Review: (Dance / Vancouver) No. 29

White Act (photo: Michael Slobodian) 

From Athletics to Cerebral

by Jay Catterson

The Ballet BC 2014-2015 season launched on Thursday night with No.29, a bold collection of works from choreographers Jacopo Godani, Fernando Hernando Magadan, and Lesley Telford, which commemorates the 29th anniversary of the company as well as the 29th original work since the renewal of the company in 2009. 

Review: (Vancouver / Opera) Stickboy

(photo: Tim Matheson)

Almost
by Jay Catterson, Editor, Dance

Stickboy, the new work being presented by Vancouver Opera is based on spoken word artist Shane Koyczan's novel about a boy who gets bullied by his peers, and the effects of bullying on himself and those around him. Koyczan returns to provide the libretto, with music by Neil Weisensel. 

Now is it really an opera, and were they successful in bringing this story to the stage? This show is more multi-media performance art in the style of opera rather than a true opera, and at times the show brilliantly works, but most of the time it did not. The music by Neil Weisensel was evocatively lush, and his score is performed by a brilliant cast. However, the major problems lie with Koyczan's libretto. The audience is immediately thrust into a scene where Boy (brilliantly performed by tenor Sunny Shams) is being bullied by a bunch of schoolkids in a snowy playground, and similar bullying scenes occur so frequently throughout the first and second acts that we don't really have a chance to empathize with Boy's character. If they excised a few of these scenes to give the story (and the audience) a chance to breathe, perhaps spacing out Boy's journey with a few more moments of joy, we would really feel the impact of those horrific bullying scenes more.

Review: (Vancouver / Dance) Dances for a Small Stage

Falling Short

by Jay Catterson, Editor, Dance

The 31st installment of Dances for a Small Stage at the Ukrainian Hall (famous for its regular Ukrainian pierogi dinner) combines for the first time live music from Toronto's all-female Cecilia String Quartet with this popular Vancouver dance showcase through a collaboration between MovEnt and Music On Main's Modulus Festival. In fact, the true standout of the show was the brilliant Cecilia String Quartet, who flawlessly performed Tchaikovsky's String Quartet No.1 in D Major in Act One, and briefly returned in Act Two to perform a John Oswald piece inspired by Beethoven. But to have the 'Dances' show framed within the confines of the Modulus festival is where this dance show fell short. 

Review: (Vancouver / Dance) Music Creates Opportunity

Here to Stay
by Jay Catterson, Editor, Dance

Bboyizm, the jubilant urban dance ensemble led by Yvon Soglo aka Crazy Smooth, exuded joy and enough swagger to delight the Cultch Vancouver audience this past Tuesday evening with the opening of Music Creates Opportunity. The immensely acrobatic moves by the lithe cast were not only executed with precision, but oftentimes impressively within confined spaces defined via panels of light or between the dancers themselves. Explosive hip-hop movement would finish with control and restraint in bold bboy stances, and later morph into other synchronized movement propelled from one breaker to another. 

Review: (Vancouver / Dance) Quantum

(photo by Gregory Batardon)

Innate Appreciation

by Jay Catterson, Editor, Dance

Born out of an artistic residency at CERN in Geneva, the largest particle physics laboratory in the world, Swiss choreographer Gilles Jobin's QUANTUM utilizes contemporary dance as metaphor for the forces that govern the universe: matter, time, gravity and space. 

Review: (Vancouver) Carmen (Opera)

(photo by Tim Matheson)

Inspired (and Flawed)
by Jay Catterson

After a long and languid summer break, the 2014-2015 Vancouver Opera season opened on Saturday night with the sure-fire opera hit, Georges Bizet's Carmen. This was a great move on the part of Vancouver Opera to reinvigorate interest in the company, and the music is recognizable enough for many opera newcomers to feel a sense of comfort. In fact, it seems like the company has reinvigorated their brand, with a freshly minted logo and show artwork that reflects a fresh, contemporary opera company that is both relevant and relatable.

Review: (Vancouver) Shrek

Catch the Fun
by Jay Catterson

The 2014 season of Theatre Under the Stars went off with a rousing start last Tuesday with the opening of Shrek: The Musical, based on the hit DreamWorks Animation film and storybook by William Steig. This show has changed a bit since its Broadway bow, but even with all the post-Broadway tinkering done to David Lindsay-Abaire's book and lyrics and Jeanine Tesori's music, the clunky parts of the show still remain; however, the majority of the show does work, and it is done justice by the TUTS cast, directed by Sarah Rodgers. 

Review: (Vancouver) Grace-Symmetry

Rachel Meyer, Darren Devaney (photo by Michael Slobodian)

Light/Dark
by Jay Catterson

The exploration of the intersection between music and dance was on glorious display at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre for Ballet BC's Grace-Symmetry, which featured a re-staging of 2011's In Motion'by Wen Wei Wang and two world premieres, Prelude'by Medhi Walerski and Here On End by Kevin O'Day. All of these extremely athletic pieces were complemented by live music performed immaculately by Turning Pointe Ensemble, led by conductor Owen Underhill. 

Wang's In Motion was an impressive and uplifting piece that focused on lines, shapes and form, and showcased Turning Point Ensemble's musical prowess by featuring the orchestra on stage with the dancers. The piece effectively blended the lines between Underhill's music and dance, particularly during a mesmerizing pointe sequence that featured the percussive quality of the dancers' movements, breathing and whispered counting. Another highlight of the piece was an extremely athletic, yet seemingly effortless and touching pas de deux between Gilbert Small and Peter Smida. (It's important to note that Smida apparently fell sick and had to bow out of the other two pieces that evening, leading to a last minute re-staging of both Prelude and Here on End.) 

Review: (Vancouver) The King and I

Not Whistling Dixie!
by Jay Catterson

The Richmond Gateway Theatre Society brings the legendary Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I to life this holiday season. Based on the 1944 Margaret Landon novel Anna and the King of Siam, this show tells of Anna Leonowens' (Barbara Tomasic) unconventional relationship with the King of Siam (Jovanni Sy) while serving as schoolteacher to his many children, and features such iconic songs as "I Whistle a Happy Tune", "Getting To Know You" and "Shall We Dance?". Now does Gateway Theatre do this Rodgers and Hammerstein tuner justice? Well I'm quite ecstatic that I got to know this King and I over a truly joyous two-and-a-half-hour period.

Review: (Vancouver) Albert Herring

(photo by David Cooper)

A Birthday Aptly Celebrated
by Jay Catterson

The Vancouver Opera, in collaboration with Pacific Opera Victoria, presents Benjamin Britten's 1947 operatic parody of English village life, 'Albert Herring'. For those unfamiliar with the plot, the story begins with the May Queen Committee of the town of Loxford, led by the autocratic Lady Billows (Sally Dibblee), desperately seeking out a pious girl (read: virgin) to be Queen of the May. When their search seems rather hopeless, Police Superintendent Budd (Giles Tomkins) suggests that they choose a King of the May instead; in this case, Albert Herring (Lawrence Wiliford), the awkward, sheltered boy who spends most of his time working at his mother's greengrocery. The committee unanimously chooses Herring to be their first ever King of the May, and Lady Billows revels in the chance to use Herring's example to teach the Loxford girls a lesson. Before Herring's coronation ceremony, Alfred's best friend Sid (Aaron Durand), with the help of his girlfriend Nancy (Sylvia Szadovszki), decide to spike Albert's lemonade with rum to help loosen him up a bit. This leads to Herring fleeing the town on a night of debauchery, whilst the whole town deals with the aftermath during the search for his whereabouts. 

Review: (Vancouver) Mary Poppins

Scott Walters and Sara-Jeanne Hosie (photo by David Cooper)

Practically Adequate
by Jay Catterson

Mary Poppins floats onto the Stanley Industrial Alliance stage as Arts Club Vancouver tries to tackle the hit Broadway musical about the whimsical flying nanny. But is Poppins "Practically Perfect" in every way? Not quite. As with many Arts Club productions, this show is predictably passable.

Technical aspect-wise, this show works. The set design by Alison Green was effective, despite the hissing of the hydraulics being noticeable whenever the main house set moved in and out. The high flying wire work was impressive for such a small theatre. Combined with Valerie Easton's thrilling choreography, the production numbers sizzle, in particular the Act Two chimney-sweep number "Step in Time" and its proscenium-strolling tap dance act. And the costumes by Sheila White were ravishingly gorgeous. However, the Stanley is in need of a better sound system, for the orchestra sounded hollow and tinny at times. Heck, if you are going to pump in the orchestra from a room in the back of the theatre, you need to give the music some oomph to evoke the feeling of live orchestration!

Review: (Vancouver) Theatre Under the Stars - How to Succeed...; Legally Blonde

How To Succeed... (photo by Tim Matheson)

O...M...G...
How to Succeed succeeds, but Blonde has more fun!
by Jay Catterson

Another season of Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) has arrived in Vancouver, and in fine form, I might add. As is mostly the case, TUTS mounts two productions each season, alternating on different nights; this year, the Malkin Bowl stage in Stanley park hosts both the 1961 corporate musical satire How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, and the book-turned-hit movie-turned hit Broadway show Legally Blonde: The Musical.

How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, directed by Sarah Rodgers, was a good production overall, but was far from perfect. Rodgers' direction was tight and Shelley Stewart Hunt's choreography was peppy, plus the delightfully colourful costume design by Chris Sinosich truly captured the fashion trends of 60's corporate culture. The leads, for the most part, were strong, and handled the classic score by Frank Loesser and the comical book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert well. Andrew Cownden had a unique charm and a distinct crooner's warble to carry off the career-driven hero, Finch (although at times he did struggle with some of the loftier notes of his numbers). Georgia Swinton was equally as charming and vocally stellar as Finch's love interest, Rosemary. Other notable standouts include Cailin Stadnyk as the hilariously ditsy bombshell Hedy, Joel Wirkkunen as company president Biggley and Caitlin Clugston as the sarcastically hilarious secretary, Smitty. 

Review: (Vancouver) Tea: A Mirror of Soul

Nancy Allen (photo: Tim Matheson)

Good Intentions...
by Jay Catterson

An operatic barrage of references to a certain hot beverage amidst the sounds of water, paper and stone made its Canadian debut at Vancouver Opera's production of "Tea: A Mirror of Soul". Composed by Tan Dun, the Oscar award-winning composer of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", the story centres around Seikyo, a Japanese prince-turned monk who laments the loss of love due to his quest for the mythical Book of Tea. As exotic as this tale of East meets West may sound, this production was too tepid and languid a cup for most operagoers' tastes, including mine.  

The production has to be commended for trying to push the boundaries of contemporary opera in a visually and aurally stimulating way. Overall, the score is intricately complex and effective; Dun's use of natural sounds -involving an impressive trio of onstage percussionists utilizing large clear water basins, big sheets of paper and stone bowls- and overtone singing and chanting from the chorus and orchestra (enunciating hard consonant sounds like 'k' and 't' in a perfectly calculated manner) create a haunting, ethereal soundscape. The dynamically gorgeous set design by Rumi Matsui and ravishing costumes by Masatomo Ota truly make this production a sumptuous sight. And even the principals dazzle, with Roger Honeywell's bright, intense tenor stealing the spotlight as the Prince. 

Review: (Vancouver) Oklahoma!

Sayer Roberts and Quinn Cartwright (photo credit: Emily Cooper)

Aye-yip-aye-yo-ee-ay!
by Jay Catterson

Yee haw! Oklahoma!, the first ever show penned by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II that serves as the template for the "book musical", triumphantly two-steps onto the stage of the Massey Theatre. And boy, I tell ya, does this production shine! 

Valerie Easton lovingly directs and choreographs the Royal City Musical Theatre production of this quintessential show, and her genuine passion for the source material shows. The dance numbers dazzle, with complex choreography that is surprisingly executed by this impressive cast on the small Massey stage, and the music direction by James Bryson is tight, boasting a 20-piece orchestra that executes the delightfully memorable score with gusto. 

Review: (Vancouver) Billy Elliot

The Dancing Lad
by Jay Catterson
@ScienceOfSmut

At long last, Billy Elliot: The Musical triumphantly arrives in Vancouver nearly five years after opening on Broadway. Based on the hit film of the same name, the endearing story of a Northern England coalminer's son who gives up boxing for  ballet was adapted for the stage by the film's original creative team: director Stephen Daldry and writer Lee Hall (book and lyrics). Featuring music by Elton John, Billy Elliot The Musical has since gone on to win four Olivier Awards and 10 Tony Awards including Best Musical, and has spawned several hit productions around the globe. 

Due to the rigorous physical demands of the show, the North American touring cast features four child actors who alternate the role of Billy Elliot; Drew Minard took on the titular role at the performance I attended, and his genuine sense of boyish vulnerability coupled with his tremendous dancing ability was a sight to behold. Minard's Act Two Swan Lake pas de deux with Billy's older self (performed by Maximilien A. Baud) was both beautifully touching and breathtaking, to which he follows up with a knock-out rendition of "Electricity", a paean to Billy's passion for dance. It was undeniable that we were in the presence of true stage talent (and at such a young age, too!). 

Review: (Vancouver) The Magic Flute

Teiya Kasahara (photo credit: Tim Matheson)

Amaze-Deus

A celebrated Magic Flute comes back to Vancouver

by Jay Catterson
(this article has been corrected)

The acclaimed West Coast-inspired production of Mozart's The Magic Flute by the Vancouver Opera has returned to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, this time with new staging and visual enhancements not originally seen in its first incarnation back in 2007. The production, directed by James W. Wright Robert McQueen, felt exciting, fresh and current, firmly planting one foot in tradition and the other in the 21st century. 

Traditional opera purists might feel otherwise, with the original German libretto being swapped out for an English one with traces of Musqueam language strewn throughout, but this production works overall. Added to this production is the use of dazzling high definition projections, combined with curtains and simple set design (mainly consisting of an overhead causeway and a rocky outcrop that was moved about by stagehands), to effectively transport the viewer to the ethereal forest world of the Coast Salish. At times I felt that Sean Nieuwenhuis' projection design was a tad jarring, but for the most part it was highly effective, almost cinema-like, in combination with Kevin McAllister's scenic design.

Review: (Vancouver) Haunted

Keey Dandomirsky, Patrick Sanbongui (photo credit: David Cooper)

The Haunting Past
by Jay Catterson

Coping with loss and grief is what is explored in the new play Haunted by Daniel Karasik, winner of the 2011 Canadian Jewish Playwriting Competition. This is the premiere production of this work, produced by Touchstone Theatre in association with the Vancouver Chutzpah! Festival.

The story centres around Abby Shiner (played by Kerry Sandomirsky), a relatively non-religious English literature professor whose husband had suddenly died of a heart attack. To cope, she attends synagogue where she meets David Green (Patrick Sabongui), a young handsome rabbi whose physical exuberance Abby finds attractive. As Abby and David explore their unusual relationship, Abby's headstrong daughter Sarah (Carmel Amit) coping with the loss of her father, reveals to her logic-driven girlfriend Raina Maclaine (Kayla Deorksen) that the reason she had revisited her passion for painting after a yearlong hiatus is because her deceased father visits her at night.

Review: (Vancouver) Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris

Brel's Valentine
by Jay Catterson
@ScienceOfSmut

In 1968, the musical revue Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris was first mounted Off-Broadway and ran for more than four years. Now Point B Theatre, in association with Presentation House Theatre in North Vancouver, have remounted this show for a new audience. 

Review: (Vancouver, touring BC) The 39 Steps

Shawn Macdonald, Diana Coatsworth, David Marr (photo by David Cooper)

Without a Hitch
by Jay Catterson

The hugely successful "Hitchcock meets Hilarious" stage romp The 39 Steps gets the Arts Club Vancouver treatment for the second time; this time the show hits the road for a small tour around British Columbia's Lower Mainland. 

The stage show is lovingly adapted from the iconic Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name by Patrick Barlow, which is based on the novel by John Buchan. The charm of this show is that it is entirely performed by four actors, and the creative use of lighting, props, and set pieces to illustrate the various quick scene changes, and the many role changes that these actors have to embody, is a delight in itself.

Review: (Vancouver) Spring Awakening

Siona Gareau-Brennan, Masae Day, Erica Hoeksema (photo credit: David Cooper)

Awakening the actor's spirit

Problems arise from casting and choreography

by Jay Catterson

Exploring teen angst and budding sexuality within the ultra-conservative confines of 19th century Germany was the basis of Frank Wedekind's controversial play, Spring Awakening, which tackled topics such as homosexuality, teen suicide, pregnancy, abortion, rape, and abuse like no episode of Degrassi could ever do. And this was back in 1891! Now fast forward to 2006, where Steven Sater joined forces with 90s alt-rocker Duncan Sheik to blend the original Wedekind source material with a thrilling rock score. The result? A massive Broadway hit, scoring a slew of awards, among them eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, a Grammy for Best Cast Album, and a legion of teen fans.