A Spring of Theatre 2018 in Victoria BC. March-May.

A Spring of Theatre 2018 in Victoria BC. March-May. Spring signifies renewal, rebirth and growth, and nowhere is this more evident than in Victoria's burgeoning theatre ecosystem where the period from March to the end of May will see  more than SIXTY shows, cabarets, fundraisers, play readings and festivals, including the Belfry Theatre SPARK Festival and the TD Festival of New Works at the Canadian College of Performing Arts in March, Paper … [Read more...]

Crimes of the Heart at UVic Phoenix Theatre. A review.

Crimes of the Heart at UVic Phoenix Theatre. A review. In 2018, Beth Henley’s southern-based drama Crimes of the Heart (set in small town Mississippi in 1974 and at the University of Victoria Phoenix Theatre February 13-24, 2018) is problematic—on one hand, it’s the story of three sisters bonded through a troubled childhood, on uneasy terms with one another as adults; on the other it’s a fine example of racism so pervasive as to be invisible, … [Read more...]

Neva by Guillermo Calderon at Theatre Inconnu. A review.

Neva by Guillermo Calderon at Theatre Inconnu. A review. Three actors. One stage. Minimal set décor. Costumes, lighting and classical music.  Neva by Guillermon Calderon (at Theatre Inconnu February 13-March 3 2018) as imagined by director Clayton Jevne and his ensemble, is theatre reduced to its essential elements; theatre relying solely on the director’s interpretation and the cast’s ability to carry it through ninety minutes of in-depth … [Read more...]

Pendulum An Indigenous Showcase. Interview with Lindsay Delaronde.

Pendulum An Indigenous Showcase. Interview with Lindsay Delaronde. Lindsay Delaronde was chosen in 2017 as the City of Victoria’s first Indigenous Artist in Residence and over the past year has initiated a number of performances, workshops and talks.  February 23/24 at the Belfry Theatre she presents Pendulum: An Indigenous Showcase. I wanted to learn more about her statement (emphasis mine) “Pendulum brings new life into the context … [Read more...]

Once at the Chemainus Theatre Festival. A review.

Once at the Chemainus Theatre Festival. A review. Once (currently at the Chemainus Theatre Festival to March 10) is a breath of fresh air in the world of the contemporary musical. Once had an unusual progression to the stage, and a backstory to rival the script—originally conceived by John Carney as a low-budget Irish film, songwriters Glen Hansard (frontman of The Flames, an indie rock group of some repute) and Markéta Irglová (a young … [Read more...]

Company C presents Cabaret at the Canadian College of Performing Arts. A review.

Company C presents Cabaret at the Canadian College of Performing Arts. A review. The 2017 Company C of the Canadian College of Performing Arts (CCPA) caps off two years of training, and a solid 5 months of ensemble work, with the quintessential musical Cabaret. Packed with gravitas and grit, and featuring both bold ensemble numbers and punchy solos, this production whisks the audience away to the heady time between wars, when life in Berlin … [Read more...]

Forget About Tomorrow by Jill Daum at the Belfry Theatre. A review.

Forget About Tomorrow by Jill Daum at the Belfry Theatre. A review. Theatre is a gift that can allow an audience an experience far above mere entertainment, offering a way to examine the human condition, with all its challenges and difficulties. Playwright Jill Daum, who for decades has been entertaining generations of theatre goers with the questions and antics of motherhood as one of the co-creators of the Mom’s The Word series, turns her … [Read more...]

Intrepid Theatre YOU Show February 2018. Tusk Turns One! and Awkward Hug. Interviews with creators.

Intrepid Theatre YOU Show February 2018. Tusk Turns One! and Awkward Hug. Interviews with creators. Tony Adams and Cory Thibert (May Can Theatre) first came to the attention of Victoria audiences at the 2016 Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival when they performed their hit satirical show Happiness TM. Soon after, Adams moved to Victoria permanently and has been performing with Monica Ogden as NicklePumpernickel. Now, they embark on another … [Read more...]

Urinetown at Langham Court Theatre January 17-February 3, 2018. A review.

Urinetown at Langham Court Theatre January 17-February 3, 2018. A review. Fans of musical theatre are in for a treat with Urinetown, currently at Langham Court Theatre (January 17-February 3 2018)—a musical of musicals, replete with allusions to tropes, styles and stock characters, this cheeky take on a dire environmental catastrophe and concupiscent corporate greed is simply a delight.  Featuring a large cast of 26 with stellar principals and … [Read more...]

A Winter of Theatre January February 2018 in Victoria BC.

A Winter of Theatre January February 2018 in Victoria BC. It's official! There is no longer any downtime in theatre in Victoria BC.  The holiday pantomimes produced by Kaleidoscope Theatre for Young People, St Luke's Players and Peninsula Players as well as Launch Pad Theatre's radio play and Atomic Vaudeville's NYE Cabaret are barely finished before Castlereigh Theatre Project and Bema Productions kick the year off in high style with two … [Read more...]