At The Stanley until February 22, 2015
Warning: do not attempt to produce One Man, Two Guvnors unless you have someone as prodigiously talented as Andrew McNee in the role of the titular One Man. You need someone who can do a double take, a triple take, multiple somersaults, survive many kicks to the crotch, blows to the solar plexus and pratfalls aplenty.
Martin Happer, Andrew McNee and Celine Stubel in One Man, Two Guvnors. Credit: Emily Cooper
At Jericho Arts Centre until February 15, 2015
Noel Coward’s plays are at that awkward age: not old enough to be a ‘must-see’ part of British theatre history but not contemporary enough to be very engaging.
Cailtlin Clugston (as Amanda) and Ted Cole (as Elyot) in Private Lives. Credit: Nancy Caldwell
At the Revue Stage until February 7, 2015
I am the perfect target for Rob Drummond’s magic show, Bullet Catch. Skeptical but willing to be amazed and even when an illusion is revealed – as Drummond does with one of his tricks (but only after asking if we want to know how it was done), I’m still amazed.
Rob Drummond in Bullet Catch. Credit: Megan Verhey
At Pacific Theatre until January 31, 2015
Imagine a range of storytellers from lanky, slowly drawling Stuart McLean on one end to lanky, hectic Nathan Schmidt on the other. Frenzy – or joy – is where playwright Glen Berger attempts to take us in this Rosebud Theatre production of Underneath the Lintel.
Nathan Schmidt as the Librarian in Underneath the Lintel. Credit: Emily Cooper
At the Firehall Arts Centre until January 17, 2015
We’re all in the same boat. And it’s rocking. What to do? What to do?
Susan Hogan as Annie in Kayak. Credit: Chena San Martin
At The Cultch until January 24, 2015
Although Lee Van Paassen is neither a septuagenarian nor “two hundred pounds of unhealthy fat”, she embraces, in every other respect, Samuel Beckett’s Maddy Rooney, a self-described “hysterical old hag.” Van Paassen is simply magnificent, Irish accent and all.
Adam Henderson and Lee Van Paassen in All That Fall. Credit: Tim Matheson
It was big on ‘Q’ this year in Vancouver theatres: quantity and quality. Reviewers were lacing up their Nikes just trying to keep up; I considered setting up a tent at The Cultch.
Linda Quibell as Mrs. Warren in Mrs. Warren’s Profession. Credit: Kaarina Venalainen
At the Jericho Arts Centre until December 21, 2014
Nowhere in the Tennessee Williams’ canon are there more obvious autobiographical elements than in The Glass Menagerie: the narrator/protagonist in this memory play is Tom, Williams’ actual Christian name.
Christine Quintana (as Laura) and Marilyn Norry (Amanda Wingfield) in The Glass Menagerie. Credit: Mark Halliday
At The Cultch until December 21, 2014
Described by critics as a lyrical tour-de-force, Dylan Thomas: Return Journey is framed as a lecture/poetry reading on one of many that Thomas delivered in the USA – possibly his last.
Bob Kingdom as Dylan Thomas in Dylan Thomas: Return Journey
At The Waterfront Theatre until January 4, 2015
It’s not unusual in TYA (Theatre for Young Audiences) to have actors dressed up like cute little bunnies, raccoons or squirrels but it’s out of the ordinary to find the stage ‘peopled’ with creepy crawlies. While we’re fine with ladybugs and grasshoppers, for some people there’s a definite ‘eeuuw’ factor around earthworms and a bit of fear concerning spiders and centipedes.
Julian Lokash (centre front) as James in James and the Giant Peach. Credit: Tim Matheson