Acting shmacting

Lindsey Angell Jespersen, Presentation House, Iceland

Lindsey Angell Jespersen is so good she’s scary in Iceland

You can see some of the best acting in the world in Vancouver; you just have to show up for it.

If you want to see a young actor at the top of her game, go see Lindsey Angell Jespersen in Iceland at Presentation House.

In this smart script about capitalism, playwright Nicolas Billon introduces us to an Estonian student working as a prostitute in Vancouver, a real estate agent, and a conservative Christian woman.

You’ll enjoy Munish Sharma’s work as Halim (the realtor), and Georgia Beatty’s performance as Anna (the Christian). Angell’s portrait of Kassandra, the student hooker, is so flawlessly complete it will scare you.

Iceland runs until March 29.

And you’ve got two more nights to catch The Whipping Man, which closes on the 21st, at Pacific Theatre. There’s some real acting shmacting in this show about the immediate aftermath of the American Civil War—from Giovanni Mocibob, Tom Pickett, and especially the remarkable Carl Kennedy.

Bumper crop: Cadre, Cat Killer, The Whipping Man

Cadre, Cultch, Market Theatre, Omphile Molusi

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. [Read more…]

What to see this weekend: The Rainmaker, and Our Town

The Rainmaker, Pacific Theatre, Robert Salvador, Pippa Johnstone

Pippa Johnstone and Robert Salvador get sweet and sexy in The Rainmaker

The best shows running this weekend are both American classics: The Rainmaker and Our Town.
[Read more…]

Why we shouldn’t take the Jessies too seriously

Jessies, The Seafarer, Pacific Theatre, Vancouver theatre

The ONLY Jessie The Seafarer won was for outstanding production. What’s up with that?

If we ever needed a reminder of why we shouldn’t take the Jessies too seriously, all we have to do is look at this year’s awards in the large-theatre stream.  [Read more…]

Re:Union at Pacific Theatre

Re:Union at Pacific Theatre

The best show in town right now is Re: Union at Pacific Theatre.

Amazingly, it’s playwright Sean Devine’s first produced play. [Read more…]

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