke at the UVic Phoenix Theatre (March 8-19, 2016) is an elegant and rigourous examination of the heart’s deepest desires and perfidies. Set in small town, turn-of-the-century South, with its precise ways of life—where small nuances and inflections in language and manner are carefully scrutinized and everyone knows their place in a rigid hierarchy—Summer … [Read more...]

Belfry Theatre presents SPARK Festival 2016 March 11-26.

Belfry Theatre presents SPARK Festival 2016 March 11-26. From March 11 – 26, the Belfry Theatre’s SPARK Festival will feature over 50 performances and events, including a free all-ages dance party (Hootenanny) and an interactive play reading where audience members become the actors in Innocence Lost – a play about Steven Truscott. Full descriptions and details are available at www.sparkfestival.ca. Highlights include: Nicolas … [Read more...]

Victoria celebrates 400 years of Shakespeare’s legacy in 2016.

Victoria celebrates 400 years of Shakespeare's legacy in 2016 Arts companies all over the region are producing works by Shakespeare—some adapted and re-imagined—to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Bard’s death. Where There’s A Will Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival Craigdarroch Castle February 18 — 21 and 24 — 27, 8pm 2016 marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's legacy, and we are having a party! Join the … [Read more...]

Theatre Under the Gun March 13 2016. A preview.

Intrepid Theatre presents the third annual Theatre Under the Gun (TUG) Sunday March 13th at the Metro Studio (Victoria BC). TUG is deadline-driven, insomnia fuelled creation at its best as six teams made up of Victoria’s ace indie theatre-makers race against the clock to create brand new 10-minute performances in just 48 hours using only their quick wits, raw talent and a mysterious gift-wrapped box of inspiration. The clock starts on Friday … [Read more...]

Sin City Season Six: Vegas!

Sin City: Season Six: Vegas! Kirsten Van Ritzen and Ian Ferguson of Broad Theatrics arrived in Victoria in 2010 and immediately set about shaking up the local theatre, improv and comedy culture. One of their first projects was to re-create a version of the extremely successful weekly improvised serial they had originated in Edmonton (Die Nasty–now in its 25th year), then taken to Toronto and Los Angeles. Seasons in Victoria have included: … [Read more...]

A Spring of Theatre 2016 in Victoria BC

A Spring of Theatre 2016 in Victoria BC. March-May 2016. This post is accurate as of February 29, 2016 and  will be updated as required. Spring is a busy time in the local arts calendar.  It’s book-ended by two festivals—SPARK in March and UNO Fest in May—and features works by emerging and well-established companies—local, Canadian and international. There’s a chance to experience the classics (Summer and Smoke, Long Day's Journey into … [Read more...]

Female Transport at Langham Court Theatre March 2-19 2016. A review.

Female Transport at Langham Court Theatre March 2-19 2016. A review. Female Transport by Steve Gooch at Langham Court Theatre (March 2-19, 2016) is an astonishingly vivid and gripping example of world history writ small, encapsulated in the confining world of a ship bound for Australia, in order to magnify the human tragedy of thousands of women convicts and render it relevant to theatre-goers. No detail has been spared in this beautiful … [Read more...]

Bent by Martin Sherman. A fundraiser for the Victoria Refugee Initiative. March 3-6 2016. Interview.

Bent by Martin Sherman. A fundraiser for the Victoria Refugee Initiative. March 3-6 2016. Interview. Local actor Trevor Hinton (Romeo and Juliet, Midsummer Night's Dream--Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival; Waiting for Godot--Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre) is one of the core members of a group of citizens (the Victoria Refugee Initiative) who have formed a constituency group to sponsor a family of Syrian refugees to Victoria. The local … [Read more...]

Million Dollar Quartet at the Chemainus Theatre Festival February 12-March 26, 2016. A review.

Million Dollar Quartet at the Chemainus Theatre Festival February 12-March 26, 2016. A review. Million Dollar Quartet, currently at the Chemainus Theatre Festival until March 26, 2016 is a boisterous tribute to a seminal moment in rock ‘n roll history—brim-full of excellent musicianship, impeccable design and enough moments of nostalgia to satisfy fans of the era. The legendary Sam Phillips of Sun Records (played here by Leon Willey in a … [Read more...]

Bad Jews by Joshua Harmon at Theatre Inconnu February 16-March 5, 2016. A review.

Bad Jews by Joshua Harmon at Theatre Inconnu Feb 16-March 5, 2016. A review. Bad Jews by Joshua Harmon—currently at Theatre Inconnu February 16-March 5, 2016—is an outstanding depiction of a family in free-fall grief over the death of a beloved patriarch. The play is filled with quibbles and quarrels—many long-standing—and the author is unafraid to topple inherited shibboleths considered sacred. While the topic is dark, and there are many … [Read more...]