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. 

News: COC announces commission of new opera by Rufus Wainwright/Daniel MacIver (press release)

News: Festival Players of Prince Edward County announce 2014 season (press release)

In a Word... Director Trudy Moffatt on Peter Pan

They're Flying!

by Gaëtan L. Charlebois

Trudy Moffat recently choreographed the NBC made for TV movie "Mr Rock ’n’ Roll: The Alan Freed Story". She has over twenty-five years experience in the entertainment industry. At age seven her career began as a child actress and model, she has since never left the business, having performed in television series, specials, on radio and in theatre. For the last twenty years she has directed and choreographed productions all over the world. Some of her theatre credits include: Buddy, the Buddy Holly Story, - the Shubert Theatre on Broadway, Bits and Pieces - the Dominion Theatre, West End, London. The Hobbit, Watership Down, A Step In Time, Home and Away - all UK tours, Three Guys, Run For Your Wife and Jacob Two, Two in Toronto.

CHARPO: I see you co-adapted the Barrie work, but also see that you are going in the direction of a panto. Tell us about that.

MOFFAT: Peter Pan is the most wonderful fairytale adventure to turn into a panto.  Peter Pan has the perfect leading boy to be played by a girl. Hook is a wonderful bad guy to be "boo'ed" and then you even have the good fairy "Tinkerbell". All elements that make up a wonderful pantomime. The adventure and storyline is a bonus!

Video of the Week, December 4, 2013

James and Jamesy seduced Fringe audiences all summer with their 2 For Tea and this week it has landed in Vancouver for a non-Fringe run. We liked it!

After Dark, December 3, 2013

(Un)Happy Anniversary

The disappointment is not only with the usual suspect

by Gaëtan L. Charlebois

@gcharlebois

It was precisely a year ago that The Charlebois Post - Canada published an editorial that so got under the skin of a major producer, Mirvish in Toronto, that we lost ticket priviliges and access to the company's artists.

I've said pretty much all I'm going to say about Mirvish. My peevishness has ebbed to be replaced with a feeling that the world doesn't need to know CharPo's opinions on Mirvish productions. However, there is some peevishness that remains about other aspects of this weird situation and those have actually bothered me more, from the start, than one wiggy Mirvish PR flack with a Napoleon complex.

From Toronto's dailies, to radio, TV and across to the many theatre blogs of the city, we have found absolutely no support from fellow writers for the position we took: defending a writer's right to say what he feels; standing up to a big company - yes - but also one that is trying to bully us into silence or apology; or trying to create a place where it's neither only about reviews nor about fluff or pure promotion of product, but about a theatrical conversation that includes everyone in theatre, including audience. Bottom line, our confrères in theatre journalism decided it was perfectly okay for a company to punish us without saying or writing word one about it. That's sad enough for me.

The Question... Laurel Green, Dramaturg (playRites) on Collapsible

Collapsible playwright Emily Pearlman and dramaturg Laurel Green (left)

The Cheerleader/Drill Sergeant
by Estelle Rosen

Laurel Green is the Artistic Associate at Alberta Theatre Projects (ATP) in Calgary where she works in new play development and literary management for the company. As Production Dramaturg at ATP’s Enbridge playRites Festival of New Canadian Plays, Laurel’s credits include: a two-hander Bollywood musical (Same Same But Different), a new translation (You Will Remember Me), a hip hop musical (Ash Rizin), a Bacchanalian rock 'n roll cabaret (The God That Comes), and a new play by Joan MacLeod (The Valley). As a freelance dramaturg, she’s currently working on: The Distance Between You and I with Humble Wonder Theatre, and Attack of the Pine Beetles! with Evergreen Theatre. Laurel is an active board member for the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas. You can follow her on Twitter @LGYYC 

CHARPO: How would you describe what a dramaturg does, and specifically related to this production?

GREEN: A dramaturg can serve many functions on a production, but a new play dramaturg (like me) works closely with the playwright while they are developing their piece. We read drafts, ask questions, listen closely and offer feedback to help the playwright realize their vision. This isn’t always an easy process so we are cheerleaders, therapists, drill sergeants, editors and drinking buddies, depending on what the project needs.