Theatre
CENTRE STAGE: Great Russian Ballet touring Canada and reviews of Janeane Garofalo, This is That, Betroffenheit, and Spellbound Contemporary Ballet
March 7, 2016Great Russian Ballet’s Giselle currently touring Canada March 14 in Abbottsford; Vancouver show postponed and TBD Most people would assume that Russians are used to the cold, but Viorel Balan, founder of Great Russian Ballet, assured me that when his company landed in Montreal, they were not prepared for the -35 degree weather. With 37 dancers and 10 crew members, the Great Russian Ballet began their Canadian tour on Valentine’s Day in Montreal and are now making their way west, stopping in 18 cities over just 30 days. Balan’s sister Natalia stars in their production of Giselle, a story of…
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CENTRE STAGE: In review: Winners and Losers, Trevor Noah at JFL Northwest, and dance at Chutzpah!
February 29, 2016Winners and Losers Feb 16–27; The Cultch This show has been gaining plenty of critical acclaim, from being nominated for a 2015 Governor General’s Literary Award to rave reviews from critics, but it didn’t work for me. While there were…
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CENTRE STAGE: In Review: Huff, Relative Collider, L’Immediat, Closer Than Ever
February 15, 2016HUFF I don’t think I’ve ever been so disturbed at a show or found something as difficult to watch as Huff. Cliff Cardinal’s one-man show presented as part of the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival at the Firehall Arts Centre…
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CENTRE STAGE: In review: Leftovers, Seeds, Lapin blanc, lapin rouge, and Company
February 8, 2016LEFTOVERS The Cultch and the Push International Performing Arts Festival presented Neworld Theatre’s Leftovers at the York Theatre — a one man show combining politics and comedy. Charles Demers (who wrote the show along with Marcus Youssef) told the story…
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CENTRE STAGE: PuSh Festival kicks off; Motherfucker with the Hat is a hit
January 31, 2016The PuSh International Performing Arts Festival kicked off on January 19, and with over 150 performances, it can seem like every show in town is part of the festival. During its first week, I had the chance to check out…
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Having the time of your life
January 27, 2016The highly romantic story of Johnny and Baby falling in love through dance has captivated audiences since Dirty Dancing’s release in 1987. Fans of the film were clamoring to relive that magic at the opening night of the Dirty Dancing…
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Heathers hits the spot, In a Blue Moon comes close
January 25, 2016Based on the 1988 cult film Heathers, starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, and Shannen Doherty, this dark comedy musical about high school life is over-the-top and deliciously daring. Think Mean Girls, with a lot less pink and a lot more…
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XXXX Topography will be an interactive performance
January 25, 2016XXXX Topography, pronounced “sexy, sexy, sexy, sexy topography,” is a new work by The Party — creators of imaginary theatre — that transforms a familiar space into a bizarre and immersive environment. Where a bar is readily at hand, and…
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Opera Warriors explores traditional Chinese theatre
January 22, 2016Opera Warriors, performed on January 5th and 6th at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, was a well-executed production. It featured the athletic abilities of the performers, elaborate set design, detailed costuming, and beautiful lighting. Set in China during the early 20th…
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Seeds docudrama tours Lower Mainland
January 21, 2016The Peak had an opportunity to chat with Annabel Soutar about her play Seeds. When she first heard about Percy Schmeiser’s legal battle against Monsanto in the Supreme Court of Canada, she was intrigued. It was 2003, and she travelled…
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