Bumper crop: Cadre, Cat Killer, The Whipping Man

Writer, director, and actor Omphile Molusi tells a tough story in Cadre

It’s rich, Vancouver: I have three shows to recommend this weekend.

At the top of my list is Cadre, which runs at the Cultch until Sunday (March 8). It’s about the impact that the anti-apartheid struggle had on one revolutionary. The show starts off somewhat uncertainly, but builds to gut-punching power. Strong performances. Simply and beautifully designed and conceived.

I also really liked Cat Killer, which opened last night at Presentation House. In this show, you go on an immersive journey, riding the interface between virtual and concrete realities, guided by your headset and hand-held camera. Presentation House collaborated with Germany’s Theatre Wrede+ on this imperfect but trippy and innovative project.

And, to round things out, there’s The Whipping Man at Pacific Theatre. It takes place in Richmond, Virginia just after the American Civil War ended, and it opens a window into a chaotic time. Very impressive performances from the three guys in this cast: Carl Kennedy, Tom Pickett, and Giovanni Mocibob.

And these are just the picks from the shows I’ve seen. There were nine openings this week, folks. That’s right: nine.

Tonight, I’m seeing Itsazoo’s The Competition is Fierce.

If you want my day-after responses, you can follow me on Twitter: @ColinThomasSays.