Category: Arts News

Undercurrents: The Pipeline Project – more polemics than understanding

Undercurrents: The Pipeline Project – more polemics than understanding

The Pipeline Project

 

 

Reviewed on Saturday, February 10 by Natasha Lomonossoff

As political plays go, Savage Society and ITSAZOO Productions’ show The Pipeline Project, directed by Chelsea Haberlin, is one that doesn’t hide where its sympathies lie. The play, which just finished its run at the undercurrents festival held at Arts Court Theatre, comes out overtly against the building of new pipelines (including the currently controversial Trans Mountain line proposed in BC). In this way, The Pipeline Project is a play which seeks more to advocate and convince viewers of its own perspective rather than simply host a debate on pipelines which involves all parties. In this regard, the play is only partly successful.

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Undercurrents: the Twilight Parade-an Imaginative lens for contemporary issues?

Undercurrents: the Twilight Parade-an Imaginative lens for contemporary issues?

Undercurrents from the Twilight Parade

 

Reviewed on Saturday, February 10 by Natasha Lomonossoff

The use of puppets to tell stories which involve mature themes is one that is both risky and innovative; with an artistic object like a puppet, one would expect that such a story would be told in a way which makes the viewer think about these issues much differently. The Twilight Parade, a mixed media and puppet show that is part of the undercurrents theatre festival at Arts Court, is moderately successful in this regard. Created and directed by Nadia Ross of STO Union, the show takes on contemporary political and social issues in an uncommon fashion. The play begins with an introduction to a group of otherworldly creatures who maintain the threads of human love which hold society together. As these creatures discover, however, all in not well in the human world, as very real issues of racism, corporate greed and economic inequality are present.

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Undercurrents 2018: Little Boxes packs a powerful punch

Undercurrents 2018: Little Boxes packs a powerful punch

Reviewed by Natasha Lomonossoff

Little Boxes Photo Pascal Huot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviewed on Thursday, February 8 by Natasha Lomonossoff

As the financial security of millennials is an oft-discussed problem, one would think that coming up with a way to present this topic in an original light would be a challenge. Yet Little Boxes, a production at the undercurrents theatre festival created by Gabrielle Lazarovitz and Brad Long, manages to do just that both ingeniously and meaningfully. The 65-minute play, skillfully directed by Adam Paolozza, asks tough questions about the situations we find ourselves in, as well as how much responsibility we have for the welfare of others.

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Heavy Bell band and Kristina Watt: Feb 3 In Ottawa

Heavy Bell band and Kristina Watt: Feb 3 In Ottawa

This Saturday the 3rd of February at Pressed Cafe, 8pm, I’ll be performing with a band called HEAVY BELL, led by Matt Peters and Tom Keenan of Winnipeg. The 8-piece musical ensemble are on tour with an album of songs based on the poetic novel by Elizabeth Smart (born in Ottawa), By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept. I will be performing sections of the novel, set to music. 
Nijinsky: a provocative and fascinating exploration of the artist’s complex inner journey.

Nijinsky: a provocative and fascinating exploration of the artist’s complex inner journey.

Nijinsky, Photo courtesy of the National Ballet of Canada

NAC Presentation  from the National Ballet of Canada

Thrilling in scope, John Neumeier’s dazzling ballet is theatrical and unflinching, paying reverent, astute tribute to a tortured genius.  Vaslav Nijinsky changed the trajectory of dance in a spectacular and ephemeral career that came to an abrupt end with his descent into madness at the age of only 29. In this exhilarating production, the entire company draws on its extraordinary heart and stamina to bring to dramatic life a provocative and fascinating exploration of the artist’s complex inner journey. Nijinsky  is an unforgettable, balletic tour de force of artistry, narrative and spectacle.

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David Hare: My ideal ‘theatre…new years even wished from one of Britain’s most popular playwrights.

David Hare: My ideal ‘theatre…new years even wished from one of Britain’s most popular playwrights.

In 1946, George Orwell wrote his last essay for the Evening Standard. He described an imaginary pub, the Moon Under Water, where the music was quiet enough for conversation, the bar staff knew all the customers’ names and where you could always get a cut off the joint and a jam roll for three shillings.

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The Europe Theatre Prize 2017 : A round up of all the events!

The Europe Theatre Prize 2017 : A round up of all the events!

Ashes to Ashes
Huppert et Irons à Rome..

Yana Meerzon, from the University of Ottawa, attended the event.

The 16th ceremony of the Europe Theatre Prize and the Europe Prize Theatrical Realities took place from December 12 to  17,  2017, in Rome. The  event  included presentations of the artists’ work, public discussions, round-tables and selected productions.  

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Ashes to Ashes, by Harold Pinter at the Europe Theatre prize in Rome

Ashes to Ashes, by Harold Pinter at the Europe Theatre prize in Rome

Isabelle Huppert with Jeremy Irons  reading Ashes to Ashes by Harold Pinter.Photo Franco Bonfiglio

The XIV Europe Prize Theatrical Realities went to Susanne Kennedy, Jernej Lorenci, Yael Ronen, Alessandro Sciarroni, Kirill Serebrennikov, and Theatre N099. Estonia. The Special Prize was awarded to Dimitris Papaioannou. Wole Soyinka and Fadhel Jaibi were chosen as the recipients of the Special Europe Theatre to extend the recognition of theatre excellency beyond Europe. The XVI Europe Theatre Prize was awarded to Isabelle Huppert and Jeremy Irons.

Report by Yana Meerzon from Rome