In November of 2006, 11 of our most progressive indie theatre companies joined forces to present Vancouver with the maiden version of HIVE in a retrofitted chapel in the downtown Eastside. And something in our theatre world shifted. Hailed by Colin Thomas as "the stuff of legend", and by me as the very future of… Continue reading The Buzz is Back: HIVE 2 Sweetens Mag North
Author: Simon Ogden
This One Goes to Eleven: Britt Small
vaudeville (n) [vawd-vil]: a theatrical piece of light or amusing character, interspersed with songs and dances. Atomic Vaudeville: Vaudeville reconceived for the present age attempting to reach out to an audience that is ready for a live, entertaining and relevant theatrical art form. (From the company web site.) In 2004 Victoria-based actor/director Britt Small, together… Continue reading This One Goes to Eleven: Britt Small
Female Playwrights Wanted
Is the Canadian theatre industry sexist? For your consideration: The [report's] statistics reveal that sexist theatre practice is alive and well in the new century, as men still run the majority of the “big business” theatres, taking full advantage of a large portion of public funds. Women are clearly not well represented in the triumvirate… Continue reading Female Playwrights Wanted
On a Budget? Magnetic North Offers Pay-What-You-Can Shows!
Two more sleeps until (*deep breath*) "Canada's National Festival of Contemporary Canadian Theatre in English" opens, Vancouver! Can I get a woo-hoo! And the timing couldn't be better, you've all seen Iron Man by now, Indiana Jones is an embarrassment to its once-proud heritage and the only other thing in the multiplex you're considering is… Continue reading On a Budget? Magnetic North Offers Pay-What-You-Can Shows!
Talking Point
Playwrights need to be out in the world, connected to it, trying to answer unanswerable questions. Julie Marie Myatt
Birth of a Blogger
I just had to share this with everyone, because it's wonderful. It's a letter I received in the comments of the 'contact' section, and it made my day. Hello Next Stage I was just on the toilet, thinking about theatre and I thought, “I am a part of the next stage. My feet have walked… Continue reading Birth of a Blogger
The Facade of Objectivity
Further to my last post on critics and criticism, here's a necessary post by San Fran theatre critic Chloe Veltman (HT to Tony, who virtually invented inviting the critics into the party), on the relationship between artists and critics, and the myth of objectivity. I like any discussion that forces us into an awareness of… Continue reading The Facade of Objectivity
Critics are your friends. Meet your new friends.
I'm a theatre nerd with a blog. It's something I do simply because I want people to talk more about this thing that I'm in love with, so that more people make and see theatre. So the fact that a new Vancouver theatre magazine has just emerged online has made me a very happy little… Continue reading Critics are your friends. Meet your new friends.
This One Goes to Eleven: Michael Scholar Jr.
Of all the theatre-going experiences I've had, few come close to the epic grandeur I was treated to at last year's PuSh festival when I finally had a chance to witness November Theatre's acclaimed version of The Black Rider. If you've seen it you know that I do not exaggerate, and if you haven't, well,… Continue reading This One Goes to Eleven: Michael Scholar Jr.
Secret Prop Sale This Weekend!
Okay, it's probably not actually a secret, I mean, who puts something up for sale and then doesn't advertise it? (Insert applicable first indie theatre production joke here.) But I stumbled across it completely by accident, and it's in amongst that weird alley/warehouse area at the bottom of Main St. around Terminal. I tripped over… Continue reading Secret Prop Sale This Weekend!
Talking Point
I get bored at the theatre a lot because I notice that there's not always a connection between the actors. They may be technically proficient, but they're not surprising each other. I'm thrilled by actors who make choices that are surprising. Lusia Strus
Jessie Noms Announced
You know what's cool about the Jessie Richardson Awards? They're shiny. Also, they put a bunch of Vancouver's theatre talent together on a single page so we can appreciate how damn much of it there really is in this town, lest we think otherwise. You can read all the names on that page for yourself… Continue reading Jessie Noms Announced
Advertise Your Fundraiser Here!
A quick note about Karma...when your company's fundraiser rolls around, it's a good idea to have a few drop-ins of your own under your belt. Ten bucks in the coffers here and there around town goes a long way. So, in the interests of keeping your Karma Meter juiced, we'll gladly post upcoming Vancouver theatre… Continue reading Advertise Your Fundraiser Here!
Party Alert: reACT Theatre Ensemble Hosts Summer Shaker
Presents... A Summer Shaker Thursday May 29, 2008 at Chivana Resto Lounge 2340 West 4th Starting at 6pm Complimentary Bevvie at the bar and 10% off food bill until 8! Tickets $15 at 604-628-4954 Featuring the musical stylings of Michelle Carter-Leis and DJ Shawn Von Tons of door prizes: Whitecaps tix, Lions tix, merch and… Continue reading Party Alert: reACT Theatre Ensemble Hosts Summer Shaker
This One Goes to Eleven: David Mackay
Well, the tents are back up in Vanier Park, which means summer and Shakespeare are on their way. Has anyone noticed how good Bard on the Beach has gotten in the last few years? Not that it wasn't good before but seriously, they've really hit their stride. Thanks in no small part to this week's… Continue reading This One Goes to Eleven: David Mackay
Simon Ogden 