With summer comes the opportunity to enjoy theatre outdoors. This year a group of emerging artists, Impulse Theatre, has arranged with the venerable Victoria landmark, The English Inn, to perform their original work The Path on the stunning lawns of this historic McClure mansion. Formerly know as The Old England Inn and home to a replica of Anne Hathaway’s cottage, the site was an absolute must-visit for any tourist to Victoria in the 1980s … [Read more...]
The Foreigner by Langham Court Theatre – a review
June 15, 2012 By 3 Comments
Langham Court ends their season with the audience-pleasing “good guys vs bad guys” Obie-awarded comedy, The Foreigner. Playwright Larry Shue, considered at the time to be a rising star, had achieved success for his previous play, The Nerd, and was working on a screen play for The Foreigner when his life was cut short in a tragic commuter plane crash in 1985. Set at a fishing lodge in rural Georgia, The Foreigner examines the question “what … [Read more...]
A Summer of Theatre in Victoria BC 2012
June 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment
A wonderful summer of theatre awaits with productions by Theatre Inconnu and Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre underway. What do you plan to see from the shows outlined below? Will some skillful scheduling, I hope to take them all in! JUNE The Walworth Farce by Enda Walsh Theatre Inconnu June 1 – 16 It’s 11 o’clock in the morning in a council flat on the Walworth Road. In two hours’ time, as is normal, three Irish men will have consumed six … [Read more...]
This is Twisted Theatre presents Batman’s Great Mystery Part Two
June 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Do you enjoy podcasts and audio books? Find yourself listening to words and music while closing your eyes? Then, you might enjoy the second in a series of radio plays by This Is Twisted Theatre - Batman's Great Mystery Part Two - June 13/14th at the Intrepid Theatre Club. This is Twisted Theatre was formed late in 2011 by Rod Peter Jr, local comedian known for his roles with Random Selection of Chairs, Atomic Vaudeville, Terra Firm (Victoria … [Read more...]
Stand-Up Comedy Workshop with Kirsten Van Ritzen
June 6, 2012 By 4 Comments
If you could take stand-up comedy lessons with one of the very best performers in this genre in Victoria, would you? Relatively new to Victoria (arriving in 2011) but with decades of experience on stages in Edmonton, Toronto and Vancouver, Kirsten Van Ritzen is better known to audiences locally for her on-going role as the ever-drole Ava Garter, the Snake Lady, in the improvised soap opera Sin City: Carnies, which recently completed its smash … [Read more...]
Arms and the Man, Blue Bridge Theatre, a review
June 6, 2012 By 1 Comment
Bold and confident, the rich, textured and multi-layered production of George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man by Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre brings his words to life, and proves once again the timeless nature of his work. Did you know that Shaw wrote more plays than Shakespeare, or that he is the only playwright to receive both a Nobel Prize and an Academy Award? Like many, I have read Shaw, and studied Shaw, and agreed with Shaw on society, … [Read more...]
BC Économusée® launch at Merridale Estate Cidery
June 2, 2012 By 1 Comment
In 1992 Cyril Simard, an architect and ethnologist from Québec, had an idea to promote and protect traditional artisanal methods and crafts. Thus was born the Economusée / Econumuseum® concept, a network of 65 enterprises in Québec, Atlantic Canada,Northern Europe, and now,British Columbia, with the opening of the Économusée / Économusuem® at Merridale Estate Cidery. An ECONOMUSÉE® is a craft or agri-foods business whose products are the … [Read more...]
The Walworth Farce by Theatre Inconnu – review
May 30, 2012 By 1 Comment
It took 18 tries before Graham McDonald, Theatre Inconnu’s Associate Artistic Director, was able to secure the rights to Enda Walsh’s The Walworth Farce (on now at Little Fernwood Hall until June 16th). For his patience,Victoria audiences are about to be rewarded with a diaspora tale-within- a-tale, a farce of mythical proportions and great black-comedic appeal. Walsh is a leading light in contemporary Irish theatre, coming to prominence at … [Read more...]
Blue Bridge Theatre 2012 season – an interview with Brian Richmond
May 29, 2012 By 1 Comment
When I sat down recently with Brian Richmond, Producing Artistic Director of Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre, I wanted to know what he was most excited about for the upcoming fourth season. Photo: Gary McKinstry used with permission Since its inception in 2009, the critically-acclaimed Blue Bridge has built a very solid reputation for producing engaging, visually appealing, hard-hitting drama, witty comedy and musicals. With the tag-line “Fresh … [Read more...]
Rare Opportunity – Beijing Shadow Puppet Troupe at Merlin’s Sun Theatre
May 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment
The line-up at Merlin's Sun Theatre continues to impress! Saturday June 2nd, Tim Gosley presents a most rare and unique opportunity to experience the mastery and artistry of Chinese shadow puppetry with Cui Yongping & Wang Shuqin visiting from Beijing, and special guest Grant Hayter-Menzies. During the cultural revolution the Chinese puppeteers hid their vast array of puppets in their home in order to save them. Join these esteemed guests … [Read more...]
