The Rocky Horror Show, produced by Atomic Vaudeville, October 18-29, 2017. A review. The Rocky Horror Show, now in its fourth year (on until October 29th at the Metro Studio Theatre), has become an annual theatrical tradition in Victoria. For decades people made a point of travelling to the Roxy Theatre (then a movie house) to view the Rocky Horror Picture Show at midnight on Hallowe’en—many perhaps not even realizing that the musical … [Read more...]
The Rocky Horror Show, produced by Atomic Vaudeville, October 18-29, 2017. A review.
October 23, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Onegin by Amiel Gladstone and Veda Hille Belfry Theatre October 17-November 12 2017. A review.
October 20, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Onegin by Amiel Gladstone and Veda Hille Belfry Theatre October 17-November 12 2017. A review. As rich and luxurious as the plush red velvet curtains draping the stage, Onegin, book, music and lyrics by Amiel Gladstone and Veda Hille, based on Pushkin’s revered novel-in-verse and Tchaikovsky’s opera, is a marvel of complexity—replete with glorious costumes (Jacqueline Firkins and Alaia Hamer), inspired gypsy-jazz-Eastern European choreography … [Read more...]
Red Death by Launch Pad Theatre at Craigdarroch Castle October 17-31, 2017. A review.
October 18, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Red Death by Launch Pad Theatre at Craigdarroch Castle October 17-31, 2017. A review. Those cool cats at The Castle are hiding a grim secret. Try as they might to pretend everything is “groovy”, all is not well. Doom hangs in the air and seeps into nooks and crevices. Diana Nielsen and Christina Patterson. Photo: Derek Ford The wild and hyper lord of the manor, David Radford glad hands invited guests. Disco tunes fill the air with familiar … [Read more...]
A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline by Little Bowes Street Collective October 21-29, 2017. A preview.
October 17, 2017 By Leave a Comment
A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline by Little Bowes Street Collective October 21-29, 2017. A preview. One of Victoria’s newest theatre companies, Little Bowes’ Street Collective brings A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline to the Teechamitsa Theatre at Royal Bay Secondary October 20/21 and to the CCPA Performance Hall October 27/28/29. I spoke with co-founders Melissa Young (director of the show) and Alison MacDonald (who performs the role of Patsy … [Read more...]
West a Double Bill of BC Trailblazers at UVic Phoenix October 12-21, 2017. A review.
October 13, 2017 By 2 Comments
West a Double Bill of BC Trailblazers at UVic Phoenix October 12-21, 2017. A review. Harken back to a time before radio and television, when storytellers had only the power of words to entertain—no electricity, no technological gizmos, no extra sound—words, pacing, inflection and physical presence were all that were required to seize people’s attention and keep it for hours, even days. Danette Boucher and James Douglas In West: a double … [Read more...]
The Old Curiosity Shop presented by Company C October 19-22, 2017. An interview.
October 6, 2017 By Leave a Comment
The Old Curiosity Shop presented by Company C October 19-22, 2017. An interview. The largest Company C cohort ever—sixteen students--takes the stage October 19-21st at the CCPA Performance Hall in Simon Webb’s adaptation of Charles Dickens The Old Curiosity Shop. Founded in 2005 to offer a third year repertory program to graduates of the Canadian College of Performing Arts, Company C provides these emerging artists with opportunities to not … [Read more...]
Girl in the Goldfish Bowl at Langham Court Theatre September 25-October 14 2017. A review.
October 2, 2017 By 1 Comment
Girl in the Goldfish Bowl at Langham Court Theatre September 25-October 14 2017. A review. Iris (Lianne Coates) joins a long line of stellar heroines (Ramona and Harriet among them), young girls with spunk and gumption, trying to get to the bottom of things, with the unique, and often skewed, perspective of a child. The entire world is topsy-turvy—externally, relations between the US and Cuba teeter on the brink, internally, Iris’ parents … [Read more...]
Antigone by William Head on Stage October 6-November 4, 2017. An interview.
September 27, 2017 By 2 Comments
Antigone by William Head on Stage October 6-November 4, 2017. An interview. Since 1981, the inmates of William Head Institution in Metchosin have mounted theatrical presentations open to the public. Antigone is their 57th. William Head on Stage (WHoS) is now the only inmate-run theatre company in Canada. VW, the current managing director of William Head on Stage, answered a series of questions about their sci-fi remount of the ancient … [Read more...]
The Good Soldier Schweik at Theatre Inconnu September 26-October 14, 2017. A review.
September 27, 2017 By Leave a Comment
The Good Soldier Schweik at Theatre Inconnu September 27-October 14 2017. A review. Theatre Inconnu brings the Czech anti-war novel The Good Soldier Schweik to the stage in an adaptation by Michael John Nimchuk that owes much to the epic theatre theories of Bertolt Brecht. Poor Schweik (Justin Muirhead) is a hapless dolt caught up in the hubris surrounding Archduke Ferdinand’s assassination. One moment he’s jazzing with his buddies at the … [Read more...]
A Fall of Theatre 2017 in Victoria BC. September-December.
September 22, 2017 By 4 Comments
A Fall of Theatre 2017 in Victoria BC. September-December. In the last five year period, the number of shows produced has almost tripled. This fall sees a record 70+ productions, festivals and special events from musicals to improvised theatre, cabaret to drama, radio plays to solo shows, on stages big and small in the Capital Region. Don't let anyone tell you Victoria is a cultural backwater. Our ticket prices continue to be some of … [Read more...]
