By Kyle Francis
The University of Calgary Department of Drama’s production of The Libertine is many things. It’s dark, it’s witty and it’s a lot of fun. It’s also grievously flawed. Directorial choices are clever, some of the performances are stirring and the dialogue is smart but all of its positive attributes are marred by a single poor… Continue reading Dastardly dreadful Dubnyk drags down drama
It’s no secret the average non-dancing person will usually cringe at the mention of a dance show. Maybe intimidation has something to do with this reaction. Dance combines athleticism and art, both hefty words–especially with the art–the average non-dancing person might be afraid of not understanding what they’re seeing or being able to appreciate dance… Continue reading Dance Preview: A montage of reasons to dance
You think there are people watching you, following you and talking about you. You’ve also considered everyone from the Pope, to George Bush and the DMV clerk are trying to sabotage your chances at happiness. If the above describes you in any way and you’ve had enough of aging conservative white men holding all the… Continue reading Theatre Preview: Durang! fun for the difficulty offended
By Kyle Francis
Everyone loves an asshole. Infamous, though often glossed over because of their bawdy nature, the writings of John Wilmot, the Second Earl of Rochester, are sometimes credited as the earliest incarnations of pornography. Just as Larry Flint probably won’t be remembered with fawning adoration, the boozing, whoring Rochester isn’t a popular historical figure, awesome though… Continue reading Theatre Preview: Whoring good theatre
By Jon Roe
Nothing says have a yo-ho-ho happy holiday like a few good men in striped shirts. This year to celebrate the spirit of the holidays, Alberta Theatre Projects has decided to put on a classic Christmas tale, Treasure Island, based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. That’s right, instead of fat ol’ St. Nick bringing… Continue reading Shiver me tinsel
By Kenzie Love
Richard Condon’s novel The Manchurian Candidate has already been filmed twice and now it’s being adopted to the stage by Workshop Theatre, Calgary’s largest running theatre company. In 1962, Frank Sinatra and Angela Lansbury brought it back to life and last year Denzel Washington and Meryl Streep did the same. Both versions were critically acclaimed… Continue reading Theatre Preview: Updating a Manchurian classic
By Fiona McLay
You can’t ask for much more in a play than sex, art, hockey and murder. Ground Zero Theatre and FireBelly Theatre team up to bring you ample proportions of all four with the world premier of Neil Fleming’s play John Doe/Jack Rabbit. “I laughed out loud when I first saw the script and I read… Continue reading Theatre Preview: Jack and John went up the hill to rob the Group of Seven
By Kenzie Love
Calgary’s venerable Loose Moose Theatre Company has truly been on the loose more for than they’d like. This will all change Fri., Nov. 11 when the company opens the doors to its new location. Having lacked a permanent home since it left the Garry Theatre early in 2003, Loose Moose will now be staging its… Continue reading Theatre Preview: Loose Moose no longer on the loose
By Fiona McLay
After the success of last year’s play Zastrozzi, 8-0-8 Productions hopes to bring delight back into the lives of Calgary theatregoers with Nigh, their latest production.“8-0-8 Productions makes a conscious effort to create unique productions that feature Canadian writers and appeal to a dedicated community of theatergoers,” Operations Manager and Auteur Mike Rogers explains. For… Continue reading Theatre Preview: The beginning is Nigh
By Kyle Francis
From the man who brought the theatre community such scenes as a prison inmate being dragged through broken glass only to be thrown out a window and abused street children committing crimes comes a play aimed at children! Clem Martini, a playwright often celebrated for darker works such as Control and Illegal Entry takes a… Continue reading Theatre Preview: You say octopi, I say octopuses