2023 Fringe Fest review: Pieces Of connects with audience through visualsPieces Of, which I saw at the 2023 Victoria Fringe Fest, is an interdisciplinary work that incorporates video, 360-degree surround sound, interpretive dance, and fragmented stories. It’s an immersive journey through one woman’s memories of drug abuse, sex work, homelessness, and friendships. This experimental performance executed by Chandler McMurray-Ives (who is also the creator and […] Continue Reading |
2023 Fringe Fest review: Sadec 1965 endearing story but lacking stage presenceSadec 1965: A Love Story by Flora Le tells the story of her trip across Vietnam on a motorcycle in a mission to visit her estranged, late father’s hometown to find emotional closure. The performance oscillates between time periods, recollections of Le’s trip interspersed with flashbacks of the life that led her to that narrow […] Continue Reading |
Reverb delivers three days of great music and beerVancouver Island festival-goers were treated to talented musicians, craft beer, and delicious food trucks during Reverb at Phillips Backyard from Friday, August 11 to Sunday, August 13. I had doubts going into the festival, as I’d heard complaints about the layout and overall organization of the event from last year; this year, however, it was […] Continue Reading |
Jayne Imagination gets personal with friends imaginary and realLocal electronic musician Jayne Murray—also known as Jayne Imagination—released her new album Friends on July 27. And while the album—her second this year, following up May’s Messenger—is the latest step forward for Murray, she’s also looking back. Murray says that she had a spectacular childhood, so much so that she never wanted to stop being […] Continue Reading |
Monsters on Maple Street interesting but not light summer readMonsters on Maple Street: The Twilight Zone and the Postwar American Dream by author and historian David J. Brokaw delivers a thought-provoking examination of the relationship between the classic science-fiction show The Twilight Zone and post-World War II America. Reading this non-fiction book is like taking a step back into the 1950s and 1960s, to […] Continue Reading |
New book offers fascinating look into the life of Harry Dean StantonOne of the most interesting books I’ve read so far this summer is Jospeh B. Atkins’ Harry Dean Stanton: Hollywood’s Zen Rebel. Through its fantastic use of first-person perspective to its engrossing depiction of Stanton’s life, Atkins creates a wonderful book that honours the Hollywood acting legend as much as it entertains its reader. The […] Continue Reading |
Wentworth Villa exhibit explores work of Victoria-born architectThe first thing I noticed when I walked into Wentworth Villa to explore the new exhibit John Di Castri, Architect: A Retrospective (1924-2005) were the beautiful high ceilings and cross hatch windows; the venue is well-lit and is a perfect place to hold an exhibit about architecture. This is fitting because Di Castri was a […] Continue Reading |
The Last Five Years honest and captivating productionLast night, I went to see Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre’s production of The Last Five Years, which follows the ups and downs of the five-year relationship between two characters, Jamie (Seth Zosky) and Cathy (Cheyenne Scott). This Tony award-winning musical from playwright Jason Robert Brown features unconventional timelines, with Jamie’s story being told chronologically and […] Continue Reading |
The Last Five Years gets non-linear with relationshipsBlue Bridge Repertory Theatre is continuing its stream of gutsy productions with the musical The Last Five Years. Written by Jason Robert Brown, The Last Five Years premiered in Chicago in 2001 and has since grown in popularity, showing around the world. “What’s special about it is the story documents five years in the journey […] Continue Reading |
Absinthe, Bourbon, Vodka, and Sake explores themes of running awayVictoria-based director Zelda Dean was drawn to Absinthe, Bourbon, Vodka, and Sake because the play takes unexpected turns. Dean has worked with award-winning playwright Caroline Russell-King for 40 years and says she has watched her develop into her career. “So, I’m intrigued by many of her scripts, but this script in particular is… very compelling,” […] Continue Reading |
