No more performances
I love Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg’s mind; it goes into such dark and funny corners. Like her supple dancer’s body, it turns on itself, wickedly undercutting what she has just created.
Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg in Porno Death Cult. Credit: Clancy Dennehy
At the Firehall Arts Centre. No more performances
Alon Nashman, co-creator (with Paul Thompson) of Hirsch, kicked off his solo performance by coming down the back stairs, through the audience to the stage, announcing, “I am your actor for the evening”.
Alon Nashman as Hirsch. Credit: Cylla von Tiedermann
No more performances
There’s nothing tiny about Tiny Music: A Sound Design Musical. There are songs but it’s not really a musical. There are musicians – piano, accordion, clarinet, violin, drums, bass and ‘live electronics’ – but it’s not a concert. There’s a story, a heartbreaking/heartwarming one, but Tiny Music is much more than a play.
At Scotiabank Dance Centre (677 Davie Street) until March 2, 2014
Creator/director Kendra Fanconi tells us in her director’s notes, “Nothing But Sky is based on a true story. That is, the life story of Joe Shuster, the artist, Jerry Siegel, the writer, and Joanne Kovacs, the original model for Lois Lane, and their creation: Superman.” And who knew it was a nerdish, Jewish, bespectacled Canadian who first drew Superman?
Amitai Marmorstein and Robert Salvador in Nothing But Sky. Credit: M. Sider
At the Arts Club Granville Island Stage until March 15, 2014
Is it my imagination or has Nicola Lipman been portraying quirky little old ladies since the beginning of time? It’s not a complaint – she’s wonderful at it: shuffling walk, shrunken posture, quavering voice. No one delivers such perfectly timed, snarky lines like Lipman.
John Campbell as Hoke and Nicola Lipman as Miss Daisy in Driving Miss Daisy. Credit: David Cooper
At Presentation House until February 23, 2014 (Port Moody's Inlet Theatre March 6-8)
You’d better not mind looking at a lot of lovely young flesh because this NeverYouMind production puts a lot of it out there. Taking it off is what A Particular Class of Women is all about and the sheer enthusiasm of these eight actors was enough to get the opening night crowd hooting and hollering.
Lauren A. Campbell, Lisa-Marie Marrelli and Flora Karas in A Particular Class of Women.
Credit: Joel Dufresne
Arts Club on Tour until March 15, 2014
One acoustic guitar, two electric guitars, one violin, one cello, three kazoos, one banjo, one ukulele, one bass, one accordion, one keyboard and a set of drums. Six performers.
Rachel Aberle, Marlene Ginader and Lauren Bowler in The Chelsea Hotel
At The Shop Theatre (125 East 2nd) until March 1, 2014
Oh, I get it now. Blood, guts and gore can be hilarious. I never realized that before so I’ve just stayed away from horror flicks for years.
Jay Clift as Peter in BUG. Credit: Matt Reznek
At the Jericho Arts Centre until February 16, 2014
Act 1 of Lee Hall’s The Pitmen Painters is a gem: intelligent, relevant, provocative, political and funny; eighty minutes flies by.
Paul Herbert, Michael Wild and John Prowse in The Pitmen Painters. Credit: Doug Williams
At Telus Studio Theatre (UBC) until February 8, 2014
Anton Chekhov subtitled The Seagull “A Comedy in Four Acts” but the great Russian playwright has been hard pressed to convince audiences – spanning more than a hundred years – that this play is funny.
Mercedes de la Zerda and Thomas Elms in The Seagull. Credit: Tim Matheson