The Charming of the Shrew by Launch Pad Theatre Co March 31-April 9 2016 at Craigdarroch Castle. In the elegant surroundings of a beautiful mansion, a group of cultured ladies and gentlemen bid you welcome as they proceed to desport themselves for your enjoyment. David Radford and Christina Patterson of Launch Pad Theatre Co. present a vigorous modern version of Shakespeare’s classic, now re-named, The Charming of the Shrew. As a conceit, … [Read more...]
21 Ways to Make the World Last Longer. Belfry Theatre SPARK Festival 2016. A review.
March 24, 2016 By Leave a Comment
21 Ways to Make the World Last Longer. Belfry Theatre SPARK Festival 2016. A review. Exquisite enchantment and home-spun wisdom couple in 21 Ways to Make the World Last Longer—currently celebrating its world premiere at the Belfry Theatre SPARK Festival (March 22-26, 2016). In a series of short vignettes, the personages in Cathy Stubington (Runaway Moon Theatre) and James Tait’s original work come to life with alacrity. Craftsmanship is … [Read more...]
The Gay Heritage Project at Belfry Theatre SPARK Festival 2016. A review.
March 23, 2016 By Leave a Comment
The Gay Heritage Project at Belfry Theatre SPARK Festival 2016. A review. Begin with what you know—or, in the case of Damian Atkins, Paul Dunn and Andrew Kushnir, the uber-creative team responsible for The Gay Heritage Project (currently at the Belfry Theatre SPARK Festival March 22-26, 2016)—what you do not know. In an entertaining, challenging, and at-times-breezy compendium that simultaneously dives deep into intimate details and sweeps the … [Read more...]
The Gin Game at Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre March 15-27, 2016. A review.
March 21, 2016 By Leave a Comment
The Gin Game at Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre March 15-27, 2016. A review. The Gin Game by D.L. Coburn currently onstage at Blue Bridge Theatre at the Roxy (March 15-27, 2016) is an apt illustration of the aphorism “how you do one thing is how you do everything”. Weller Martin (Scott Hylands) has a penchant for gin rummy—alone on the porch of a down-at-the-heels nursing home (design—Laurin Kelsey), he attempts to win over the new arrival, … [Read more...]
Huff by Cliff Cardinal at Belfry Theatre SPARK Festival 2016. A review.
March 17, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Huff by Cliff Cardinal at Belfry Theatre SPARK Festival 2016. A review. Huff by Cliff Cardinal balances on the razor’s edge of light and dark, humour and despair, myth and reality. It’s one thing to know the sobering statistics, and another to enter, albeit briefly, the tortured and tormented lives of young isolated First Nations kids involved in solvent abuse. Cliff Cardinal in Huff. Photo: AKIPARI Sparing no grim detail, Cardinal, in a … [Read more...]
Iceland by Nicholas Billon at Belfry Theatre SPARK Festival 2016. A review.
March 16, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Iceland by Nicholas Billon at Belfry Theatre SPARK Festival 2016. A review. Intense focus and crystalline dialogue propel the economic thriller Iceland, by Governor-General-award-winner Nicolas Billon (WhyNot Theatre), currently onstage at the Belfry Theatre SPARK Festival (March 15-19, 2016). Discordant strings (sound designer Richard Feren) thrum and whine—setting an uneasy feeling even before the action begins. Set design (Joanna Yu) is … [Read more...]
Theatre Under the Gun March 13 2016. A preview.
March 9, 2016 By Leave a Comment
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...]
Female Transport at Langham Court Theatre March 2-19 2016. A review.
March 7, 2016 By 1 Comment
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.
March 1, 2016 By Leave a Comment
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.
March 1, 2016 By Leave a Comment
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...]
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