In a blur of fun, spookiness, fall colours, a new favourite coffee shop, and just SO much going on, October is suddenly… done. And November is rushing fast behind!
There’s of course lots more coming up in December, but I do wish I had time to give more fulsome reviews of what I saw. But I’m a real human person, and sometimes life says something’s gotta give.
If you want to keep up with what I’ve been seeing, I post pretty regularly on my social media feeds. I also share shows and events that I think you should check out!
But without further ado, here below are some shows I loved in the last little while:
A Midsummer Nightmare (Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival/Alectoria)
A fundraiser for the Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival, this guided walk through Mount Doug at nighttime was the perfect stage to the grotesque fractured-fairytale style storytelling of some of Shakespeare’s greatest leads and fiends.
The atmosphere did a lot to enhance this experience, with the wind whipping up dead leaves and making you wonder what exactly was behind you in the bushes.
In future performances, I would urge a bit more planning around sightlines – I could see well, but I was up at the front of the group, and concerned I was blocking everyone behind me. Similarly, there were a few moments where it was hard to hear what was going on if I was off to the side.
Appalachian Spring
This was such an eclectic program selected by the Symphony! While we’re not exactly near the springtime, I thoroughly enjoyed the environmental themed music and so enjoyed the musical journey through all the different styles and times. Ensemble Laude’s performance of Earth, Beloved was a musical highlight for me, but the whole program was incredible.
I appreciate that the Symphony brings in guest conductors, and seeing Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser in action was incredible!
Ben Caplan
Like many people in Victoria, we were introduced to Ben Caplan through the production Old Stock. I was so in love with the show that at the time, I made an offhand comment that if Caplan ever toured within, say, 100 KMs of Victoria, I would definitely go see him.
Well, as soon as his tickets went on sale here in town, I snagged them and I have been looking forward to this concert for months! I had no idea what to expect, but I am so, so glad I got out to see this show.
I say this with the utmost respect and reverence: Caplan’s performance feels almost otherworldly. The resonance of his voice, the range of his music, it’s emotional, it’s uplifting, it’s rough-hewn, and it’s an experience from end to end. I don’t know if I can name an artist making music today who is even in the realm of Ben Caplan. And his encore numbers were amazing!
Hung Dance’s Birdy was so precise, so perfectly timed, but fully maintained its humanity. Balancing striking visuals, with choreographed facial expressions to tell a story, this unstoppable show ran without missing a beat and without taking a breath (or an intermission!)
To be around and to experience such moving art is truly a gift, and I am so grateful for Dance Victoria’s hard work in bringing shows from all around the world to us.
There was such an electric atmosphere in the royal the night of the performance, it truly was palpable!
Part of my busy schedule was (joyfully) in part due to my volunteer work with the Victoria Book Prize Society. We hosted two public events: a panel discussion hosted by CBC’s Kathryn Marlow, and a poetry reading to celebrate the inaugural year of the DC Reid poetry prize. We also hosted an awards afternoon at Government House to announce the winners!
I’m so proud to be part of an organization that celebrates the incredibly diverse written written works of our local authors! I hope you’ll follow us on socials and keep up with what’s new.
There was so much I loved about this piece: the shadow puppets, the Baachan puppet, the joy that playwright and performer Misty Yumiko Cozac shares, but truly the most lovely part of this show was the why of it all.
To share memories of someone well loved and beloved, to hold them precious. But the other part of the story was this: to encourage us as audience members to consider the important and beloved people in our own lives. This truly was a delightful, and beautiful piece of theatre.
If you were to go down to heritage acres a few weeks back, you would have been taken on a walking play that introduced us to a pair of brothers, along with a cast of colourful characters, along with some bad choices that lead us all into the thing that goes bump in the night.
Clever and not too scary, this show used some practical magic effects to get us all in the mood for Halloween!
It’s the season of Dutcher – this will be one of two live performances I’ll see by Dutcher in the span of a few months, plus Pisuwin below – I’m a very lucky fan!
Seeing Dutcher live again was a bit intimidating. Had I overhyped how good he was in my head? He was my favourite show a few years ago!
But this spectacular musician, this incredibly talented, and generous advocate for the Wolastoqiyik people and culture, is truly a performance that cannot be overstated. Experiencing Dutcher’s music is artistically stunning, but so emotional too. There’s just so much to his performances, it is no wonder that his music is so well loved by fans, and lauded critically too.
Murder on Paper Street
Take a touch of improv, a dash of Agatha Christie, and wrap it up in Canada’s favourite castle, and you get the well-loved Murder on Paper street!
The entire run was sold out, and I can see why! This was SUCH a fun time, not only just because you get a close up look at Craigdarroch Castle, but the back and forth machinations of who murdered our host. The actors don’t know whodunnit until partway through the night, with the eventual reveal taking place in the top ballroom!
This is such a fun homage to the tropes that Christie made popular!
This was a last minute add on to my list – I won a silent auction trip to see this in Nanaimo including an overnight stay, and I’m so lucky this worked out!
Pisuwin is a ballet set to the music of Jeremy Dutcher and features interpretations of Wolastoq legends. Sure I’m a certified Jeremy Dutcher fan, but this piece was incredibly strong from every conceivable angle. It’s a beautifully choreographed ballet performance with world class performers. The soundscapes are new and exciting and the stage itself is so cleverly created. The costume designer even used traditional beading techniques. This was such a thoughtful production, and the care and attention to every aspect showed through in this striking production.
In the way that they do, Broken Rhythms’ introduced us to the creatures of our favourite horror films through some of the most engaging and innovative choreography you’ll ever hope to come across.
There’s so much beauty in the horror, and what could have easily devolved into a creature feature became at times overbearing, at times heart racing, at times funny.
Seeing this show remounted was such a special treat!
Vacant Lot
Vacant Lot was so very different than I expected, and I love it all the more for it! While dance did make up a portion of the piece, it is mainly comprised of a theatrical presentation. The story focuses on an older couple going back to the home they lived in previously. It’s slow and meditative. Funny at times, but more melancholy without being maudlin. There’s a feeling of deep profundity that this piece leaves behind long after it was over.
Oh, and about that coffee shop… Fika is all about slowing down and savouring. It has vegan offerings and the proprietor is such a gem!
