By Kyle Francis
Theatre has been called a dying art. Enthusiasts of the medium have heard all the arguments, and anyone who’s willing to give it a chance learns there are some things that can’t be done anywhere but the stage. That said, it would be impossible to see a thirteen-storey robot punch down a skyscraper in the… Continue reading Pan runs out of fairy dust
Tis the season of rum and eggnog, gaudy festive decorations and uncomfortable family gatherings. Fortunately, the holidays aren’t all bad. With the season of sleigh bells and strained merriment comes this years’ production of A Chrismoose Carol. Calgary’s Loose Moose Theatre Company has been putting on its annual reinvention of the Dickens’ classic for a… Continue reading Loose Moose lays down some Chuck D for the holidays
By Robert Fludd
Theatre’s a lot like a faked orgasm: it’s all done in the dark, everyone’s working on a time limit and any screaming you hear is completely staged. If that weren’t enough, the actors fake it for three weeks straight, so unless you’ve made it to opening night it’s sloppy fifteens for you. But every year… Continue reading Theatre: Top 3 performances
By Kyle Francis
Kyle Francis Sad Editor They populate department stores and wander through malls with a bell and plastic collection cup. Through the rush of colourful paper and tufts of tinsel, it’s easy to walk right by a mall Santa and his elves taking Christmas list orders, posing for photos and handing out candy canes. The symbol… Continue reading Theatre Preview: Curly shoes and dark comedy
By Ryan Pike
Over the past 20 years, Calgary has grown from a Podunk frontier town into a bustling cultural metropolis and the local theatre community has grown with it. Appropriately, Alberta Theatre Projects celebrates that growth with the Harry and Martha Cohen Award, given to those who have made a sustained and substantial contribution to theatre in… Continue reading Mad bling and wicked props
By Kyle Francis
Smorgasbord-style collaborations in the theatre all tend to share a few of the same characteristics. On one hand, the diverse range of material offers a number of unique perspectives on a common theme, and the small, digestible chunks are appealing to a culture raised largely on Chinese food and television. On the other, the quality… Continue reading Theatre review: A flavour for any taste
The curtains sweep open, the overture plays and the story unfolds, a careful balancing act begins. Act I, Scene I, Calgary Opera’s 2006-2007 season. As their production of Rossini’s Cinderella waltzes into the Jubilee Auditorium, general director and chief executive Bob McPhee is already preparing for seasons to come and is able to look back… Continue reading Magic and very loud singing
By Kyle Francis
It’s got drinking, fighting, the solicitation of prostitutes and a healthy dose of misanthropy. While it might sound a lot like hitting the town with Scott Stapp, it’s actually the University of Calgary drama department’s production of Bertolt Brecht’s most famous early work, Baal. For most people, mention of the famous German playwright will conjure… Continue reading Theatre Preview: Brecht, but before the communism thing
By Jon Roe
“This shouldn’t happen on opening night,” said a confused Ronnie Burkett as one of his marionettes malfunctioned on the first night of the Alberta Theatre Projects 34th season and his new play 10 Days on Earth. The puppet’s head had turned around in the middle of a scene as it lay on the ground. Burkett… Continue reading Ronnie Burkett dazzles with dolls
By Jon Roe
It’s hard to imagine being truly alone. For the most part, even though most people have some degree of independence, most rely on someone or something to help them live their lives. But if we were alone, and didn’t know it, would we feel lonely? Ronnie Burkett answers this question with his new play Ten… Continue reading Pulling Ronnie Burkett’s strings