Where's Charley?
Where's Charley?
Book by George Abbott. Music & Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Directed by Dean Paul Gibson
Musical Direction by Steven Greenfield
Choreography by Shelley Stewart Hunt
Studio 58
Mar 25 to Apr 18, 2010
Vancouver, BC: I always love attending the shows at Studio 58 because regardless of the genre they are performing, the student cast always exudes the vitality and joie de vivre that comes from doing something they love to do. Tonight's show was no exception.
Where's Charley is a musical farce based on the play, Charley's Aunt by English playwright, Brandon Thomas. The play premiered in 1892 and had record breaking runs in England and later on Broadway. Abbott and Loesser's musical adaptation, Where's Charley, directed by Abbott, opened on Broadway in 1948.
Loesser is probably best known for his marvelously hummable melodies and clever lyrics in his 1950 musical, Guys and Dolls, and the 1961 Pulitzer Prize winning How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying.
I mention this because sometime between 1948 and 1950 Loesser must have been blessed by Euterpe, the Muse of Music and later, also the Muse of Lyric Poetry. How else could he come up with the marvellous sound-track of Guys and Dolls?
Queen Lear
Queen Lear by Eugene Stickland
Directed by Colleen Winton
Western Gold Theatre and Presentation House Theatre
Presentation House
Mar 25 to Apr 10, 2010
Vancouver,BC: Memory - what a powerful emotional factor in so many ways. Is there anyone among us mature (never "older") individuals who does not fear loss of memory as a foreshadowing of loss of mind? I know that every time I can't for the moment recall the name of the lead character in the book I just read, or an actor in a play I reviewed last year, I can feel that my RAM is failing but there is no store where I can buy an upgrade as I can for my computer.
But we can laugh off these memory lapses as minor incidents. For an actor whose biggest nightmare would be to come up blank with lines on stage - wow- how much more frightening an age-related decline in memory would be.
In a heart-wrenching performance, Shirley Broderick conveys the anguish of knowing that one - and one's ability to learn - is not what it was at fifteen!
Broderick plays Jane, a "not-old" aging actress who is to play Lear in an all-female production. She arranges for Heather, the schoolgirl daughter of her deceased best friend, to help her learn her lines. In the process, both learn to look at life a little differently.
The Love List
The Love List
by Norm Foster
Directed by Max Reimer
Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company
Vancouver Playhouse
Mar 6 -10, Mar 25 - April 10, 2010
Vancouver, BC: Confession number one! I came home from opening night of The Love List and in accordance with my New Year's Resolution to get my thoughts down before they get forgotten (see Queen Lear), went straight to my computer to start on my review. But instead I found myself writing a list!
With a little difficulty I came up with the Top Ten qualities of my Ideal Man. Isn't it always easier to think of the ten things you don't like? I carefully wrote my Top Ten as legibly as I could. We've all heard about mistakes due to doctor's illegible handwriting.
But alas - my expectant ear heard no knock on my door. Maybe it's our condo access security system that blocked Mr.Perfect from reaching my door. Or maybe you really need the right paper from that Gypsy match making entrepreneur at "Got A Match." Anyone have her address? or email?
Confession number two is that I haven't laughed as much at a play for months. Yes, yes, I know I always go on about "strong narratives" and "finely drawn characters" and "complex thought-provoking themes" - but after a surfeit of " experimental, avant-garde, leading edge, technologically dazzling theatre" it felt really good to just hang loose and laugh at Leon and Bill and the ridiculous situation they found themselves in.
The Russian Play & Mexico City
The Russian Play & Mexico City
Two plays by Hannah Moscovitch
Directed by Christian Barry
2b theatre company & Ruby Slippers
Performance Works
Mar 24 - 28, 2010
Vancouver, BC: It's a tad ironic that the theme of the first play in this production, Mexico City, could be stated as "reality does not always match up to expectations," because this precisely sums up my reaction to this show.
This is why.
I first heard of young Canadian playwright, Hannah Moscovitch, when I saw her first full length play, East of Berlin a year ago at The Firehall. I was impressed by the "tightly written script" and commented "This is a powerful play. I don't think anyone in the audience moved a muscle throughout the performance. I didn't even hear a cough." East of Berlin had an engrossing story to tell with strongly drawn characters whose narrative arcs felt real and were emotionally gripping. And I guess, unfairly, I was expecting more of the same.
The program for this current production of Moscovitch's plays consists of two one-acts: first up is Mexico City, a 25 minute play featuring Henry (Conor Green) and Alice (Tessa Cameron), a young couple vacationing in Mexico City.
After intermission comes The Russian Play, about 47 minutes in length, featuring a ill-fated "love" triangle between Sonya (Colombe Demers), Kostya (Conor Green) and Piotr (Scott Stephenson) unfolding against the gloomy background of Stalinist Russia.
Mexico City is a satirical look at relationships and travel. In both situations there is a gap between what we imagine and what is. Three years after their honeymoon in Europe Henry and Alice are looking to a holiday in Mexico to rekindle romance in their marriage. Henry wants to experience the "real Mexico" although he is not quite sure what that is. Alice is determined not to miss any museums featuring the works of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Both expect to find their own picture-postcard idea of Mexico. Reality is different.
Supping in Vancouver: William Tell Restaurant
William Tell Restaurant
765 Beatty Street,
Vancouver BC
PH: (604) 688-3504 or Reserve Online
There is a plethora of excellent restaurants within a short walk of the Vancouver civic theatres complex (Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver Playhouse and The Orpheum) and of The Centre for Performing Arts. We chose the William Tell Restaurant for an early dinner before heading off to see Vancouver Opera's "Nixon in China."
Paradise Garden
Paradise Garden by Lucia Frangione
Directed by Morris Ertman
Arts Club Theatre Company
Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage
March 11- April 11, 2010
Vancouver, BC: Over our pre-show dinner at Yuji's Japanese Tapas restaurant, we discussed the phenomenon that my companion called "the bum factor" but which I prefer to think of as "the watch factor". Simply put, it is the thing that happens when a certain restlessness develops as one is watching a show - either because something is dragging on too long or because it just fails to grip one's attention. He gets antsy and wriggles in his seat while I get an irresistible urge to check the time - saved only by the fact that I cant see the dial in the dark.
I hasten to add that in our post-show discussion of the opening night performance of Paradise Garden we both agreed that neither factor was operative. On the contrary, he didn't wriggle, I did not check my watch and in fact my attention was held throughout the play. So the perplexing aspect was why the play failed to "get me". I am usually a sucker for love stories and romance and Paradise Garden is on several levels a love story - or at least an exploration of the inexplicability of some relationships.
Yuji's Japanese Tapas
Yuji's Japanese Tapas
2059 West 4th Ave.,
Vancouver, BC
Ph: 604) 734-4990
We were going to see Paradise Garden at the Stanley Theatre and decided to check out Yuji's about a ten minute drive from theatre. Although it was just before 6 PM, we managed to get a parking spot almost outside the restaurant. It helps if your companion has great parking karma - which he does!
I was not sure what to expect - the words Japanese and Tapas are not usually associated in my mind but I anticipated a sort of fusion of Spanish style small plates with sushi.The menu listed many items under the tapas heading including the usual Japanese dishes like miso soup and sunomono salad but also included items like grilled duck breast and fried Halibut cheek.
We opted to start with the Maguro avocado crepe - fresh albacore tuna and avocado wrapped in a crepe and served with a sweet and a spicy sauce. It was tasty and the crepe was soft without being chewy. We also got the roll sushi platter with three pieces each of California, BC and spicy tuna roll, all of which I enjoyed.
SPINE: Guest review
Guest Reviewer: Malcolm Page
SPINE, by Kevin Kerr
Directed by Bob Frazer
A Realwheels and University of Alberta co-production
Experimental Theatre, SFU Woodwards
March 10 to 20, 2010
Spine originated as a follow-up to Skydive, seen two years ago. James Sanders, wheelchair-bound, sought another part; Kevin Kerr would write again and Bob Frazer would switch from actor to director. Twelve members of the University of Alberta graduating acting class would take part. No less than 34 more are credited with 'production,' from 'dialect coach' to 'audio supervisor.' Cultural Olympiad money came in.
Kerr and Frazer, as they record in the program, look for inspiration to Prometheus, Frankenstein, Cyrano de Bergerac and Midsummer Night's Dream! Kerr demonstrated what he could do with conventional theatre in 'Unity, 1918' ; here he writes an intelligent collection of fragments.
P.F.Chang's China Bistro - in Irvine
P.F.Chang's China Bistro
61 Fortune Drive,
Irvine, CA
Ph: (949) 453-1211
For our last dine-out with kids at family friendly restaurants in South Orange County before I head back to Vancouver, we decided on P.F. Chang's China Bistro at the Irvine Spectrum Mall.
As usual we got there early, around 5 PM but already there was a 35 minute wait for inside tables. Fortunately it was a warm afternoon and early evening so we opted for a patio table . Three space heaters also added warmth.
"Happy Hour" extends from 3 PM to 6 PM with a special menu of reduced price drinks and dishes. I had a 7 oz glass of Riesling S.A.Prum for $5.00 and the others shared a large Gekkeikan Sake for $4.00.
While we settled the kids and sorted out our food, we ordered from the Happy Hour menu - a dish of the crispy green beans, and crispy crab wontons served with a spicy plum sauce.
The main courses were up fairly quickly. From the children's menu the 5 year old chose the Baby Buddha's Feast and got a steaming plate of snap peas, carrots and broccoli.
The Greatest Cities in the World: Guest Review
Guest Reviewer: Malcolm Page
The Greatest Cities of the World
Creative Team: James Long, Maiko Bae Yamamoto (directors); Nneka Croal, Ruben Castelblanco, Susan Elliott, Young-Hee Kim, Andrew Laurenson, Michael Rinaldi, Tanya Podlozniuk (performers)
Theatre Replacement
Vancouver East Cultural Centre 13-17 March, 2010 Vancouver, BC: The Theatre Replacement company have a reputation for being at the cutting-edge, part of a movement in Vancouver which is 'pushing the envelope': with Electric Company, Boca del Lupo, Radix, The Only Animal and Leaky Heaven Circus. This year Theatre Replacement won the big Alcan Rio Tinto award.
Their idea was to go to the small towns of Tennessee which have the names of great European cities, Paris, London, Athens and Moscow. They taped interviews, while staying sensitive to themselves as outsiders. They must have hoped that this fieldwork would provide a subject - it hasn't. Though staying close to verbatim theatre, they evidently ignored 'The Farm Show' and 'Laramie Project' as models.
Long and Yamamoto wanted, as they state in their program note,"structure that relies on interest and rhythm shifts". The cast of seven drift on in street clothes, give names, say whether or not they went on the research trip to the American South, tell us they are playing a knight or the Pope, put on bits of costume. This is only the start of confusing us, for nothing follows from it.
