November 2023 | Jo Ledingham

Theatre Replacement’s East Van Panto: Beauty and the Beast

York Theatre to January 7, 2024
Theatre Replacement’s East Van Panto always features a reworked fairy tale that takes place in and around The Drive but this time, co-written by Christine Quintana and Jivesh Parasram, it’s really specific: all the action happens on the corner of Clark and Venables at Fujiya Japanese Foods, across from Mr. Mattress.

The cast of Theatre Replacement’s East Van Panto: Beauty and the Beast. Credit: Emily Cooper

Hurricane Mona

The Cultch to December 3, 2023
A comedy about the climate crisis? You’ve got to be kidding. But playwright Pippa Mackie isn’t kidding and yet Hurricane Mona is very funny. It’s also more than a little surreal; one of the characters is a human-sized frog.

Alex Gullason as Mona in Hurricane Mona. Credit: Pedro Augusto Meza

Elf: The Musical

The Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage to December 31, 2023
Is this Arts Club production fun? Oh, yes! Is the set design by Brian Ball fantastic? Absolutely. Lights by Itai Erdal? Bright and beautiful. Christine Reimer’s costumes? Amazing. And there are tap-dancing Santas. What more could anyone ask?

Andrew McNee as Buddy in Elf: The Musical. Credit: David Cooper

Dr. Suess’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical

The Centre in Vancouver (777 Homer Street) from November 14-18, 2023
On the highly unlikely chance your kids aren’t already vibrating with excitement as Christmas approaches, Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical might just do it.

The Ensemble of Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical. Credit: Jeremy Daniel

Troika: 3 Short Comedies by Chekhov

Jericho Arts Centre to November 12, 2023
What’s especially interesting in these short one-acts is that they give us a glimpse of Chekhov’s thoughts on marriage and relationships in general: never peaceful, loving or supportive. Always fractious, complicated, burdened by miscommunication.