More October #yegtheatre adventures - Lenin's Embalmers (Studio Theatre) and Origin of the Species (Northern Light Theatre)

When I was in university, one of my part-time jobs was working front of house and bar-tending at the University of Alberta Studio Theatre shows. As a result, I think I saw pretty much every show there from my second year on. I have always loved the atmosphere and aesthetic of the Studio Theatre shows. The plays chosen are always smart and sharp (and unpredictable) and the design concepts are always complete and specific and imaginative. This is certainly the case for Lenin's Embalmers, currently onstage at the Timms. First of all, I was pleased to see not only a Canadian playwright, but an Edmonton playwright being produced. Vern Thiessen is not only the playwright, but he's also onstage as Lenin in this production, and that gives a little more meta to the whole thing (Lenin observes the world after his death; playwright observes his play from within after he's written it). Directed by MFA Candidate Alexander Donovan, the show is darkly funny and intelligent. The cast is excellent, embracing the stylistic choices effortlessly and managing to convey the danger of Soviet Russia while still creating a very fun show. I particularly enjoyed Chris Pereira as the science driven embalmer Vlad, and Doug Mertz in a menacing but buffoonish performance as Stalin. There're a lot of great things to this show. It's also one of those that kept me in the world while I watched it, but sent me to wikipedia when I got home to look up more about Lenin, Stalin, and Trotsky and all of that. I was also weirdly reminded of Eva Peron because of the whole embalming thing, but that's another story...

Lenin's Embalmers runs until October 20th at the Timms Centre for the Arts with shows at 7:30 p.m. Show is dark on Sunday, bit there's a Monday night performance and a Thursday matinee.  Click here for tickets.

This afternoon I took in Origin of the Species presented by Northern Light Theatre. I got there early (because I am always early) and lucked out catching the Director's Circle pre-show chat. Director Trevor Schmidt talked about several of his choices in costumes and casting and in play selection. There were also questions from the group and it made for a nice introduction to the work before seeing the play. I really enjoyed the piece. It tells the story of archaeologist Molly (Holly Turner), who finds a pre-historic woman (Kristin Johnston) on a dig, and decides to bring her home to educate her. It's very funny, with a lot of the humour coming from the elastic faced Johnston, who plays wonderfully with the idea of her character discovering the modern world from the perspective of her past. Johnston's ability to play makes her fiercer and sadder moments believable. Turner's take on Molly is an interesting journey, as she begins with the gentle arrogance of the 'one who thinks she knows best' but grows to understand that eventually as the student learns they must be released to the world, and there's a lot of wistfulness and a touch of sadness in that goodbye. The show made me think of the idea that all the cultural rules of the world are made-up, and that it's not always easy to definitively say which are best or right. As we live in a world with many conflicting cultures, it is often only courtesy and a willingness to be open that allows for civility and exchange of ideas.

Origin of the Species runs to October 27th at the Studio Theatre at the ATB Financial Arts Barns with shows at 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday matinees. Click here for tickets.

A Look Into Different Worlds - The Photo and Tribes

I missed a lot of first weekends while I was away so I caught the final weekend's offerings last night and Friday.

Friday night, I finally got to see The Photo by Dana Rayment.  It was presented as a workshop reading at Skirt's AFire Festival 2 years ago, but was on a Saturday afternoon and my Mom-Duties prevented me from getting to it, so I was pleased to hear that it would be presented as a full production by Theatre of the New Heart at C103.  My lovely friend Lisa was in town from Calgary so I also got to share with her a little of the #yegtheatre I am so proud of. It's a piece that probably needs trigger warnings as it was about a couple (Elena Porter and Michael Peng) dealing with the immediate aftermath of an at home stillbirth.  Each deals with it differently, Gina (Porter) fragmenting into a defense mechanism of denial and fantasy as she tries to take the perfect photo of her child's imagined life.  Mark (Peng) is hip deep in grief and confusion about how to help his wife and how to deal with the physical realities of the situation, not knowing whether to pander to Gina's fantasies or shake her into facing the truth of what has happened.  The script is well-crafted, giving us a little mystery about what exactly has happened at the beginning and building with inevitability to the final acceptance of both Gina and Mark.

Last night I took in Closing night of Tribes presented by Studio Theatre at the Timm's Centre as the MFA Production of Directing Candidate Amanda Bergen. Tribes was a fascinating look into what it is to be deaf within a hearing family.  The family (Ashley Wright, Judy McFerran, Mathew Hulshof, and Zoe Glassman) is loud and argumentative and at times a little unbearable, and deaf son Billy (Connor Yuzwenko-Martin) is often left out of parts of discussions as they make little effort to ensure he is able to see their faces to read lips.  When he asks for clarification, they summarize or brush off the details as unimportant. They have also kept him from the Deaf Community, having him learn to read lips and learn to speak and not learn to sign.  When he meets Sylvia (Bobbi Goddard), a girl with deaf parents who can sign and who is also going deaf, he falls in love and also learns to sign himself and it opens up a world of communication for him.  He struggles then to make his family meet him half-way in communication by learning to sign as well. It was a fascinating night.  We also went, by chance, on one of the two interpreted nights where four interpreters dressed in black and purple graced the stage alongside the action and signed all the speaking parts. The audience was roughly 50-75% deaf or hearing impaired and it made for a fantastic experience. The places that drew laughs were different for those who were hearing and those who weren't, sometimes because of the signing and sometimes because of what things actually meant to someone who was hearing vs. someone who was deaf.  It seemed to me, particularly with the piece, that the additional layer of interpreters onstage made it richer. I worried it would be distracting, but it was not, it was enriched. It has made me think about how we make theatre accessible for everyone.  I am not sure how to tackle it myself, but costs and staging for each show is so unique, but it would be interesting to look into how theatres could make their shows more accessible even when the shows are not specifically related to deaf issues. Wouldn't it be cool to see Shakespeare signed? Just thinking...

As a companion piece I recommend this article by Curious Arts about Tribes and Accessibility. There's also a link to a fundraising page where you can help pay for the the many interpreters who worked on the project.

My Theatre Cup Runneth Over... February...

As most of the theatre people in Edmonton know, February is the densest month for shows.  It is impossible to get to everything! A few weeks ago I saw 6 shows in one week.  So many I didn't have time to blog.  So here's a recap with some highlights!

The Threepenny Opera - Studio Theatre, Timm's Centre
I really enjoyed this production. Having played Mrs. Peachum a few years ago, I was very interested in seeing another production.  I quite liked the choices made.  It was a raunchier version than what we did but I felt captured the necessary roughness of the world.  Highlights were Kabriel Lilly as Polly Peachum.  Her voice was wonderful and she played the two sides of Polly perfectly.

Jeffrey - Walterdale Theatre
I wasn't sure what to expect with this show, but I enjoyed it and connected more than I thought I would ("a witty, romp about HIV+"). I felt that director Sarah Van Tassel did a good job with this slightly dated script and the world that set designer Leland Stelck designed for it was fabulous.  Highlights for me were the outrageous Catherine Wenschlag who played all the women's roles.  She made so many fabulous choices and I looked foward to seeing her in every new incarnation. Gerald Mason also had some of the most moving moments as Sterling, who loses his young partner to AIDs. I also very much liked the interaction between him and his partner Darius (played by Simon Müller).

The Laws of Thermodynamics - Workshop West/Theatre Yes
In a bleak February this new work by Cat Walsh about the end of the world was challenging.  It was well-acted and the premise was interesting but I left with more questions than answers. The highlight for me was the fascinating set designed by Nick Blais. I also was intrigued by the physics of this world where things and people disappeared into sand.

Famous Puppet Death Scenes - Theatre Network
The ladies of SHOUT! had a terrific night out at this feast for the eyes.  A terrific little piece from The Old Trout Puppet Workshop.  I liked this so much that I sent my husband and 2 kids to it the next night! It's got that macabre humour that you can deliver more easily with puppets. Hard to pick a highlight because I liked the whole thing, but I think the scene "Why I Hate My Little Brothers" and "Le papillon est mort" were my favorites.  It was also a great evening out with the ladies of SHOUT! We have puppets in our show too, but nobody dies...

Playing With Fire - Citadel Theatre
I had to take my husband to see this show and was totally up for seeing it again.  Was surprised to find myself crying at the end (just a little bit), but it was even better this time.

Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program Showcase - Citadel Theatre
At the end of the Program portion of their work, the participants give a little concert to show what they have been working on.  This was quite lovely.  It was terrific to see the personalities of the actors come out through their singing and I was told afterwards that many of them do not consider themselves singers, but I couldn't really tell. My personal favorite was Justin Goodhand singing Buddy's Lament from Follies, but I was also delighted to hear Jacklyn Francis sing and play guitar. I can't remember the name of the song, but it was funny.

And one more I just saw this weekend... 

Drat the Cat! - Plain Janes, Varscona
This show is actually still running, so you can check it out if you like.  I wasn't too sure about the script as it felt a little dated and hokey.  The cast does a fully committed enthusiastic attack of it and they are a pretty powerhouse group. Highlights of me were definitely Melanie Piatocha as the Cat and Chris Cook as the bumbling acting-police detective who is trying to catch the Cat while simultaneously being in love with her.  Kendra O'Connor is also pretty outstanding as Piatocha's mother. There is some great music and fun musical numbers and this show would be fine for audiences of all ages as it hearkens back to a musical theatre tradition of years gone by.

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!

A Two Show Day - Am I Crazy? The Missionary Position and Private Lives...

If you try hard enough, you can do this.  I managed to see two shows today by hitting the matinee of The Missionary Position at the University of Alberta Timm's Centre and then going to the evening performance of Private Lives at The Citadel.  They are two very different pieces of theatre so separating thought about them was not that difficult.

The Missionary Position is a new work by Lee Playwright in Residence, Greg MacArthur, written specifically for the 2013 graduating BFA Class.  I found it a thought provoking cautionary tale supported by strong acting and a creative set and lighting design. It deals with a fictional group of Christian missionaries who travel to an unnamed South American country that has been struck by devastation in the form of an earthquake and tsunami.  The missionaries are there to bring God to the orphans and save them both physically and spiritually.  Unfortunately their journey takes a terrible turn and they are imprisoned and charged - what will happen to them, and what exactly did they do are the chief questions to be answered.  There's plenty to engage us, perhaps too much, as the playwright had to write compelling characters for the class of 12, so that some of the sub-stories seem almost distracting.  Central is the idea those who think that faith in God will guide them to do good works are often misguided and naive. Unfortunately most of those who say they are going to do God's work are revealed to be quite shallow and certainly not as selfless as they initially proclaim.  It is this aspect that bothered me most about the play.  There are no truly likable people, with the exception of Angie (Angelique Panther), the translator girlfriend of the investigating Canadian Embassy worker (Ben Gorodetsky) who is the only one who really seems invested in true giving of self.  This is not to say that the performances are not entertaining, as I laughed heartily at the trio of Daniel Fernandes, Cayley Thomas  and Patricia Cerda who play a trio of Christian Television performers and Edmund Stapleton as the Tae-bo obsessed non-Christian adventurer.  But the collective group didn't really feel like real people which made it hard to empathize with them when it all goes wrong. I have friends who are very active and engaged Christians who have done missionary work and although I do not share their faith, I never saw them as shallow and narcissistic or so incredibly naive and stupid.  I just wished for one person in the group that I could feel was truly there for the right reasons and there wasn't.  Outside that group, Gorodetsky's journey is perhaps the most interesting to watch as he shifts from unquestioning support, to fascination and obsession and then finally to condemnation.  He does have, however, a strange unnecessary shower scene that I think is there to show off the fantastic water effects - but I would have been totally cool if that was a surprise for the end. Strangely, it is the slick talking Nacho (Mat Simpson) who feels the most consistently real of all the characters.  It is not hard to see how he might swindle this gang of naive chumps, nor are we surprised when he turns out to be much worse than he appears on the surface.  It made for a thought-filled afternoon of theatre (and after) and I recommend despite my criticisms.  It is more the wish that some of those character's stories could be more fleshed out to make them more real, but the constraints of show length and the question of what story it wants to tell does not allow for that.

It was a major shift to the evening's performance of Private Lives. This is not a deep piece - but a hilarious romp in the world of Noel Coward.  I have never seen the play before, despite it's popularity, and had a good time laughing at the dry wit of Coward as delivered by divorced couple Elyot (John Ullyatt) and Amanda (Diana Donnelly).  Ullyatt and Donnelly have a true chemistry and their verbal and physical sparring is note-perfect.  The script is a little dated, but in keeping the period so sharp right down to the Picasso on the wall, the production overcomes the inherent dangers.  There was a gasp of shock at the first slap, but the fight quickly turns so comical that that 2013 sensibility of what it means when there is physical violence between a man and a women can be diffused. I was blown away (as was my mother) with the outstanding effects in the Second Act.  It leaves you in a bit of a gasping shock and I give kudos to the production team and stage management for creating true magic. Although a traditional piece, it's a great show that I think anyone would be hard pressed not to laugh at, and it looks and sounds absolutely gorgeous so special mention to Leslie Frankish for her Set and Costume design and Joel Crichton for the Sound design.

Spring Break... lifus interuptus...

Spring Break ends tonight. Tomorrow it is back to school, back to pre-school and back to activities. I enjoyed not having to drive around so much, but I really didn't find it much of a break for me. After picking up the same toys about 10 times in one week (note - more than once per day) I began to long for the school day. It also interfered with my accomplishing all my goals for the week. I did get some done. All requests for Rights have gone in and 2 are confirmed. Samuel French has received the other 3 requests but they say 2-4 weeks for review and approval. I am not worried about any of the requests, however, I do want it done so that the season can be announced and I can move onto the next phase of planning - budget!

I went to 2 plays this past week. DeathTrap at Walterdale and Roberto Zucco at Studio Theatre (U of A - The Timm's). Both had their strengths and weaknesses and they were two very different plays. As to DeathTrap, I enjoyed the evening. It was a bit slow to start, but once it got rolling I found it very engaging. Francie as the Dutch Psychic was a stand-out. I did wish for quicker scene changes as I found they caused the flow to start and stop, but it was Opening Night and usually those things get much faster as the run progresses. I worked box-office for the show last night and was very pleased to have only 10 tickets left as the house went in. Yay! Roberto Zucco was a completely different animal. You could tell the actors on stage were overall very strong (although not evenly so... some stood out as stronger than others - Blythe Haynes comes to mind), however, I really struggled with this one. The show is challenging in content and structure so it is hard for an audience to connect with it. I figure that is likely why there was no intermission in the 2 hour show. I think that if there was one a lot of the house would have left. It was violent and disconnected and strangely dispassionate. And I think that is exactly what the Director was going for. Not my cup of tea, but probably very appealing for some. I did love the set and the costuming and they used the set very well. There was also some tremendous physical movement, but all in all it was not something I would necessarily send anyone to.

Week of Madness...

Whew! I am exhausted and it is only Wednesday. This weekend Walterdale Theatre is having it's 50th Anniversary Gala and I am performing so I have been rehearsing (Sun, last night) for that as well as making chocolates and cookies for the Open House on the weekend. I have to get to Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf at Studio Theatre this week (Thurs). That is technically homework so it has to happen. Tonight I am meeting with my co-teacher for Artstart. We start teaching the class in two weeks so I want to find out what we are doing. She has done it before so her input would be very helpful! I also have to get ready for the AGM because I am the secretary and I have things to do for that (Fun Awards, minutes, attendance, etc...). I hope I survive and I am so glad we don't rehearse for Black Hearts this week!