Busy Weekend! Theatre with Catalyst, The Varscona and The Citadel!

It was a busy weekend of theatre for me! Felt like old times! Three performances in three days!

On Friday, I took in The Invisible - Agents of Ungentlemanly Warfare presented by Catalyst Theatre at the Eva O. Howard Theatre at Victoria School for the Arts. This was the last professional show i saw before the great pause and much of what I reflected on then, still holds true. You can read my original review here. The show has had some cast changes, but they are still a phenomenal ensemble of actors with no weak links. It's a terrific piece of theatre that reveals stories of women during World War II - stories we don't often get to hear. As I said before, it is one of my favourites from the company and remains so! 

The Invisible runs to October 5th with tickets priced between $26.83-$51.83. You can purchase them here. 

On Saturday, I went to The Varscona Theatre Gala. It was a lovely night with a variety of performers (House of Hush Burlesque, Die-Nasty, Lindsey Walker, and the Jambo Brothers), terrific food, and a silent auction (yes I 'won' something!). It was hosted by Kendra Connor and Jason Hardwick and told us about what was coming up in the theatre this next season. We saw a scene from The Noon Witch which will be part of the Teatro Live! season and Die-Nasty improvised Waiting for Godot: The Musical. All in all a terrific night! If you missed it, and want to support The Varscona either by donating or buying tickets to their shows, you can check them out here.   

My theatre weekend wrapped up on Sunday afternoon with A Streetcar Named Desire at the Citadel Theatre. It is an excellently done production. I will admit, Streetcar is a favourite of mine. I was an ensemble member in a production about 25 years ago, and I have always loved Tennessee Williams' plays. As I mentioned, this production is very well executed. The entire cast is up to the task and Stanley (Stafford Perry) and Blanche (Lindsey Angell) are phenomenal anchors to the piece. I was also particularly impressed by Sheldon Elter as Mitch, who gave a real layered and thought-provoking performance. The show is about 3 hours long, but does not feel long. It moves along and keeps the audience engaged. It's not often that you get to see these classic pieces, and it is nice to see it done so well. They've added live music to the transitions to create the mood and feel of New Orleans in the 1950s. These are all excellently done, but I wondered about whether this was necessary. It's hard to say, because after the show, my companion's first comment was about how much she liked the music! It certainly showcased some tremendous talent!

A Streetcar Named Desire runs to October 13th. Tickets are priced between $40-$125.00 and can be purchased here. 

February Theatre - And the Theme is Fight the Power!

I've taken in 3 theatrical events so far this month (2 productions, and one reading of a new work) and I am noticing a theme... it's all about fighting against oppression!

The first show I took in was 1984 at Walterdale Theatre (full disclosure: I am Board President of Walterdale). It opened last Wednesday and runs to Saturday, February 15th. The production is a striking adaptation of George Orwell's 1949 novel. I was very impressed with the striking and flawless design of the show and clear direction. It's executed cleanly by it's cast, who do an excellent job creating the dystopia of the world. As Winston Smith, Michael Anderson shifts from disillusioned party member, to brash rebel, and then to a descent into brokenness as he is defeated and tortured by the all-seeing all-knowing Big Brother-led Inner Party. I've never seen 1984 onstage before, and I recommend this production as a worthy adaptation for the stage. 1984 runs to Feb 15th and you can get tickets here.

Photo Credit: Scott Henderson, Henderson Images

I also saw The Invisible: Agents of Ungentlemanly Warfare at Catalyst Theatre. It's about 7 women agents of subterfuge who work as a team to help defeat the Nazis in WW II. I've written a longer write-up here. I can summarize to say I loved it! Tickets are available until February 23 and you can click here to purchase them.

Photo Credit: dbphotographics



The reading I attended was at Script Salon - Anahita's Republic by AuTash. It's a piece I know well as I participated in some of the early readings and work shopping of it. It's a brilliant play written by a two Edmonton playwrights about modern day Iran and the challenges of living in a repressive society where not everyone is equal. There's much more to it than that as it also offers comment on western society, but does so in a very human way. I really hope that this piece gets picked up for production soon. I think it tells a story that everyone would benefit from hearing. It was such a delight to hear it read by such talented actors and to hear how far it has grown in the four years of it's development.

The Invisible at Catalyst Theatre - Revealing the Exceptional!

This past Friday, I was delighted to take in the latest theatrical creation from Catalyst Theatre - The Invisible: Agents of Ungentlemanly Warfare. It tells the story of seven exceptional female operatives during World War II who risk their lives to help bring down the Nazis. It's engaging and unpredictable and full of compelling music, performed with brilliance by a cast of seven and a three piece band. It easily takes a place as one of my favourite Catalyst productions ever!

Set in 1940, in France, it's inspired by the stories of real-life Special Operations Executives (SOEs) who were tasked with sabotage and subversion behind enemy lines. The SOE was the only branch where women were allowed to participate in combat roles by the Allies. The musical imagines an all-female cell, who participate in missions to bring down the enemy. They are led by Evelyn Ash (Melissa MacPherson) who recounts their history and actions in the war. MacPherson is steely and determined, a force on the stage, leading us through the ups and downs of their recruitment, training and ultimate deployment. The 6 agents she recruits are a mixed bunch, with varied citizenship, skills, and motivations for their participation. As a group, they contain the perfect blend of skills and talents to pull off multiple missions with success. Of course, the story is told through action and song, and not only are they exceptional agents, but they are also tremendous triple threat performers. Make that quadruple threat - as they all, at various times, speak in languages other than English, from French, to Polish, to Romanian, to Czech and German.

It's hard to single anyone out, as they are a well-balanced machine. I was drawn into the story, leaning in to learn what happened next.  I do have to draw attention to Tara Jackson, whose vocals are particularly amazing, especially in her jazz club number, but all seven actors are gifted singers and each is given their moment to shine. There's a real diversity in the music, and director and writer Jonathan Christenson has used the strengths of all his actors to great effect in order to tell his story. This is supported by creative choreography by Laura Krewski which moves the piece from moment to moment and place to place with precision and attack. Bretta Gerecke's design evokes the world with a sepia paper backdrop and sharp columns of light which feel almost solid. It's striking and compelling and the mood of every moment is carefully crafted.

It was the best, of course, to see this female-centric story set in a world where we are not used to seeing women - at least not in popular culture. And to see it told by such gifted artists playing characters who are not stereotypes or victims, but instead are women of agency and intelligence, was wonderful. I highly recommend this show - catch it before it's gone!

The Invisible: Agents of Ungentlemanly Warfare presented by Catalyst Theatre, runs to February 23rd in the MacLab Theatre (Citadel). Tickets are available here.

Photo Credit: DBPhotographics

January had a lot of theatre in it... At least the last two weeks...

I saw 9 shows in January... I was supposed to see 10 but when winter hit on the 26th I couldn't face driving and missed one (😞)... But 7 of those shows were in the last two weeks! I'd say it's a real challenge to produce theatre in the second half of January in Edmonton - so much competition!

Anyhow, I saw some good stuff, some silly stuff, some ok things... A lot of hard-working thoughtful artists.

I started the month with the Mayfield's Back to the 80's. We had really enjoyed the first 80's show they did a few years ago and while the music in this one was still very well done (and my favourite era) I didn't think this show had as strong a script. An enjoyable evening, but not much more than that.

However, I followed that up with The Humans at the Citadel. I was able to see it twice and was glad I could because it was so layered. I loved the naturalistic acting, the excellent writing, the connections between the actors, and the beautiful choreography of action in the multiple locations. I think it was probably some of the finest acting and direction I've seen so far this season. It's hard to not want to play up the moments and keep them oh-so-real, but that's where the power of this play is - it has to stay human.

Then onto some Shakespeare with Malachite Theatre's Twelfth Night. Shakespeare is always a bit of challenge for me because I am very familiar with most of the plays and this one more so because I have actually played Olivia before (It's funny, because even though that was 25+ years ago, I still remember the feeling of saying those words). I really liked how they created the world on the play inside the church - it felt very homey with the trees amidst the pews. My favourite scenes were with the Duke (Byron Trevor Martin) and Viola (Merran Carr-Wiggin) and the hockey stick duel between Viola and Andrew Aguecheek (Perry Gratton). I did want the show to move along a bit faster, and with a familiar piece like this, I am always in favour of a little judicious trimming of the script... I know, I know... not everyone agrees.

Then the marathon began:

- Onegin at Catalyst Theatre - a joyous musical feast which made the tragic Pushkin story celebratory and which invited the audience to really share in the experience! Definitely a highlight of this year's theatre season!
- Kill Your Television's Shakespeare's R & J at Theatre Network - Four incredibly gifted young actors told the story of Romeo and Juliet. There are only four of them (and a beautiful red curtain) and they're all men. This was excellently and creatively done. I did wonder if it said more in 1996 than it does today... but maybe that's a good thing because it says something about where we are now?
- Shadow Theatre's Slumberland Motel - My husband said, "I wanted to see more of Julian Arnold onstage, but this wasn't exactly what I had in mind." Not a criticism of the acting, but more a comment on Julian Arnold's lack of clothes for much of the show. A tale of two vacuum salesman and a mysterious woman in a crummy motel room. A but funny and a bit sad. I did think that the play didn't really start until the last 10 minutes of Act One, but once it got going it was charming.
- Cardiac Theatre's Listening Room - A post-apocalyptic world full of young people trying to figure out their purpose and challenge the rules of their world. I had serious flashes of The Maze Runner and Divergent and all those good dystopian young adult fiction works after seeing this and lots of questions about "what happened to the world?"

- Send in the Girls' Soiled Doves: A Burlesque with Boots On - Burlesque combined with stories of women from the old west. Favourite moments included a real stolen horse round-up and the ever-so-sassy Morgan Yamada pretty much anytime she was on-stage. It's always interesting to see how this group merges theatre and burlesque.

And then tonight I saw Love & Information - review here.

Next: the very busy February! 

Peter Fechter: 59 Minutes and Fortune Falls - Illuminating

This past week I took in 2 very different shows, both Canadian works. 

First up was Peter Fechter: 59 Minutes produced by the relatively new company, Cardiac Theatre in the PCL Theatre at Fringe Theatre Adventures. The short (59 minutes) show tells the story of Peter Fechter, a young East Berlin brick-layer who attempts to cross the Berlin Wall in the early 1960s. As he attempts to escape he is shot and we experience a fictionalized account of what goes through his mind in those 59 minutes before he dies. The source material is true and one thing the show did for me was get me thinking and reading. Off to climb down that wikipedia wormhole. That's one of the things I love about theatre is that often it provides a glimpse of something I didn't really know much about and it sparks that interest in finding out more. The production is well done. I loved the set and lighting and the choice of the alley staging - underscoring the two sides of the wall - and the twisted barbed wire that is entangled with the detritus of Peter's (Bradley Dore) young life. It was tight and engaging and thought-provoking. 

The other show I saw was Fortune Falls presented by Catalyst Theatre at the Citadel. Catalyst Theatre started out much in the same way as Cardiac Theatre is now - a group of young U of A drama grads presenting challenging work. Fortune Falls combines many things that Catalyst has become known for, an edgy world with a unique vision. Each moment is excellently executed by it's 5 person ensemble. The music is original and tight with stand-out vocals from Jamie Tognazzini and Daniel Fong. The many characters portrayed by the ensemble are clearly defined and individual. My favorites included Braydon Dowler-Coltman's brash and larger than life Tour Guide, Shannon Blanchett's hilarious clickety-clark executive secretary (there are too many characters for me to remember names) and Graham Mothersill's East-coast factory repairman. I really loved the lighting design by Kerem Çetinel, which was brilliant and precise - no small feat in a thrust theatre - and Megan Koshka's costumes were inspired. Truly an original world created onstage. 

Peter Fechter: 59 Minutes runs to January 22nd at the PCL Theatre.
Fortune Falls runs to Feberuary 5th in the Maclab Theatre at the Citadel. 

Win-Win with Winners and Losers and Over the Edge with 4 Play!

Despite a wicked cold, I made it out to three theatrical events this weekend.  First up on Thursday night, I took in Winners and Losers in The Club at the Citadel. It was an edgy night. The first hour you are laughing, hard, at the competitive banter of Marcus Youssef and James Long as they play their game winners and losers. They are quick and sharp, smart and funny, and the line blurs between when they are improvising and when they are on-script. Then it takes a turn and you're not laughing anymore, or if you are, it's that nervous laughter.  This is the show for people who like that edge.  For people who like to see what happens when you blur the line between acting and reality and maybe go too far.  It was fascinating to be in the room immediately after because of the discussions that arose as it is certainly the kind of show you talk about. Winners and Losers runs until April 18th at the Citadel.

Then, because I somehow don't think that resting when you are sick applies to me, I went out with the lovely Catharooni on Friday night to take in Catalyst Theatre's annual fundraiser, Over the Edge With 4 Play.  If you don't know what that is, here's a simple description: In the morning on Friday, a first line of dialogue and a prop are pulled from a hat (these have been submitted by many random people via email). That line and that prop is given to 4 playwrights who have about 3 hours to write a play for 4 actors. Then that script is given to 4 directors and 4 design teams and they rehearse and design the shows for display that evening.  Each play gets 1 hour of 'rehearsal' with the 4 actors (who perform in all 4 plays).  So, when we arrived at 9:30 pm, we were treated to 4 new plays which indulged deliciously in the ridiculous!  Afterwards we got to vote for the best play, best director, best design and best actor.  It was so much fun! The plays were all so different and funny in their own right and with casts of Trevor Schmidt, Stephanie Wolfe, Mathew Hulshof and April Banigan they were even more!  I can't believe I have never gone before and I plan to back for more (and maybe someday I can participate in some capacity!).  A truly hilarious evening and all for a good cause. Happy to announce that Catalyst met their fundraising goal!

The third theatrical event was my return for the closing of Arcadia.  I was glad to get back to see it again. It know it wasn't for everyone, but that's the beauty of art, isn't it? It means different things to different people, so the audience (the viewer) is part of it.

Happy World Theatre Day!

Okay, for me, pretty much every day of the year could be Theatre Day, being that I work at one, volunteer at several and I watch a heck of a lot of it.  But for those of you who are more moderate in your approach to theatre, today is THE day! Luckily, there are a lot of shows you can see right here in Edmonton this weekend!

Shows that close this weekend:

Vigilante at the Citadel Theatre.  This rock opera with an edge is being presented in the Maclab Theatre.  It's a show ideally suited to the thrust theatre space and re-imagines the story of the Black Donnellys, an Irish immigrant family who were brutally murdered.  It's also the latest work from Catalyst Theatre (Nevermore, Frankenstein, Hunchback), and has the same level of excellence in concept and execution, and a very talented 8 person cast who can sing some amazing celtic and rock inspired musical theatre.  We've had people respond so well to it that they've come back and seen the show three times! It only runs until Sunday, March 29th, so I recommend catching it quick.  For those on a budget, there are still a few $30 seats left and because they use the thrust space so well, there really are no bad seats.

First Time Last Time  at Shadow Theatre. A new take on the romantic comedy what turns the premise on it's side as it pairs two commitment shy people who go to outrageous lengths to maintain a non-relationship/ relationship.  I wrote about it more here.  It is at the Varscona Theatre  until Sunday, March 29th.

Shows that opened this week:

Arcadia at the Citadel Theatre. This is currently my new favourite play.  Other than when I am directing a show, I rarely want to see a play more than twice.  With this Tom Stoppard work I am so excited to be seeing it for the third time on Sunday (and I am trying to figure out if I can justify going again on Closing).  It's complicated and simple at the same time.  A mystery and a romance and full of sparring academics and the quest for truth and knowledge.  It takes place in two times 200 years apart in the same English manor.  Though separated by time, the parallels between the two stories are fascinating and Stoppard has managed to intertwine them with humour.  There's some heady content, but there's also many moments of deliciousness for the audience when they know more than the characters do. This opened last night and runs to April 12th.

A Dream Play at Studio Theatre.  This is a Strindberg piece and the U of A has cast all 5 women in the graduating BFA class as the only female character in the piece.  I haven't seen it yet, but I am hoping to book tickets soon, as they have reconfigured the Timm's seating so that there are far fewer seats than usual and as a result they already have some Sold Out performances. It looks like a challenging piece and I trust that the U of A has done their usual solid work.

Sondheim on Sondheim at MacEwan University. For those who love musicals and more specifically Sondheim this would be a great show to catch.  It's in the Theatre Lab space so tickets are tight for it as well, but it would likely be a great show to catch if you love Into the Woods or Sweeney Todd. It closes next Thursday, April 2nd (probably due to the Easter weekend) so don't get complacent and figure on seeing it next weekend! It was also directed by Kate Ryan who was wonderful earlier this year singing with Susan Gilmour in a Sondheim Cabaret at the Citadel, so you can be assured that it's been well steered.

These are just a few you could see.  I am sure there are others you could check out.  Tix on the Square is great for seeing what's out there.  Make this your World Theatre Day and see a show!

Elephant Wake - A Grande Visite with Jean-Claude!

A quick post to tell you about Elephant Wake currently playing at Catalyst Theatre.  Thankfully they added an Industry Show on Monday night so I was able to see it.  They also had a very funny talk-back with actor and playwright Joey Tremblay and Catalyst Artistic Director Jonathan Christenson facilitated by James MacDonald.

The show takes place in a paper filled ditch on the side of the road in Saskatchewan.  We are there to visit Jean-Claude (played by Tremblay).  Jean-Claude may not be the smartest person but he is a wonderful story-teller and during this Grande Visite we hear the story of his life, his town and the many deaths he has experienced.  It is magical and compelling, funny and sad, and simply beautiful. This is one of the best shows I have ever seen.  A good deal of that is due to the absolute completeness of Tremblay's characterization of Jean-Claude combined with a barrel full of stories that overlap and twist wonderfully to tell the story of his life.   It only runs until Saturday, November 29th so I strongly encourage you to get your tickets now and go see it.

You can get tickets here. 

Listening to the the Internal Dialogue - The Genius Code

Last week I took in The Genius Code at C103. The Genius Code began in the Summer of 2012, originated by Jonathan Kawchuk and Jon Lachlan Stewart. It stars Jamie Cavanagh, Cole Humeny, and Laura Metcalfe, with design by Cory Sincennes and Matt Schuurman, and choreography by Ainsley Hillyard. It is a live play where each individual audience member listens through their own set of headphones, choosing which character to follow in a three person love tragedy set in the modern day. I was a bit worried about which headset to choose, as I worried no matter what I chose, I would miss something. But once there, I decided to pick Red and just see what would happen. My friend, @catharooni, chose White and we figured we could compare afterwards. 

The story is about a trio - DJ Genius Code, aka Gene Cody, has never been in love, in every sense of the word, but, inspired by a sparked romance between two of his best friends, Gyl and Sky, Gene brings the two lovers together, and begins creating an experimental album of music using their voices, conversations; their entire lives. The Genius Code is an innovative theatre experience bringing each audience member three different choices of a story. 

I worried beforehand about how wearing headphones might interfere with the engagement with the piece, but I was delighted with how the production dealt with that.  Everything was routed through the head phones and the the specific colour/character you chose merely augmented the perspective of the story telling.  I was following Gyl, @catharooni was following Gene. I really liked the whole headset thing.  If I had more time I would go back again and see the other two perspectives (in fact, you can at a reduced rate: From Catalyst Theatre: Want to see The Genius Code again and listen to a new character? Well if you come back with proof of purchase from a previous performance (program, receipt from Tix etc) - you can see the show again for just $15! Available at the door only. The show returns tomorrow night at 8p.m.).  I was actually disappointed when we were told to remove them.  There was a really cool effect, however, because certain members of the audience were getting pieces of information at different times and from different perspectives so our staggered laughter was picked up by the mics and it was very cool.  You got a sense of the layers of the story, even though you couldn't hear all of them. 

i will admit I was most impressed with the concept and the effect on my reception of the story.  It's all well acted with strong writing, wonderful choreography and a very cool set and projections that were 100% integrated and which felt necessary to the piece as a whole. The story itself was a challenge for me to connect to, but I was impressed with the dedication.  It just got a little too removed from my personal experience of relationships for me to truly connect. That being said, I did find it compelling and, like I said earlier, if I had the time I would go back for a second time to check out a different perspective.

Some really cool stuff happening in the show. 

Nevermore - Gothic Ghoulish Goodness Onstage!

Well, last night I FINALLY saw Catalyst Theatre's Nevermore and I do have to say it was well worth the wait!  It was visually stunning, musically & choreographically interesting and well-executed, and a compelling story.  I knew very little about Edgar Allan Poe other than being familiar with a  few of his stories, but it didn't really matter, it wasn't necessary to know anything to be draw into the performance.  It was such a wonderfully complete world.  Tightly performed by an ensemble of 7 actors who, outside of Scott Shpeley as Poe, switched characters with the exchange of a hat or skirt or jacket.  They all took turns as narrator and transitioned seamlessly from one to another.  Everyone was simply wonderful.  I love, love, loved the design by Bretta Gerecke
.  I loved the little details in the flick of a foot by two characters to punctuate, and the ways they each chose to create different characters with a change of voice or laugh or simply the way they held themselves. It's not a happy tale, although there are moments of laughter, but it is one of those shows where you are simply mesmerized.  Some of my favorite moments/characters were Vanessa Sanbourin as the gifted actress Eliza Poe, Beth Graham's exuberant Fanny Allan, Ryan Parker's singing when he was narrating, Shannon Blanchet's kisses when she played Elmira Royster, and  Shpeley as Poe through the whole thing.  His tortured dancing as he deals with the rough hand he's dealt again and again is gorgeous. It's a sad life that Poe lived, but Catalyst has made it look and sound so beautiful.

I'm going back again in a week and a half.  I had great seats this time, but I am actually hoping to sit a little bit higher to see the panorama of the stage better.  The sound is done beautifully (sometimes a challenge in the Westbury, but they have it perfect and crisp) so I think it will be great to see from further back.

Nevermore runs to March 2nd at the Westbury Theatre.

Oldies, But Goodies... A Little Shakespeare and a Little Noel Coward!

I have somehow managed to squeeze in two shows already this week and it's not even Friday!  On Monday, I had a props pull at Walterdale so seeing as how I was already on the South side of the river, I decided to catch the Studio Theatre production of Love's Labour's Lost at the Timm's Centre. The day before I had attended Freewill Shakespeare's Brunch of Love so I was in a Shakespeare kind of mood.  The show was very fun and over the top ridiculous.  It's one of the earlier Shakespeare plays so it's not the best written, but this class made the most of any opportunity for ribaldry and silliness.  I particularly loved Oscar Deryx as Don Adriano de Armado.  He was like some fantastic hybrid of Inigo Montoya, Captain Jack Sparrow and Russell Brand.  The pants and wig alone are worth the price of admission!  But it's not just that, it's that he really sold it.  The rest of the cast is up to the challenge, as well, he was just my favorite.  But this is a very physical and exuberant production.  It's got modern touches and tweaks, so if you're a purist you might not be as happy with it, but it is definitely a lot of fun. Love's Labour's Lost runs to this Saturday (Feb 15th). 

On Tuesday, I put in my habitual Coffee Bar Shift for Walterdale's Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward.  Now, I'll be honest, I am not a huge Noel Coward fan so I had to work a bit to get into it, but this production has good acting all around from the cast and they all seem to manage the verbose Coward handily and with the right spirit for the script.  There are some stellar special effects and a terrific séance scene (after it closes I am asking how they did the doors - I think I know how they did the table - they rest I will leave not knowing because I like a little mystery) and I really liked how they handled creating the ghostliness of Elvira.  I'm glad I went in not having read the script, because some key moments in the second act totally caught me off guard. I think if you are a Noel Coward fan you will totally love this production.  The audience I was with were certainly laughing a lot.  I think I just have a hard time with the casualness of the script with regards to spousal abuse and the general unkindness hidden in the clever language. My problem, not anyone else's. Blithe Spirit runs until February 15th (Saturday).

Both are suitable for a Valentine's Day date - lots of laughs and lots of love!

So, it has already been a theatre filled week.  This Saturday I will be taking in Catalyst Theatre's Nevermore, and I think there is another lobby photo taking area! Yippee!

Of Souls and Spelling Bees...

I have been so knee deep in Spelling Bee this last little while that I feel bad that I haven't taken a moment until now to write about Catalyst Theatre's production of The Soul Collector.  As it was, I was very fortunate to find a night when I could actually take in the show.  I actually booked the tickets over a month prior as I missed Frankenstein due to it's being Sold Out and I vowed that would not happen this time (especially after I heard so much about what I had missed from all my friends!).  So, on Friday night I met up with AM and we took in a bite and a show.  We had great fun at the lobby Photo Booth. Very cool to try on the show inspired costume pieces and since we are both theatre performers we could not resist the tickle trunk! It is good to be able to just be silly! It was also cool to run into a few people from Spelling Bee there that night.  I guess we all had the night off!

The show, the show, the show... First I have to talk about the design and concept.  It was a visually stunning piece.  From the costumes, to the alley set, with everything labelled and outlined very intentionally, to the toboggan race, to the accountants, to the ballroom dance, to the many incarnations of snow it was one of the most conceptually complete pieces I have ever seen.  It is not so much that it was all black and white and grey, but more that everything had the right off-kilter feel and Tim Burton/Gothic kind of aesthetic.  It's not just a black coat - it's the 'perfect' black coat with the 'perfect' detailing.  This show is why I think Scenographer Brette Gerecke is a genius.  It's absolute proof of it.  This was matched with the choreography and the tone of the script.  So complete.  Watching this show is like taking a masterclass in design.  The cast itself was outstanding.  It's hard to single people out since they worked so well as an ensemble, however, I felt Karyn Mott was lovely in the lead as Memory McQuaid.  Her bright hair and textured voice made her very compelling. Opposite her, Benjamin Wardle as Gideon Glumb was delightful.  Because the stage was in an alley arrangement, it created a bit of a detachment effect for me, however, Wardle seemed to easily reach beyond that wall.  Similarly did Garett Ross as Popcorn Pete. Ross was fun to watch in his many incarnations - always drawings us in.  It is hard, though, to single people out - From Elinor Holt as the Icy Soul Collector whose vocal range was truly impressive, to Nancy McAlear as Anemone Knight whose dance was as elegant as her sadness. I thought Eric Wigston as tortured, love-struck, composer Thorvald Jesperson was note perfect, his record-skipping solo amazing.  I saw no flaws from anyone as they were all committed and strong in their performances. The script... hmmm... I am a bit torn on this.  I left the play really liking it, however, for the first 1/3 of the show I found it hard to get into.  I struggle with heavily-narrated shows and I think the narration off the top combined with the alley stage made it difficult for me to immerse myself right away.  There were also some balance issues with the sound so I couldn't really make out many of the lyrics of the first song the ensemble sang.  It was tightly and terrifically choreographed, but without knowing what they were saying I felt like I was reaching to understand what it was about.  Solos were always clear and those are what brought me into the show.  So, like I said, the first third I was disconnected, the last 2/3 thirds I was there and really captivated. It may also be that this is more of a show that is about the concept and style.  The narration automatically removes the audience so that you know it is in the realm of story-telling.  It is not until we start to hear the characters own voices that we start to care about them.  I am still pondering the message of the show.  I think this would have been a good one to see more than once and from different vantage points.  If they remount it, I would definitely try to catch it again.

And so, I was glad for the night out in my busy week! This weekend after Spelling Bee opens I will be catching The Flight of the Viscount at Shadow Theatre. Wish me luck for a good opening on Thursday night!  I was very excited to see our huge photo in the Edmonton Journal this week and to hear that tickets have been moving fast at Tix on the Square.  I am so pleased with the show.  I'm tickled because our SM frequently says to me following a run,  "This is NOT a Community Theatre show..." I think so too, but it is nice to hear it from someone else!

A Steal of a Deal or Two... Catalyst Theatre - The Soul Collector

I've been thinking about doing a series about how to see more theatre even if you can't afford it so when I got information about the newest Catalyst Theatre show, The Soul Collector, and what they are doing to help those with smaller pocketbooks see the show I figured I would start with it!  Stay tuned for other tips as I hear about them!

Here are some of the ways you can see the show at a rate reduced from the regular $36.75 - $42 ticket prices. 

First of all: YOUTH WALK UP TICKETS!
10 tickets at $10 each will be available at the door for each performance for youth up to the age of 21. 1 per person, proof of age required. Available 1 hour prior to show time.

Secondly they are currently releasing 100 tickets for $20! These tickets are for ANY show during the run - with the exception of opening (May 3). You got to get them fast though! Deadline is Saturday at 4pm. Get them through Tix On the Square (phone only 780.420.1757). Use the code GIDEON. Two per person.

Lastly their Preview Shows (May 1 & 2) tickets are only $16.88!

This show has been hotly anticipated, so if you want to use the $20 ticket deal, I would jump on it fast!

RACE - No Shades of Grey

I did the kid swap with Mark in the Westmount parking lot so that I could make it to the Theatre Yes production of David Mamet's RACE tonight. I had read a little about the play when it was on Broadway a few years ago and thought that the premise sounded intriguing so I was excited to see it was coming up. I think Mamet is always a courageous choice as the dialogue is tricky and this piece would be especially so because of the specific requirements of the cast. Although the play took a few minutes to grab me, once I was in, I was in. This production is a nice solid piece of work, anchored brilliantly by Michael Peng. The rest of the cast turn in solid performances, but he clearly seems most at home with the complexity of Mamet's dialogue. So many things impressed me about this piece of theatre. Brian Bast's set and costumes are perfect (and I am not just saying that because Brian and I went to high school together). It is amazing how transformed the Catalyst is. It was hard to believe it was the same space that I have seen countless Fringe shows in. But beyond that, this was a production that made me think.

On the drive home I did a lot of thinking about how I feel about some of the universals explored by the play. I have to say explored because Mamet is not easy on his audience. He does not tell you any of the solutions. He is much better at drawing attention to the problems and a pat solution is not going to cut it in his world. It's rather like the real world. Although the play is clearly American and the race issues are a somewhat different there, we have situations in Canada where the same kinds of prejudice impact our decisions and our beliefs. I do not believe that anyone is entirely without prejudice. We are all shaped by things we have lived through and what we have been taught and we have all felt judged based on where we come from and what we look like. How we deal with those attitudes, both our own and those of others, varies from person to person. Throw in a court case where the guilt of a client is up in the air and race is an issue and you have a compelling piece of theatre.

*number 8 in my 2012 theatre goal