The Virtual Stage
Fall 2009 Newsletter Now Online!
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No Exit Tour Ends on "High" Note
Andy Thompson (background) and Jonathon Young in Western Canada Theatre's production of No Exit. Produced in association with The Virtual Stage and Electric Company Theatre. Photo by Barbara Zimonick.
The first Canadian tour of The Virtual Stage and Electric Company Theatre's highly-acclaimed "live-movie" version of Jean-Paul Sartre's existential classic play No Exit has ended on a "high" note at the High Performance Rodeo. Our innovative production led the Small Theatre category of the 2009 Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards with nominations in eight categories, winning the two most coveted prizes: Outstanding Production and Critics' Choice Innovation Award. The Canadian tour - a first for The Virtual Stage - launched from Kamloops with a production by Western Canada Theatre October 22 - 31, 2009. The show then headed east for a run in Toronto from November 11 - 21, 2009, presented by Nightwood Theatre at the Buddies in Bad Times theatre as part of Nightwood's 4x4 Festival - a showcase of landmark productions from Canada's leading women directors. The tour then wound up in Calgary, at the infamous High Performance Rodeo, where No Exit played to large, enthusiastic crowds at the 750-seat Max Bell Theatre, presented by Theatre Calgary and the legendary One Yellow Rabbit, from January 27 - 31, 2010.
"What an amazing experience it has been to take this special production across Canada," said The Virtual Stage's Artistic and Managing Director Andy Thompson upon his return to Vancouver. "I'd like to thank Electric Company Theatre and our presenting and production partners Western Canada Theatre, Nightwood Theatre, One Yellow Rabbit and Theatre Calgary for their incredible support and enthusiasm for our two companies and this little-show-that-could!"
People who have not yet had a chance to experience No Exit are asked to stay tuned for more information about further tour dates and city stops!
CANADIAN TOUR REVIEWS
Five stars (out of five)
"Theatrical perfection...
Spectacularly brilliant...
The actors are uniformly terrific...
One of the finest theatrical achievements in recent memory...
- Bob Clark, Calgary Herald (full review)
Four stars (out of four)
"Collier gives heavenly direction in Sartre's hell...
A vibrant, very modern theatrical experience...
The acting is uniformly powerful and committed, the stagecraft extremely skilful and focused.
- Robert Crew, Toronto Star (full review)
VANCOUVER REVIEWS
"Another benchmark of brilliance...
So filled with innovation...
A jaw-dropping reminder that Vancouver's site specific theatre scene remains a world leader."
- Peter Birnie, The Vancouver Sun
"Director Kim Collier is a visionary.
A riveting theatrical event.
It's fantastic.
This production is so exciting..."
- Colin Thomas, Georgia Straight
"Sartre play dazzles with contemporary dimensions...
So freakishly potent...
Kudos to the entire production team..."
- Jerry Wasserman, The Province
"The best play of the year thus far...
Nothing short of brilliant...
A thrilling masterpiece...
This is a show that deserves to be seen by as many people as possible."
- Steven Schelling, Westender
"Brilliant...
The bravest theatrical ride I've been on this year."
- Michael Harris, The Globe and Mail
New Adaptation of Orwell's 1984 in Development
Zinaid Memisevic as Big Brother in 1984. Visual design by Jamie Griffiths.
Big brother is now being watched very closely, since The Virtual Stage descended into the Vancouver East Culture Centres new Culture Lab theatre facility for a week-long workshop on a new adaptation of George Orwells classic novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. The staged reading of the new adaptation, written by Artistic and Managing Director Andy Thompson (SPANK!) with the assistance of his dramaturg, playwright Kevin Kerr (Governor General Award winner, Unity 1918), was directed Ron Jenkins (multi-award winning director of November Theatres The Black Rider). The workshop presentation at the Culture Lab was on Saturday April 25th at 1:00PM, co-presented by the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, and was followed by an in-depth talk back session with the crowd.
Invasive technological devices, such as the all-seeing telescreen that Big Brother installs in every home, are central to Orwells cautionary tale. In the workshop, we tested various design elements, including a prototype of our version of the Orwellian telescreen that will eventually be used in the full production in the 2010/11 theatre season. The goal is for the telescreen to essentially function as a character in the play. Our team investigated how to give the projection a sense of motion, allowing it to stalk, lurk, intimidate and oppress the characters of Winston Smith and Julia as they attempt to hide their forbidden love affair from the Thought Police of Oceania. The main discovery was the usefulness of Projections and Visual Media Designer Jamie Griffiths' new Vid-Emote, an invention of hers that operates essentially like a moving and computer-programmable video spotlight (much like a "moving light" but with a video image). With the keystoning issues all ironed out, Ms. Griffiths was able to fly her image around, hitting multitudinous "marks", and use the video projector as sceneography and as a lighting instrument in rapid succession on multiple surfaces. Needless to say, it was quite a remarkable piece of equipment to be testing! Stay tuned to this website for more information regarding the exciting developments of the Griffiths Vid-Emote!
Great artists are key collaborators in every play The Virtual Stage produces. This workshop was no exception, featuring veteran performers Alex Ferguson, Allan Gray and Sarah Hayward. As well, a dream team of top designers was also assembled. Choreography by Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg (Nick & Juanita). Sound design by Brian Linds (No Exit). Assistant produced by Robin Greenwood.
Phase A of the development of this project was made possible with the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Province of British Columbia and the BC Arts Council.
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