Some ear snacks.
You used to have to pay to listen to Garrison Keillor’s “News From Lake Wobegon” monologues, but lately they’re posted free at iTunes as a subscribable weekly podcast. I love the easter one.
And there’s more free stuff from Anoka’s Golden Boy at Writers Almanac (thanks Spencer), a bite-sized daily helping of poetry, birthday nods to authors and bio bits: I’ve posted a nibble from one of them at the Oblations blog, a beguiling little piece of poesy about the movies by Billy Collins. Also free and subscribeable at the iTunes store.
But the best thing on radio may be "This American Life," which even a Canadian can enjoy. If you don't believe me, check it out for yourself: you can stream the shows for free, or download them for 95 cents an episode at the TAL official website My favourites would include;
"Blame It On Art" (#73)
"Who's Canadian?" (#65)
"Music Lessons" (#104)
"Act V" (#218)
None of those particular episodes are particularly Soul Foodish (except in the most general sense), but there are some fascinating pieces about Christians, toward which the often hip-ironic show seems to maintain a sort of respectful affection. I just don't have any of those episode numbers handy at the moment...
And the new bit is that each new episode is now available for one week only as a free, subscribeable podcast through iTunes.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
June 29: Miriam Jones at the Wired Monk
Visiting at a friend's a couple months back, I was very taken with a cd he played for me, so he sold it to me on the spot and bought himself a replacement copy. Miriam Brown, "Being Here." Favorite tracks are "Always Been Between" and "I Am One." Recorded in Nashville, Charlie Peacock producing. You can hear a few of the tunes at her website. She's somehow part of the Regent community, though I don't believe she's a full time student there.
My pal just sent me this email: "CBC Radio played one of Miriam Jones' songs yesterday afternoon and informed the listeners that she would be performing at the Wired Monk Friday evening. That's 2610 W. 4th Avenue."
Thanks for the tip!
My pal just sent me this email: "CBC Radio played one of Miriam Jones' songs yesterday afternoon and informed the listeners that she would be performing at the Wired Monk Friday evening. That's 2610 W. 4th Avenue."
Thanks for the tip!
Monday, June 25, 2007
July 19: Regent Filmmakers Show Their Shorts!
Thursday July 19, 2007 - 8-9:30pm
Regent College Mini-shorts Film Festival
Regent College Chapel
An evening viewing three original short films with responses by the filmmakers and film industry experts.
MOTEL DEPOT
Directed by Murray Stiller (currently pursuing an MCS in documentary film)
Starring Craig Erickson
On the road, away from his family, a Bible salesman prays for a sale to save his job.
Drama/Comedy
A WELL WATERED GARDEN
Produced and Directed by Elisa and Matthew Leahy (currently pursuing an MCS in documentary film)
In Vancouver's poorest neighborhood, a small group of gardeners choose to bring life to a desolate urban landscape by reclaiming an abandoned lot.
Documentary
THE HITCHHIKER
Directed byJason Goode (former Regent College student)
Produced by John Sullivan and Jason Goode; Based on the play by Kathleen Parsons
Starring Aleks Paunovic and Gina Chiarelli
A beleaguered hitchhiker discovers that getting a ride from the woman who just pulled over may require more than he'd bargained for.
Comedy
PANELISTS
Byron Lamarque (ONCE UPON A TIME ON THE BEACH Best Direction Short Drama LEO Award, HIDE Toronto International Film Festival)
Dave Rempel (THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, MISS POTTER)
Deb Sears (SUPER-ANON shorts film festival winner)
Regent College Mini-shorts Film Festival
Regent College Chapel
An evening viewing three original short films with responses by the filmmakers and film industry experts.
MOTEL DEPOT
Directed by Murray Stiller (currently pursuing an MCS in documentary film)
Starring Craig Erickson
On the road, away from his family, a Bible salesman prays for a sale to save his job.
Drama/Comedy
A WELL WATERED GARDEN
Produced and Directed by Elisa and Matthew Leahy (currently pursuing an MCS in documentary film)
In Vancouver's poorest neighborhood, a small group of gardeners choose to bring life to a desolate urban landscape by reclaiming an abandoned lot.
Documentary
THE HITCHHIKER
Directed byJason Goode (former Regent College student)
Produced by John Sullivan and Jason Goode; Based on the play by Kathleen Parsons
Starring Aleks Paunovic and Gina Chiarelli
A beleaguered hitchhiker discovers that getting a ride from the woman who just pulled over may require more than he'd bargained for.
Comedy
PANELISTS
Byron Lamarque (ONCE UPON A TIME ON THE BEACH Best Direction Short Drama LEO Award, HIDE Toronto International Film Festival)
Dave Rempel (THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, MISS POTTER)
Deb Sears (SUPER-ANON shorts film festival winner)
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
June 22: Panic Squad on North Shore
Well it rarely occurs so I thought it best to let you know that The Panic Squad has a public performance in the Lower Mainland this Friday. It’s been a busy spring with lots of travel and so it will be nice to perform for familiar BC faces. Here are the details:
Friday June 22, 7:30 at West Vancouver Baptist Church. Tickets are $10 or $25 for a family of 4 and are available at the Sign of the Fish bookstore here in North Vancouver or at the door. All the proceeds from the event are going to help send kids to summer camp who might not otherwise be able to afford it.
Should be a fun night. Hope you can join us.
Scott.
scott campbell
the panic squad improv comedy
www.panicsquad.com
Friday June 22, 7:30 at West Vancouver Baptist Church. Tickets are $10 or $25 for a family of 4 and are available at the Sign of the Fish bookstore here in North Vancouver or at the door. All the proceeds from the event are going to help send kids to summer camp who might not otherwise be able to afford it.
Should be a fun night. Hope you can join us.
Scott.
scott campbell
the panic squad improv comedy
www.panicsquad.com
Thursday, June 14, 2007
June 16: 24-Hour Theatre Festival, Pacific Theatre
Hello all!
We would love to invite you to attend Pacific Theatre's 24hr Theatre
Festival, featuring some of PT's favourite emerging artists! There are five
10 minute plays that are being written, directed, and produced in a period
of 24hrs, to be showcased at 8pm on Saturday, June 16th. Tickets can be
purchased through our box office (604 731 5518) for $10 in advance, or
pay-what-you-can at the door. Please remember that this is only a one night
event with A LOT of participants, so if you would very much like to
guarantee a seat, it would be advisable to pay the $10 and book a ticket in
advance. Thank you!
Kirsty Provan
Apprentice
____________________
Box Office | Pacific Theatre
Pacific Theatre | pacifictheatre.org
1440 West 12th Ave Vancouver, BC V6H 1M8
Charitable Registration: 11891-8556 RR0001
Phone: 604.731.5483 | Fax: 604.733.3880 | Box Office: 604.731.5518
June 16: 24-Hour Theatre, Pacific Theatre
Hello all!
We would love to invite you to attend Pacific Theatre's 24hr Theatre
Festival, featuring some of PT's favourite emerging artists! There are five
10 minute plays that are being written, directed, and produced in a period
of 24hrs, to be showcased at 8pm on Saturday, June 16th. Tickets can be
purchased through our box office (604 731 5518) for $10 in advance, or
pay-what-you-can at the door. Please remember that this is only a one night
event with A LOT of participants, so if you would very much like to
guarantee a seat, it would be advisable to pay the $10 and book a ticket in
advance. Thank you!
Kirsty Provan
Apprentice
____________________
Box Office | Pacific Theatre
Pacific Theatre | pacifictheatre.org
1440 West 12th Ave Vancouver, BC V6H 1M8
Charitable Registration: 11891-8556 RR0001
Phone: 604.731.5483 | Fax: 604.733.3880 | Box Office: 604.731.5518
Saturday, June 09, 2007
June 10: Concert & Benefit for Rwanda
A note from Kathleen Nisbet about a swell concert she'll be playing, for a good cause.
hey folks!
This is a fundraiser I'm playing at for my friend's Mona and Ezra who do great work in Rwanda. They're back in Canada, just had a new baby boy and are heading back to Africa soon. Ezra is a wonderful songwriter and musician, he'll be joined by a few of us Canadians for a great evening of music. Please come out and support!
Kathleen
Kathleen also plays with Viper Central, a bluegrass outfit that'll be part of "Whiskey Hollow Bound" at St James Hall, June 17. Details about the gig at the Rogue Folk Club site. And while you're surfing, check out Kathleen's site.
This is a fundraiser I'm playing at for my friend's Mona and Ezra who do great work in Rwanda. They're back in Canada, just had a new baby boy and are heading back to Africa soon. Ezra is a wonderful songwriter and musician, he'll be joined by a few of us Canadians for a great evening of music. Please come out and support!
Kathleen
Kathleen also plays with Viper Central, a bluegrass outfit that'll be part of "Whiskey Hollow Bound" at St James Hall, June 17. Details about the gig at the Rogue Folk Club site. And while you're surfing, check out Kathleen's site.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Help us find venues for "Fools Tongue" (Luke Ertman)
Hey soulfoodies,
You probably know that Morris Ertman has been my creative partner at Pacific Theatre since the very earliest days, directing so many of Pacific Theatre's most memorable shows. His son Luke is a gifted musician, doing a BMus at U of Alberta. He did the sound design for HUNGRY SEASON and THE QUARREL, and will be lined up to do the same on either THIS WONDERFUL LIFE or THE WOODSMAN next season.
And he has a band. "Fools Tongue." He plays the stick (Bruce Cockburn fans will need no explanation: for others of you, it's sort of a bass with a bunch of extra strings so you can do a whole lot of other stuff, percussive and melodic and all that), the other guy plays guitar. I've heard their demos, am very eager to hear them live.
They're booked for July 19 at The Nelson Cafe in Vancouver. So, all you musoids out there, where else can they play? Can any of you put Luke in touch with folks at, I don't know, The Railway Club, that Arts Club venue, places on Commercial Drive, whatever?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
Ron
*
Here's the note Luke sent me, with links...
Ron,
Not quite sure if you?re able to help with this but it doesn't hurt to ask. My band Fools Tongue is playing a show on July 19 in Vancouver at The Nelson Café. We are currently trying to set up some last minute shows around that date to make the trip out there more worthwhile (and cost effective). I'm e-mailing you in hopes that you may be able to lend a hand and put me in contact with venues, people etc - anything really. I know that this may not be possible but it doesn't hurt to ask. If you need more information or just want to see and hear what is happening with us you can check out our new website.
Thanks so much,
Luke Ertman
Fools Tongue
www.foolstongue.ca
info@foolstongue.ca
You probably know that Morris Ertman has been my creative partner at Pacific Theatre since the very earliest days, directing so many of Pacific Theatre's most memorable shows. His son Luke is a gifted musician, doing a BMus at U of Alberta. He did the sound design for HUNGRY SEASON and THE QUARREL, and will be lined up to do the same on either THIS WONDERFUL LIFE or THE WOODSMAN next season.
And he has a band. "Fools Tongue." He plays the stick (Bruce Cockburn fans will need no explanation: for others of you, it's sort of a bass with a bunch of extra strings so you can do a whole lot of other stuff, percussive and melodic and all that), the other guy plays guitar. I've heard their demos, am very eager to hear them live.
They're booked for July 19 at The Nelson Cafe in Vancouver. So, all you musoids out there, where else can they play? Can any of you put Luke in touch with folks at, I don't know, The Railway Club, that Arts Club venue, places on Commercial Drive, whatever?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
Ron
*
Here's the note Luke sent me, with links...
Not quite sure if you?re able to help with this but it doesn't hurt to ask. My band Fools Tongue is playing a show on July 19 in Vancouver at The Nelson Café. We are currently trying to set up some last minute shows around that date to make the trip out there more worthwhile (and cost effective). I'm e-mailing you in hopes that you may be able to lend a hand and put me in contact with venues, people etc - anything really. I know that this may not be possible but it doesn't hurt to ask. If you need more information or just want to see and hear what is happening with us you can check out our new website.
Thanks so much,
Luke Ertman
Fools Tongue
www.foolstongue.ca
info@foolstongue.ca
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Fieldwork, a novel by Mischa Berlinski
Spencer Capier recommended this one to me and, obedient servant (to Mr Capier) that I am, I bought it quick and read it. He was right.
Here's what Tim Rutten of the Los Angeles Times had to say;
Here's what Tim Rutten of the Los Angeles Times had to say;
February 7, 2007
MISCHA Berlinski's first book, "Fieldwork," is that rare thing — an entertainingly readable novel of ideas.
Berlinski's narrative is brilliantly plotted and builds to a shattering but entirely credible conclusion. There's a particular authenticity attached to the settings and to the lives of the Dyalo, though they are a fictional people. [W]hat sets Berlinski's book apart from others like it is its utterly contemporary evocation of a compelling old dichotomy: faith and reason. Martiya, the anthropologist, speaks for that latter tradition, the missionary Walker family for the former. Both make their cases in an entirely American idiom, and it is the great strength of Berlinski's novel that he lets them do so on an intellectually level playing field on which two competing ways of understanding the world and its people contend. Berlinski, however, is too interested in both viewpoints to caricature either, and the result is a genuinely unsentimental empathy that gives his narrative its real propulsive force.
"Fieldwork" is a notable piece of first fiction — at once deeply serious about questions of consequence and refreshingly mindful of traditional storytelling conventions.
Monday, June 04, 2007
Jun 29 to Jul 1: Two night poetry retreat on Bowen Island
Richard Osler sends this. If you think you might be interested, please contact him right away as he needs to determine if there might be enough potential participants to carpe this particular diem.
“Poetry, for me, is a way to converse with my experience of raw, complex reality in the midst of all the rationalizations I use to try to understand it. It is really a response to a call, and a calling out. It is a way of making noise to keep the bears away, of speaking to the deep spirit of cow dung and snotty babies, of arguing with her, singing in the dark, trying to out-shout the yapping, yowling all night-dogs outside my hotel window, calling the light, demanding her ministrations, until finally she comes and I awake, exhausted, nervous, and full of hope, for another day.” David Waltner-Toews.
No longer shy, feet crossed in nervousness, finger nails chewed to the quick, Summer
has arrived, full-bodied, hips swinging as she walks, struts across the long-grassed lawn.
Do I stay here inside peering out or (was that a wink) join her on that promising lawn.
I think I will join Summer out on that lawn! but before I do I wanted to throw out an idea for a different way of welcoming Summer this year.
There is a good chance that Rivendell Retreat Centre (www.rivendellretreat.org) here on Bowen might have enough rooms available for Friday and Saturday night of the July long weekend to make possible a poetry reading and writing retreat. Not just any old retreat but one that could be a feast of community, words and contemplative reflection. Rivendell sits on the top of Cates Hill on Bowen affording a panoramic view of Bowen, Howe Sound and the North Shore Mountains.
Here’s the opportunity. The group that was looking to take up the 12 or so first-class rooms is having a struggle filling them. I have agreed to be the back up if that group cancels. There is a strong liklihood they will.
If I can gather up to 10 of us I think we would have a great chance of grabbing this incredible facility and enjoying a time of great fellowship and poetic exploration.
Weekend Structure. We would start with dinner on Friday and a one and a half hour session on Friday night. Using the words of some of the outstanding poets of the past century as a way to trigger our own thoughts and words we would begin to write.
We would continue this journey through a morning and evening session on Saturday and a final time together on Sunday morning. Retreatants could be on the 12:35 ferry off Bowen. We would prepare our meals together and have lots of down time for writing, walking and great conversations.
Retreat facilitator. That would be me, Richard Osler. I am a poet and semi-retired businessman living and working here on Bowen. I hosted and facilitated a successful weekend retreat at Rivendell among 16 participants this past January. Using poetry as the prod for an exhilarating plunge unto our own words the retreat fished out memorable words, lines and poems for all of to feast on. So much so I would love to do it again! Since that retreat I have led a number of morning workshops at a recovery centre on Bowen, again using poems as way to open others to the great wonder of discovering a conversation with the selves of the self they may have never known was possible.
Cost. As cheap as possible. The cost of the rooms at Rivendell is by way of donation with a suggested range of $20 to $50 per night. Since we will be preparing our own food it should be no more then $100 per person. For those who live close by or on Bowen we will ask one or two people per meal to bring and prepare a meal. Including facilitation and organization fee, food and accommodation the cost should not exceed $250 per person and could be as low as $190 per person. The idea is to make it as low as possible! The return ferry cost to Bowen (car and driver) is $22.40. Foot passenger : $7.10.
Who should come? Anyone who has a pen! Whether you are an accomplished poet or accomplished in the art of living this time will be for you: safe, yet as challenging as you choose, invigorating and life giving.
Who to Contact: Email or phone Richard Osler (osler@shaw.ca) or 604 947 2247.
Response Time. ASAP! Since I only heard about this opportunity on Friday! I would like to get a fast sense as to whether or not there is enough interest at this late date to try and make a go of this!
“Most people…think that writing means writing down ideas, insights, visions. They feel that they must first have something to say before they can put it on paper. For them writing is little more than recording a pre-existent thought. But with this approach true writing is impossible. Writing is a process in which we discover what lives in us. The writing itself reveals what is alive…The deepest satisfaction of writing is precisely that it opens up new spaces within us of which we were not aware before we started to write. To write is to embark on a journey whose final destination we do not know. Thus, writing requires a real act of trust. We have to say to ourselves, ‘I do not yet know what I carry in my heart, but I trust that it will emerge as I write.’ Writing is like giving away the few loaves and fishes one has, trusting that they will multiply in the giving. Once we dare “to give” away on paper the few thoughts that come to us, we start discovering how much is hidden underneath…and gradually come in touch with our own riches.” Henri Noewen
No longer shy, feet crossed in nervousness, finger nails chewed to the quick, Summer
has arrived, full-bodied, hips swinging as she walks, struts across the long-grassed lawn.
Do I stay here inside peering out or (was that a wink) join her on that promising lawn.
I think I will join Summer out on that lawn! but before I do I wanted to throw out an idea for a different way of welcoming Summer this year.
There is a good chance that Rivendell Retreat Centre (www.rivendellretreat.org) here on Bowen might have enough rooms available for Friday and Saturday night of the July long weekend to make possible a poetry reading and writing retreat. Not just any old retreat but one that could be a feast of community, words and contemplative reflection. Rivendell sits on the top of Cates Hill on Bowen affording a panoramic view of Bowen, Howe Sound and the North Shore Mountains.
Here’s the opportunity. The group that was looking to take up the 12 or so first-class rooms is having a struggle filling them. I have agreed to be the back up if that group cancels. There is a strong liklihood they will.
If I can gather up to 10 of us I think we would have a great chance of grabbing this incredible facility and enjoying a time of great fellowship and poetic exploration.
Weekend Structure. We would start with dinner on Friday and a one and a half hour session on Friday night. Using the words of some of the outstanding poets of the past century as a way to trigger our own thoughts and words we would begin to write.
We would continue this journey through a morning and evening session on Saturday and a final time together on Sunday morning. Retreatants could be on the 12:35 ferry off Bowen. We would prepare our meals together and have lots of down time for writing, walking and great conversations.
Retreat facilitator. That would be me, Richard Osler. I am a poet and semi-retired businessman living and working here on Bowen. I hosted and facilitated a successful weekend retreat at Rivendell among 16 participants this past January. Using poetry as the prod for an exhilarating plunge unto our own words the retreat fished out memorable words, lines and poems for all of to feast on. So much so I would love to do it again! Since that retreat I have led a number of morning workshops at a recovery centre on Bowen, again using poems as way to open others to the great wonder of discovering a conversation with the selves of the self they may have never known was possible.
Cost. As cheap as possible. The cost of the rooms at Rivendell is by way of donation with a suggested range of $20 to $50 per night. Since we will be preparing our own food it should be no more then $100 per person. For those who live close by or on Bowen we will ask one or two people per meal to bring and prepare a meal. Including facilitation and organization fee, food and accommodation the cost should not exceed $250 per person and could be as low as $190 per person. The idea is to make it as low as possible! The return ferry cost to Bowen (car and driver) is $22.40. Foot passenger : $7.10.
Who should come? Anyone who has a pen! Whether you are an accomplished poet or accomplished in the art of living this time will be for you: safe, yet as challenging as you choose, invigorating and life giving.
Who to Contact: Email or phone Richard Osler (osler@shaw.ca) or 604 947 2247.
Response Time. ASAP! Since I only heard about this opportunity on Friday! I would like to get a fast sense as to whether or not there is enough interest at this late date to try and make a go of this!
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Jun 30, Jazz Festival: Jim Byrnes & The Sojourners / Blind Boys Of Alabama
Jim Byrnes & The Sojourners / Blind Boys of Alabama
June 30, 7:30
The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts, 777 Homer Street
Ticket information
Jim Byrnes 'House of Refuge'
A local legend in both music and television, blues guitarist/vocalist Jim Byrnes is one of Vancouver’s most respected and beloved entertainers. With the release of Fresh Horses (Black Hen Music) in 2004, a fantastic collaboration between Jim and well-known “strang-sters” Steve Dawson and Jesse Zubot was born. A refreshing project, the ensemble mixed tunes by Neil Young and Bob Dylan with some country blues and original instrumentals. With the recent release of his CD House of Refuge (Black Hen), Jim has come up with arguably the most inspired and soulful project of his career. This is gospel-tinged music filled with deep reverence and passionate expression. Whether it’s the gorgeous Of Whom Shall I Be Afraid (a nod to the 27th Psalm) or the ghostly conjuring of Robert Johnson’s Last Fair Deal Gone Down, Byrnes takes us on a stirring musical journey. With Keith Lowe bass, Elliot Polsky drums, Marcus Mosely, Will Sanders, Ron Small vocals. A double bill with the Blind Boys of Alabama.
The Blind Boys of Alabama
“Call it catharsis, call it testifying…but by whatever name you wish to call it…[it’s] one big, barn-burning, roof-raising, heaven-rocking, jubilation-generating show.”—Chicago Tribune
The Blind Boys of Alabama have spread the spirit and energy of gospel music for over 60 years. These living legends predate Elvis, Little Richard, and Al Green, yet even in their 70s they’re still at the top of the gospel charts and have won four consecutive Grammy Awards (2001–2004). In recent years, the Blind Boys have proven themselves masters of bringing out the most spiritual aspects of mainstream music, while at the same time bringing the music of the church straight to the roadhouse. They’ve recorded moving renditions of songs by everyone from Tom Waits to Prince side by side with their traditional material, and they’ve appeared as guests on record and stage with an equally diverse array of artists, from Peter Gabriel to Ben Harper. Led by founding members Ben Moore and Billy Bowers, this nine-piece vocal powerhouse is set to shiver your timbers and sear your soul with the gospel truth. Amen!
June 30, 7:30
The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts, 777 Homer Street
Ticket information
Jim Byrnes 'House of Refuge'
A local legend in both music and television, blues guitarist/vocalist Jim Byrnes is one of Vancouver’s most respected and beloved entertainers. With the release of Fresh Horses (Black Hen Music) in 2004, a fantastic collaboration between Jim and well-known “strang-sters” Steve Dawson and Jesse Zubot was born. A refreshing project, the ensemble mixed tunes by Neil Young and Bob Dylan with some country blues and original instrumentals. With the recent release of his CD House of Refuge (Black Hen), Jim has come up with arguably the most inspired and soulful project of his career. This is gospel-tinged music filled with deep reverence and passionate expression. Whether it’s the gorgeous Of Whom Shall I Be Afraid (a nod to the 27th Psalm) or the ghostly conjuring of Robert Johnson’s Last Fair Deal Gone Down, Byrnes takes us on a stirring musical journey. With Keith Lowe bass, Elliot Polsky drums, Marcus Mosely, Will Sanders, Ron Small vocals. A double bill with the Blind Boys of Alabama.
The Blind Boys of Alabama
“Call it catharsis, call it testifying…but by whatever name you wish to call it…[it’s] one big, barn-burning, roof-raising, heaven-rocking, jubilation-generating show.”—Chicago Tribune
The Blind Boys of Alabama have spread the spirit and energy of gospel music for over 60 years. These living legends predate Elvis, Little Richard, and Al Green, yet even in their 70s they’re still at the top of the gospel charts and have won four consecutive Grammy Awards (2001–2004). In recent years, the Blind Boys have proven themselves masters of bringing out the most spiritual aspects of mainstream music, while at the same time bringing the music of the church straight to the roadhouse. They’ve recorded moving renditions of songs by everyone from Tom Waits to Prince side by side with their traditional material, and they’ve appeared as guests on record and stage with an equally diverse array of artists, from Peter Gabriel to Ben Harper. Led by founding members Ben Moore and Billy Bowers, this nine-piece vocal powerhouse is set to shiver your timbers and sear your soul with the gospel truth. Amen!
Saturday, June 02, 2007
REMNANTS: Bits and pieces
Hey Ron!
Just in from seeing Remnants this evening with a very dear friend. Wow. Fabulous production. Fascinating layering of stories, brilliantly woven together. Interesting cross gender play - or ignorance of gender! And loved having a woman of colour play King. Brilliant. One of my all time favourite PT productions. Well....there are so many favourites!
Kudos.
Laurie
*
Just thought I should tell you how impressed I am with Remnants. The production really comes together with strong acting, beautiful lighting and a killer script. I frequently found myself in that ideal theatregoing position of thinking "Wow, OK what happens next?" And even with all the cross-gender casting, everyone seemed very well suited to their roles.
Very powerful, affecting stuff.
Kudos,
Adam Bergquist
Just in from seeing Remnants this evening with a very dear friend. Wow. Fabulous production. Fascinating layering of stories, brilliantly woven together. Interesting cross gender play - or ignorance of gender! And loved having a woman of colour play King. Brilliant. One of my all time favourite PT productions. Well....there are so many favourites!
Kudos.
Laurie
*
Just thought I should tell you how impressed I am with Remnants. The production really comes together with strong acting, beautiful lighting and a killer script. I frequently found myself in that ideal theatregoing position of thinking "Wow, OK what happens next?" And even with all the cross-gender casting, everyone seemed very well suited to their roles.
Very powerful, affecting stuff.
Kudos,
Adam Bergquist
Thursday, May 31, 2007
May 31 Soul Food: REMNANTS, IDIOTS, Hart and Soul Food Movies
REMNANTS (A FABLE) at Pacific Theatre
Must close June 9
The problem with putting your heart and soul into creating a piece of theatre is that there may not be enough of either left over to also get around to letting people know about the darn thing! As you may have noticed, Soul Food has been quiet lately while the head chef was off in pre-Holocaust Poland and Depression-era Canada, deep in rehearsals for REMNANTS (A FABLE) which runs this week and next at Pacific Theatre. Very proud of this epic story that brilliantly interweaves the biblical tale of Joseph and his brothers with Canada's little-known history of anti-Semitism in what is ultimately the journey of a human soul toward hard-won reconciliation.
I've posted further details (and excerpts from a glowing Vancouver Sun review) at the Soul Food Vancouver blog, and over at the Pacific Theatre blog you'll find a Langley Times profile of a couple of our Emerging Artists. I'll likely add more bits and pieces over the next week or so.
(Oh, and did you know? Pacific Theatre led the Small Theatre category in 2007 with eight Jessie Richardson Award nominations, including a heap for GRACE.)
VILLAGE OF IDIOTS at Gallery 7
Jun 1-16
I always think of Abbotsford's Gallery 7 Theatre as something of a community theatre counterpart to Pacific Theatre. This weekend they open a show that's sort of a comic counterpart to PT's production of REMNANTS (minus the Joseph part): both works are by acclaimed Canadian playwrights, and deal with the persecution of Jews in eastern Europe in the early part of the 20th century. (But REMNANTS closes a week earlier, so you know which one you need to see first....) Details here.
MICHAEL HART CONCERTS
Jun 9: Nanaimo
Jul 19: Regent College (with Spencer Capier)
Upcoming opportunities to hear Michael, as well as a free downloadable instrumental mp3: details here.
SOUL FOOD MOVIES
Pacific Cinematheque brings us three certified Soul Food Movie masterpieces as part of their retrospective on arthouse distributor Janus Films: SEVENTH SEAL, DAY OF WRATH and WILD STRAWBERRIES are neatly clustered from June 15-18, details here. There's not a lot on regular screens right now with a distintly spiritual flavour, but I've got some tips at the Soul Food Movies blog about a handful of other films that are worth seeing, in amongst the requisite summer blockbusters and sequels of sequels.
Must close June 9
The problem with putting your heart and soul into creating a piece of theatre is that there may not be enough of either left over to also get around to letting people know about the darn thing! As you may have noticed, Soul Food has been quiet lately while the head chef was off in pre-Holocaust Poland and Depression-era Canada, deep in rehearsals for REMNANTS (A FABLE) which runs this week and next at Pacific Theatre. Very proud of this epic story that brilliantly interweaves the biblical tale of Joseph and his brothers with Canada's little-known history of anti-Semitism in what is ultimately the journey of a human soul toward hard-won reconciliation.
I've posted further details (and excerpts from a glowing Vancouver Sun review) at the Soul Food Vancouver blog, and over at the Pacific Theatre blog you'll find a Langley Times profile of a couple of our Emerging Artists. I'll likely add more bits and pieces over the next week or so.
(Oh, and did you know? Pacific Theatre led the Small Theatre category in 2007 with eight Jessie Richardson Award nominations, including a heap for GRACE.)
VILLAGE OF IDIOTS at Gallery 7
Jun 1-16
I always think of Abbotsford's Gallery 7 Theatre as something of a community theatre counterpart to Pacific Theatre. This weekend they open a show that's sort of a comic counterpart to PT's production of REMNANTS (minus the Joseph part): both works are by acclaimed Canadian playwrights, and deal with the persecution of Jews in eastern Europe in the early part of the 20th century. (But REMNANTS closes a week earlier, so you know which one you need to see first....) Details here.
MICHAEL HART CONCERTS
Jun 9: Nanaimo
Jul 19: Regent College (with Spencer Capier)
Upcoming opportunities to hear Michael, as well as a free downloadable instrumental mp3: details here.
SOUL FOOD MOVIES
Pacific Cinematheque brings us three certified Soul Food Movie masterpieces as part of their retrospective on arthouse distributor Janus Films: SEVENTH SEAL, DAY OF WRATH and WILD STRAWBERRIES are neatly clustered from June 15-18, details here. There's not a lot on regular screens right now with a distintly spiritual flavour, but I've got some tips at the Soul Food Movies blog about a handful of other films that are worth seeing, in amongst the requisite summer blockbusters and sequels of sequels.
June 1-16: Village Of Idiots at Gallery 7
Gallery 7 Theatre & Performing Arts Society presents
Village of Idiots
by John Lazarus
June 1 & 2, 7–9, 14–16 @ 7:30 PM
Discount Matinees: June 2 & 9 @ 2:00 PM
MEI Secondary School Theatre
4081 Clearbrook Road, Abbotsford
Tickets - House of James: 604-852-3701
Journey to the Village of Idiots for a Theatrical Adventure
Which is better – to have all the street smarts in the world or to love with all the innocence of a child? Such is the unique question raised in Gallery 7’s final production of the 2006/2007 theatre season, Village of Idiots, written by Canadian playwright, John Lazarus.
A witty and charming theatre experience suitable for the entire family, Village of Idiots tells the story of a young Russian Army deserter named Yosef who stumbles into the Polish town of Chelm, also known as the legendary Village of Idiots. Concerned that the hamlet will be run-over by Russian invaders if the townsfolk don’t wise up to the ways of the outside world, Yosef attempts to help the seemingly apathetic village prepare for the worst.
Old habits are hard to break, however, and Yosef soon discovers that the inhabitants of Chelm operate at a completely different social and intellectual level, one that appears inherently backwards and infinitely ridiculous. The villagers, possessing a passionate but child-like vision of the cosmos, seem more concerned with local municipal matters such as how not to walk on the first snow of winter, how to protect the synagogue collection box from thieves by hanging it from the ceiling and how to sell borscht to the next door village by dumping it in to the river upstream.
While overseeing the rebuilding the town synagogue, Yosef rubs shoulders with an eclectic and colorful community of people. He meets the local woman’s firefighting auxiliary team, a strange traveler who arrived from another, but strangely similar town of Chelm and a husband and wife team who earn a living by selling Schnapps to each other. Only after spending nearly a year in town does Yosef begin to discover that the villagers’ outward appearance of ignorance and backwards wisdom actually reveals a deeper truth regarding the value of a loving and caring community and the importance of child-like innocence and simplicity.
Village of Idiots was first commissioned by the Young People’s Theatre of Ontario and received its first production in 1985. Since then, the play has been performed on numerous professional, college and community stages through-out the country. The play is based on a beloved tradition of Jewish story-telling as found in such books as The Wise Men of Helm and their Merry Tales by Solomon Simon and other anthologies.
Playing the role of the deserting Russian soldier, Yosef, is J.D. Dueckman, whose previous performances include Beau Jest for Gallery 7 and The Taming of the Shrew for UCFV Theatre. Caszie Schoeber, who last appeared on the Gallery 7 stage in Little Women, plays the skeptical yet empathetic Miriam. Rounding out the cast is a talented crew of both new and veteran Gallery 7 performers including Andrew Abrahams, Julie Brooks, John Dawson, Quentin Flokstra, Patrick Jolicoeur, Heather Muth, Dave Peters, Richard Toots and Stephanie Roukema.
Directing Village of Idiots is Gallery 7 newcomer, Robyn Roukema. Roukema recently graduated from Trinity Western University with a degree in drama and is supported by an equally talented team of designers. Set design for Village of Idiots is by UCFV Theatre Department wardrobe manager, Heather Robertson. Costume design is by Dani Rebain, lighting design is by Lora-Lynne Frewing and sound design is by Rick Havinga. Stage management is provided by Jenn Wittrup.
For more information about Gallery 7 Theatre, please visit their website
Village of Idiots
by John Lazarus
June 1 & 2, 7–9, 14–16 @ 7:30 PM
Discount Matinees: June 2 & 9 @ 2:00 PM
MEI Secondary School Theatre
4081 Clearbrook Road, Abbotsford
Tickets - House of James: 604-852-3701
Journey to the Village of Idiots for a Theatrical Adventure
Which is better – to have all the street smarts in the world or to love with all the innocence of a child? Such is the unique question raised in Gallery 7’s final production of the 2006/2007 theatre season, Village of Idiots, written by Canadian playwright, John Lazarus.
A witty and charming theatre experience suitable for the entire family, Village of Idiots tells the story of a young Russian Army deserter named Yosef who stumbles into the Polish town of Chelm, also known as the legendary Village of Idiots. Concerned that the hamlet will be run-over by Russian invaders if the townsfolk don’t wise up to the ways of the outside world, Yosef attempts to help the seemingly apathetic village prepare for the worst.
Old habits are hard to break, however, and Yosef soon discovers that the inhabitants of Chelm operate at a completely different social and intellectual level, one that appears inherently backwards and infinitely ridiculous. The villagers, possessing a passionate but child-like vision of the cosmos, seem more concerned with local municipal matters such as how not to walk on the first snow of winter, how to protect the synagogue collection box from thieves by hanging it from the ceiling and how to sell borscht to the next door village by dumping it in to the river upstream.
While overseeing the rebuilding the town synagogue, Yosef rubs shoulders with an eclectic and colorful community of people. He meets the local woman’s firefighting auxiliary team, a strange traveler who arrived from another, but strangely similar town of Chelm and a husband and wife team who earn a living by selling Schnapps to each other. Only after spending nearly a year in town does Yosef begin to discover that the villagers’ outward appearance of ignorance and backwards wisdom actually reveals a deeper truth regarding the value of a loving and caring community and the importance of child-like innocence and simplicity.
Village of Idiots was first commissioned by the Young People’s Theatre of Ontario and received its first production in 1985. Since then, the play has been performed on numerous professional, college and community stages through-out the country. The play is based on a beloved tradition of Jewish story-telling as found in such books as The Wise Men of Helm and their Merry Tales by Solomon Simon and other anthologies.
Playing the role of the deserting Russian soldier, Yosef, is J.D. Dueckman, whose previous performances include Beau Jest for Gallery 7 and The Taming of the Shrew for UCFV Theatre. Caszie Schoeber, who last appeared on the Gallery 7 stage in Little Women, plays the skeptical yet empathetic Miriam. Rounding out the cast is a talented crew of both new and veteran Gallery 7 performers including Andrew Abrahams, Julie Brooks, John Dawson, Quentin Flokstra, Patrick Jolicoeur, Heather Muth, Dave Peters, Richard Toots and Stephanie Roukema.
Directing Village of Idiots is Gallery 7 newcomer, Robyn Roukema. Roukema recently graduated from Trinity Western University with a degree in drama and is supported by an equally talented team of designers. Set design for Village of Idiots is by UCFV Theatre Department wardrobe manager, Heather Robertson. Costume design is by Dani Rebain, lighting design is by Lora-Lynne Frewing and sound design is by Rick Havinga. Stage management is provided by Jenn Wittrup.
For more information about Gallery 7 Theatre, please visit their website
Jun 9 / Jul 19: Michael Hart concerts - Nanaimo, Regent College
Michael Hart is well-known to all of us Soul Food types: he's a mainstay at Pacific Theatre's CHRISTMAS PRESENCE, as well as other of our anthology evenings like PASSION, TESTIMONY and CONFESSIONS. And lots of us are fans of the string of celebrated recordings he's crafted over the years - the title track of his most recent, "Desire," is one of the most memorable new tunes I've heard in recent years, a gorgeous piece of writing, with maybe a tip of the musical hat to Neil Young tune like "Harvest Moon"? Just beautiful. That cd was recently named "independent album of the year" in England's "Never For Nothing" webzine, and the title track nominated Best Folk Roots Song at the annual Gospel Music Association awards.
There are a couple chances to hear Michael live in the next couple months. He'll be playing a house concert in Nanaimo June 9 - admission is $12, phone 250 751-0805 or email grant.corriveau@telus.net for information or to reserve yourself some of the limited seats at this very intimate event.
And then there's a free outdoor lunchtime concert at Regent College Thursday July 19, where Michael will be joined by Spencer Capier on violin, mandolin, and who knows what other array of intsruments - anything with strings on it, Spencer can make music! 224-3245 for more information.
But if you don't live in Nanaimo, and can't wait a month and a half for the Regent gig, here's something to tide you over. Michal has posted a free mp3 of a gorgeous instrumental track on his website - just go to the Biography page and click on the "Instrumental Medley" link just below "House Concerts" in the middle of the page.
There are a couple chances to hear Michael live in the next couple months. He'll be playing a house concert in Nanaimo June 9 - admission is $12, phone 250 751-0805 or email grant.corriveau@telus.net for information or to reserve yourself some of the limited seats at this very intimate event.
And then there's a free outdoor lunchtime concert at Regent College Thursday July 19, where Michael will be joined by Spencer Capier on violin, mandolin, and who knows what other array of intsruments - anything with strings on it, Spencer can make music! 224-3245 for more information.
But if you don't live in Nanaimo, and can't wait a month and a half for the Regent gig, here's something to tide you over. Michal has posted a free mp3 of a gorgeous instrumental track on his website - just go to the Biography page and click on the "Instrumental Medley" link just below "House Concerts" in the middle of the page.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
June 9: REMNANTS Closes At Pacific Theatre!
I got so engrossed in REMNANTS rehearsals (I directed) that I completely neglected all my blogs, emails... The whole international Soul Food conglomerate came crashing to a halt! I'm surprised civilization itself didn't collapse.
Anyhow, the show's up, I've had a week and a half to recuperate, and I'm firing up the old computer once again to get back in the swing.
What a fascinating show! Spanning three decades, Jason Sherman interweaves three of the Great Stories into a compelling epic tale, transposing the Joseph story from Genesis to pre-Holocaust Poland and Canada in the Great Depression. In the months leading up to rehearsal, I marvelled at Sherman's brilliance, the sheer cleverness and invention involved in combining these three elements to shed new light on each. It wasn't until we were deep into rehearsal that we found the story's heart: Sherman finds in Joseph's journey the challenge of forgiveness, the choice between the harsh judgment of his father and some other, harder way. What a deeply moving story it ends up becoming!
I'll post more on the Pacific Theatre blog when I can steal the time, but for now let me give you the vitals, and pass along bits from Peter Birnie's glowing review.
REMNANTS (A FABLE)
by Jason Sherman
Closes June 9
Wed-Sat 8pm
Sat matinee 2pm
Tickets 731-5518 or purchase online
More information at the Pacific Theatre website
*
And here's Mr Birnie...
STUDENTS STAGE A SOLID PRODUCTION OF REMNANTS
Play shines through excellent staging, dedication of Trinity Western cast
Peter Birnie, Vancouver Sun
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Jason Sherman's innovative take on the Biblical story of Joseph and his brothers makes an interesting piece of theatre... an engaging transference of the tale from ancient times to Canada's recent past. For its annual showcase of emerging artists, Pacific Theatre joins forces with the theatre department at Trinity Western University. The result is a student production of Remnants that offers excellent staging and solid ensemble work from the young cast.
In his 1998 play Patience, Sherman used the Biblical story of Job in a fairly tangential way. Remnants, by contrast, parallels Joseph's journey from start to finish. Sherman's cleverness comes in the many ways he has found to transfer old to new.
In 1925, Joseph's jealous brothers drive him from their Polish village, forcing him on to a ship to America. Instead he disembarks at Halifax, and his Canadian adventures come, by 1932, to include an interpretation of a dream that brings him to the attention of Mackenzie King.
That infamously clairvoyance-obsessed politician is between gigs. Ousted as prime minister in 1930, he'll be back in power in 1935 thanks to the prophecies of his young Polish aide. King's rabid anti-Semitism leaves Joseph unable to admit he's Jewish. Yet the lad is now in charge of deciding the fate of a boatload of European refugees, including the 10 brothers who gave him the boot.
Ron Reed has done a terrific job of dealing with a big cast in a small space. The play is filled with shifts in time and mood and place, but Reed's steady direction of this epic keeps confusion to a minimum. In what is perhaps a mark of the growing bonds between Jews and Christians, Reed and his crowd of Christian students also embrace the play's many specific references to Jewish religious rites and mores.
Stancil Campbell's set is similarly clear-cut, with wooden platforms and benches easily adapted for the play's many settings. This stage is framed by two big windows built with subtle design references delineating one as Old World Jewish and the other as Canadian Presbyterian.
...everyone's work (is) good, especially Kirsty Provan's engaging performance as Joseph. The palpable sincerity of everyone's effort to make this production of Remnants a memorable one has me hankering for the same dedication from a professional troupe willing to tackle this fascinating fable.
Sun Theatre Critic
pbirnie@png.canwest.com
Anyhow, the show's up, I've had a week and a half to recuperate, and I'm firing up the old computer once again to get back in the swing.
What a fascinating show! Spanning three decades, Jason Sherman interweaves three of the Great Stories into a compelling epic tale, transposing the Joseph story from Genesis to pre-Holocaust Poland and Canada in the Great Depression. In the months leading up to rehearsal, I marvelled at Sherman's brilliance, the sheer cleverness and invention involved in combining these three elements to shed new light on each. It wasn't until we were deep into rehearsal that we found the story's heart: Sherman finds in Joseph's journey the challenge of forgiveness, the choice between the harsh judgment of his father and some other, harder way. What a deeply moving story it ends up becoming!
I'll post more on the Pacific Theatre blog when I can steal the time, but for now let me give you the vitals, and pass along bits from Peter Birnie's glowing review.
REMNANTS (A FABLE)
by Jason Sherman
Closes June 9
Wed-Sat 8pm
Sat matinee 2pm
Tickets 731-5518 or purchase online
More information at the Pacific Theatre website
*
And here's Mr Birnie...
STUDENTS STAGE A SOLID PRODUCTION OF REMNANTS
Play shines through excellent staging, dedication of Trinity Western cast
Peter Birnie, Vancouver Sun
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Jason Sherman's innovative take on the Biblical story of Joseph and his brothers makes an interesting piece of theatre... an engaging transference of the tale from ancient times to Canada's recent past. For its annual showcase of emerging artists, Pacific Theatre joins forces with the theatre department at Trinity Western University. The result is a student production of Remnants that offers excellent staging and solid ensemble work from the young cast.
In his 1998 play Patience, Sherman used the Biblical story of Job in a fairly tangential way. Remnants, by contrast, parallels Joseph's journey from start to finish. Sherman's cleverness comes in the many ways he has found to transfer old to new.
In 1925, Joseph's jealous brothers drive him from their Polish village, forcing him on to a ship to America. Instead he disembarks at Halifax, and his Canadian adventures come, by 1932, to include an interpretation of a dream that brings him to the attention of Mackenzie King.
That infamously clairvoyance-obsessed politician is between gigs. Ousted as prime minister in 1930, he'll be back in power in 1935 thanks to the prophecies of his young Polish aide. King's rabid anti-Semitism leaves Joseph unable to admit he's Jewish. Yet the lad is now in charge of deciding the fate of a boatload of European refugees, including the 10 brothers who gave him the boot.
Ron Reed has done a terrific job of dealing with a big cast in a small space. The play is filled with shifts in time and mood and place, but Reed's steady direction of this epic keeps confusion to a minimum. In what is perhaps a mark of the growing bonds between Jews and Christians, Reed and his crowd of Christian students also embrace the play's many specific references to Jewish religious rites and mores.
Stancil Campbell's set is similarly clear-cut, with wooden platforms and benches easily adapted for the play's many settings. This stage is framed by two big windows built with subtle design references delineating one as Old World Jewish and the other as Canadian Presbyterian.
...everyone's work (is) good, especially Kirsty Provan's engaging performance as Joseph. The palpable sincerity of everyone's effort to make this production of Remnants a memorable one has me hankering for the same dedication from a professional troupe willing to tackle this fascinating fable.
Sun Theatre Critic
pbirnie@png.canwest.com
Jun 15-18: Soul Food Classics in Janus Film Series
Fabulous chance to see many of the great films on the big screen, most in pristine new 35mm prints, as Pacific Cinematheque does a retrospective of Janus films, the acclaimed distributor of cinephile specialties. First a list of what's showing, followed by detail on the specifically "soul food" titles.
The 400 Blows
Jules and Jim
Antoine and Colette + Zéro de conduite
Cléo from 5 to 7
Summer with Monika
The Earrings of Madame de…
Walkabout
Death of a Cyclist
Cría Cuervos
The Seventh Seal
Day of Wrath
Wild Strawberries
Fires on the Plain
The Organizer
The Lady Vanishes
High and Low
Rashomon
The Cranes Are Flying
Ballad of a Soldier
Viridiana
W.R. - Mysteries of the Organism
The Seventh Seal
Friday, June 15 – 7:30 pm
Saturday, June 16 – 9:30 pm
Sunday, June 17 – 7:30 pm
Sweden 1957. Director: Ingmar Bergman. A very modern meditation on the absence of God, presented in the guise of a medieval morality play, The Seventh Seal cemented Ingmar Bergman's reputation as a Serious Artist, and remains one of cinema's most famous (and most parodied) works. Max von Sydow stars as Antonius Blok, a battle-weary knight who returns from the Crusades to find his native Sweden ravaged by plague. Observing the horrors around him – disease-ridden peasants dying gruesome deaths, religious zealots parading in orgies of self-flagellation, fear-crazed vigilantes burning “witches” at the stake – the once-pious knight begins to doubt the existence of a God who would permit such suffering. When the white-faced, black-robed figure of Death finally comes for him also, Blok gains a brief reprieve by challenging the spectre to a game of chess he must inevitably lose. The Seventh Seal has achieved iconographic status in the popular imagination, and contains some of film's most unforgettable images. It was also something of a milestone in “intellectual” or “serious” cinema, and was instrumental in creating the art house vogue for Bergman's work. “Bergman's most ambitious film” (Georges Sadoul). B&W, 35mm, in Swedish with English subtitles. 95 mins.
Day of Wrath
Friday, June 15 – 9:20 pm
Saturday, June 16 – 7:30 pm
Monday, June 18 – 9:20 pm
Denmark 1943. Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer. Perhaps the greatest film ever made by one of the greatest filmmakers who ever lived” (2006 New York Film Festival), this 1943 drama, made during the darkest days of Denmark's Nazi occupation, exemplifies the deliberate, intense, beautifully austere style for which Dreyer's films are celebrated – a style Paul Schrader famously described, with that of Ozu and Bresson, as “transcendental.” In a small Danish village in the early 17th-century, an aging pastor has an elderly woman burned at the stake as a witch, and is cursed by her as she dies. The pastor's young wife is unhappy Anne (Lisbeth Movin, in an extraordinary performance), daughter of an accused witch he once spared. When Martin, the pastor's son by a previous marriage, returns from sea, Anne falls in love with him – and finds herself accused of witchcraft. Many of Dreyer's key concerns here find expression: questions of faith, problems of good and evil, suffering and martyrdom, the psychology of victimized women. (Dreyer's own mother died a horrible death after an unsuccessful abortion). “The masterpiece of a genius of cinema ... The use of extended silences and ambiguity, the portrayal of states of being, and the poetic inflections of the whole presage the modern cinema and set it a standard of excellence seldom surpassed” (Amos Vogel). B&W, 35mm, in Danish with English sub-titles. 105 mins.
Wild Strawberries
Sunday, June 17 – 9:20 pm
Monday, June 18 – 7:30 pm
Sweden 1957. Director: Ingmar Bergman. Winner of the Golden Bear at Berlin in 1958, and now often cited as one of Bergman's greatest films, Wild Strawberries is an intensely moving, lyrical work of affirmation and reconciliation. Victor Sjöström, Sweden's pre-eminent director before Bergman, gives “the finest performance in any Bergman film” (James Monaco) as Isak Borg, an aging, eminent professor travelling by car from Stockholm to Lund, where he is to receive an honorary degree. Accompanying him is daughter-in-law Marianne (Ingrid Thulin), whose marriage to Borg's son Evald (Gunnar Björnstrand) is deeply troubled. A flood of memories, daydreams, and nightmares assails the elderly protagonist along the way, forcing him to take stock of his life, re-evaluate his relationships, confront his shortcomings, and accept his mortality. The drama unfolds over a 24-hour period; the dream sequences are amongst the most memorable in the Bergman canon, while the single-shot transitions, from present to past and back again, are impressive. “In every respect a great film ... a profoundly modern work of art” (Eugene Archer). “The best Bergman film of the Fifties, much closer to a true philosophical tragedy than his more ambitious The Seventh Seal ” (Georges Sadoul). B&W, 35mm, in Swedish with English subtitles. 94 mins.
The 400 Blows
Jules and Jim
Antoine and Colette + Zéro de conduite
Cléo from 5 to 7
Summer with Monika
The Earrings of Madame de…
Walkabout
Death of a Cyclist
Cría Cuervos
The Seventh Seal
Day of Wrath
Wild Strawberries
Fires on the Plain
The Organizer
The Lady Vanishes
High and Low
Rashomon
The Cranes Are Flying
Ballad of a Soldier
Viridiana
W.R. - Mysteries of the Organism
The Seventh Seal
Friday, June 15 – 7:30 pm
Saturday, June 16 – 9:30 pm
Sunday, June 17 – 7:30 pm
Sweden 1957. Director: Ingmar Bergman. A very modern meditation on the absence of God, presented in the guise of a medieval morality play, The Seventh Seal cemented Ingmar Bergman's reputation as a Serious Artist, and remains one of cinema's most famous (and most parodied) works. Max von Sydow stars as Antonius Blok, a battle-weary knight who returns from the Crusades to find his native Sweden ravaged by plague. Observing the horrors around him – disease-ridden peasants dying gruesome deaths, religious zealots parading in orgies of self-flagellation, fear-crazed vigilantes burning “witches” at the stake – the once-pious knight begins to doubt the existence of a God who would permit such suffering. When the white-faced, black-robed figure of Death finally comes for him also, Blok gains a brief reprieve by challenging the spectre to a game of chess he must inevitably lose. The Seventh Seal has achieved iconographic status in the popular imagination, and contains some of film's most unforgettable images. It was also something of a milestone in “intellectual” or “serious” cinema, and was instrumental in creating the art house vogue for Bergman's work. “Bergman's most ambitious film” (Georges Sadoul). B&W, 35mm, in Swedish with English subtitles. 95 mins.
Day of Wrath
Friday, June 15 – 9:20 pm
Saturday, June 16 – 7:30 pm
Monday, June 18 – 9:20 pm
Denmark 1943. Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer. Perhaps the greatest film ever made by one of the greatest filmmakers who ever lived” (2006 New York Film Festival), this 1943 drama, made during the darkest days of Denmark's Nazi occupation, exemplifies the deliberate, intense, beautifully austere style for which Dreyer's films are celebrated – a style Paul Schrader famously described, with that of Ozu and Bresson, as “transcendental.” In a small Danish village in the early 17th-century, an aging pastor has an elderly woman burned at the stake as a witch, and is cursed by her as she dies. The pastor's young wife is unhappy Anne (Lisbeth Movin, in an extraordinary performance), daughter of an accused witch he once spared. When Martin, the pastor's son by a previous marriage, returns from sea, Anne falls in love with him – and finds herself accused of witchcraft. Many of Dreyer's key concerns here find expression: questions of faith, problems of good and evil, suffering and martyrdom, the psychology of victimized women. (Dreyer's own mother died a horrible death after an unsuccessful abortion). “The masterpiece of a genius of cinema ... The use of extended silences and ambiguity, the portrayal of states of being, and the poetic inflections of the whole presage the modern cinema and set it a standard of excellence seldom surpassed” (Amos Vogel). B&W, 35mm, in Danish with English sub-titles. 105 mins.
Wild Strawberries
Sunday, June 17 – 9:20 pm
Monday, June 18 – 7:30 pm
Sweden 1957. Director: Ingmar Bergman. Winner of the Golden Bear at Berlin in 1958, and now often cited as one of Bergman's greatest films, Wild Strawberries is an intensely moving, lyrical work of affirmation and reconciliation. Victor Sjöström, Sweden's pre-eminent director before Bergman, gives “the finest performance in any Bergman film” (James Monaco) as Isak Borg, an aging, eminent professor travelling by car from Stockholm to Lund, where he is to receive an honorary degree. Accompanying him is daughter-in-law Marianne (Ingrid Thulin), whose marriage to Borg's son Evald (Gunnar Björnstrand) is deeply troubled. A flood of memories, daydreams, and nightmares assails the elderly protagonist along the way, forcing him to take stock of his life, re-evaluate his relationships, confront his shortcomings, and accept his mortality. The drama unfolds over a 24-hour period; the dream sequences are amongst the most memorable in the Bergman canon, while the single-shot transitions, from present to past and back again, are impressive. “In every respect a great film ... a profoundly modern work of art” (Eugene Archer). “The best Bergman film of the Fifties, much closer to a true philosophical tragedy than his more ambitious The Seventh Seal ” (Georges Sadoul). B&W, 35mm, in Swedish with English subtitles. 94 mins.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Jessie Richardson Awards 2007
Pretty proud of our Pacific Theatre artists, for all the kudos this year. GRACE has been nominated not only as outstanding production and Angela Konrad for her direction, but all four members of the cast for actor Jessies! - Craig Erickson, Alexa Devine, Kerry van der Griend and Duncan Fraser. Most remarkable. Nicole Bach was nominated for her costumes for A BRIGHT PARTICULAR STAR, and Kevin McAllister for his set design on CARIBOO MAGI - remember the boat that turned into a camel, then became a gold rush stage? (All of these in the "Small Theatre" category.)
Congratulations also to PT artists who've been honoured for their work on other stages. Craig Erickson was nominated for his performance in PEER GYNT for Blackbird Theatre (that company, a very welcome recent additon to the Vancouver theatre community, garnered a remarkable [b]11[/b] nominations for their productions this past season, which I believe is only their second in operation): Anthony Ingram was nominated in the same category for his memorable performance in THE BIRTHDAY PARTY. Kerry van der Griend has another chance at a Jessie (Significant Artistic Achievement) as part of the Ensemble Chorus for the Pangaea Arts production of THE GULL. And how gratifying that the first production of Anthony Ingram's new company Tempus Theatre garnered a Jessie nomination, Teryl Rothery for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, in A DELICATE BALANCE.
You can check out all the nominees at the Jessie Richardson site: here's a rundown of the PT-related nods.
SMALL THEATRE
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role, Small Theatre
Craig Erickson, Grace, Pacific Theatre
Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Lead Role, Small Theatre
Alexa Devine, Grace, Pacific Theatre
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, Small Theatre
Duncan Fraser, Grace, Pacific Theatre
Kerry Van Der Griend, Grace, Pacific Theatre
Outstanding Set Design, Small Theatre
Kevin McAllister, Cariboo Magi, Pacific Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design, Small Theatre
Nicole Bach, A Bright Particular Star, Pacific Theatre
Outstanding Direction, Small Theatre
Angela Konrad, Grace, Pacific Theatre
Outstanding Production, Small Theatre
Grace, Pacific Theatre
LARGE THEATRE
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role, Large Theatre
Craig Erickson, Peer Gynt, Blackbird Theatre
Anthony F. Ingram, The Birthday Party, Blackbird Theatre
Significant Artistic Achievements, Large Theatre
Richard Emmert, Ari Solomon, Michael Robinson, Kerry Van Der Griend, Minoru Yamamoto;
Ensemble Chorus, The Gull, Pangaea Arts
Congratulations also to PT artists who've been honoured for their work on other stages. Craig Erickson was nominated for his performance in PEER GYNT for Blackbird Theatre (that company, a very welcome recent additon to the Vancouver theatre community, garnered a remarkable [b]11[/b] nominations for their productions this past season, which I believe is only their second in operation): Anthony Ingram was nominated in the same category for his memorable performance in THE BIRTHDAY PARTY. Kerry van der Griend has another chance at a Jessie (Significant Artistic Achievement) as part of the Ensemble Chorus for the Pangaea Arts production of THE GULL. And how gratifying that the first production of Anthony Ingram's new company Tempus Theatre garnered a Jessie nomination, Teryl Rothery for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, in A DELICATE BALANCE.
You can check out all the nominees at the Jessie Richardson site: here's a rundown of the PT-related nods.
SMALL THEATRE
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role, Small Theatre
Craig Erickson, Grace, Pacific Theatre
Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Lead Role, Small Theatre
Alexa Devine, Grace, Pacific Theatre
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, Small Theatre
Duncan Fraser, Grace, Pacific Theatre
Kerry Van Der Griend, Grace, Pacific Theatre
Outstanding Set Design, Small Theatre
Kevin McAllister, Cariboo Magi, Pacific Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design, Small Theatre
Nicole Bach, A Bright Particular Star, Pacific Theatre
Outstanding Direction, Small Theatre
Angela Konrad, Grace, Pacific Theatre
Outstanding Production, Small Theatre
Grace, Pacific Theatre
LARGE THEATRE
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role, Large Theatre
Craig Erickson, Peer Gynt, Blackbird Theatre
Anthony F. Ingram, The Birthday Party, Blackbird Theatre
Significant Artistic Achievements, Large Theatre
Richard Emmert, Ari Solomon, Michael Robinson, Kerry Van Der Griend, Minoru Yamamoto;
Ensemble Chorus, The Gull, Pangaea Arts
Thursday, April 19, 2007
TAMING OF THE SHREW Director's Notes
When I viewed TAMING OF THE SHREW (twice, the first week of the run, I enjoyed myself that much!), I noticed there were no Director's Notes. Guess there were reasons for that: it's a lot of work mounting Shakespeare when you're the director, set designer and production manager! At any rate, the lively, raucous, and somewhat bawdy version of the play elicited some controversy apparently, and the next week, Director's Notes were forthcoming. I like them a lot, so here for your reading pleasure and edification...
The Taming of the Shrew Director’s Notes
Let’s Talk About Sexes
Someone said to me recently that they didn’t think this play has any relevance to a contemporary audience; however, I think it has a tremendous amount of relevance for those who would care to look a little closer. Firstly, it reminds us that we are, in fact, still quite hung up on the whole gender issue, even though we would like to think otherwise. For, if we were truly past the power struggle between men and women, we would not see in this play a man dominating a woman, but rather one person helping another person to discover the secret power of surrender—which leads me to my second point: this play reveals that we despise surrender. To us, surrender is weakness; we consider it tantamount to failure and defeat. But I am reminded of a certain Jewish carpenter some 2,000 years ago who unleashed the greatest power in the universe by choosing surrender. And I believe that Katharina discovers this power to some extent, as she is the only person in the play who truly transforms and is truly joyful by the end. And isn’t that what we all want? Transformation that leads to joy? Many people think that Katharina is a free spirit at the beginning of the play and in bondage at the end; however, I submit to you that it is quite the opposite. At the beginning of the play she is a slave to her own petulance; so concerned about the flawed behaviour in others that she fails to recognize her own shortcomings. At the end of the play she chooses to surrender, and reaps the delicious rewards of love, freedom and joy. So, I encourage you to give less attention to Petruchio’s boorishness and more to Katharina’s powerful transformation. In other words, have fun...and look a little closer.
Say NO to the Bawdy(?)
Bawdy: a term used to describe coarse, low, sexual humour or dialogue.
Shakespeare’s plays are rife with bawdiness; a fact which many directors in the past have, in my humble opinion, either failed to see (which is laziness) or chosen to ignore (which is artistically irresponsible). Like it or lump it, it’s a part of the text and was intended to be given no less attention than the other parts. If this makes you feel uncomfortable, I implore you to ask yourself why it’s alright for us to accept the mountain of sex and violence in the TV and movies that we watch but reject the mole hill we will see here. This question aside, let me assure you that I am not suggesting that we all start talking dirty and smacking each other around; however, I do think that, if we in Christendom weren’t quite so uptight about sex, we may in fact be less inclined to fall sexually and more inclined to talk openly about the issues, thereby leading to a healthier understanding about our sexuality. At the very least, whether you love or despise the characters in this play, I hope you will have grace for the actors and for yourself, and that instead of imbibing the icky cough-syrup of solemnity you will apply the relieving balm of laughter.
Aaron Caleb
Trinity Western University
Spring 07
*
In the face some well-meaning but I'm sure at times rather distressing controversy, I wonder if it was an encouragement to hear these words of praise I passed along from Brian Doerksen?...
"Hey, after you recommendation we went to see the TWU production of ‘Taming of the Shrew’ . . .I think my first Shakespeare piece I have seen since high school . . .it took a bit of time to ‘change gears’ due to language . .but we LOVED IT!! We laughed so much . . .a great night at the theatre . . and only 25 minutes from home!"
The Taming of the Shrew Director’s Notes
Let’s Talk About Sexes
Someone said to me recently that they didn’t think this play has any relevance to a contemporary audience; however, I think it has a tremendous amount of relevance for those who would care to look a little closer. Firstly, it reminds us that we are, in fact, still quite hung up on the whole gender issue, even though we would like to think otherwise. For, if we were truly past the power struggle between men and women, we would not see in this play a man dominating a woman, but rather one person helping another person to discover the secret power of surrender—which leads me to my second point: this play reveals that we despise surrender. To us, surrender is weakness; we consider it tantamount to failure and defeat. But I am reminded of a certain Jewish carpenter some 2,000 years ago who unleashed the greatest power in the universe by choosing surrender. And I believe that Katharina discovers this power to some extent, as she is the only person in the play who truly transforms and is truly joyful by the end. And isn’t that what we all want? Transformation that leads to joy? Many people think that Katharina is a free spirit at the beginning of the play and in bondage at the end; however, I submit to you that it is quite the opposite. At the beginning of the play she is a slave to her own petulance; so concerned about the flawed behaviour in others that she fails to recognize her own shortcomings. At the end of the play she chooses to surrender, and reaps the delicious rewards of love, freedom and joy. So, I encourage you to give less attention to Petruchio’s boorishness and more to Katharina’s powerful transformation. In other words, have fun...and look a little closer.
Say NO to the Bawdy(?)
Bawdy: a term used to describe coarse, low, sexual humour or dialogue.
Shakespeare’s plays are rife with bawdiness; a fact which many directors in the past have, in my humble opinion, either failed to see (which is laziness) or chosen to ignore (which is artistically irresponsible). Like it or lump it, it’s a part of the text and was intended to be given no less attention than the other parts. If this makes you feel uncomfortable, I implore you to ask yourself why it’s alright for us to accept the mountain of sex and violence in the TV and movies that we watch but reject the mole hill we will see here. This question aside, let me assure you that I am not suggesting that we all start talking dirty and smacking each other around; however, I do think that, if we in Christendom weren’t quite so uptight about sex, we may in fact be less inclined to fall sexually and more inclined to talk openly about the issues, thereby leading to a healthier understanding about our sexuality. At the very least, whether you love or despise the characters in this play, I hope you will have grace for the actors and for yourself, and that instead of imbibing the icky cough-syrup of solemnity you will apply the relieving balm of laughter.
Aaron Caleb
Trinity Western University
Spring 07
*
In the face some well-meaning but I'm sure at times rather distressing controversy, I wonder if it was an encouragement to hear these words of praise I passed along from Brian Doerksen?...
"Hey, after you recommendation we went to see the TWU production of ‘Taming of the Shrew’ . . .I think my first Shakespeare piece I have seen since high school . . .it took a bit of time to ‘change gears’ due to language . .but we LOVED IT!! We laughed so much . . .a great night at the theatre . . and only 25 minutes from home!"
Responses to GRACE
So many interesting responses to GRACE. Stirred up much talking, thinking, feeling - exactly what we hoped for it. I'll put up a post here and add to it over the next few days as I come across other emails that have come my way over the past month or so....
*
Well the title of this play is certainly ironic, as there seems very little "grace" ('free and unearned favour of God' - OED) in the essence of this play. O there are lots of clever ways in which grace plays peeks through in the lives of the characters, but in the end everyone dies violently at the hands of the Christian. Where is the grace in that?? Once more the most negative image of how religion works in peoples lives is given center stage. I know that there is plenty of cynicism out there about the hypocrisy and the evils of religion - 'The God Delusion' by Dawkins has been on the bestseller list for months. The acting, direction and staging of this play is excellent. But it left me sad and a bit angry, as it seems to leave the audience little hope that religious faith can be transformative.
PS (My wife) loved the play, and adamantly (and eloquently) disagrees with me. ... In the final analysis good theater makes you think and reshape your ideas, and this play certainly did that. I am glad I saw it and it will certainly provide fodder for further discussion....
*
The play was very raw and very real, and - I think you're right - that is what subdued me for the second half. I felt like the play was very explorative and really asked the question "what if?" It really bleed for me. I was almost surprised by my own reaction. I guess you noticed that I was unable to stand for the applause...the actors did such a fabulous job (as did the director!), and I greatly applauded their work, but I just couldn't "agree" with what happened. Standing, to me, felt like it would be agreeing with the deaths and the way things ended up - like it would be almost agreeing that it was "right," which I didn't feel, because it felt so WRONG to me. Ultimately, throughout the play and afterwards I found that I could not judge, though...I could not judge any of the characters, because they were so blind to their own hypocrisy...but that only spoke VOLUMES to me of the hypocrisy in our own lives. It was GOOD. I really appreciated the way the play challenged me and really made me wrestle deeper with the feelings it evoked in me. I'd love to talk to you more in person :o)
*
Hey, while I’ve got your ear I want to tell you how much I enjoyed Grace. Angela’s direction was subtle and lovely. Craig’s performance was breath-taking. The female (whose name escapes me) was luminous, vulnerable and completely in the moment. She was entrancing. The other two performances were strong too. The story is not without its snags but it provided fodder for many a discussion in the week following. It’s exactly what I envisioned many years ago when we had those discussions about what Christian theatre was supposed to be. I loved it. Bravo!
*
And here's a word from the aforementioned, name-escaping female, one Alexa Devine...
By the way, Craig just told me to check out the PT Blog - and hey, what a great idea! I loved reading the discussions and comments about Grace. Reminded me of the many (and I mean many) fascinating and thought provoking conversations I had with friends and strangers after almost every performance. Never before have I been so eager to hear people's feedback and discuss questions they may have had about the play and the issues it brought up. I was amazed at how each conversation (especially the talk-back at TWU) helped me to continue to find beauty, depth, humanity and Grace within the play (and in my life actually). What a awesome treat it was!
And so I want to thank you again for the opportunity. It was a blessing and an experience I will hold close to my heart for a very long time.
Love,
Alexa
*
And for the home stretch, a thoughtful and thought-provoking interchange between one of our patrons and Dan Amos, who you've seen onstage in A BRIGHT PARTICULAR STAR, THE QUARREL and other shows....
To whom it may concern,
Four of us attended Saturday night's showing of Grace. The play was expertly acted, and in many ways well-written. However, we drove away not sure precisely where the grace was to be found. This is not a criticism, but an admission of ignorance. Could someone help by interpretting for us the presence of grace in this story?
By His mercy...
*
Hello Roger,
I work on staff here at the theatre, and served as the sound designer for the show. I’ve been asked to respond with some thoughts as to the ultimate presence of grace in the story of Grace.
The fact that you went away a little frustrated, asking this very question, to me indicates that the show has exactly fulfilled its purpose. I think that the playwright ultimately wants us to consider what grace is, if it actually exists, and where it is found in human life, especially in tragic situations. This is a very messy story that never nicely wraps up any one issue. It is worth mentioning that the playwright was inspired to write the play after hearing about an actual, very similar, situation on the news, involving a bizarre, Christian love triangle/murder-suicide.
In direct answer to your question I believe that grace can be found, though it is tempered by tragedy, somewhere in the journey that each character makes in the story. Sam obviously comes from a place of lonely hopelessness to a state in which he can let go of his guilt and become ‘alive’ again, even opening up to the idea that God, and grace, may exist after all. The complexity lies in the fact that he finds all of this through his relationship with Sara, which ultimately turns adulterous. Very messy.
Karl’s story is filled with grace, indeed, a grace wrought with cosmic destiny, in that his little ‘friend’ Rachel encounters him and offers him forgiveness for an act that has paralyzed him with guilt and bitterness for sixty-odd years. His admission at the end that “there is something, that waits, and comes back for us” is a tremendous step of hope. However, he still ends up murdered, and is found to have unconsciously been the vehicle of Steve’s illness. Again, very messy.
Sara not only finds a renewed sense of grace and redemption for herself through her interaction with Sam, but also gets to be the instrument of grace for another. This is a powerful, positive thing. As per normal in this play, however, she becomes caught up in the messy turmoil of a deteriorating marriage and an awkward love affair.
It is sometimes difficult to remember in such a disturbing story that we are watching a tragedy, in the traditional, even ancient, sense. The ultimate purpose of tragedy is to ‘ennoble’ the viewer – to make him or her a braver, stronger, wiser or ‘better’ person. This is achieved when the audience identifies and empathizes with the tragic hero, yet is able to detach and see the mistakes that the tragic hero makes. Steve is definitely the tragic hero of the piece. It is probably easiest for those of us with Christian evangelical backgrounds to identify with him. Yet there is something that rings alarm bells in us from the start. I believe the most potent aspect of his character is the everpresent proximity of grace to him, which he foolishly ignores, misunderstands, or is unable to focus on. The entire ending predicates on his redemptive epiphany with Karl, rapidly followed by his bitter realization that Karl has been unwittingly poisoning him. If he could only see past his initial wave of resigned rage... if he could only stop and realize that he now has the means to sue the chemical company and make ALL of his money back... If he could only put aside his selfish pride for a second, a moment... perhaps it wouldn’t be a tragedy at all.
Ron Reed makes clear in his director’s notes that he did not choose this play for the things that it says, but for some of the difficult and uncomfortable questions that it asks. I thank you and your friends for engaging with these questions. Please, if you wish to dialogue further, reply to this email. We in the office are enjoying bouncing your questions around between ourselves.
Blessings...
*
Dan,
Thank you. Your response was careful, and infomative. I suppose at this point, while I remain unsatisfied from failure to see how the title fits the story, I would ask the larger question of Ron, namely, what redemptive element this story conveys.
I like messy, I live in messy, we as Christians too quickly jettison all things messy including 40% of the psalter, God's clear message that life is not immune from lament. Having said this, I resisted the impulse to share Christ with a person like Sam yesterday. I resisted it because the play twisted the enterprise of sharing Christ into something I want nothing to do with. I observed an unkind version of sharing Christ in Grace, much like I did in the movie, The Big Kahuna. This is not a style of evangelism I condone. But there were moments of great courage, and brilliance in Steve's well-intended, yet over-bearing, unsympathetic, manipulative, and disengenuine overtures. These moments, as rare as they are, remain precious. Proclaiming Christ is something to be done with great care, but we Christians need affirming examples, or, at least poor examples shown to be redemptive.
I also think I am still shell-shocked. Watching a man load a gun in a LIVE theatre context, to subsequently fire said gun, a short distance from my face is drama I have never before encountered at that level, that was intense. But I think the intensity of that show has momentarily shaken foundations such as how I share Christ. Everyone walking out of that theatre is thinking, 'God forbid I ever become the blow-hard evangelistic maniac Steve was'.
I love you guys, and am so thankful for your theatre. I desire for LIVE theatre to shake me, especially for God's glory. But I hoped by now, (nearly a week later) something good might have come of it, or, that less desireable vestiges of the story would cease to influence me. I regret to say, neither has transpired.
The question I ask as I prepare to share some vital, but, hard-to-swallow-truth about God, Scripture, or man in a sermon is, 'am I willing to destabalize the faith of some in exchange for this truth, illustration, theology, etc." If the import of that truth does not justify the exchange then it is not worth the destabilizing effects.
By His mercy...
*
And this, in July;
Where can I locate a copy of Craig Wright's Grace? I've been bugging Angela for it for months, and she said her only copy is covered in her notes. I would be willing to pay for it - I've just got to get my hands on it. This play in all sincerity changed my life, my view of theatre, my view of death and spirituality, faith and religiosity. I've spent many an hour searching the internet, I even have my friend who's a librarian at a theatre archive in New York City trying to track it down for me with no luck yet. In fact, I'm so obsessed that I've just finished watching the entire series of Six Feet Under, and read every interview and listened to every audio commentary done by Craig Wright. Please say you can help me.
*
Well the title of this play is certainly ironic, as there seems very little "grace" ('free and unearned favour of God' - OED) in the essence of this play. O there are lots of clever ways in which grace plays peeks through in the lives of the characters, but in the end everyone dies violently at the hands of the Christian. Where is the grace in that?? Once more the most negative image of how religion works in peoples lives is given center stage. I know that there is plenty of cynicism out there about the hypocrisy and the evils of religion - 'The God Delusion' by Dawkins has been on the bestseller list for months. The acting, direction and staging of this play is excellent. But it left me sad and a bit angry, as it seems to leave the audience little hope that religious faith can be transformative.
PS (My wife) loved the play, and adamantly (and eloquently) disagrees with me. ... In the final analysis good theater makes you think and reshape your ideas, and this play certainly did that. I am glad I saw it and it will certainly provide fodder for further discussion....
*
The play was very raw and very real, and - I think you're right - that is what subdued me for the second half. I felt like the play was very explorative and really asked the question "what if?" It really bleed for me. I was almost surprised by my own reaction. I guess you noticed that I was unable to stand for the applause...the actors did such a fabulous job (as did the director!), and I greatly applauded their work, but I just couldn't "agree" with what happened. Standing, to me, felt like it would be agreeing with the deaths and the way things ended up - like it would be almost agreeing that it was "right," which I didn't feel, because it felt so WRONG to me. Ultimately, throughout the play and afterwards I found that I could not judge, though...I could not judge any of the characters, because they were so blind to their own hypocrisy...but that only spoke VOLUMES to me of the hypocrisy in our own lives. It was GOOD. I really appreciated the way the play challenged me and really made me wrestle deeper with the feelings it evoked in me. I'd love to talk to you more in person :o)
*
Hey, while I’ve got your ear I want to tell you how much I enjoyed Grace. Angela’s direction was subtle and lovely. Craig’s performance was breath-taking. The female (whose name escapes me) was luminous, vulnerable and completely in the moment. She was entrancing. The other two performances were strong too. The story is not without its snags but it provided fodder for many a discussion in the week following. It’s exactly what I envisioned many years ago when we had those discussions about what Christian theatre was supposed to be. I loved it. Bravo!
*
And here's a word from the aforementioned, name-escaping female, one Alexa Devine...
By the way, Craig just told me to check out the PT Blog - and hey, what a great idea! I loved reading the discussions and comments about Grace. Reminded me of the many (and I mean many) fascinating and thought provoking conversations I had with friends and strangers after almost every performance. Never before have I been so eager to hear people's feedback and discuss questions they may have had about the play and the issues it brought up. I was amazed at how each conversation (especially the talk-back at TWU) helped me to continue to find beauty, depth, humanity and Grace within the play (and in my life actually). What a awesome treat it was!
And so I want to thank you again for the opportunity. It was a blessing and an experience I will hold close to my heart for a very long time.
Love,
Alexa
*
And for the home stretch, a thoughtful and thought-provoking interchange between one of our patrons and Dan Amos, who you've seen onstage in A BRIGHT PARTICULAR STAR, THE QUARREL and other shows....
To whom it may concern,
Four of us attended Saturday night's showing of Grace. The play was expertly acted, and in many ways well-written. However, we drove away not sure precisely where the grace was to be found. This is not a criticism, but an admission of ignorance. Could someone help by interpretting for us the presence of grace in this story?
By His mercy...
*
Hello Roger,
I work on staff here at the theatre, and served as the sound designer for the show. I’ve been asked to respond with some thoughts as to the ultimate presence of grace in the story of Grace.
The fact that you went away a little frustrated, asking this very question, to me indicates that the show has exactly fulfilled its purpose. I think that the playwright ultimately wants us to consider what grace is, if it actually exists, and where it is found in human life, especially in tragic situations. This is a very messy story that never nicely wraps up any one issue. It is worth mentioning that the playwright was inspired to write the play after hearing about an actual, very similar, situation on the news, involving a bizarre, Christian love triangle/murder-suicide.
In direct answer to your question I believe that grace can be found, though it is tempered by tragedy, somewhere in the journey that each character makes in the story. Sam obviously comes from a place of lonely hopelessness to a state in which he can let go of his guilt and become ‘alive’ again, even opening up to the idea that God, and grace, may exist after all. The complexity lies in the fact that he finds all of this through his relationship with Sara, which ultimately turns adulterous. Very messy.
Karl’s story is filled with grace, indeed, a grace wrought with cosmic destiny, in that his little ‘friend’ Rachel encounters him and offers him forgiveness for an act that has paralyzed him with guilt and bitterness for sixty-odd years. His admission at the end that “there is something, that waits, and comes back for us” is a tremendous step of hope. However, he still ends up murdered, and is found to have unconsciously been the vehicle of Steve’s illness. Again, very messy.
Sara not only finds a renewed sense of grace and redemption for herself through her interaction with Sam, but also gets to be the instrument of grace for another. This is a powerful, positive thing. As per normal in this play, however, she becomes caught up in the messy turmoil of a deteriorating marriage and an awkward love affair.
It is sometimes difficult to remember in such a disturbing story that we are watching a tragedy, in the traditional, even ancient, sense. The ultimate purpose of tragedy is to ‘ennoble’ the viewer – to make him or her a braver, stronger, wiser or ‘better’ person. This is achieved when the audience identifies and empathizes with the tragic hero, yet is able to detach and see the mistakes that the tragic hero makes. Steve is definitely the tragic hero of the piece. It is probably easiest for those of us with Christian evangelical backgrounds to identify with him. Yet there is something that rings alarm bells in us from the start. I believe the most potent aspect of his character is the everpresent proximity of grace to him, which he foolishly ignores, misunderstands, or is unable to focus on. The entire ending predicates on his redemptive epiphany with Karl, rapidly followed by his bitter realization that Karl has been unwittingly poisoning him. If he could only see past his initial wave of resigned rage... if he could only stop and realize that he now has the means to sue the chemical company and make ALL of his money back... If he could only put aside his selfish pride for a second, a moment... perhaps it wouldn’t be a tragedy at all.
Ron Reed makes clear in his director’s notes that he did not choose this play for the things that it says, but for some of the difficult and uncomfortable questions that it asks. I thank you and your friends for engaging with these questions. Please, if you wish to dialogue further, reply to this email. We in the office are enjoying bouncing your questions around between ourselves.
Blessings...
*
Dan,
Thank you. Your response was careful, and infomative. I suppose at this point, while I remain unsatisfied from failure to see how the title fits the story, I would ask the larger question of Ron, namely, what redemptive element this story conveys.
I like messy, I live in messy, we as Christians too quickly jettison all things messy including 40% of the psalter, God's clear message that life is not immune from lament. Having said this, I resisted the impulse to share Christ with a person like Sam yesterday. I resisted it because the play twisted the enterprise of sharing Christ into something I want nothing to do with. I observed an unkind version of sharing Christ in Grace, much like I did in the movie, The Big Kahuna. This is not a style of evangelism I condone. But there were moments of great courage, and brilliance in Steve's well-intended, yet over-bearing, unsympathetic, manipulative, and disengenuine overtures. These moments, as rare as they are, remain precious. Proclaiming Christ is something to be done with great care, but we Christians need affirming examples, or, at least poor examples shown to be redemptive.
I also think I am still shell-shocked. Watching a man load a gun in a LIVE theatre context, to subsequently fire said gun, a short distance from my face is drama I have never before encountered at that level, that was intense. But I think the intensity of that show has momentarily shaken foundations such as how I share Christ. Everyone walking out of that theatre is thinking, 'God forbid I ever become the blow-hard evangelistic maniac Steve was'.
I love you guys, and am so thankful for your theatre. I desire for LIVE theatre to shake me, especially for God's glory. But I hoped by now, (nearly a week later) something good might have come of it, or, that less desireable vestiges of the story would cease to influence me. I regret to say, neither has transpired.
The question I ask as I prepare to share some vital, but, hard-to-swallow-truth about God, Scripture, or man in a sermon is, 'am I willing to destabalize the faith of some in exchange for this truth, illustration, theology, etc." If the import of that truth does not justify the exchange then it is not worth the destabilizing effects.
By His mercy...
*
And this, in July;
Where can I locate a copy of Craig Wright's Grace? I've been bugging Angela for it for months, and she said her only copy is covered in her notes. I would be willing to pay for it - I've just got to get my hands on it. This play in all sincerity changed my life, my view of theatre, my view of death and spirituality, faith and religiosity. I've spent many an hour searching the internet, I even have my friend who's a librarian at a theatre archive in New York City trying to track it down for me with no luck yet. In fact, I'm so obsessed that I've just finished watching the entire series of Six Feet Under, and read every interview and listened to every audio commentary done by Craig Wright. Please say you can help me.
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