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What People Are Saying: After Jerusalem

Dec 5th, 2011
by Lois.
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Deb Williams and Andrew McNee. Photo by Aaron Bushkowsky. Used with permission.

“Do you want to see some artists having a really good time? After Jerusalem is a banquet of pleasure. Playwright Aaron Bushkowsky and actors Deborah Williams and Andrew McNee don’t just chow down on the material, they roll around in it.” - Colin Thomas, The Georgia Straight

Andrew McNee as Vlad. Photo by Itai Erdal. Used with permission.

“What a lovely, funny and touching show!  If you want an early Christmas treasure we have here an engaging story, dynamic actors and stunning production design that stirs your heart, makes you laugh and gives you hope.” – David C. Jones, OutTV

Andrew McNee and Deb Williams. Photo by Itai Erdal. Used with permission.

“With many surprises and bright shiny moments all wrapped within two beautiful performances, give yourself an early Christmas present and un-wrap After Jerusalem for yourself.” – Mark Robins, GayVancouver.net

Andrew McNee and Deb Williams. Photo by Itai Erdal. Used with permission.

“Aaron Bushkowsky weaves a neat plot that will make you laugh most of the time, and maybe cry at the end, but will have you think throughout. How do you find love in a war-torn country? How do you retain your morality in the constant threat of terrorist attacks? How can imagination save us from cynicism and loneliness? These are all questions that are addressed in the play.” – Anabelle, annabellebf.com

Andrew McNee and Deb Williams. Photo by Itai Erdal. Used with permission.

“Actors Deb Williams and Andrew McNee are so perfect as Carol and Vladimir in After Jerusalem, it’s hard to imagine Vancouver playwright Aaron Bushkowsky writing the play without them in mind. Under Rachel Peake’s excellent direction, Williams nails middle-aged, never-married, Regina schoolteacher Carol so precisely: shy, nervous, awkward, excited and funny when she’s hustled by handsome, much younger Vladimir. And McNee’s Vladimir (with a thick Russian accent and Slavic syntax) is passionate and charming when he turns those big, soulful eyes on Carol and, in one of many direct addresses to the audience, on us.” – Jo Ledingham, Vancouver Courier

What the critics are saying: Refuge of Lies

Apr 17th, 2010
by Lois.
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“Playwright Reed also directs, and he gets some nice work out of his actors. Howard Siegel delivers a subtly passionate performance as Simon Katzman, the guy who tracks Rudi down, and Anthony F. Ingram offers detailed and distinct portraits of two different pastors. Anna Hagan is effectively understated as Rudi’s wife, Netty, and Terence Kelly is always emotionally credible as Rudi.”

– Colin Thomas, The Georgia Straight

“There is no question that playwright Reed makes his audience work, providing us with little in the way of answers to some pretty heady questions about good and evil, forgiveness and justice versus revenge.  And it is in forcing us to find the answers for ourselves that ultimately makes Refuge of Lies so successful.”

- Mark Robins, gayvancouver.net

“Refuge of Lies is the kind of play that makes theatre exciting for me.   It tells a great story, has strong characters struggling with profound life questions and has the power to engender intense discussions as well as individual explorations of  one’s personal sense of morality. Throw in a number of excellent performances and powerful staging under the direction of the playwright himself, and you have a riveting drama.”

- Gillian Lockitch, Review from the House

“Despite its flaws Refuge of Lies offers a topical and relevant story. Pacific Theatre should be commended for doing new work that tackles current issues. Something that is far too often missing from the Vancouver theatrical landscape. I would challenge the larger Vancouver theatre companies to do the same. We’re a smart group. We can take it.”

- Sebastian Archibald, Plank Magazine

“Both Kelly and Siegal gave incredibly strong performances, and I found myself switching from empathizing with the old man seeking forgiveness to the old man seeking justice for his families and all victims of the Holocaust. Mahoney, in particular, gave a heartfelt performance of a young Jewish woman, fresh out of university, trying to reconcile the traumatic past of her ancestors and her political beliefs on what constitutes true justice. I also really enjoyed Anthony F. Ingram’s performance as the Mennonite pastor, torn between shepherding his member, Vanderhaal, to the light and really helping him understand that the past is sometimes not past and that forgiveness doesn’t simply happen with just a prayer.”

- Michelle Kim, miss604.com

What the critics are saying: House/Home (Hive3)

Mar 12th, 2010
by Lois.
2 comments

Pi Theatre’s House/Home is a terrific mix of movement, music and a short story both sweet and sad. As an audience of about a dozen stands at the foot of a staircase, we don headphones to watch as a husband (Todd Thomson) and wife (Sasa Brown) try to engage in marriage. The set by Roxana Chapela is a slice of an up-and-down duplex, and director Richard Wolfe weaves Chris Hind’s sound design into something made more interesting by the clever use of dancer-singer Jacqueline Breakwell as a kind of burlesque muse.

- Peter Birnie, Vancouver Sun.

House/Home goes beyond its clichés when it peeks into the characters’ interior thoughts, which we hear in voice-over.

- Colin Thomas, Georgia Straight

Ah, love. Ah, domestic bliss. What becomes of it? In this dark, musical look at marriage in its not-so-early stages, a husband (Todd Thomson) and wife (Sasa Brown) perform a dance of dissatisfaction, up and down stairs, through windows, and in bathroom and tool-shed sanctuaries. He’s the coolest guy in the office and she comes up with three different meals every day, but lying in bed at night, they are both tortured. “Do we have to do this for the rest of our lives?” she wonders. They are serenaded by a manly/womanly Jacqueline Breakwell and by the end of this show, they will each bare all in different ways.

- Marsha Lederman, Globe & Mail

I also liked Pi Theatre’s “House/Home”, which was kind of a burlesque pop-up book of a playlet.

- Darren Barefoot

House/Home is Pi Theatre’s contribution to Hive 3 which runs until March 20th at Great Northern Way.  Tickets are selling fast so get yours now at www.vancouvertix.com.

“Thanks to a silver key I acquired earlier in the evening I was able to gain access to Pi Theatre‘sHouse/Home. … A inventive set design, great performances, and nuanced yet universal content add up to a great show…HIVE 3 is the best bang for your buck Vancouver has to offer. The alternative theatre scene is a great shape as long as events like this continue to grow and prosper.”

-Sebastien Archibald, Plank Magazine

“Pi Theatre accomplishes something incredible, crafting one of the rawest, most compellingly emotional pieces of theatre to grace any Vancouver stage this year. That it lasts a mere 10 minutes, at most, is the icing on the cake.”

- Andrea Warner, The Westender

(Last updates March 19, 2:37am)

“The Light & Sound Cues Were Well-Timed…”

Oct 28th, 2009
by Lois.
2 comments

It’s not very often  that I get to lay claim to a mention in a review.  In fact, if I’ve done my job correctly there should be no reason to mention me. But I got a mention this week and figure I’d better get some enjoyment out of it. It will hopefully be years until the next one. If all goes well.

“This was a fine production. The set was well-designed, the light and sound cues were well-timed, and all in all, from the evening performance full houses, according to Willes, this production was well-received. Congratulations to the cast and production staff for a job well done, and I look forward to seeing their future projects.” – Ed Farolan, www.reviewvancouver.org

What Critics Say: Frozen

Sep 27th, 2009
by Lois.
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frozen posterHere’s what the critics have to say about shameless hussy productions’ FROZEN, playing until Saturday at UBC’s Dorothy Sommerset Studio. (Click on the links after each quote to read the full review)

“Renee Iaci’s shameless hussy production is pretty sharp overall, with some strong design elements—especially Stephen Bulat’s original music—and very good acting, led by Anthony F. Ingram’s tour de force performance as the severely disturbed pedophile serial killer, Ralph.” – Jerry Wasserman, VancouverPlays.com

“Anthony F. Ingram delivers a performance of such chilling eccentricity that it’s worth the trip to UBC to see Frozen at the Dorothy Somerset Studio Theatre.” – Colin Thomas, The Georgia Straight

“There are scenes in Frozen that will chill you to the bone….It’s a personal best for Ingram that will make you shiver….For me the burning question lingers: what satisfaction is there in forgiveness if the “sinner” doesn’t believe there is anything to forgive or the “patient” doesn’t believe he is ill?” – Jo Ledingham, The Vancouver Courier