Author: Alvina Ruprecht

Alvina Ruprecht is professor emerita from Carleton University. She is currently adjunct professor in the Theatre Department of the University of Ottawa.She has published extensively on francophone theatres in the Caribbean and elsewhere. She was the regular theatre critic for CBC Ottawa for 30 years. She contributes regularly to www.capitalcriticscircle.com, www.scenechanges.com, www.criticalstages.org, theatredublog.unblog.fr and www.madinin-art.net.
The List is marred by a staging which lacks insight.

The List is marred by a staging which lacks insight.

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At first there is that bunker-like interior which greets us as we pass behind the set to gain access to our seats. A sandy, earthy coloured space with a narrow opening at the back that looks out on what appears to be a desert stretching out to faraway hills. A  lone tree with green leaves pops into view, The only living thing in sight. Perhaps an image of the woman herself who is caught in this set that reproduces her inner landscape :  a dry drab sterile place where she would rather not be because it is all  slowly devouring her.

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Conférence de Presse, avec Brigitte Haentjens et Wajdi Mouawad au CNA, 29 septembre 2010. Présidée par Rosemary Thompson

Conférence de Presse, avec Brigitte Haentjens et Wajdi Mouawad au CNA, 29 septembre 2010. Présidée par Rosemary Thompson

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Lors d’une conférence de presse, mercredi après midi, le Centre national des arts nous a présenté  la nouvelle directrice artistique « désignée » du théâtre français de l’établissement. Voici la  première fois qu’une femme occupe ce poste (au Théâtre français) parce que Marti Maraden a déjà remplis le rôle du côté du théâtre anglais,  depuis sa création en 1969.

En septembre 2011, Mme Haentjens  assumera  le poste de directrice artistique désignée au moment où Wajdi Mouawad entamera sa dernière saison artistique  et en  septembre 2012, elle deviendra directrice artistique en titre et occupera le poste jusqu’en 2016.

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The Producers: Alvina Ruprecht speaks to Ottawa Morning host Stu Mills.

The Producers: Alvina Ruprecht speaks to Ottawa Morning host Stu Mills.

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CBO

Host Stu Mills: Some people called it outrageous and other people called it insulting. Others said that it was the most brilliant musical that had ever hit Broadway. Our theatre critic, Alvina Ruprecht, has been to see the new Orpheus production of the show. She’s in the studio this morning. Hello, Alvina.

AR: Hello, Stu.

CBO: What were people doing ? Were they leaving the theatre in a huff   at the very beginning of it all? .

AR: No, no. They weren’t.

CBO: They weren’t?

AR: Oh, no. No, not at all. Somebody left, but I think they were going to the bathroom and then they came back.

CBO: So they weren’t leaving in a huff.

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Facts at the GCTC: Powerful play by Arthur Milner that will encourage debate on a hot subject.

Facts at the GCTC: Powerful play by Arthur Milner that will encourage debate on a hot subject.

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Photo from The Guardian, UK,  with Michael Feast, Paul Rattray, Philip Arditti

Playwright Arthur Milner does not waste any time. Israeli Detective Yossi HaCohen (John Koensgen) is impatiently waiting for Khalid Yassin (Sam Kalilieh) the Inspector from the Palestinian Authority to arrive so they can begin their inquest into the murder/death of renowned American archaeologist Gordon Philips, killed in the West Bank. By whom? That is the question. The meeting takes place on the West Bank and Khalid arrives, visibly annoyed because he was held up at various Israeli check points. First impression: the two are on very good terms. Khalid, we are told, starts by speaking Hebrew, then Yossi mentions speaking Arabic but of course they are both speaking English and language takes on an important symbolic value in this region where communication has become almost impossible.

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Fela : un hommage brillant au musicien, compositeur et activiste indépendantiste nigérien.

Fela : un hommage brillant au musicien, compositeur et activiste indépendantiste nigérien.

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Mise en scène et chorégraphie de Bill T. Jones.

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La création de FELA, qui a eu lieu à New York en 2009 a pris fin le 2 janvier 2011, la veille de l’ouverture de la production britannique au National Theatre de London. Pourtant tout continue comme avant. Le chorégraphe Bill T. Jones continue sa direction de l’ensemble, le même acteur assure le rôle principal, beaucoup de danseurs et musiciens ont traversé la mer pour poursuivre cette aventure artistique en Angleterre.

Le spectacle, un hommage au musicien, compositeur et activiste indépendantiste nigérien Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, mort en 1997, est d’une beauté extraordinaire mais il est beaucoup plus que beau et divertissant. Il renouvelle le genre musical en le rapprochant de la danse moderne et de l’opéra populaire, un peu à la manière d’une œuvre de Brecht illuminée par les Orishas du Panthéon Yoruba, le Jazz moderne, la musique de Bob Marley, les rythmes traditionnels africains et un récit politique violente et tragique. Fela est tout cela…et encore.

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The Andersen Project, Conceived, Written, Directed and Performed by Robert Lepage

The Andersen Project, Conceived, Written, Directed and Performed by Robert Lepage

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The  latest creation  by Robert Lepage  has finally come home. It opened a year ago in Quebec. It has since played in Australia France, England , no doubt changing with each new performance  because Lepage’s stagings, which  continuously absorb new  elements,  are never really finished but ultimately in a state of permanent process.

I have seen most of Lepage’s works and it appears clear that the Andersen Project displays a level of elegant refinement ,  a stage  esthetics that has been  purified to a point of  perfection that I have never before seen in his work. Gone are the flashy gimmicks, the  spectacular effects ,the accumulation of gasp inducing  technical apparatus. This is a work of  discrete flowing beauty, that appears to be  so flawless, its traces  implant themselves   insidiously  and indelibly  in the memory of the spectator.

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