Ever Seen The Likes Of Me Before?

We tried to devise a game plan as we knew that if we opened the door the moth would fly inside.  With the kids freaked out and waiting down in the driveway, I was set to throw a rock at the door in hopes of startling the thing so it would fly away.  As I paused to calculate my plan I heard a neighbour walking by.  I called out to him to come see who was visiting me.  I felt so much better about myself as he exclaimed, “Wow … I have never seen anything like that before!”  Then, he just reached out to flick it off the door.  Unbelievably, the moth climbed onto his finger instead.  He got a good grip and my neighbour couldn’t shake it off.  To my amusement he said, “Oh well, I’ll just take him on my walk with me.”  He left walking up the street, headphones on, music grooving, and his hand held slightly up in front with moth warrior in tow.

I Have You Now!

I saw my neighbour again this morning and he told me the moth hung out with him for at least 10 minutes before deciding he was done and flew away.

If like me, you love listening to artists play around with making tunes and writing their own music, you’ll want to follow along on Ross’ blog as he’s taking on the Song of the Week Challenge.  Was first introduced to this concept when Bronwyn Malloy was interning with Ahimsa Media, and lending her pen to my site, and I have to say it gave me a huge appreciation for the creativity and hard work these musicians put into their craft.

A True Fan

Having been a season’s ticket holder with her husband for many dedicated years, this was the first game she had ever gone to by herself.  She thought about just staying home, but decided to go down to the Staples Center with the great intention of giving her tickets away in a random act of kindness type of moment.  To her surprise, no one would take her tickets.  The gift was too great and people felt it must be some suspicious trick.

Unwilling to give up, she made the choice to go inside and find two fans sitting higher up and offer to trade tickets with them.  While grabbing a bite to eat she met a father whom she thought would be elated to give his child the experience of sitting in prime seats, but he declined.  He also did not trust the situation.  She kept on trying to give and it took until the second quarter for her to have a taker.  A very lucky young man heard, and believed her when she said that she was at the game alone sitting in incredible seasons tickets seats and that she had an empty seat beside her available.  He decided to join her and he was the most grateful person for the gift he had received.  An ear to ear grin and a slowly whispered “Thank You” was the perfect end to her night.

We chatted passionately on the subway about the state of human nature.  Is it that we don’t give enough so people aren’t used to receiving?  Is it that scams do happen so often making us reluctant to trust anyone? Do we trust some people and not others based on appearance, age, or other factors? The way fellow fans reacted on that night left her feeling that a bit of the latter was true.  Before we parted ways she revealed to me that she has wealth beyond comprehension including jewels, incredible cars, and a high heel shoe collection to die for!  She stressed the importance of being kind to every single person you meet because you never know their story.  We shared a big hug and I have been thinking about her story ever since.

A short while ago we grabbed our bag of potatoes off the ground to cook with and noticed one of them had been gnawed on. Naturally we assumed the puppy had done it so we moved the bags to a new location.  When we went to use the potatoes again, another one had been chewed on.  We then relocated them to a higher place unreachable by puppies.  Many days passed and our potatoes remained safe.

One day, after awaking from a deep mashed potato slumber, we found a potato that had been left on the counter, still on the counter, but with a big chunk chewed away.  This is when my heart skipped a beat, because the puppy had been in her crate all night! The curious thing is that there was other food left on the counter, including a pie and nothing else was touched.  What kind of beast only goes for raw potatoes?!

Thinking we had a mouse on our hands we took all our food out of our open pantry, but saw no signs of anything else being eaten or chewed on.  We have not found any droppings either.  I am open to the thought that it could be some kind of bug since there are so many weird ones here in California.  We let a few more days pass and with our potatoes all gone, we didn’t have any more incidents.  We set a mouse trap with peanut butter, which is supposed to be the most effective bait but we didn’t catch anything and the peanut butter remained in tact.

Eventually having bought more potatoes for Christmas, we decided to do a test.  We put out a few food items and left a potato at the foot of our stairs.  Sure enough, in the morning, only the potato had been gnawed on!  Now we’re thinking we have some kind of well read mouse who’s on a potato only diet for some life enhancing reason.  This same mouse must only poop in a golden box somewhere, because we still haven’t seen any droppings.

Evidence

We set the mouse trap again, but with a small piece of potato on it instead of peanut butter.  The next morning, the potato piece was gone, but the trap was still intact with no critter!  Last night we tried again, but we tied the potato piece to the trap so it would be impossible to pick it off and escape.  This morning we found that the trap had been triggered, but nothing was in it…and the potato was gone!  What am I dealing with here?!?!

Joel Stephanson‘s Corridors: A Podplay, is among other things, an artistic response to that very experience: of being alone in a crowd, occupying the space of a million different people and stories, many of which are never brought to light.

Photo by Sera Katie

Quiet Hum Theatre Company‘s experimental offering uses the very same ‘isolating’ technology create a certain intimacy: through the iPod, we hear the stories of others, while a narrator guides us through the spaces they occurred in, many years ago. In Corridors we gather personal histories through our headsets, by way of overheard conversations and confessions between certain Vancouver residents long ago, while at the same time wandering the ancient Chalmers Heritage Building — also home to Pacific Theatre and The Holy Trinity Anglican Church.

I’d never experienced a podplay before Corridors, and so was slightly taken aback by its unconventional format. After being given an iPod, a prodigious pair of headphones,  and shown which the Pause/Play button was, I was left to wander Chalmers Heritage Building only loosely supervised, with the narrator gently guiding me to various nooks and crannies in and around the building. It was surreal to experience a play in which the only “special effects” were auditory, and where I was imagining the invisible characters at the very spot I was standing, many years previous, having the conversation I was hearing.

Photo by slworking2

While I was listening, it was business as usual in the Pacific Theatre lobby, as Box Office attendants and other staff were getting ready for other performances. Just like in the real world among iPod listeners, they paid me no mind, and the general, unobtrusive bustle in the lobby added a whole other dimension to my experience of the play. Although most of the play takes place in more solitary parts of the building, there is a constant reminder that the present is continuing in Chalmers Heritage Building, even as we are trying to consolidate the snippets of the building’s past as we hear them in Corridors. It is almost as if the present is jostling with the past for our attention, washing over it, and making it blurry, more distant and harder to picture.

Photo by Chris D 2006.

Many characters in the play are aged, and struggling to recall their past, as they are having trouble finding their bearings in the modern — and changed — Chalmers building.  Being surrounded by both the stories from the past and the present in Corridors, we can understand their struggle to organize the information surrounding them as we listen to the play.

My favourite part of this play was that I was able to explore Chalmers Heritage Building in what is probably the most curious and imaginative way possible — Corridors is like a dramatic tour within a play. The narrator leads the listener outside the building, up stairs, into a chapel,  a sanctuary, a defunct gym, an elevator, a parkade and several other spots in the building — many of which are nicely furnished with comfy couches for easy listening.

Installation by Alex MetCalf (click to read more). Photo by abrinsky (http://www.flickr.com/people/abrinsky/).

A couple of times I thought I made a wrong turn, so rewound and replayed the instructions, marveling that I could do that — stop the play and listen again that is — until I was sure I got it. Not something actors would take kindly to, I‘m sure. Corridors is in many ways the opposite of what you’d expect at a traditional evening at the theatre: instead of a stage and an audience, all the world’s a stage (or at least the ancient building is), and instead of a numbered seat in among many, there is only you, mobile audience of one.

Corridors offers the strangely haunting experience of being able to occupy many different times at once. It also provides us with little- known histories (and fictions) that evoke a Vancouver very different from the one we know now. And being a solitary, but interactive play, makes me think about the many forms of solitary-but-social media that fill our world now, and wonder what that means in terms of the forms that theatre, history, learning, and interaction can take. Big questions I know, but that’s a credit to the play — it is a bold experiment that raises many questions, specific to our present historical moment.

 Corridors: A Podplay is written & directed by Joel Stephanson, and presented by Quiet Hum Theatre Co. You can see it in the Chalmers Heritage Building — the same place as Pacific Theatre and the Holy Trinity Anglican Church. The remaining shows run on Dec 16, 23 and 30. Since Corridors ends before Pacific Theatre‘s evening show commences, you must arrive sometime between 4-6 pm to see it. See Quiet Hum’s website for details.

This photo does not do the size justice.

Wow, it’s true what they say about food in America.  They like to give you unnecessary mega sizes!  I took my kids to the movies and ordered a popcorn combo so I could save 75 cents.  We ordered 1 large popcorn and 2 drinks with an extra cup to share amongst the 3 of us.  My eyeballs popped out of my head when they handed it all to me.  The drinks were abnormally enormous.  I made a remark to the guy who took our order and he told me it was a promotion they were having.  He said that for a special time the large drinks were going to be 44 oz. That’s over 1L!  The popcorn tub was shocking as well, but the out of control part was that they just gave us our free refill right upfront in a separate cardboard box.  This was for our convenience so we would not have to leave our seats during the movie.  The irritating thing is that they didn’t tell me about the promotion up front.  The kids were thrilled of course.  I am ashamed, although I guess not all that surprised to admit that we had it all polished off by the end of the movie! If everything was half the size we would have been just as satisfied though.  What are they trying to do to us?! If they want to give me a special promotion, lower the price of the movie…now that would make a lot of mom’s happy!

Rob Monk, Robert Sidley, Devin Pihlainen and Brian Hinson in FCP's The Tempermentals. Not Pictured: David Nicks. Photo by Devin Karringten.

The play shows us just how hostile the McCarthy era was towards homosexuals, suspected leftists, or anyone thought of as threatening to the fabric of “good, clean American society”. The danger of the times is especially strident in the crackly recordings of General McCarthy‘s outrageous speeches that intersperse the performance. I couldn’t help but laugh at his warnings about how to spot a communist, because they were delivered in dead seriousness, but sound like the ravings of one who has taken leave of his senses entirely. Of course, nothing is funny about his opinions, or the laws and policies they supported. We see their oppression and cruelty that hurt, bully and punish the people in the play, whose only crime is being who they are.

And in this dark and hostile climate, there is a beautiful, hopeful thing: the love between Harry and Rudi. It is a sweet, mischievous, witty love, between two unlikely mates. Rudi is an up-and-coming LA fashion designer, who moves easily through the glamour crowd, charming everyone in his wake. Harry on the other hand, is political science teacher, with a background in law, who is terribly passionate, but easily incensed and uncompromising in his vision of a safe society for homosexuals.

Rob Monk, Robert Sidley, Devin Pihlainen and Brian Hinson in FCP's The Tempermentals. Not Pictured: David Nicks. Photo by Devin Karringten.

Neither belongs in the other’s world — especially because Harry is married — but the two are like a refuge for each other, a space away from the world where they don’t have to fight or hide. It is really touching to see how their love for each other emboldened the movement that led to the founding of the Mattachine Society — the first specifically homophile society in the United States. Watching the play, you really get a sense of how terrifying it was to take the stand that Harry, Rudi and their allies did. But while also seeing how doing anything other than taking a stand involved living with the tremendous amount of shame and loneliness that comes from living like a fugitive while having done nothing wrong.

Harry Hay and Rudi Gernreich were stunning human beings who showed incredible courage in hard times, and their actions shaped history. I know this now thanks to The Tempermentals, playwright John Marans, Fighting Chance Productions and director Ryan Mooney for bringing this play to the Canadian stage for the first time.

The actors did an great job transporting the audience, and so did the unusual set design. It is stark and intimate with few props, and with four different platforms that light up at different times. This set up with the minimal lighting gives the impression that we are overhearing whispers, secret rendezvous, and dangerous truths. Congratulations to actors Brian Hinson (Harry Hay), Devin Pihlanien (Rudi Gernreich), James Gill, David Nicks and Rob Monk (all three of whom played a variety of characters wonderfully and in quick succession).

You can (and must) see The Tempermentals at the PAL Theatre in Vancouver until December 3rd.  Showtimes are 8 pm from  Tuesday — Saturday, 2 pm matinees on Saturday and two shows on Sunday at 2 pm & 7 pm.

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My friends came up with the idea to cook up some fresh crab and enjoy a night in with garlic butter and wine.  I had eaten crab legs before so I thought the whole thing sounded pretty good, except for the fact that crabs remind me of spiders.  Oh well, I figured my friends would lead the way, I would drink the wine and look the other way most of the time.  They did make me go shopping with them to buy the crab though.  We went down to a marina area so we could pretend like we ‘caught’ our own fresh dinner.  A lovely man reached into the hundred-leg tank and pulled out a huge crab like it was nothing.  The next thing that happened let me know this night was going to be more than I was prepared for; my girlfriend asked how to cook it.  I thought they had done this before!  When I heard the man say what we had to do I knew I was going to have to be involved, that this would be a group project and I could not hide from it.

Just Look At All Those Legs Crawling Around In There!

Learning How to Hold a Crab

It's Really Happening, A Fresh Crab For Dinner!

We ran through the plan all the way home.  Take the crab out of the paper…pick it up in the right way to avoid the pinching claws, hit it REALLY hard on the middle of the sink to crack the shell instantly and have it be over with…remove the top shell and discard the parts we don’t want…boil it…eat it.  Of course the kids caught wind of our excitement and gathered around, refusing to miss our attempt at this.

Take the crab out of the paper: The crab slid right into the sink and turned around to stare at us. I have never looked a crab in the face before and I think we all froze for a moment.

The Stare Down

Pick it up the right way: My friend’s husband was designated to do this.  He kept going for it, but could not commit.  Finally he made the move.  He did it all wrong and it was totally awkward, but he managed to get it into position.

Trying To Hold It Right

Hit it REALLY hard on the middle of the sink: We missed the REALLY part and ended up with a sort of tap.  The crab jumped out of my friend’s hands and back into the sink and ran around like crazy with it’s big angry claws.  Oh the screams! The kids were screaming, we were screaming, the kids ran away, and we kept screaming.  Eventually we stopped, drank a lot of wine, and composed ourselves enough to try again.  Success!  Then it hit us, we had to do it two more times because we had 3 crabs altogether.  We got smart and kept the other two in the paper until the deed was done.

In the end after drinking more wine to forget everything, I was actually able to enjoy our meal.  It was really hard to eat it after I just saw it running around.  I did spill garlic butter everywhere trying to get the meat out of the leg, but no one can dispute the fact that I was an active participant in a crazy dining experience.

Stephanie Moroz as Helen O'Neill in Studio 58's production of The Thirteenth Chair by Bayard Veiller.

I’d never been to Studio 58 before last night, and I have to say I have fallen in love with the place. Sure I had to navigate my way down a few winding staircases to get there, but for me that provided added charm — when you’re going to see a murder mystery on the rainiest of November nights, it only makes sense that the path to the theatre would have its perils. Cue thunder and all that. But fun aside, I was really impressed by how small and secluded the Studio 58 theatre is.  Draped with heavy purple fabric all around, with strict rules about exits and entrances, the audience and actors really are in a little world of their own for the duration of the play. It seems like the perfect set up for the audience to be drawn right into the story happening only a few feet away. With actors as talented as the ones in this cast, that’s exactly what happened.

Now a bit about the story — we enter it on the eve of an engagement between the son of the wealthy host and his sweetling (pictured above). Just when before their engagement is announced, a family friend (Edward Wales) objects strongly, begging the boy’s parents to wait 24 hours before they allow the engagement. His misgivings cast a shadow of suspicion upon the innocent looking Ms. O’Neill.

Lindsay Winch as Mary Eastwood in Studio 58's production of The 13th Chair by Bayard Veilles.

Much to everyone’s frustration, Wales can’t say anything about why he is suspicious, and only begs them to wait and see what the evening brings.

Later that evening a vivacious medium arrives at the party. The medium is to hold a seance that will reveal who murdered Wales’s friend, Spencer Lee — we can gather than one of the party guests is guilty. After much skepticism, laughter and magical demonstration, the group sits down to their seance. When the light’s come back on. . . can you guess? Here’s a hint: the services of one Inspector Donahue are required, and he is summoned immediately.

Kazz Leskard as Inspector Donohue in Studio 58's production of The 13th Chair by Bayard Veiller.

Don’t let the Inspector’s expression there fool you, he’s a hard-boiled detective, he is. With evidence and everything.

But don’t worry about the story ever getting too dark. When things threaten to get too serious, the two entertainers (who’s clever stage names have slipped my mind) accompanied by live piano music (composer Matt Grinke) take the stage with silly, feel-good numbers that you’ll be humming on your way home.

Thanks to director Sarah Rodgers for this wonderful play! And a warm congratulations to the whole cast and crew — there are so many talents that have contributed to this play — including an Irish Dialect Coach (Ashley O’ Connell) — that I can’t possibly name them all. Notable faces of the cast include: Cheyenne Mabberley as the medium Rosalie Le Grange, Kazz Leskard as Inspector Donahue, Stephanie Moroz as Helen O’Neill, Katey Hoffman as Grace Standish (whose character I am certain draws from Popeye’s Olive Oyl) and Joel Baillard as Edward Wales.

The costume and lighting crews are magicians, and their talent and hard work is hard to ignore in this performance.

You can see The 13th Chair at Studio 58 until December 4. Showtimes are at 8 pm from Tuesday through Saturday, with matinees at 3 pm on Saturday & Sunday.

P.S. Outside, during intermission, I found a flyer entitled “Do the Charleston like a pro!”, containing steps to the popular dance whose name I hitherto had not known. Thank you Studio 58  for educating me, about the dance and the name. While waiting for the bus in the shelter of the Canada Line station later that evening, I practiced the steps as I remembered them from the flyer. It seemed like the only thing there was to do, since it was still pouring rain and the bus was certainly taking its time.  I’m sure I provided entertainment for my fellow stranded travelers. And soon I am sure I will dance it like a pro. After all now I have inspiration.

Guaranteed to Keep Your Tootsies Toasty!

I also brought the fun with me in the form of a barrel of glow sticks.  After all, it was a girlfriend’s birthday party and we all need to live it up on our special day.  As I walked up the driveway to the house though, I knew this was going to be a different experience.  Candles lit the walkway, which led around to the back of the house where a blue-lit pool with a red-lit hot tub let off a sensual fog that filled the yard.  There were swanky lights strung around and groovy music playing.  As soon as my eyes took in all the people I realized my fashion faux pas.  I was dressed for an outdoor night time party complete with a tuque and bohemian braids, while everyone else was dressed in designer cozy sweaters and high heels or slinky boots.  Most of them were gathered around a bonfire having very sophisticated conversations.  This was not your typical backyard bonfire either, it was a glorious architect designed bowl with gas flames.

A Bonfire With Class

Now  I had two choices here: I could quickly ditch my coat and leave the glow sticks by the side of the house, or I could stay true to myself and inject some fun into this party.  I went with choice #2.  I took two glow sticks out for myself, wrapped them around my boots and spiced up the conversations.  Oh I definitely got the ‘I’m better than you’, and the ‘We are too grown up for that now’ looks, but I could tell they were all cold and wishing they had warm boots like me! I do admit though, I was secretly pretending this was my fab house.