Haunted at the Metro Theatre: A Van Sexy Date Pick

I am not at all sure what this says about me, but I have discovered this past year, thanks to Fighting Chance ProductionsSweeney Todd and The Lieutenant of Inishmore and most recently the Metro Theatre‘s Haunted, that I have a real affinity to dark, sinister and morbid comedies.  And to make things even worse, these are amoung my top Van Sexy Date Picks for the past year. So that I don’t spend too much time over analyzing what this says about me, let us just assume that this is my infinite wisdom in testing out a man – a) he has to have a sense of humour, b) he should want to protect me, and c) I should want to cuddle up next to him whether I’m scared or not.

So this brings me back to my latest Van Sexy Date Pick: Haunted by Eric Chappell, that opened at the Metro Theatre last night.  Thoroughly enjoyed this!  Director Catherine Morrison made some exceptionally strong choices in her rendition of Haunted from some strong casting, to a superb set (that I wouldn’t mind moving into), to some wickedly good choices of music, movement and lighting to set the tone and the mood.  They had me and my date captivated from the get go.

Now I don’t want to go to much into the plot, but there were certainly elements of it that I could relate to, as it is about a writer, who having had a bad review is suffering from writer’s block and a potential nervous breakdown.  What unfolds from there, may be all a figment of a wildly active imagination or may be one of those things in life that we just can’t explain.  Either way, our writer is met with a bit of inspiration, in the form of an artifact from his idol, Lord Byron.  Now I don’t know how much you know of Lord Byron, but he was rumoured to be a bit of a Ladies’ Man, so amoungst other revelations our writer had, things definitely got a little more titillating.  I should warn you though, despite the ideas that this may put in yours and your date’s heads, Lord Byron also believed that men and women shouldn’t live together. Obviously a fatal flaw in his character.

Lisa Gach and Samuel B Barnes, as photographed by Brian Campbell, in Haunted.

Now I’d be remiss by not mentioning the great cast here – Samuel B Barnes as Nigel Burke (the writer), Emma Drury as Mary Burke, Kevin Sloan as Potter, Lisa Gach as Julia Phillips, Eric Freilich as Lord Byron and Robert Sterling as Turner Gould.  Samuel was an especially wonderful surprise as I saw him not too long ago in Here on the Flight Path when he played a very different character.  He played these two characters so different, that to me as a patron of the theatre, he was totally unrecognizable.  Bravo!

You can catch Eric Chappell’s Haunted at the Metro Theatre until June 4th. Performances are on Thursday to Saturday nights at 8 pm, with two Sunday matinées at 2 pm on May 15th and 29th.

Kisses,

Emme xoxo

Playland at Pacific Theatre: A Van Sexy Review

I love new experiences!  Especially those that place me in interesting settings and that make me think. My first experience with Pacific Theatre was exactly that.

Situated in the basement of a church, I really wasn’t sure what to expect, although there was a certain familiarity to the situation, having been dropped off for summer camps in the performing arts by my grandfather in another church based theatre.  Amazing how similar scents and decor can take you back to the perspective and mind of a ten-year-old in about 10-seconds flat. The actual theatre was not what I expected though.  I’d never seen anything quite like it.  The picture doesn’t quite do it justice, but how cool is this:

Such a cool theatre - stage in center with the seats on opposite sides.

The play in question is Playland by Athol Fugard, an encounter between a black and a white man at an amusement park as Apartheid was coming to an end. I happened to be in South Africa around that time, and just as I wasn’t quite sure what to make of South Africa at the time, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of this play at first.  It’s a thinker.

The actors – Michael Kopsa and Tom Pickett – were absolutely excellent.  They had tough and meaty roles full of emotion and heavy in dialogue and they played them beautifully and with such strength and conviction.  Similarly, the set dec was impressive. Drew Facey should be commended on the thought and creativity that was put into this.

Photo by Ron Reed. Pictured L-R Michael Kopsa, Tom Pickett.

What had me befuddled was the story. The ending is beautiful and touching, but the earlier part of the play is weighty in religious convictions.  I wasn’t quite sure what to make of this, especially as I found myself agreeing with Gideon, whom we were meant to hate.  Enough already on the “thou shall not …” and the going to Hell.  First off I don’t believe in Hell and second off, we are so hypocritical and omnipotent on the “thou shall nots …”.  I mean who here amoung us has never killed a mosquito (who I might add is a mother, as it is the female mosquito that sucks blood, as she needs it for her young) or killed a moth that was munching away on your clothes.  Hypocritical!  You’re not sorry about killing that mosquito and yes, it is another living thing.  Yet, the ending of the play was so beautiful and shared such a positive message, whether your religious or not.  Which left me mulling over this all week and hence my delay on this review.

Photo by Ron Reed. Pictured: Tom Pickett.

This is a good thing though.  So often, we shy away from dealing with complex issues that are filled with a lot of grey and really make us question our moral compasses.  And as I was thinking of this this week, it made me more open to interesting conversations, one of which I had with an absolutely beautiful man of the clergy. As an East Indian Man of the Anglican faith, he was much more well versed in others religions and believes and respectful of the beauty and messages in all religions, not just his own. He shared with me that he cringed at manys “thou shall not …” approach to religion, life and being.  What he embraced was love and that is how he approaches all that he does in life.  I watched him for awhile.  There was a twinkle in his eye and his smile lit up all those around him. Beautiful!  And I do believe this was the underlying message at the end of the play (for me, anyhow).

So don’t be afraid to think.  It’s sexy, you know.  You can still catch Playland at the Pacific Theatre. It is on now until November 27th, 2010.

Cool Dates: A Forbidden Treat

I’ve decided I am launching a new column of ‘cool dates’, because if your like me, you get into a rut after awhile of the same old.  Now to kick it all off , I have a bit of a forbidden treat!

That’s right, my first date recommendation for the New Year is Forbidden Broadway.  Now gentlemen, what makes this a perfect date, is that they encourage drinking during the performance. You see, they theatre is set up with lovely candle lit tables and you can purchase an entire bottle of wine to garnish that table.  From the female mind, we think, ‘Oh how very civilized!  We can sit here and sip wine on lovely white dollied tables while watching the show.  And how very thoughtful of our date to get us a bottle of wine to share.’

So what! You could do this at any show at the PAL Theatre.  Why Forbidden Broadway?  Well, it’s true, and I may suggest another show at the PAL Theatre again, but what makes this show such a great date, is that it is hilarious.  My date and I laughed the entire time!  And laughter is such a great ice breaker and turn on.  I’m totally attracted to a man that can laugh and has a good sense of humour. Hell, let’s face it, anyone that doesn’t, really shouldn’t be with me.

Even Ethel Merman Was There!

Reason #4: Forbidden Broadway is a spoof on musical theatre.  So by taking a date there, it makes you look rather worldly in the Arts.  Yet, another thing, I find insanely hot in a man!

Reason #5: The Players of Fighting Chance Productions are amazingly talented, pulling off a number of different voices, characters and songs between the five of them. I loved watching Aaron Lau prance around like a great big pussy cat, Andrea Bailey did such an uncanny Reece Witherspoon impression that I nearly peed my pants, Natalee Fera’s impression of the Wicked Witch of the West will scare you silly, Cathy Wilmot’s rendition of Hairspray was a show favourite of mine, and David Nicks looks awfully fine in a dress.  We even caught a glimpse of the show’s director skipping round the stage, like a giddy school girl.  Clearly he’s done a bit of performing himself.

Oh and as an added dating tip, invite the girl for a walk along the water in Coal Harbour after the show, or if you’re fortunate to live in the area, back to your place for a cocoa after the show.

I know ladies, I should probably be shot for giving men dating tips, but seeing as my gorgeous date was one of my best gal pals, I need to live out my fantasies somehow. Oh, and as a warning, be aware of men with parrots inviting you back to their boat after the show.  These sorts, even if poising as cute and furry woodland creatures, are usually pirates in disguise and highly dangerous creatures (yet totally lovable).

Kisses,

Emme xoxo

Forbidden Treat

In lieu of the fact that most of you are back slogging away in an office somewhere, I decided to lighten up your first week back with some free tickets to the theatre!  Okay, Fighting Chance Productions gave me the tickets to give to you, but I’ve decided to take all the credit as the hero cause I’m just that kind of girl.

What are the tickets for you ask?

For a Fighting Chance Productions, rendition of Forbidden Broadway!  If you’re not familiar with this show, it is Gerard Alessandri’s spoof of musical theatre, taking a poke or two at a number of much loved Broadway Productions, including Wicked, Mamma Mia, Annie, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, and Hairspray.

I for one am greatly looking forward to a few chuckles to ring in the New Year. Also looking forward to being entertained by some Van City talent, including Andrea Bailey, Natalee Fera, Aaron Lau, David Nicks and Cathy Wilmot.

So how do you win?

I have a pair of tickets to give away to this Thursday night’s performance.  To enter to win, check out a Fighting Chance Productions site and comment below with the name of one other production that they are putting on in 2010, by midnight tonight PST.

It’s as simple as that.  I will stick the names of everyone who answered correctly in a hat and draw a name at random for the pair of tickets. The winner will be announced on my blog first thing Tuesday morning.

Just make sure if you enter, that you and your guest can be at Pal Theatre (581 Cardero St, Vancouver) no later than 7:30 pm on Thursday night, January 7th.

If you don’t win, don’t fret. This is not the only performance. The show continues until January 16th and I will be posting a review on my site after I see it. Tickets are available here.

Happy Monday!

Emme

Holiday Tip #5: Don’t Sweat the Wardrobe Malfunctions

Take it from the gal that has had unexpected and embarrassing wardrobe malfunctions at pretty much every social gathering this holiday, that they aren’t worth sweating.  Best to just find the humour in them, as opposed to letting them destroy your holiday moments.  Here’s some practice – just laugh at my moments.

Moment #1 was relatively tame.  Arrived late to a dinner with friends of my parents, only to have the zipper to my jeans break 10-seconds after entering. Locked myself in the bathroom for 10-minutes trying fix it.  No luck.  Quietly ask the hostess for safety pins.  She didn’t have any.  Meanwhile the truly evil unknown cashier, saw everything and with a wicked little smile commented as loudly as she could, “They’ve probably broken from too much use.”  “Do you wear them when you dance?”, she added ‘oh so innocently’.  I decided to make a quick escape to the door for a quick fashion change, when my lovely, but oblivious father pipes up with, “Where are you off to, you only just arrived?”

Broken Zipper by you.

Moment #2 is much more dramatic and really belongs in my ‘Blonde Moments’.  I got all dressed up to go and see our yearly Christmas musical with my family.  Drove with my sister and her husband, as its important to her that he get to know me better.  I guess I am not as embarrassing to her as I’d previously suspected.  Well get to know me better he did.  A whole lot better.

Gale force winds had whipped when we got out of the car to walk across to the theatre.  My brother-in-law and I quickly ran across the road, but Bella was just standing there, yelling “My hat, my hat!”  It took me a second to realize what the problem was.  Her hat, one I’d knit for her, my most favourite hat that I’d ever knit, had blown off and was lying on the ground on the other side of a 10 foot iron gate with jagged spikes on the top.

old iron gate by CoreForce.

Photo by Falk Lademann

Before I knew it, I’d tossed my purse and camera at my sister and was scaling the gate.  It wasn’t until I was at the very top and my highly religious brother-in-law was standing right underneath me that I realized I was wearing a skirt and a short one at that.  Happily had discovered that he wasn’t quite the prude I’d previously suspected and did have a sense of humour after all.  There was a greater problem at hand now though than him seeing up my skirt, I suddenly realized that scaling tall gates in dress shoes wasn’t quite as easy as in runners.  Who knew!?!  And to complicate matters, the gale force winds had now blown my skirt up over my head.

DSC_7532 by Mr Ferguson.

All potential suitors will happily know that luckily I narrowly missed impaling myself on one of the top spikes of the gate, sex and children are still possibilities in my future.  Thank God!  A life without sex would be like a life without chocolate or wine.  A reality that I will hopefully never have to face.  Didn’t get by totally unscathed though, as I literally toppled over the top of the gate.  Huge blow to my tomboy past, but thankfully, like a cat, I did land on my feet, so no ambulance needed calling.

Retrieved the hat and was half over before Oh Religious One and Bella realized they were holding my camera with video capabilities.  Thankfully for me and sadly for you they were a little slow on the uptake and recognizing the danger of my current situation, my tomboy skills had returned for the scrambling down.  So there is no photos or video of the fated moment.

I did, however, discover that the back of my leg was a bloody mess when I arrived in the washroom.  This was quickly rectified by removing my torn and bloody tights, mopping up the wound and all the women in the theatres restroom banding together to find enough bandaids to prevent my skirt being stained with blood during the performance.

The War Wounds:

Fence Climbing Caper War Wound by you.

Fence Climbing Caper War Wound #2 by you.

Destroyed Stalkings from Christmas Fence Caper by you.

Such acts of human kindness and the realization that it was damn cold with no tights on, reminded me that not everyone is as lucky as I am.  A lot of people don’t have warm winter toques and other clothes to chase when they blow off or warm theatres full of goodwill to hide out from the cold in.  To pass along a little of this kindness to others this winter, give winter clothes that you no longer wear to those in need, donate cell phones to groups like Fearless City that give them to those living on the streets improving saftey, or support groups like Beauty Nights that helps those that are less fortunate feel sexy too!

Kisses,
Emme xoxo