Request Programme at NLT - Figuring out the story behind the action...

I love those shows where you have to lean in more as an audience member. Request Programme is one of those shows. Because the single actor on stage has no dialogue and instead performs units of action while listening to a radio show, it is up to the audience to interpret their actions and their responses to the show they’re listening to. There are no definite answers to this interpretation, and in fact the possible interpretations are equal to the number of audience members. I know from discussions on the ride home with my husband that we both took away different things and the conversation was interesting because we could speculate on what the other had perceived. And again we could not be definitive. It’s all observation.

Vanessa Sabourin - supplied

The featured radio show, Request Programme, is a fantastic collection of songs by local female artists. I was so pleased to hear some of my favourites and for the two artists I had not previously known. I really enjoyed their songs as well. It is amazing to think that all those wonderful artists live and create in our community. I’m of the age where I want to buy their CD, in fact, I would love it if you could purchase the soundtrack to this play. It’s clear that those pieces were curated specifically for the production of this show in our community. I think they did a fabulous job.

So what’s this play about? Well because there’s the ambiguity in understanding the motivations of the character on stage it’s not 100% clear - but it is inherently personal. It’s definitely a reflection on loneliness in our modern society. It seems to be pre-cell phone pre-computer so there’s even a lack of reaching out digitally, which amplifies the isolation of the character on stage. As I mentioned earlier, there are units of action performed by the actor, and my understanding from a conversation with director Trevor Schmidt is that each of the actors (there’s a different one every night of the production - I saw Vanessa Sabourin) has leeway in how they perform those units of action. There are some tasks that are specifically dictated.  I don’t know which ones and there’s one in particular that I don’t want to talk about because I don’t want to have spoilers. How each actor responds to the different songs is individual choice which gives way to multiple interpretations of the story behind the action. It makes it intriguing to think about coming back and seeing how having an actor of a different age or ethnicity or even attack might affect your interpretation as an audience member. I’m hoping to do so but I’m not exactly sure when and I think I want to pick an artist that might be different from the one I saw on opening night. I’m not exactly sure how I’ll be able to pick that one.

It's a compelling piece of theatre. Well worth checking out, maybe even more than once. 

Request Programme is presented by Northern Light Theatre at Studio Theatre Inside Fringe Theatre Adventures. The show runs until May 16th. Tickets are $22-$37 and there are Pay-What-You-Can and 2-for-1 performances. You can purchase your tickets here. 

Unicorns and Tigers... A Zoological Start to the Theatre Season!

The Pink Unicorn by Elise Forier Edie - Northern Light Theatre
Directed by Trevor Schmidt and starring Patricia Zentilli

Brianne Jang BB Collective Photography

I saw this play 10 years ago at Northern Light Theatre and loved it. It has come back to me several times a year when things would happen in the world, or when I would encounter magical children as a teacher, or when I would read a certain book (This is How It's Always Is by Laurie Frankel). It's that kind of play. This production was just as good as the show I saw so long ago and hits as hard (or harder) because the rhetoric has gotten worse in recent years, so it feels even more necessary. As Trisha Lee, Zentilli leans into the flaws of her character and that searching that every parent does to make the right choice. She is luminous and questing and we feel for her as she struggles to do the right thing in a world she is completely unprepared for. At the core of the story is love. Love for a child no matter who they are, and trying to find the ways to show that love and support them even if it feels foreign and strange. It is a true testament to unconditional love of a parent for their child. It is also about Trisha recognizing her own relationship with judging people and working to overcome that. Once again, you recognize the small-town close-mindedness and the wacky misfit characters that populate it, as well as those that cannot bend to show love and acceptance because of being so invested in their judgment and their need to be "right". 

I loved the journey that director Schmidt took us on. It's pacing is fast, but slows for thought and reflection. Trisha moves more in this production and this pulls us is. I also really loved Schmidt's set design, so I wanted to give that a shout out. It's a humongous papercraft window box of a small town Texas field, set off by pink swirls. Simply beautiful and giving a frame to this touching story of mother and child. Whether you saw this before or not, I highly recommend. 

Tickets are $37.00 with Pay-What-You-Can and 2-For-1 performances and can be purchased here.  

The Life of Pi - The Citadel Theatre 
Based on the novel by Yann Martel; Adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti
Directed by Haysam Kadri

Photo Credit: Nanc Price

I've been really looking forward to seeing The Life of Pi at the Citadel Theatre. It is one of my favourite books and so many friends who saw it earlier in the run told me it was marvelous. It also has puppets that were created by a former student so I was especially invested! It did not disappoint. The creation of the world is magical - puppets tend to up the theatricality and magic of a show! But the colours or the world and the manipulation of all the animals is very well-done and you are simply immersed in Pi Patel's journey. From the zoo in  Pondicherry, to the tempest tossed cargo ship, to the lonely but crowded lifeboat, this production has managed to capture the feel and mood of those presented in the book. I re-read the book in the three days leading up to seeing the show so it was all present in my mind. I didn't mind the changes and I think leaving off the extra layer of story being told to the novelist was a strong choice for the play (we did not need another layer) instead bringing the hospital in Mexico in at the beginning and having Pi relate the story in a book-ended manner. I loved that I could hear actual lines that I had just read, but delivered in a way that was alive, honest and present. 

The cast as a whole is very committed to serving this story. No one has much down time as many of them switch from puppeteer to character and back. The flow is incredible. The anchor to it all is Davinder Malhi as Pi and he is simply wonderful. You feel his joy and despair as well as his anger and need to survive. It is resilience demonstrated masterfully onstage. His nemesis, Richard Parker, the Bengal Tiger he shares the lifeboat with, is a worthy scene partner to Pi. The puppet is gorgeous and wild and manipulated with strength and artistry by Braydon Dowler-Coltman and Troy Feldman. Kudos to them for making him come alive, and to Puppet Director Dayna Tietzen for all the puppet work. I really want some of those stunning flying fish just so I can make them flutter. 

It was one of the best shows I have seen at the Citadel in recent years. I highly recommend! 

Tickets for The Life of Pi are $40.00 - $147.00 and can be purchase here.  It looks like several nights have limited availability which can make ticket prices increase, so buying earlier rather than later is recommened. 

Fringe Full of Stars - Three more shows! That makes Eight so far! Woot!

After yesterday's cold, wet weather I wore a sweater and a different pair of running shoes to get through the day. The sweater was a good choice for the first half of the afternoon but then the sun came out. I am hoping for more sunshine for the next few days of Fringe because that's a little more enjoyable! I kept my three shoes firmly on the main fringe grounds so that I wasn't travelling too far afield (that's tomorrow).

A Little Something for the Ducks

This was actually two short double-handers, Something's Wrong and A Little Something for the Ducks featuring Francie Goodwin-Davies and Andy Northrup. The two pieces demonstrated the versatility of the two actors as they played very different characters in each of the plays. I was very impressed by the subtle disintegration of Goodwin-Davies character in the first piece, as the something wrong becomes something different than what you later realize. They wisely end with the more humorous and hopeful A Little Something for the Ducks. The two actors work well with each other and there's a lovely evolution of their relationship over the 25 minutes. It was a very nice start to the afternoon!

Inherently Disordered

The next show was a bit stand-up and a lot of personal story-telling as Aldrick (we learn where his name comes from - it's a funny story) Dugarte relates key moments of his life being raised Catholic and coming out as queer and then as gay. It will make sense when you see it. Dugarte is very personable and likeable onstage and he has a great sense of humour about himself and what he has gone through. They say the best stand-ups come from challenging life circumstances, and certainly Dugarte's stories are built upon those challenges. He kept us with him for the entire show and wasn't afraid to get physical in amusing ways, or involve us in the narrative, and it felt very natural. He has opinions, and a point of view that he is not afraid of sharing and you like him even more for that. The show is new and I think as he continues through this Fringe it will get a bit more flow, but I had a good time and I think you will too!

Flora & Fawna Face Their Fears

What a lovely continuation of the story of these two little girls. I will likely never miss an episode in their journey - it's my kind of drag show. I think because it's not really a drag show. These are real plays with clever dialogue and well constructed characters and, yes, there's some double entendres, and yes, these are men playing little girls, but the stories are told with a real respect for the girls they portray. Anyhow, I could easily gush about Flora and Fawna (Trevor Schmidt & Jake Tkaczyk) for paragraphs. This is a fabulous continuation where the girls face their fears by having a camp-out in the backyard. The dynamic of the Naturelle Girls is a little upset because they have brought a new girl in to be Secretary (to replace Fleurette who had to move) and Fern Gummy (Jason Hardwick) is a real disruption. She's American and has some different values. It's a bit crunchy there as the three learn to adjust to a new dynamic, and Flora and Fawna teach Fern about being kinder and not a mean girl (no mean girls allowed!). As always, the show is funny and laughs abound, but also touching with some legitimate "awwwws" from the audience. And we got to sing my favourite song, Face Your Fears. A very happy ending to my afternoon!

Radiant Vermin at NLT - Are You a Good Person? Am I?

Last weekend I took in the opening night of Radiant Vermin presented by Northern Light Theatre in the Studio Theatre at the Fringe Theatre Arts Barns. Holy moly what a show! I had seen a bit at the season launch last spring, and had some ideas about what I was in for, but nothing really could’ve prepared me. What the audience is in for is a little bit of a wild ride! We get a hint of what’s coming in the first scene when Ollie and Jill, a young couple played by Eli Yaschuk and Rain Matkin, tell us that they’ve just experienced the garden party from hell, and then they tell us how they got there…

Photos by Brianne Jang, BB Collective Photography.

Ollie and Jill are a young couple with a baby on the way wanting to move out of their terrible living situation in a run down apartment complex and find their (unaffordable) dream home. After receiving a cryptic letter, they’re approached by Miss Dee (Holly Turner in a striking array of stylish costumes) who tells them they are selected for a special program where they will get their very own fixer-upper house free of charge that they can DIY into their very own dream home. The bones of the house are perfect, and although it needs a lot of work, they jump at the chance because Ollie is very handy and Jill is an interior-design savant. They’ve already warned us that they did terrible things to get their dream house and what follows is indeed a litany of the terrible things they’ve done. Here’s where it gets hard. I don’t wanna spoil anything. Suffice it to say the homeless and itinerant population are sacrificed so that Ollie and Jill can have their dream house. 

Photos by Brianne Jang, BB Collective Photography.

It's fabulously funny, and I was laughing aloud at so many moments in the show along with the rest of the audience. The last 20 minutes is non-stop hysterical and it was hard to stop laughing! Yaschuk and Matkin have brilliant chemistry with each other and both have a physical vocabulary that belies their young years (they are relatively new grads from the MacEwan Theatre Arts Program). Turner is the temptress that pulls no punches. Director Trevor Schmidt has created a show that is tight and dramatic and, did I mention, hilarious. The piece is supported by Matt Schuurman's amazing projection work and tight choreography from Ainsley Hillyard. This is probably the best show I have seen all season... I'm not joking or exaggerating.

Now, it's not just a "fun" show and I haven't wanted to give too much detail because I do not want to spoil anything. It also a play you leave thinking and talking about, providing a great comment on the consumerist society we live in and how those that want and have and get, find it very easy to forget about those that have absolutely nothing. I found myself thinking about my friends with perfect houses (from my perspective) who talked about needing to renovate this room or that room because they were 5-10 years out-of-date... I found myself thinking about how often I order online, just because... It asks the question, What would you do if it would give you everything you wanted? And then it asks, What if you wanted more? Would you do more terrible things? You can donate to the food bank if you're in any way worried about your answer...

Radiant Vermin runs to May 3rd . Tickets start at $37 but there are also pay-what-you-can and 2 for 1 Nights. You can purchase your tickets here. The space is small and this is such a good show, I would grab them quick!

Angry Alan at NLT - So much to talk about...

Brianne Jang BB Collective Photography

Friday night I took in the Opening Night of Angry Alan presented by Northern Light Theatre, directed by Trevor Schmidt and starring Cody Porter. When I attended the season launch for NLT I thought the casting of Porter was so smart, because in just the preview the things that his character (Roger) said were highly inflammatory. Only someone like Porter could play this role and not have everyone dislike (hate?) him and Roger, outright. This was confirmed when I saw the show. 

Roger is disillusioned with his life. It clearly has not gone the way he thought it would. It has not gone the way he felt he was promised - promised by society and it's expectations - and then Roger finds the Men's Rights Movement online. His frustrations with the world (which he finds unfair and inexplicable) are echoed by online persona Angry Alan, whose video rants feed Roger's need for answers. What's to blame? Feminism... it has clearly gone too far. All of a sudden Roger has the philosophy that makes him feel like it's not his fault. He goes down the rabbit hole and it leads to no good. 

I don't want to give all the story away, but it did go somewhere I totally did not expect. Depending on your personal perspective the first 2/3 of the play is really funny, if you forget that some people really believe what Roger is parroting. But at a certain point, you can't help but remember. Clips of some of the worst online offenders for spreading the myths of men's persecutions (I don't want to name them because they don't need any more presence than they already have) can't help but remind you that these predators are filling the heads of men out there with a lot of dangerous garbage. 

Brianne Jang BB Collective
Photography

It was an excellent night of theatre. Porter is spot-on, believable and human, and you get why Roger goes down the path he does. Schmidt's direction leads us through this journey subtly, and the piece as a whole is intensely conversation provoking. I had several conversations with people immediately after the play, and on the ride home, and then throughout the following day - discussing how this brain-washing happens. We're all a bit culpable but most of us won't admit it. Roger talks about how men are conditioned not to share their feelings. He says this more than once. I've heard men in my life (brothers, friends, colleagues) express frustrations and have them brushed aside or belittled or chastised because they are 'white middleclass men who have nothing to complain about because of their privilege'. When someone can't even have the conversation they need to have because they feel belittled or dismissed, all that frustration is going to get bottled up until they eventually explode, or a vacuum is created and there's always some vitriol on the internet to fill the void. With Roger, both happen, and it's not good for him or anybody else.

I'm still thinking about this. I will probably have many more conversations about it. I think we all should, and we all need to be listening instead of shouting. It's so incredibly timely. 

I'd recommend this, but please be prepared to have your assumptions challenged. 

Angry Alan is playing in the Studio Theatre Inside Fringe Theatre Adventures until February 8, 2025. The space is small so get your tickets sooner rather than later. Tickets range from $22-$37 with Pay-What-You-Can and 2-for-1 Nights during the run. You can purchase your tickets here. 

Candy and the Beast at NLT … Bringing a Halloween Vibe to Your April!

Photo by Brianne Jang, BB Collective Photography

I took in Opening Night of Candy and the Beast at Northern Light Theatre this past Friday. Written, directed and designed by Trevor Schmidt, and starring Jayce McKenzie and Jake Tkaczyk, it evokes the feeling of 80's classics like Heathers and Beetlejuice (perhaps I was a bit reminded of 80's Winona Ryder). In a sharp turn from her recent performance across the street in Robot Girls, McKenzie as Candy is angsty, angry, and emo. The small community of Black Falls that Candy and her younger, but physically bigger, brother Kenny aka the Beast (Tkaczyk) live in has been struck by a serial killer, whose victims are young, blonde, and lower class. Candy is two for three, and unless the killer changes his target, she’s safe. Through Candy's observations, the show comments on those who are easily discarded versus those who raise alarms when they go missing. 

The aesthetics of the show are cool. Ghoulish masks on sticks populate the community, which features the blond victims, a pack of wild dogs, and various community members, who are all voiced by McKenzie and Tkaczyk. Lighting is  dark, with ribbons of visibility, often top-lit harshly so that you can’t quite see everything - adding to the mystery of "what’s exactly going on?!" Interspersed in the storytelling, are cool songs sung by Tkaczyk as Kenny, which evoke on 80s electronica sound. It’s edgy and dark and creepy and Tkaczyk does a great job selling those songs, as well as embodying the many characters he plays. 

 Photo by Brianne Jang,BB Collective.

The interplay between the siblings is terrific and it propels the story. Because Kenny is much younger and innocent (or is he?) than he appears, and the diminutive Candy is in some ways so much larger a personality, it’s a fun ride that leaves you wondering who the killer is and who will be killed next. And of course, will Candy be on the list? And will we actually find out who the killer is? I’ll leave that with you as I don’t want any spoilers. 

You don’t often see a show like this in April as it’s more of a Fall genre, But if you like things, a little dark and edgy and creepy, this is the perfect show for you. If you're into true crime podcasts and horror movies with edge and humour, you will love this! Who says you can’t have a little Halloween in Springtime?  

Candy and the Beast runs to April 20th at Fringe Theatre Adventures. Tickets are $38.85 and can be purchased here. There are also 2for1 nights and PWYC Nights available. 

Robot Girls is full of Laughs and a Love for Science at Shadow Theatre!

If you’re looking for a show on in Edmonton this week and next, I highly recommend Robot Girls presented by Shadow Theatre at the Varscona. It’s a brand new work by Trevor Schmidt about about a school science club at an all-girls junior high school. The four actors (played by Larissah Lashley, Hayley Moorhouse, Abigail McDougall and Jayce McKenzie) are letter perfect as grade 7, 8 and 9 students who endeavor to build a robot in their club to go to an international science competition. Their teacher advisor is missing in action, so it’s all up to them to figure out how to get the work done.

As a junior high school science teacher myself, I was both tickled and impressed by the portrayals. McKenzie is simply hysterical as the grade 7 club member Vanessa. She's filled to the brim with a golden retriever puppy energy that feels all too real. Moorhouse, on the other end of the age spectrum, plays the senior member of the club, grade 9 Bloody Mary, with just the right amount of distain and compassion for her younger club mates. In the middle, we have two grade 8 of varying temperaments; Lashley with her student council Vice President authority, and McDougall who just needs a club to be in while she balances the demands of her family. I was struck by how accurate (in a heightened way) the three ages were portrayed. You wouldn’t think there was a wide difference difference between a grade 7 and a grade 9, but there is, and this show capitalizes on it and really makes it work. It was also terrific that these weren't 'mean girls' or 'troubled girls', but real kids who happen to be smart and like science and want to belong somewhere, which is far more my experience with the age group. 

The laughs start immediately with this show. Schmidt has a knack for writing funny and truthful, young female characters. Co-Directors John Hudson and Lana Michelle Hughes keep the action moving with clever lights and robot dancing. The pace is brisk and tight. The relationships are honest, sometimes unintentionally hurtful, often touching, and most of all very humorous. 

Of course it’s not all simple. With the lack of a teacher in the room, the four girls must figure everything out on their own both with the robot building and how to deal with each other. Mistakes are made, but then fixed, and the future for women in science looks very hopeful.

I can’t overstate how funny it is, and how much the packed opening night audience was howling with laughter. If you have a daughter or granddaughter, or niece, aged 12 and up, I highly encourage you to take them to see this show. It might be really cool for them to recognize themselves on stage (whether they are a science kid or not). It’s more about the relationships than the science, but the science is pretty cool, too. It’s Spring Break next week so you could take your kid and they don’t have to get up early the next morning for school.

Robot Girls by Trevor Schmidt runs to March 31st at the Varscona Theatre. Tickets are $25-$38 with a Pay-What-You-Can night (at the door), and can be purchased here.

Photo Credit: Marc J. Chalifoux Photography and Video

A Monstrously Exciting Season on the Horizon for Northern Light Theatre!

There were quite a few hints about what might be included in Northern Light Theatre's upcoming season rolling our in advance of their Season Launch last Monday.  Quotes from thrillers and murder mystery authors had me preparing for a spooky and scary line-up. I'm always down for what Northern Light Theatre is offering. They consistently choose the unusual and challenging and deliver with complete design concepts. Unlike other theatres in town, you are more likely to see something that surprises you and makes you think about something you haven't before. 

The new season, titled Making A Monster, presents three plays featuring characters possessing qualities of modern monsters in our midst!

"This season, NLT wants to examine the human capacity to be monstrous to other human beings", says Artistic Director Trevor Schmidt. "We want to ask ourselves and our audience what keeps us from behaving cruelly- and we want there to be discussion. Nobody is immune to terrible actions. We’re all prone to regressive processes. It’s very easy to enter the dark abyss where evil dwells. We all have the capacity to be monsters."

The first show is a World Premiere, Monstress by Trevor Schmidt, starring Julia van Dam and Sydney Williams. A twist on the Frankenstein story (with a reading evocative of the recent Oscar-nominated film Poor Things), one wonders where this will go and who the real monster will turn out to be. I'm looking forward to see the dynamic between the two women - disgraced scientist and horrible creation - and the inevitable conflicts inherent in that relationship. 

Next is the play that sparked the season's theme, Angry Alan by Penelope Skinner, starring Cody Porter. Porter plays the utterly miserable Roger, third assistant manager at a Safeway grocery store. With his life at crisis point, Roger is close to bursting. But when he stumbles upon Angry Alan - an online activist- he finally feels someone is speaking his language. Schmidt said that this was the show that started the search for more monstrous plays and he wondered if it was going to get them in trouble. It explores what happens when an ordinarily tolerant, but dissatisfied man is radicalized by false reasoning online, and begins to blame feminism for all that is wrong in his life. I'm looking forward to squirming in my seat next season. This is most likely the one that's going to make me do so!

The season will wrap up with Radiant Vermin by Philip Ridley, starring new grads Rain Matkin, and Eli Yaschuk, along with NLT favourite Holly Turner. In the modern age of out-of-reach property acquisition, it tells the story of an engaging young couple, Ollie and Jill, who had to do some shocking things to get their dream home. A wickedly comic satire about a young couple offered a 'too good to be true' way onto the property ladder. The scene presented hints at a Faustian bargain, or perhaps a deadly game show. It looks to be the kind of show to make you laugh out loud,... but guiltily. 

I'm looking forward to meeting the monsters up on NLT's stage next season, be they real or imagined, or perhaps living right next door! 

Subscriptions for all three shows are now on sale through Northern Light Theatre's website northernlighttheatre.com. Subscriptions start at $80 VIP pricing until June 1, and single tickets go on sale August 1, 2024.

Sometimes it's hard to be nice... Lessons Learned with Donna Orbits the Moon and Spinsters in #yegtheatre this week...

I caught two thought-provoking (and funny) shows this weekend. 

Patricia Darbasie in Donna Orbits the Moon,
Brianne Jang BB Collective Photography

The first, Donna Orbits the Moon presented by Northern Light Theatre, was a one-woman show with the impressive Patricia Darbasie as Donna, a woman finding herself reacting with intense rage to inconveniences in her life. We are not exactly sure at the beginning why these moments are provoking such anger and violence, but there's something in the way that Donna tells the story that we are totally on her side. Indeed when I read a description online before seeing the show, I immediately connected. Too often we are expected to smile and be accommodating and the desire to say "No!" is often very strong with me. I see you, Donna! But there's something more to Donna's rage. There's a concrete reason she's suppressing and the reveal is deftly revealed in a touching and emotionally moving way (Directed by Trevor Schmidt). I appreciated the layered humour, and the beautiful lighting (Rae McCallum) and projections (Matt Schuurman) that echoed Donna's fracturing as she moved through her journey and we learned the whole story. It's funny, because Donna does some really bizarre things, but it is also heart-breaking and poignant, when we find out exactly why. I also enjoyed that the play was set in Minnesota, near Duluth, as that's a place close to my heart. 

Donna Orbits the Moon runs to February 3rd. Tickets are $38 but there are PWYC and 2for1 nights. Tickets can be purchased here. 

Christine Lesiak and Tara Travis in The Spinsters, 
Marc J Chalifoux Photography & Video

The next night I went to The Spinsters presented by Small Matters Productions. On it's surface it's the story of Cinderella's step-sisters (they take umbrage at the label ugly stepsisters) played by Christine Lesiak and Tara Travis. The stepsisters are larger than life and very funny and they engage with the audience cleverly with tongue-in-cheek cattiness. The story is relayed through wonderfully creative puppet shows, along with the spinsters own retelling. They have opinions about how they have been portrayed and they aren't impressed with much of it! The costumes and Production design (Adam Dickson & Ian Walker) are ridiculously clever and mind-blowing. There's literally a pocket for everything! And the puppetry is similarly fun (Jeny Cassady). But this show is more than just fun - you will laugh, but there's also a big uh-oh moment to add weight and make you think a lot after the show. 

The Spinsters runs to January 27th. Tickets are $25 plus fees, but there are some special events throughout the run. Tickets can be purchased here.  

With both these shows on my mind, I was thinking a lot about the expectations and perceptions of women in our world. How we have to behave a certain way and pushing back against those expectations gets us labelled or chastised, and even when we do what we've been told to do, we can still end up victims. I thought a lot about the Sarah Polley book of essays I read over the holidays, Run Towards the Danger, and how she reflects on her experience with Jian Ghomeshi and other events in her life that were shaped by her need to please or be considered 'good'. I'm still thinking about both shows and how I want to be in the world, and sometimes I think I might want to be like Donna and have a little rage, or like the Spinsters and not always be so very, very nice. 

Two-Headed/Half-Hearted at Northern Light Theatre - Perfect Story-telling!

Last Friday I took Mark along with me to check out Two-Headed/Half-Hearted (Northern Light Theatre) at the Studio Theatre at Fringe Theatre Adventures. I was so glad I did. I have to be choosy about what I take the big guy to because he does not have my appreciation for brave failed attempts. He always wants the show to be 'very, very, good' and this one was certainly that. I would venture to say it felt perfect. 

Rebecca Sadowski and Kaeley Jade Wiebe in Two-Headed/ Half-Hearted, Northern Light Theatre. Photo by Ian Jackson, Epic Photography

The story of conjoined twins Venus and Juno Hollis (Kaeley Jade Wiebe & Rebecca Sadowski) who relay the facts of their lives and other famous conjoined twins through song, conversation and anecdote. I was hooked from the moment they began singing. The songs are atmospheric and tight with an incredible tone and harmony. Both actors have beautiful, layered voices that sound great on their own and even more so when they sing together. The songs, composed by Wiebe, create a soundtrack that could live on it's own outside the play. Like the musicals Hadestown or Six, I would think that a recording of this show would be a highly desired commodity - so I am hoping that will come along in the future. 

As you can imagine, the story is one of those beautifully odd ones - conjoined twins hidden from the world in fear, where the girls view themselves as one being and their struggles as they evolve their understanding of themselves as being two. We hear of their parent's love story and tragic fates and how they must contend with the dangers of the world. It shifts from song to story and back in a way that feels right (Book by Trevor Schmidt). Every element was carefully thought-out and constructed. The actors cannot move from their perch, due to their characters sharing three legs and arms, but their clever costume (Deanna Finnman) and set contains them beautifully, supported by the captivating lighting design by Roy Jackson. 

Rebecca Sadowski and Kaeley Jade Wiebe in Two-Headed/ Half-Hearted, Northern Light Theatre. Photo by Ian Jackson, Epic Photography

I loved it. It is what theatre should be - excellent in all ways. It was an experience that gathered me up and held me in it's grasp until the very last moment, and one that I have thought often of in the last few days. I think I might go back again before it closes... 

Two-Headed/Half-Hearted runs to May 7, 2022 at the Studio Theatre Inside Fringe Theatre Adventures, 10330 – 84 Ave. Tickets are available here. 

Nothing Like a Whorehouse on Fire to Warm You Up!

Twilla MacLeod and Sue Huff in The Great Whorehouse Fire of 1921, Northern Light Theatre. 
Photo by Ian Jackson, Epic Photography.

This past weekend I ventured back out for another theatre experience - this time I visited the Varscona Theatre to see Northern Light Theatre's production of The Great Whorehouse Fire of 1921. Inspired by true events in Big Valley, Alberta the play (by Linda Wood Edwards) speculates on a friendship of sorts between Mrs. Hastings, the Madam of the Whorehouse (played with sparkling acidity by Sue Huff) and Mrs. Smith, a local woman who runs a home for unwed mothers (portrayed with delicate curiosity by Twilla MacLeod). I haven't seen either of the two actresses onstage before but they are terrific foils for each other (well, I think I saw Huff in a directing project at U of A over 30 years ago when we both were students there - I can't remember what - but I do remember being a little in awe of this tiny person with the larger than life personality onstage). The story tells of the development of their unlikely friendship and the ultimate betrayal and disappointment that the friendship wasn't enough. It also spoke to the inequity of their social situations and the advantages that each have. There's no doubt in my mind which of the two women is a true survivor, but I know that both of them employ very different strategies to do so, and although their world views appeared to get closer together, we see that self-preservation gets in the way. Director Trevor Schmidt has shaped a give and take between the two contrasting actors that is believable and hopeful, but then ultimately foiled, and has done so in a way that I shared in the inevitable disappointment.

I'd admired the set (Production Designer - Alison Yanota) before I was even in the theatre as I had seen a photo online. It's even more lovely in person - atmospheric and distressed - much like the relationship between the characters onstage. The costumes further accentuate the contrast between the two women and as a whole - one fiery and one cool - and so the play is a visual treat. Oh, and I loved the huge moon that hangs above the house! 

It's a solid, crackling show, just over an hour, that showcases the best of Edmonton's theatre community - from playwright to actors to designers and director!

The Great Whorehouse Fire of 1921 runs to November 28th. Tickets must be purchased in advance and you can buy them here. 

COVID Rating A+: NLT is selling a reduced capacity house which allowed audiences members to socially distance. Masks are required inside the theatre and sanitizer is provided at entrances. 

Since we haven't been able to travel much... Why not go to Destination Wedding? At the Fringe!

 

Hey Everyone! After not being able to go last summer (but still buying the t-shirt for the Fringe that Never Was), I was at the Fringe once again yesterday! I arrived a little early to meet up with my Fringe-going partner Anne Marie, and grab a Green Onion Cake (no Fringe is complete without at least one). I was very happy that the gated entry was changed to Pay-What-You-Will as I do not think I could have justified the cost otherwise as I was really just in it for the green onion cakes. I am and have always been an Innie (Indoor shows) when it comes to the Fringe, but I do understand the challenges of trying to run the Festival and wanting to compensate those outdoor artists without the increased physical contact of passing the hat. 

Anyhow, about the SHOW! I chose Destination Wedding presented by Whizgiggling Productions, directed by Trevor Schmidt and featuring Michelle Todd, Cheryl Jameson and Kristin Johnson. It was a fun show, with each of the actors playing two roles (a primary and secondary one). I chose this show because it looked fun and because of the track record of the company and the performers involved and I was not disappointed. The script is slick and witty, and the three main characters are definitely well-defined and relatable, and although they are very different from each other, it was not hard to imagine them as long-time friends. It's more than just a gathering of women over cocktails in an exotic resort, however, as there is a murder/suspicious death. Our job as audience members is to sort through the layered clues to perhaps make a decision about who did what. We don't however, get all the answers. There's an Online Poll you can do after the show to register your guess for the murderer. 

Overall, the show was fun and bitchy - with the patterns of friends who know each other well and who have entertained and irritated each other for years - and although I wanted more answers, I'm totally cool with not knowing everything. It was a great choice for my return to the Fringe!

Tickets are going fast for this one - the performance we went to was Sold Out and many of the performances left have limited availability. You can get your tickets here. 

Also - for those wondering about Covid Safety. The spacing was great in the venue and the line-up. Masks are required inside (except for that one table of ladies who obviously felt it wasn't required for them). There's sanitizer and masks if you forget yours. Even the line-up outside was well spaced. It was nice to see the show, laugh along with others in that special unity of an audience, and not worry about being safe. 

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.

Fringe Reviews: LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR DEATH, DON'T FROWN AT THE GOWN, SIRENS, and CONTRACTIONS

Let's Talk About Your Death
Allspice Theatre
Venue 11 - Nordic Studio Theatre

A show that's both silly and serious, Let's Talk About Your Death, is set in a world where a machine exists that can tell you how you will die. Capitalizing on that is a Dr. Phil-like TV personality who interviews those from the audience who have just found out 'how they will die'. Complete with thematic advertisements and spontaneous moments that neither the actor nor the audience know where they will go, this show turned out to be both hilarious and touching. Knowing about your death turns out to be much more about how you choose to live.

Don't Frown at the Gown (by Darrin Hagen and Trevor Schmidt)
Guys in Disguise
Venue 12 - Varscona Theatre

Another terrific play from the Guys in Disguise, this time tackling the shifting values of the 1960s with regards to the feminist movement as young bride-to-be Susan (Trevor Schmidt) goes to the bridal shop with her domineering mother (Darrin Hagen) and her best friend maid-of-honour Frankie (Jason Hardwick). There they meet the bridal shop owner, Lady Laura Lee (Jake Tkaczyk) who seems to have a few secrets of her own. Filled with laugh-out-loud moments fueled by excellent writing and fine acting, this play serves to be much more as it touches on the restrictions of both following what's prescribed and breaking free from the expectations of society. What works especially well is that it could easily be played by actors of either gender and it would still be funny and moving. In fact, there's a monologue or two in this that I personally want to get my hands on.

Sirens
Atlas Theatre Company
Venue 12 - Varscona Theatre

Billed as a story about a myth-life crisis, this show had a lot of potential - fun premise and strong cast - however, the script itself was not quite up to the challenge. There are funny bits, primarily coming from Louise Lambert in a variety of roles (from solitaire-obsessed Siren, to perky travel agent, to acerbic waitress) and Mat Busby in a small but memorable role. As a couple celebrating their 25th anniversary, Adele and Sam, Stephanie Wolfe and Julien Arnold work hard to push the piece, but the writing just doesn't feel worth it. It's an interesting premise, but relies a bit too much on cliches and generalizations to make you care.

Contractions
Dogheart Theatre
Venue 13 - Strathcona Library

Just how much does your employer get to say about your life? That's the question this show seems to ask. In more and more ridiculous ways, the Manager (April Banigan) demands information and action from her employee Emma (Kristi Hansen). It's sharp and funny and many people will relate to Emma's need to stay compliant and positive despite unreasonable demands from the Manager. Hopefully no-one relates too much, as some of the demands are truly horrific. A solid piece where office politics have severe consequences.

The Gay Heritage Project, Klondykes, 'Blak - Theatre that lets us feel someone else's experience in the world...

A few months ago I posted something on FB about liking to learn my history from novels or plays as opposed to textbooks. A lot of people indicated that I was wrong, but as I was expressing a preference, not a fact, I didn't worry about it too much.  But recently I have seen 3 shows that illustrate what I meant (or felt).  These shows, without being dry historical pieces, allowed me to understand and feel a little more what someone else's history was.

The Gay Heritage Project, now playing at the Citadel under February 27th, is a wonderful exploration of what Gay Heritage is and what it is to be gay (at least in Canada). It's layered and through a tight tumble of a variety of scenes, the 3 gifted actors (Damien Atkins, Paul Dunn and Andrew Kushnir) managed to leave me with a better understanding of what it is to be gay.  It's sometimes hysterically funny, sometimes serious, sometimes sad, and very real and personal. I had an epiphany that I hope I will hold onto.  There's a scene on a bus with a variety of queer identified individuals.  The healthy, white, gay male acknowledges that he might have it easier than those on the bus, but he claims them as his tribe.  It's the place he feels most at home. I was saddened, because I wanted him to feel at home with me - the straight, white woman that I am. But I realized that for so many of us we don't have to search for a safe place. My safe place is with my family and my history is just there. For many gay individuals this is not the case (not family, not school, not workplaces) and they have to seek out their safe places. I think that so many of us just know who we are and where we are safe, that it doesn't occur to us to even think about it.  But this show really made me think about it. I encourage you all to check it out.  It's a celebratory night which does not blame the audience, but rather seeks to create understanding both for the actors themselves and those they are speaking to.

Krystle Dos Santos 'BLAK is no longer running (it ran for 3 nights in January at the Citadel), but it too offered insight into a life experience other than my own. It was a night of stories, dance, poetry and music about what being black in Western Canada meant.  The music was amazing and it anchored the piece, but it was the stories of Brett Miles and the others that drew me in. It too had a celebratory feel - an embracing of the culture that was jubilant.  But there were moments too, that broke my heart a little.  A poem from a teenager to his younger self, victimized by bullying for being different, was so full of strength and maturity.  I wanted more of the stories - the individual experiences.  I had never heard of Amber Valley, Alberta - the show drove me to google after I got home.  I feel we could afford to know more. I know it's Black History month right now and there are events in the city that might offer some more. It would be worth it to check out 5ArtistsOneLove this month.

Finally, Guys in Disguise are currently presenting Klondykes at Theatre Network until Feb 21st. It tells the story of a lesbian couple in the Klondike who skirt the 'no unaccompanied women' rule by pretending to be husband and wife. Unable to fit in the world as they were, Loosey (Rebecca Ann Merkley) and Hattie (Mackenzie Reurink) find a way to make their way. Along with Narrator Amanda Neufeld, they form a dynamic trio of voices.  The show is a song cycle which uses the mood and tone of songs to reach out to the audience. The three women all have tremendous voices which are great alone and even better in harmony. Good music can make me feel more than mere words and this music (by Trevor Schmidt and Darrin Hagen) is very, very good. The story is a fascinating look into a time and world where women had few choices without the protection of a man.

Northern Light Theatre explores Gender Identity with Christina/Philippe

Friday night I took in the Opening Night of Christina/Philippe presented by Northern Light Theatre. It's really a collage piece about gender identity with song, and recorded interviews, interspered with parts of the text from the play Christina/Philippe. It was a conversation provoking evening of theatre which lead me to have several discussions about gender identity with people that I saw the play with. We talked about how we knew who we were, about people we knew and what their experiences with gender identification were, as well as current events - from bathrooms, to medical coverage, to pronouns.

It's also quite gorgeous in sight and sound.  Both Christina (Kristi Hansen) and Philippe (Trevor Schmidt) have layered, tune-full voices that served the atmospheric songs well. They also play off each other well - Hansen is brash and intimidating, Schmidt is a bit softer with a subtle sense of humour. The set (Adam Tsuyoshi Turnbull) is rich with colour and it's circles reflect the theme of shifting gender. The costumes (Trevor Schmidt) are similarly lush and both feminine and masculine with leather and brocade and sparkle. It was clear that there was real collaboration in building the piece.  I would love to spend a bit of time just listening to the recordings of real people that were interwoven throughout.

I will say, there is an abruptness to the end of the show, that catches you a bit off guard. I wanted to know a bit more about both Queen Christina and Philippe, duc d'Orleans and how they lived in their worlds.  I think that, however, part of that sharp stop is supposed to lead you in to talking more after you leave. It was, as I said, fascinating. If one of the goals of theatre is to provoke discussion, this one certainly does.

The Pink Unicorn - Love Comes First in Parenthood

The Pink Unicorn by Elise Forier Edie

Directed by Trevor Schmidt

Starring Louise Lambert

Northern Light Theatre

PCL Studio, ATB Financial Arts Barns

Runs to February 28 - for tix

Last night, I was delighted to take in opening night of Northern Light Theatre's The Pink Unicorn. It's a show that has been on my radar for a little while. Northern Light's season this year is exploring gender identity and all it's complexities which is a topic I find fascinating and so relevant in our modern age. The Pink Unicorn, though, is a parent's story and I have often thought about who my children were growing into being and how I would deal with them as they emerged into their own selves separate from my expectations of who they should be. It also starred the wonderful Louise Lambert who has such a vibrant and electric stage presence that you are shocked at how tiny she is when you meet her offstage.  She was the Nurse in the Citadel's Romeo and Juliet last season and the hilarious Dolly in the Citadel's One Man Two Guvnors earlier this season. 

In many ways this piece seems very timely, particularly in light of the recent political discussions regarding GSAs in our public schools, but it is the personal story of Trisha, a young single mother of a gender queer identified daughter that resonated with me. Trisha is not a radical.  If anything she is part of the mainstream, conventional Texas community.  She has always done what is correct and right and from her pink cardigan and floral skirt to her perfectly coiffed hair she is the image and spirit of a proper southern lady.  And like most of us, with our teenage children, she is confused by her daughter Jolene as Jolene has grown into someone that Trisha did not expect.  Trisha, however, loves Jolene unconditionally, so she pushes aside her confusion and lack of understanding and does what needs to be done.  It's a wonderful testament to the love of a parent for a child. At the heart of it is the idea that even though we do not understand our children, we still love them and that is what matters. Trisha's love for Jolene pushes her into situations that she never imagined herself, but she serves coffee and cinnamon rolls and smiles despite her apprehension and we wish that we could all have her grace if we were in the same situation. 

The show is hysterically funny. In the beautiful white picket backyard with it's pinterest inspired quilted backdrop (Set Designer - Trevor Schmidt),  Lambert channels the entire cast of characters of small town Texas from the pompous school principal, to Trisha's over-bearing mother, to the members of the Lesbian Underground Railroad, to tell us the story of what happened.  We are part of the town as she whispers to us conspiratorially, "I know", as we giggle and laugh at her descriptions. She is honest about her own prejudices and confusion about what is going on and what her daughter is telling her.  "Nothing in my life had prepared me for gender queer." But she is prepared because at the core of it she loves her daughter and that is what is most important, and at the core of it she knows that what is happening is wrong, and at the core of it she knows that to 'smack it out of her' as her mother suggests is not an option nor should it be.

This is a play for every parent and child.  If my son were a couple years older I would take him. In fact, I think everyone with a child 15+ should think about taking them to it. It's for the parent who couldn't understand their child as they grew and the child who didn't realize what their parent was going through.  And I don't just mean parents of gay or gender queer children, it's for every parent because your children are going to be who they are and you can't control that, but you can accept them regardless of what they turn out to be. 

I highly recommend.

An Accident... Forgiving Yourself and Moving On...

Years ago, someone very close to me was driving on a dark winter's night.  She was not driving recklessly or fast, but it was winter and a little icy and dark.  She rounded a corner in a subdivision and a black object flew onto the road in front of her - it looked like a black garbage bag - she braked and tried to avoid hitting it but it came out too fast and she hit it and slid down the road with it under her car for a few metres. It was not a garbage bag.  It was a 10 or 11 year old boy who was tobogganing into the road from a snowbank alongside the subdivision street.  There wasn't anything she could have done other than being psychic to avoid it.  Thankfully, he was ultimately okay, but he did suffer a head injury and was hospitalized for some time until he recovered.  Until he was okay, it was a part of her - a constant piece of her mind was dedicated to worry and a feeling of responsibility and a need to be engaged in active thought towards his recovery. I imagine it still is today...

I thought a lot about this after seeing Northern Light Theatre's production of An Accident.  Things happen, accidents happen, we do not intend them to happen.  They happen when we are not even being careless.  They are not intentional.  They are accidents.  But we own them.  We dwell on them.  We feel responsible.  We need things to be okay. And on the other side, when we are damaged by others, however unintentionally, we want redress.  We want someone to be responsible.  We want it not to just be an accident. We want to assign blame and have an answer for the why did this happen? This production so beautifully articulated these zig-zagging feelings of responsibility and blame and of the connection between those who are injured and those who have injured.  Michael Peng and Melissa Thingelstad play injurer and injured respectively - neither completely blameless or responsible - both angry and sad and tied together. Trevor Schmidt's direction and their performances are heart-breaking and ultimately cathartic.

I have had the extreme pleasure of seeing a lot of theatre this season due to my good fortune and winning that awesome prize.  Based on the quality of the work and the thought-provoking and  engaging theatre I have seen at Northern Light Theatre this season I will definitely be buying season's tickets for next year.

There's a Sign Across the street...

...from Walterdale Theatre that says something about the Varscona offering Professional Theatre all year round and it makes me pause. I don't pause in an "us and them" way, but in a way that wishes that all artists, whether paid or not, could recognize that it is the work, not the compensation, that matters. I have seen wonderful theatre on both professional and amateur stages. I have seen some not-so-wonderful theatre on both types of stages as well. I also know that a lot of the amateur actors and designers and directors that I have worked with go to and pay for a great deal of professional theatre.

Last summer, Trevor Schmidt wrote a piece in Theatre Buzz ( http://www.theatrealberta.com/documents/Summer_2009_newsletter.pdf page 10) about how theatre in New Zealand worked. He talked about how there was no separation between professional and amateur theatre, that sometimes you got paid and sometimes you didn't and that was how it worked. He said more than that, but I liked the idea that people just respected each other as artists and didn't judge or rate the legitimacy of the art based on whether you get paid or not. I know that I work just as hard and strive for the same level of quality in my performances whether I am paid or not. If I do get paid, I am happy, to be sure, but I don't value one more than the other. That's the way it should be. Art is art. Now I am sure that the Varscona is merely trying to highlight what they do and applauding people who support and appreciate professional theatre. I am pretty sure that the sign is not meant to be malicious in any way. I just hope that they realize that since they are right across the street from a Community Theatre, that many of the people who do their work there might feel slighted by the sign rather than encouraged to attend.