Urban Curvz Theatre Takes A Trip Across Legoland

June 16, 2015August 21, 2015Leave a comment

Penny Lamb (Kelly Malcolm) and her younger brother Ezra (Matt McKinney). Photo Credit: Aldona B Photography.

Being a teenager can be hard. Everyone wants to be an individual, but no one wants to stick out. No matter what you do it seems like teachers are always out to get you. And your hormones are everywhere, so you really never know how you feel.

And yet, despite everything, being a teenager can also be pretty awesome.

Presented by Urban Curvz Theatre, Jacob Richmond’s Legoland is a fun, spirited celebration of youth. A vaudeville-inspired comedy, Richmond’s play looks at our crazy world through the bright eyes of a teenage girl ready to leave her mark.

Sixteen-year-old Penny Lamb (Kelly Malcolm) and her younger brother Ezra (Matt McKinney) are not your typical teenagers. Penny and Ezra were raised on a hippie commune outside Uranium City, Saskatchewan. For years, the outside world, dismissively referred to as “Legoland” by the commune’s elders, fascinated the Lamb siblings. One day, the commune is busted by police for being Saskatchewan’s largest grow-op. With their parents imprisoned, Penny and Ezra are enrolled into a private Catholic school where they quickly learn that Legoland is as bizarre as it is unwelcoming.

In Legoland, commercial music lacks originality as reflected in the use of recycled personality types – the bad boy, the cute one, the sporty one, etc. People are unkind and distant. The status quo is maintained through prescription pills, which are seen as easy fixes to all life’s problems. Yes, Legoland is a rather plain, material place that is as rigid as a plastic toy brick.

As one might guess, Penny and Ezra’s unconventional upbringing makes them total outcasts in Legoland. Penny is rejected by the popular girls at school for being a “lesbian,” while Ezra is prescribed Ritalin to keep his behaviour in check.

It is this rejection by their peers that ultimately bring Penny and Ezra to us, or rather the assembly of high school students whom they present their story to as part of their community service.

When introduced to the boy band Seven-Up as a way to help fit in with the other girls, Penny develops a major crush on the lead singer Johnny Moon. She follows Johnny’s career long after Seven-Up breaks up, eventually becoming determined to meet him in person. Meeting Johnny, however, means crossing the border and traveling cross-country to Orlando. Thankfully for Penny, Ezra’s medication can easily fetch the necessary funds for such a trip.

What Richmond does with Penny is provide teenagers with a positive, albeit imperfect, role model. For one, Penny stands up for her values, despite the constant pressure from her peers to abandon what she believes in. And secondly, Penny sees no limits to her potential; her potential is limitless. She is abound with the sort of youthful enthusiasm that springs creativity – and sometimes trouble! But that is okay, we learn, because it is all a part of being young and inexperienced. Everyone starts somewhere.

Penny’s mistakes – which are her’s and her’s alone to make – encapsulate the excitement of being a teenager, of growing up and discovering yourself as a young person. Penny is the kind of person that Legoland needs, flaws and all.

Where Richmond’s play falls flat is in its cross-country scenes which feel unnecessarily drawn out. The audience, in fact, may feel like they too are on board a greyhound bound for Orlando with the way Richmond stretches the play’s conclusion with the same repeating bits.

Otherwise, the play is a wildly energetic blend of puppetry (puppet design by Lindsey Zess Funk), song, and dance; a real vaudevillian treat. Director Jacqueline Russell’s creative staging sees the actors transform the stage into a dynamic space from which the story unfolds from, corner-to-corner.

Malcolm throws herself into every scene like it is, at the moment, the most important part of Penny’s life. Malcolm brings an infectious charm to the character who in other hands might be too much for the audience. Here, thanks to Malcolm’s take on the plucky teenage girl, Penny is almost impossible not to like. And despite Ezra not saying very much, McKinney is successful, too, in drawing us into his character. McKinney’s often deadpan look sells the character’s dark, bizarre humour. Together, Malcolm and McKinney are a lot of fun to watch on stage.

Optimistic, vibrant, and certainly unique, Richmond’s Legoland is one not to miss.

Urban Curvz Theatre’s production of Jacob Richmond’s Legoland runs June 11-20 at Motel Theatre.

For information about the show and how to purchase tickets, visit: http://urbancurvz.com/current-season/legoland/

Theatre Transit Visits Matt & Ben

June 3, 2015June 4, 2015Leave a comment

Matt Damon (Kristen Padayas) and Ben Affleck (Carly McKee), startled by Good Will Hunting. Photo Credit: Justine Matsalla

The scene: Ben Affleck’s apartment, 1996.

Out of nowhere, the script to 1997’s Academy-Award winning Good Will Hunting falls from the sky and lands right in front of Ben and his best bro Matt Damon. A test, a curse, or a pivotal point in both their careers? Whatever it is, it’s certainly better than Ben’s line-for-line adaptation of Catcher in The Rye.

An explosion of pop culture references, Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers’ Matt & Ben is a fun, totally absurd parody of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s famed ‘bromance’.

Matt Damon (Kristen Padayas) and Ben Affleck (Carly McKee) are two struggling actors trying to make it big in Hollywood. Creative partners, the two friends meet in Ben’s greasy, run-down apartment to work on their screen adaptation of J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in The Rye. While Ben believes it’s their ticket to Hollywood, Matt is not so sure about the project and sneaks off to auditions behind his back. So begins the rift that emerges between the friends.

Good Will Hunting’s sudden appearance makes clear the differences between Matt and Ben. Matt, a neurotic loser, has always hated the way Ben, a dumb popular guy, has coasted through life, not putting much effort in the things he does. In some way, Matt feels that Ben has held him back through the years. So, while he could stay with Ben and continue eating doritos and writing a terrible (plagiarized?) screenplay, Matt could also use Good Will Hunting to propel him to stardom, earning him the success he feels he deserves.

The only issue is, where did the Oscar worthy original screenplay come from? And why does it have both their names written on it? (Damon and Affleck both co-wrote and starred in Good Will Hunting). These questions and more threaten to destroy the greatest bromance of the 1990s.

Along the way, Kaling and Withers throw winks and nudges at both actors’ personal lives and filmography. Enough so that if one is coming in not well versed in their Damon/Affleck histories they might miss a good amount of the play’s jokes.

Even so, audiences can still appreciate the bizarre circumstances that Kaling and Withers throw two of Hollywood’s top leading men into. Gwyneth Paltrow and J.D. Salinger make guest appearances, turning the weird factor up. And the Good Will Hunting script seemingly has a life of its own.

Designer Julia Wasilewski has created a wonderfully detailed set for Matt & Ben. The refrigerator is stocked with take-out containers and expired food. Budweiser cans are scattered everywhere. The couch is ugly and possibly rotten. Ben Affleck’s headshot hangs neatly on the wall, along with a movie poster for 1992’s School Ties. Yes, it’s certainly the kind of place one would expect 1990s Ben Affleck and Matt Damon to live in.

Padayas and McKee’s comedy chops elevate Kaling and Withers’ wicked funny script. Padayas’ nervous energy mixed with McKee’s boisterous portrayal of Ben Affleck have the audience in stitches, agasp for air. The madcap physical humour lights up the stage, but sometimes Valmai Goggin’s direction feels too relaxed. Padayas and McKee get lost in the play’s antics and bungle through some moments. While it passes just enough as part of the play’s quirky charm, one cannot help but feel that the direction could be tighter for Kaling and Withers’ zippy script.

Of course, that is not to say that the script itself is not without issues. Although it starts strong, Kaling and Withers’ script does start to feel sloppy as it tries to reach a satisfying ending. Nostalgia and pop culture references carry the show, which runs at 80 min, only so far before the material dries up.

Presented by Theatre Transit, Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers’ Matt & Ben is a hilarious play that has fun with its premise, making for a lively night at the theatre.

Theatre Transit’s Matt & Ben runs May 28 – June 6 at Motel Theatre (Arts Commons).

For more information about the show, visit: http://www.theatretransit.ca/matt-ben

A Pioneer in Classical Ballet: JCBS Founder Umran Sumen Shares Her Story

May 26, 2015October 24, 20191 Comment

Jeunesse Classique Ballet Society’s Founder & Artistic Director Umran Sumen, standing beside a portrait of herself from when she was a leading soloist with The National Ballet Company of Turkey.

When Umran Sumen arrived in Calgary 33 years ago, the former leading soloist with The National Ballet Company of Turkey thought her days of dancing were over.

“When I came here, I was thinking that I am not going to dance. I danced 16 years [with the NBCT]…I have a family, so now I am going to be a mother and wife to my husband…But then, the three boys in my life, my husband and two [sons], saw that I cannot. I am bitten by that virus for arts.”

At the time, however, ballet in Calgary did not have quite the same presence as it does today. Alberta Ballet, Canada’s second largest ballet company, was still in Edmonton and would be until 1990 when it merged with the Calgary City Ballet. (Sumen was appointed Artistic Director of the CCB in 1986). There was yet to be a place that offered young dancers intensive training in classical ballet. For Sumen, there needed to be not just a school, but also a company where dancers could apply what they learned to the stage, enhancing their dance education through live performance.

In 1988, Sumen founded the International School of Ballet and Jeunesse Classique Ballet Society. Sumen’s mission: “to put Calgary on the international dance map.”

Today, JCBS is one of the only pre-professional youth ballet companies in western Canada that does full-length productions of classical ballets. In addition to supplementing ballet dancers’ education, the company also aims to preserve and promote the cultural aesthetic of classical ballet in southern Alberta.

“In that time, it was a dream, but I believed so much that if you are not dreaming then you cannot achieve. You have to dream. [And now] we are celebrating 28 years.”

And in those 28 years, JCBS has produced numerous professional dancers who are not only prominent here in Canada, but internationally as well. JCBS & IBS alumnus Alexandra MacDonald is a second soloist with the National Ballet of Canada. Heather Myers has danced with the Boston Ballet (as a soloist) and Nederlands Dans Theatre where her choreography has also been produced. Other notable alumni: Michael Binzer (Royal Winnipeg Ballet), Gillian Abbot (Cirque de Soleil, Juilliard N.Y), Natalie Chui (Alberta Ballet).

For those who have continued on professionally in other fields, Sumen says she is just as proud of them as she is of those who have continued with ballet.

“If they want to do other professions, then they will still…make me proud. They carry that love of discipline, teamwork and [I know] they will shine in their own profession.

“Do you know how much classical ballet and that kind of high intensive training helps [students] develop as humans? That strength, that involvement in teamwork…makes me so happy when I see that. Do not give up. Raise the bar, always.”

Taylor Yanke, 12, and Montana Chong, 16, are two long-time JCBS members who are driven to succeed, and who will be performing in the company’s upcoming production of Coppelia.

Coppelia is a comic ballet about a life-like mechanical doll invented by Dr. Coppelius and the trouble it causes between Franz and Swanhilde, an engaged couple. From below her balcony, Franz admires and falls in love with the doll, Coppelia, who he believes to be real. Jealous, Swanhilde decides to dress as the doll in order to win back Franz.

“You can tell the instructors have a big background in ballet,” said Yanke who has been with the company since the age of three. “You want to work hard. Everyone is nice to each other and help the younger ones out. The older ones are very supportive of everyone.”

And with Coppelia, as with other classic ballets in JCBS’ repertoire, Yanke is excited to perform roles that have been played by distinguished dancers.

“I love JCBS, it’s really a great place to dance at. You get multiple opportunities to do all of these different roles you see principal dancers in Russia, in France do. When you have the opportunity to do those same variations, it’s really exciting.”

Having just finished her Advanced 2 last year and now progressing to her Solo Seal (the Royal Academy of Dance’s highest level), Chong says the support from her peers is also important to her and her success as a dancer.

“Overall, it’s a really great community here. I feel like I can always come here and be supported both onstage and off,” said Chong who will be playing Swanhilde.

“Their age is so young but what they are producing is amazing,” said Sumen about the 40 dancers involved in Coppelia. “Whoever we are inviting [as] guest dancers, they [are] surprised of the quality of the dancers.”

This year, JCBS is joined by Cuban dancer Elier Bourzac. Bourzac trained at the National Ballet School in Havana for eight years and graduated with honours in 2003. In 2007, he became a principal dancer with the Ballet National Cuba.

Yanke is thrilled to be “dancing among such a high dancer.”

“Just to see how [Bourzac] dances and what he does. He helps us out, too. He gives us corrections after we dance. It’s really great to have him here,” said Yanke.

Sumen is excited to stage Coppelia as she believes there is something for everyone to enjoy in this fun, lighthearted ballet. But she reminds us that such a production would not be possible without the generous help from her volunteers.

“I owe everything to the volunteers. Everyone is so dedicated, supportive. I cannot find anywhere else that has what we have in Calgary. If they will understand that you love what you are doing, you have a respect for what you are doing, you have a strong education in what you are doing, they are behind you. That is why I owe a lot to volunteers in Calgary.”

A pioneer in classical ballet, Sumen looks back on her successes with great joy. She tells her story and speaks about her students with immense pride. And Sumen looks forward to many years to come, because this is not her job, she says, this is her life.

“The arts feed your soul and bring you different perspectives to look at life…to see what is the purpose of who you are and what you are going to bring after you leave this life. If you are going to bring one drop of change in people’s life, then you are successful.”

Jeunesse Classique Ballet Society’s production of Coppelia runs May 29-30 at University Theatre.

For tickets and more information about the company, visit: http://jcbs.ca/

International School of Ballet: http://www.iballet.com/

Dads in Bondage Breathes Enthusiasm, Delights

May 12, 2015May 26, 2015Leave a comment

Left to Right: Kirk (Eric Wigston), Charles (Doug McKeag), and Joey (JP Thibodeau), “A Fistful of Pampers.” Photo Credit: Nicole Zylstra.

Robert More’s Dads in Bondage, with music by Tom Doyle, returns to Lunchbox Theatre where it was first produced in 1988. Relevant, hilarious, and heartwarming, Dads in Bondage will make audiences smile from ear-to-ear.

For Charles (Doug McKeag), Joey (JP Thibodeau), and Kirk (Eric Wigston), staying at home with the kids will be a piece of cake. Why? Because they’re ‘millennium men’ who know what they’re doing! Well, that’s what the men tell themselves, anyway. Little do they know that bravado alone is no match for stinky diapers and baby colic.

Directed by Glenda Stirling, Dads in Bondage is a ‘fish out of water’ story about three new fathers turned stay-at-home dads when they find themselves suddenly unemployed. Charles and Kirk, an oil executive and construction worker respectively, have been laid off as a result of sinking oil prices. Joey, a nervous Latin teacher, is placed on stress leave to remedy his burn out. Quickly, dreams of ‘having it all’ fill their heads as they take on their new roles. But it is not too long afterwards that Charles, Joey, and Kirk realize what a task it is to raise children.

The men navigate through fatherhood by themselves, then together as they join in their common cause. Knowing murmurs and outbursts of laughter are heard as More presents experiences that parents in the audience may have encountered at some point themselves. Of course, the story More tells is one with a twist, a play on traditional roles.

Much of the show’s humour grows out of the masculine pride that begins so strongly, then falls apart as the stress of parenthood piles on. The men try their best to fool their wives into thinking that nothing is wrong when in fact everything is a disaster. Charles, for example, is completely sleep deprived, while Joey is at his wit’s end trying to handle twins. But for their wives’ sake, and to save face, the men keep silent about their difficulties.

To great effect, More turns antiquated notions of masculinity into something more human. The men eventually get a hold on fatherhood. What was once strenuous and taxing becomes a privilege, a source of joy. The ultimate lesson More leaves the audience with is that being a ‘successful man’ is not what’s important, it’s being a loving parent that is.

McKeag, Thibodeau, and Wigston are a whole lot of fun to watch on stage. There is a lot of great character work by the actors who dive into infectious musical numbers like “A Fistful of Pampers” with gusto. Each contributes significantly to the upbeat, zany nature of the show. Vanessa Sabourin, who plays the men’s three wives and other characters, is a fun addition to the show as well. Although she does not share the stage as much, Sabourin brings plenty of laughs with each appearance.

(And the puppets – they’re something too!)

An enthusiastic musical comedy about stay-at-home dads, Dads in Bondage is sure to delight and entertain audiences.

Robert More’s Dads in Bondage, with music by Tom Doyle, runs at Lunchbox Theatre, May 4 – 23.

For more information about the show, visit: http://www.lunchboxtheatre.com/calendar/2015/4/27/dads-in-bondage-by-robert-more-with-music-by-tom-doyle?view=calendar

Before The Night Takes Us Lurks, Bumps

May 9, 2015May 9, 2015Leave a comment

Kas Nixon as Alison in Ryan Reese’s Before The Night Takes Us. Photo Credit: Colton Holmes.

Alison (Kas Nixon) hasn’t been sleeping well lately. Nightmares of grisly murders torment the frustrated clarinetist who has all but lost her ability to play. When Ray (Joel David Taylor), a telepathic pianist, walks into Alison’s life, she is soon thrown into something more sinister than she could ever expect. For Alison, things are only going to get worse (and weirder) before they get better.

Presented by Theatre BSMT, Ryan Reese’s Before The Night Takes Us is a suspense-filled drama that trips over its paranormal premise.

For a character whose abilities are even a mystery to him, Ray sure seems to have a lot of answers, or a lot of good guesses. Part of that is due to Reese being quick to change/expand the rules of Ray and Alison’s telepathy when convenient. Of course, Reese is faced with the challenge of both establishing ground rules to adhere by and fleshing out a whole story within 120min, so wild assumptions by the characters are to be expected. Still, one cannot help but feel that the drama is undermined by fluctuations in the play’s logic.

Thankfully, Amy (Samantha Duff), a no-nonsense detective, gives the play immediacy, a sense of danger. While Amy trusts Ray’s abilities, Amy also needs answers now. She can’t wait on Ray to unlock the secrets of Alison’s dreams, especially not when there is a serial killer loose in the city. For Amy, the clock is ticking, and every minute that goes by is another minute where someone’s life is in danger.

But again, there are some problems with the play’s logic that are hard to ignore. The truth about Alison’s dreams raise questions about what kind of office Amy is working in that none of her colleagues or superiors would notice something off about one of their top detectives. And despite having access to her case files, in addition to her mind, Ray fails to recognize any inconsistencies with the investigation.

These issues aside, Reese intrigues with the general greyness of the characters – greyness in terms of his characters’ true motives, their murky pasts, and their relationships with one another. As we become more acquainted with Alison, Ray, and Amy, the loneliness of these characters become more apparent; the search for a connection more potent. And that is mainly what carries our interest through to the end: the fate of these characters thrown together against strange circumstances.

Unfortunately, the play proceeds at a choppy pace, mainly due to its scenes of varying lengths and their hard transitions. When the lights come down, so too does the energy. The dip in pace is partly due to the odd configuration of just one entrance/exit. Director Kyle Schulte might have opted for a set-up that allows better flow between scenes, rather than one where there is a good amount of unused physical space (which would feel emptier if it were not for some instruments laying around).

Taylor rises to the task of playing the piano live on stage. He and Nixon share good energy together on stage. Though Duff is who most catches our eye with her menacing presence. Fortunately, Nixon holds her own in her clashes with Duff. The two are a sharp pair that respond to each other effectively.

A murdery mystery with a paranormal twist, Reese’s Before The Night Takes Us catches our attention with its grey characters, but then loses us with its thin logic.

Theatre BSMT’s Before The Night Takes Us runs May 6 – 9 at Motel Theatre (Arts Commons).

For more information about the show, visit: http://www.theatrebsmt.ca/Theatre_BSMT/Whats_On.html

Spotlight: Katherine Kumpula

April 27, 2015June 17, 2015Leave a comment

Katherine Kumpula, on a recent visit to Calgary.

For Katherine Kumpula, dance is a “never-ending art.”

“Dance is a multi-dimensional experience [that] encompasses so many of the senses,” said the Toronto-based dancer. “The music, the timing, the visual aspect of everything from the audience’s perspective. Then, there’s the whole story behind it. Exploring all of those is such a multi-faceted experience.”

Kumpula started dancing at the age of three, beginning with classical ballet. As the years went on, the dancer, intrigued by the abstract, pushed towards contemporary dance. Kumpula attributes the shift in styles to her growing into her own as a dancer.

“Behind dance there is always the technique, and that’s what everyone starts with because you need the foundation in order to progress,” explained Kumpula. “The early years are often…technique-based. You spend a long time building your technique.”

“As you get older, you get to experiment with things…the creativity came out a lot more as I got older. Thinking about a piece of dance as a full thing onto itself beyond its technique.”

Today, Kumpula applies what she has learned over the years with Silhouettes Dance Company.

Founded in 2002 by Caryl Mostacho and Alesia Kachur, Silhouettes Dance Company is a performance-based dance troupe at the University of Toronto that performs several times over the year, ending its season with an annual showcase. The company adheres to values that promote a positive learning environment where both new and seasoned dancers can learn from one another.

“It’s choreography that’s made by the company members,” said Kumpula about Silhouettes Dance Company. “It is a space where there isn’t really a ton of restriction on the kind of choreography you can make. It’s a free space for people to experiment with different ideas.”

Katherine Kumpula, “The Nights,” Silhouettes Dance (2015). Photo Credit: John Yelinek.

Last year, she choreographed a piece for the company that explored the dancer’s quest for perfection. It is an experience dancers know all too well, says Kumpula.

“The quest for perfection and how you’ve got this ideal you are working towards, but you’ll never quite get there. That’s a very angst-filled experience, and it’s a very emotional experience for a lot of dancers…because you’re always trying to fit this ideal which is essentially impossible to fit. By the very nature of it, it will never be perfect, but there is a big pressure with how demanding dance is to be perfect.”

But these days, dance is more an escape for Kumpula than something that causes her stress.

“[Dance] is very therapeutic. It’s therapeutic for me to have that [creative] outlet and to do something totally different than what I am doing the rest of the time,” said Kumpula who works at the hospital as a nurse.

Kumpula says dance is important too for the social connection, connecting with those who have a wide-variety of interests and, at the same time, want to keep their passion for dance alive. And though her journey through dance has seen many changes over the years, Kumpula’s passion for dance has been constant.

After all, dance is never-ending.

For more information about Silhouettes Dance Company, visit: http://silhouettes.sa.utoronto.ca/

Usually Beauty Fails Lands With Mixed Results

April 20, 2015May 26, 2015Leave a comment

Frederick Gravel & GAG's Usually Beauty Fails opened April 18th at Theatre Junction GRAND.

Frédérick Gravel & Groupe d’art Gravel Art Gravel Group’s Usually Beauty Fails opened April 15th at Theatre Junction GRAND. Photo Credit: Denis Farley.

Loud and assertive, this is the way Frédérick Gravel & Groupe d’art Gravel Art Gravel Group’s Usually Beauty Fails opens. The music holds us down in our seats. The dancers, whose eyes were locked with ours just moments ago, escape into fervid movement.

Blending dance and live music, Usually Beauty Fails is a raw display of human emotion. Parts of it, anyway.

Gravel, the show’s creator, director, and choreographer, is the evening’s leading man. Taking the microphone between dance pieces, he shares his thoughts, which are largely self-deprecating, with the audience about the performance. Gravel’s charm is well received by the audience, albeit for a short while. Eventually, the audience’s laughter shifts from warm to tired and nervous as Gravel’s drawn out, wayward thoughts overstay their welcome.

Gravel’s band (Charles Lavoie, vocals/guitar; Vincent Legault, guitar; Gravel, vocals/guitar) perform a varied arrangement of music that sometimes rocks out loud, then other times goes for a soft, melodic sound. The rock pieces are not particularly interesting. The acoustic pieces, on the other hand, draw us in close with simple, tender lyrics that travel smoothly thanks to Lavoie’s clean vocals.

Likewise, the choreography resonates best in its quieter moments.

There is a moment where two of the dancers stand closely together, undress, and explore each other’s naked bodies. Soft pauses. Gentle touches. Nothing is said, and it does not feel like anything has to be said. In this moment that breathes and takes its time, we are witness to human affection in its purest form.

But then, in the show’s final piece, we are reminded of life as we share it together socially. The dancers change into fancy dress – cocktail dresses and suits. They open bottles of champagne and pour each other plenty (and then some). Besides quick whispers between the dancers, not too much is said. And not too much happens. It is as almost as if the dancers have slipped into disguises, masks; pretenses. The dancers look at each other from afar as though wanting to say something, but choosing not to. What keeps them from doing so? Whatever it is, the champagne eventually causes the dancers to throw caution to the wind.

These impactful moments are scarce, stuffed away in favor of presenting something big and loud. Something so big, in fact, that at one point the stage lights flash so hard that the audience has trouble keeping their eyes on the stage. It is then that point that one ask themselves whether this is a dance show, a rock show, or an uneven effort in trying to accomplish both at the same time.

The show’s main problem, though, is that Gravel seems more interested in speaking about the work than allowing the work to speak for itself. It is too bad considering that the work does at times succeed in stirring something intimately profound within us. Not to mention also that Gravel’s dancers, who move with vigor, feel terribly underused.

Presented by Theatre Junction, Usually Beauty Fails’ integration of live music and dance is mixed at best, resulting in a show that sometimes grabs our attention, but mainly pushes us away.

Frédérick Gravel & Groupe d’art Gravel Art Gravel Group’s Usually Beauty Fails ran at Theatre Junction, April 15 – 18.

For more information about the show, visit: http://www.theatrejunction.com/1415season/ubf/

Music and dance performers on stage
David Albert-Toth
Frédérick Gravel
Charles Lavoie
Vincent Legault
Brianna Lombardo
Peter Trosztmer
Lucie Vigneault
Jamie Wright

World Premiere: Meg Braem’s A Worthy Opponent Delivers Big Laughs

April 14, 2015April 22, 2015Leave a comment

An abandoned drug den turned trendy street-themed restaurant. Maybe not the best place to bring your fiance’s mother…and maybe not the best place to break the news that you’re marrying her only son.

Enjoying its world premiere at Lunchbox Theatre, Meg Braem’s A Worthy Opponent is a delightful new comedy that is as smart as it is hilarious.

Ivy (Allison Lynch) loves Nathan and wants to marry him, that she knows for sure. But then again, Ivy’s never really stuck to anything, like acting school or even her own name. And that for Helen (Elinor Holt) is cause for concern. An accomplished entomologist, Helen is not so sure about her son Nathan, a grad student, marrying Ivy who works at a hair salon.

It’s not that Helen hates Ivy, despite Ivy thinking so, or that she is completely opposed to their union, it’s just that she’s worried. And it’s not just Nathan that she’s worried about, it’s Ivy too. Of course, the truth only comes out after the two women have had a ‘couple’ drinks and traded barbs with one another.

Ivy and Helen’s all-out battle of wits sees lots of potent insults, some more subtle than others, that one can feel from their seat. Accordingly, their waiter Eric (Brett Dahl) makes sure to quickly disappear after serving them their drinks. And yes, there are plenty of drinks served.

Braem’s lively, sharp tongued characters breathe wit and fresh air into the ‘horrible mother-in-law’ trope so often repeated across various media. But it is not just their ability to ‘dish it out’ that makes this work feel refreshing, it is also their dimensions which Braem explores to the fullest.

Contrary to what Ivy thinks, Helen is not just a cold, unfeeling academic. No, she is also a mother, as Helen reminds Ivy, a mother who raised her son alone. And the thought of Nathan marrying and leaving her behind is not one Helen is so ready to accept. So, Nathan cannot just marry anyone, let alone someone who is not so sure about where their own life is headed.

And so, after all the drinks and hostility, Braem brings the play to a heartfelt moment where the two women reconcile their differences and finally see eye-to-eye. So moving are the play’s final moments, in fact, that quiet sobs can be heard from the audience.

Holt and Lynch meet what the other brings to the table in terms of impeccable comedic timing and energy. Although, Holt noticeably trips over several lines of dialogue during the course of the show. Though easy to overlook the first time, Holt’s line flubs occur just enough that the steadfast pace of her and Lynch’s exchanges dip as a result. Otherwise though, Holt is a great opposite to the sweet, but fiery Lynch.

Sharp and refreshing, Meg Braem’s A Worthy Opponent delivers big laughs while celebrating mother-in-laws everywhere.

Meg Braem’s A Worthy Opponent runs at Lunchbox Theatre April 6 – 25, 2015.

For more information about the show, visit: http://www.lunchboxtheatre.com/calendar/2015/3/30/a-worthy-opponent-by-governor-general-award-nominee-meg-braem?view=calendar

World Premiere: Ambition Leads to Rough Waters in The Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst

March 26, 2015March 30, 2015Leave a comment

In 1969, nine men set off on what was at the time the first round-the-world yacht race. A widely covered event, the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race excited the public at large. And Donald Crowhurst was among those caught up in the excitement. Crowhurst, an amateur sailor, sought to defy the odds and capture victory against well-seasoned competitors. The Teignmouth Electron, a boat of Crowhurst’s own design, would be the vessel to deliver Crowhurst to the finish line.

Crowhurst did not return home.

It is this story of ambition, the pursuit of greatness, that Alberta Theatre Projects, in association with Ghost River Theatre, stages in The Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst.

Written by David van Belle & Eric Rose, with Rose directing, The Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst is concerned with the fine line between ambition and obsession. There is nothing particularly special about Crowhurst (Braden Griffiths). He is a husband and father of four who runs a small, failing business. What sets Crowhurst apart is his astounding confidence in that he is destined for greatness. And he makes us believe it too with his grandiose speeches.

But failure looms on the horizon when Crowhurst’s boat experiences serious issues during the race, and an unexpected storm wreaks havoc on the vessel. Failure, though, does not mean simple defeat. In exchange for the necessary funds to construct his boat, Crowhurst signed a deal with the condition that should he lose the race he will have to pay everything back in full. For Crowhurst, failure means the total loss of everything he and his family owns.

And that is why Crowhurst sees no other option than to cheat by falsifying his race progress.

The presentation of Crowhurst’s story is fascinating with its use of video projection and live effects. The production features creative techniques like filming Crowhurst and his wife Clare (Vanessa Sabourin) standing against two separate ‘beds’, then joining the images together on-screen to show them lying in the same bed. As well, documentary footage of the real-life Crowhurst overlaps on-screen with Griffiths’ portrayal. And, the play’s first act ends with a violent storm on stage where large sheets simulate waves and buckets of water drench Griffiths.

Unfortunately, the first act is where the excitement ends. The production runs dry in its second act where an otherwise compelling human drama becomes a disjointed bore.

One specific offense is the scene where Crowhurst meets an Argentinian couple who he asks to help him in the way of supplies. The humour attempted here falls flat, and little happens to justify the scene’s inclusion. The scene stalls the pace of the play.

From where the play starts to where it ends is a significant distance. After the initial awe produced by the first act’s visual feats, one realizes there is not much else carrying the show. And certainly a part of that is the challenge of what do you do when your main character is stranded miles away from human contact? Van Belle and Rose do their best to make the journey to Crowhurst’s final moments interesting, but the path there is one that not even the biggest smoke and mirrors could disguise what it really is: a disappointment.

The Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst is an ambitious, visually stunning production that ultimately disappoints due to weak characterization and a less-than satisfying second act.

Alberta Theatre Projects’ The Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst, in association with Ghost River Theatre, ran at The Martha Cohen Theatre, February 24 – March 14, 2015.

For more information about the show, visit: http://www.atplive.com/2014-2015-Season/Last-Voyage/index.html

Mudfoot Theatre Ready to Set Sail Again, Infuse Canadian History With Magic

March 23, 2015November 14, 2025Leave a comment

Promotional image for The Hudson Bay Epic. Pictured: Mudfoot Theatre Co-Founders and Artistic Directors Genevieve Pare and Ian McFarlane, with ensemble member Ryan Reese (right). Photo Credit: Chantal Wall.

Promotional image for The Hudson Bay Epic. Pictured: Mudfoot Theatre Co-Founders/Artistic Directors Geneviève Paré and Ian McFarlane with ensemble member Ryan Reese (right). Photo Credit: Chantal Wall.

Geneviève Paré and Ian McFarlane first met at the University of Lethbridge where they completed a BFA in Dramatic Arts (‘11) and BFA in Multidisciplinary (‘10), respectively. Paré and McFarlane met in their second year while working as designers on a show together. But Paré and McFarlane say one of their first real collaborations came later when a special room inside the university caught their attention.

“There was this miniature room that was built as sort of a ‘found space’ theatre space at the university,” Paré explained. “There was a microphone in the middle inviting people to sing songs and play music. The sound would be projected out into the atrium so everyone could hear what was going on in there. It was a way for people who were shy to share their music. Anyone had the opportunity to contribute.”

Sharing each other’s excitement for impulsive performance art, Paré and McFarlane decided to perform inside the space together. In the room, the pair washed their hands in a bowl of soap water, beat boxed, and performed improvised poetry.

Paré says the collaboration signaled to both her and McFarlane that not only were they “both weird” and into “super bizarre ideas,” but that they could also work together.

In 2012, Paré and McFarlane collaborated again for Junquatica, a performance installation that ran as part of We Should Know Each Other #100. McFarlane says Junquatica was inspired by the aquatic intertidal zone, an area of interest for Paré who was working as a kayak guide off the coast at the time.

“It was a fun project,” said McFarlane about Junquatica. “Gen had this great idea of [creating] this box where people looked in and there were performers. But when they looked in they were also looking at each other…They all became characters of this world.”

At the time, Paré and McFarlane performed under the name Deux Fous Frivoles. The name was later changed to English (Frivolous Fools) due to pronunciation difficulty.

It was also at this point that the pair became excited about using found materials, like garbage. Junquatica’s performance space was constructed out of reclaimed materials meant to reflect a concern for the health of the oceans. McFarlane says the idea of found materials carried over into The Hudson Bay Epic, a play that toured both the Winnipeg Fringe Festival and Calgary Fringe Festival in 2014.

A historical fiction, The Hudson Bay Epic stages the story of Henry Hudson’s last voyage into the Canadian arctic. On board the ill-fated Discovery, a forbidden romance develops between two crew members while the threat of violent mutiny grows larger with every passing day.

The production featured a ship-like structure made from reclaimed materials. The structure was unique for its ability to produce music and ambient sounds.

“The initial inspiration came out of a performance idea of creating a structure that we could play like an instrument,” McFarlane explained. “We were excited about having this machine that we turn a crank and runs some music.”

For The Hudson Bay Epic, Paré and McFarlane formally adopted the name Frivolous Fools Performance. But the two ran into a problem with the name when touring the show, McFarlane explains.

“It was when we started touring The Hudson Bay Epic, people started calling us ‘The Fools’. We can’t do that because in Calgary there’s already ‘The Fools’ [Green Fools Theatre]. [We thought] we can’t have – This is just not good for anybody! It’s going to confuse and disrupt.”

Unfortunately, this was not the only issue with the name. When it came time to apply for grants, McFarlane and Paré were advised to change their name to something more suitable, as McFarlane explains.

“Grant advisors would be like ‘you should consider changing your name because you are neither foolish or frivolous.’ And yes, it’s ironic because we are working with junk and we’re not frivolous at all. We’re being quite humble with our work, this humble magic we are working with. But when it comes to applying to Canada Council…”

Paré and McFarlane sought a name that better reflected their work and aesthetic. After much consideration, Paré and McFarlane finally agreed on the name Mudfoot Theatre.

“There’s a whole bunch of ways to look at a name and how it resonates with who we are as artists,” said Paré about the name change. “If you’ve got muddy feet, it’s because you’re doing something awesome…If you’ve got your feet wet in the mud, then you’re active and in some interesting process.”

As their history shows, McFarlane and Paré are no strangers to change. What began as a performance duo has now grown into an independent creation-based theatre company.

Mudfoot Theatre collaborates with interdisciplinary artists to create contemporary folk tales through simple, grassroots storytelling. The company primarily stages Canadian history, something some Canadian theatre artists avoid, says Paré.

“Theatre artists don’t want to be identified as Canadian theatre artists. There’s something….What’s the word? It’s patronised a little bit. Because we’re softcore Americans, we’re so nice…Canadian is like…It’s not cutting edge.”

“If you’re a Canadian artist, you’re not from like Berlin or New York where you’re cutting edge and taking chances. But we do, do that as Canadian artists.”

Paré and McFarlane believe there are other reasons that make Canadian history less enticing as both performance material and a subject of interest among Canadians. For McFarlane, one reason has to do with how Canadian history was documented.

“It’s written as a business account,” said McFarlane. “We traded furs for this much money. We set up a shop in this place. It’s all written by merchants who are writing back to the homeland.”

“One of the fascinating things about Canadian history,” McFarlane continued, “is that that there were so many details that weren’t written down. In Europe, quite clear that these are the stories and these are the people. Endless literature. But in Canada, someone in the bush had this crazy experience but didn’t know how to read or write.”

“One of the things Europeans have about their history,” Paré added, “is that because their history goes so far back and it’s not written about in such a clinical way, there is room for myth…There’s magic, actual magic in the soil where they live. I want to have magic in my soil too.”

For Paré and McFarlane, staging Canadian history is not just about finding our collective voice as a nation, but also infusing our identity with a sense of magic.

And it is this sense of magic that the company’s next project River will embrace.

Inspired by David Thompson’s expeditions, River will tell the story of the Bow River through live music and puppetry. McFarlane says River will be a very different production from The Hudson Bay Epic.

“In The Hudson Bay Epic, we were quite direct with our history,” said McFarlane. “We took a journal and pulled stuff straight out of the journal and created characters that were actually historical people. In River, we are being quite broad and quite loose. Making it more on the mythical side than the historical side.”

Paré says audiences can expect “a tragic love story between a glacier, a star and a trickster paralleled by some narrative from David Thompson’s personal journals.”

Joining Paré and McFarlane for River are pianist Jesse Plessis and guest collaborator Jesse McMann-Sparvier.

River will be presented this week as part of the Calgary Region One-Act Play Festival at Pumphouse Theatres. Paré notes that the presentation is a prototype, or launching point, for a larger show.

Looking to the future, Paré and McFarlane say they are not sure what the company will develop next, but that they are confident they will find themselves doing something inventive and unexpected.

Mudfoot Theatre’s River will be presented at The Calgary Region One-Act Play Festival, March 26th at 7:30pm.

For more information about the festival and how to purchase tickets, visit: http://www.pumphousetheatre.ca/sections/calendar_s/calendar_2.htm

For information on Mudfoot Theatre, visit their website:
http://www.mudfoottheatre.com/

Joyful Magpies

Tag: Performing Arts