Year: 2018

Jessica Kim

“Me first. Others, second.”

She was a mono lesbian singer-songwriter. She was a poly bisexual slam poet. Can I make it any more obvious? Poly Queer Love Ballad is exactly what the title promises. A new slam poetry musical written and performed by co-creators Sara Vickruck and Anais West, it is funny, delightful and bittersweet. On top of the simple girl-meets-girl story, there is music and poetry. Their conversations getting to know each other is a rapid exchange of single words, and the rhythm carries out the sheepish mood of the scene extremely well.

Gabbie (Sara Vickruck) is hesitant about polyamory but decides to try it for Nina (Anais West). But as time goes by, it’s clear their opposing ideas of love only gets between them. The music is lovely and sweet, the poetry powerful. They show the girls as individuals and they merge together to represent their relationship. There was great chemistry between the actors and the dialogue was smooth. We can’t help but sympathize with both of them, and feel sad and relieved about their relationship. This isn’t some random romantic comedy with queerness thrown in to make it more interesting, but rather a carefully written and performed piece showcasing the bitter-sweetness of love and the queer community at the same time.

 

Poly Queer Love Ballad by Sara Vickruck and Anais West is running at the Red Gate Revue Stage as part of the 2018 Vancouver Fringe Festival, September 6th – 16th (Select times)

Tickets | Facebook Event | Red Gate Revue Stage

Pictured: James Yi and Lee Shorten. Photo by Jalen Saip.

“I love you, too, appa, and no one’s twisting my arm to say it“

Jessica Kim

The cynic in me says representation is a fad. Disney wants it. Pixar shows it. Hollywood sells it. Black Panther, Moana, Coco, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Crazy Rich Asians… People want representation, so they’ll sprinkle it into a couple movies carelessly before going back to the way things were. This Youtube video comparing Moana and Coco argues that Coco does a better job representing the culture. The culture is crucial to Coco‘s storyline while Moana‘s is a simple hero’s journey. She could’ve been “an aardvark and she had find Matt Damon and save the world… from a giant shark slayer… or something.” But does representation only mean showcasing a specific culture? Coco is also a hero’s journey at the very core.

Representation focuses mainly on a particular culture and shows it through a compelling plot. The former overdone can be toxic. We are careful to criticize Crazy Rich Asians because it is OUR movie, but by doing that we risk exotifying ourselves even more. We risk other cultures dismissing such representative narratives as “not our story”. Crazy Rich Asians is geared towards a very specific, narrow target audience. While it is good for the said audience, it isolates the rest of the world from it. Of course, not everyone is going to relate 100% to everything. No one ever does. A good representative narrative still has relatable themes and characters that brings people together, while introducing a foreign culture.

All this summer I’ve been anticipating Kim’s Convenience at Pacific Theatre directed by Kaitlin Williams. The original play that birthed the TV show was written by a Korean Canadian playwright, Ins Choi. So for obvious reasons I was excited, but I was worried that I still wouldn’t see myself in the play. I wasn’t born in Canada and I always felt a little more in-between- but it worked in my favor. I was able to see myself in most of the characters. I saw myself in Janet (Jessica Liang) following her dreams, unlike her appa (James Yi), who sacrificed his for his family. I saw myself in umma’s (Maki Yi) love and compassion towards Jung (Lee Shorten), who couldn’t stand the cultural clash between his family and the outside world (which had become part of his ideals). I saw my family and myself, through the conversations and conflicts.

James Yi did a spectacular job portraying a typical appa (dad) down to the little habits and accent. The accent! How does he even do that? Not to mention his amazing delivery of the Korean lines, though there was certainly a hint of his own accent. The dialogue was believable and highly accurate. When I tried to summarize this show to my mother, the translation of appa’s lines in my head came so easily; I just knew what he meant to say in Korean. Unfortunately, Jessica Liang’s (Janet) performance fell a little short, overshadowed by Yi’s performance. Tré Cotten plays various characters not part of the family, and makes it seem smooth and effortless.

I have to take a quick moment to appreciate the amazing set and lighting design (Carolyn Rapanos and Jonathan Kim). The set was perfect down to every piece of gum and the florescent lighting really brought out the dimly lit convenience store’s 80s ~ 90s vibes. It reminded me of old supermarkets hidden in the corners of Coquitlam run by men like Mr.Kim.

The flashback, though, was a little confusing to follow. It could have been delivered a little better with some more indicative dialogue or drastic lighting design. The fact that appa was so supportive of Janet’s relationship also caught me off guard. Unrealistic as it is, the show was mostly about appa’s character growth. It was necessary for him to accept other cultures and by association, Janet. His open-mindedness shows that as the parents were living in Canada, they also changed. Many children think they are completely different and isolated from the parents, but with enough communication, a family can come to an understanding.

And that’s what this is all about. Family. The culture plays a lot into the conflicts, but at the end of the day it is about the family’s relationship. As I bawled and laughed at the most inappropriate moments (being bilingual means you can understand dick jokes in two languages!) I saw glimpses of other people in the audience shed a tear, laugh, and become invested in this family. Yes, I’m different. But so is everybody else. While this show was representing my culture and Korean immigrant families, we all could see part of our families in it.  And that’s what stories do, isn’t it, “representation” or otherwise.

 

Kim’s Convenience by Ins Choi is running at Pacific Theatre from September 7th to October 6th, with 8pm Wednesdays-Saturdays with 2pm Saturday matinees.

Tickets | Facebook Event | Pacific Theatre

Jessica Kim

What a show to start off my Fringe adventure! Well, frankly, it was a safe choice- with a classic like Die Hard (1988) and a bunch of eighties pop hits like Bon Jovi’s Livin’ On A Prayer and A-Ha’s Take On Me (kind of), it’s hard not to have an enjoyable experience. They utilized the small space at Studio 1398 by getting rid of any backstage space; the “wings” had actors standing with their backs towards the stage in front of a props table. Because there was so much action going onstage, it was surprisingly not as distracting as I thought it would be.

The humor was mostly derived from badly summarizing the movie and funky choreography/lyrics at the most inappropriate times. It does get a little bit repetitive but the director (Rick Vandenberg) breaks the 4th wall sometimes to comment on their low budget, how they don’t have “amazing” pyrotechnics like the movie, and even explains some of the scenes by giving a powerpoint presentation. The cast overall needed more projection or the accompaniment had to be lower, but the choreography (Paige Vassos) was definitely on point and much of the comic elements were well received by the audience largely thanks to it. The fight choreography was surprisingly good as well (because Die Hard), so notable performances go to Richard Meen, star (John McClane) and Fight Choreographer along with Vic Ustare, who went above and beyond with his acting as several characters including Takagi and Al.

Overall, this is a fun, traditionally comedic jukebox musical with some clever twists. This would be a good starter for easing into the Fringe Festival for those who are not familiar or comfortable with many experimental and more artsy Fringe shows.

 

 

Die Hard: The Musical-ish by Mark Vandenberg is running at Studio 1398 as part of the 2018 Vancouver Fringe Festival, September 6th – 16th (Select times)

Tickets | Facebook Event | Studio 1398

Rapid, one or two paragraph reviews of select 2018 Vancouver Fringe Festival shows!

Shows:

1. Die Hard: The Musical-ish

2. Poly Queer Love Ballad

3. Forget Me Not – The Alzheimer’s Whodunnit

4. Self-ish

5. The Shape of Things

6. My Imagination Ran Away Without Me

Pictured (L to R): Beatrice Zeilinger, Lynda Boyd and Nicola Cavendish. Photo by David Cooper.

Jessica Kim

Kay Meek Arts Centre and Wing & Prayer Productions present Marion Bridge, a play about three estranged sisters and their past, present, and future. Each sister struggles and confronts events and traumas while caring for their dying mother.

“Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way” (Anna Karenina: Leo Tolstoy)

Directed by Roy Surette. Featuring Nicola Cavendish, Lynda Boyd, and Beatrice Zeilinger.

Set Design by Tiko Kerr. Lighting Design by Micheal K. Hewitt. Stage Management by Rick Rinder.

 

Marion Bridge by Daniel MacIvor is running at Kay Meek Studio Theatre September 6th – 20th. Tuesday – Sunday at 7:30 pm and weekend matinees (2:30 pm).

Tickets | Facebook Event | Kay Meek Studio Theatre

Pictured: Paige Louter and Éanna O’Dowd. Photograph by Jalen Laine.

Jessica Kim

I can safely say The Human Ear by Alexandra Wood is the most minimalist- and perhaps experimental play I watched so far. There is no set or props. Just two actors on a stage. It could have been confusing or dull at times, but direction by Jessica Aquila Cymerman and the actors Paige Louter and Éanna O’Dowd kill it with their performances approaching this strange but interesting play.

The plot itself is actually very simple, and the twist is that.. there is no twist. No fake deaths, no secret twin, it is just as it is. The story unfolds with the present situation with Jason (Éanna O’Dowd), Lucy’s (Paige Louter) brother coming back home after ten years, soon after their mother’s untimely death. Very early into the play, it is clear to the audience that O’Dowd is playing multiple characters and both actors are in different time periods at once. O’Dowd’s ability to transform into different characters was impressive and Louter did a great job as well portraying the desperate and lonely Lucy in different time periods. On top of the acting, the lighting designed by Phil Miguel indicates this as well. The white, standard light is the present, orange for Jason and Green for Ed, the police officer. There were other neat lighting design like the slowly spreading crack on the ground and literal fragments (like the fragments of memories and flashbacks) appearing and flickering as the lies are exposed in the last scene.

Overall The Human Ear is a refreshing and new play about family and what it means to us. Definitely worth the trip down to the beautiful Pacific Theatre!

 

The Human Ear by Alexandra Wood is running at Pacific Theatre July 18th – 25th at 8:00pm and a 2:00pm matinee on July 21st.

Tickets | Facebook Event | Pacific Theatre

Pictured: Rebecca Walters and Paul Herbert. Photo by Derek Fu

Jessica Kim

Dark, gritty British police drama. That’s what I got when I looked up the play beforehand. For me, this felt like something new and old at the same time. I was more used to detective dramas and novels, but it should be similar enough, right? Yes and no- it was edgier than I expected. The opening scene, especially with the superb lighting and sound design, capture this eerie, mysterious tone of the play perfectly. However, the rest falls a little short and fails to keep up the tension.

Because the focus was on the big reveal about whether or not Alfred Chalmers (Paul Herbert) was the murderer or not, the other elements, like the fox mask, felt like more of a distraction from the core mystery and was not too cohesive. The scenes, especially with Frank (Anthony Santiago) and Chief Supt. Isobal McArthur (Rebecca Walters) were repetitive and without clear motives or resolutions. Also, the actors stumble on the lines a little bit, and I’m not sure if it’s the accent that’s giving them trouble or the awkward dialogue. The plot is exciting but the fact the characters lack depth and motivation does not help the actors, either.

The play attempts to capture the thrilling mystery of a well-written novel, but it could have been condensed a lot more into a more dense and packed play. I kept getting the feeling that the play would work a lot better as a novel, and considering that Ian Rankin is primarily a crime novel writer and that this is his first play, it makes a lot of sense.

However, there were some notable performances from Alysson Hall (Alexandra McArthur) and Rebecca Walters (Isobel McArthur). Though they were shaky at the scenes that required more connection and interaction between the characters, the actors captured intense emotions such as fear, anxiety and betrayal very well.

This Canadian premiere of Dark Road  by Ian Rankin and Mark Thomson and directed by Chris Lam is being produced as part of Ensemble Theatre Company’s 6th Annual Summer Repertory Festival. They also have The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh and A Few Good Men by Aaron Sorkin running simultaneously as part of the festival. Check it out if you’re interested in dark and dramatic murder mysteries.

 

Dark Road by Ian Rankin and Mark Thomson is running at Jericho Arts Centre on select dates between July 12th – August 17th at 7:30pm evenings and 2:00pm Sunday matinees.

Tickets | Facebook Event | Jericho Arts Centre

Pictured: Kirsten Slenning and Tanja Dixon-Warren. Photo by Derek Fu.

Jessica Kim

It might be a little embarrassing for me to call myself a McDonagh fan after just one play and two movies, but I was still happy to add another to that list. I was especially excited because The Beauty Queen of Leenane is part of the Leenane trilogy along with A Skull in Connemara, and of course, The Lonesome West that I absolutely adore. (Review for Pacific Theatre’s production) Though the narratives are not directly related, the three plays are all set in the same town and the characters make references to the other plays,

This production of Beauty Queen, directed by Kathleen Duborg, was put on by not Pacific Theatre but as part of Ensemble Theatre Company’s 6th Annual Summer Repertory Festival. They also have Dark Road by Ian Rankin and Mark Thomson and A Few Good Men by Aaron Sorkin playing simultaneously as part of the festival.  The Jericho Arts Centre was not difficult to find, but the summer heat was prominent in the small theatre. The air conditioner was very loud so it was off during the acts (at least, I think that’s the reason), making it a little difficult for me to keep still. (much respect to the actors who were wearing winter costumes)

Notable performances/design go to Tanja Dixon-Warren in the role of Mag and the set design by Stephanie Wong. She utilized the strange space well, with the backstage area and wings behind the house (there were some awkward walking across house right) and I will always be impressed with a sink with actual running water. The rest of the set was very homely and well decorated. Dixon-Warren’s (Mag) acting as a senile woman was quite believable down to the smallest details and habits (like scratching) and she delivered the jokes and lines very well. However, the banter and chemistry between her and Maureen (Kirsten Slenning) was a little off and the jokes didn’t land very well because the lines felt a little rushed.

As for McDonagh’s writing itself, I am starting to see a pattern within this trilogy- to which I really have zero complains. There’s what seems like a love-hate relationship and playful banter at first glance, but also an edge and spite hidden in the dialogue, the source of the dark comedy at this play’s core. Then the gruesome reason to why is revealed later in the second act. The fatigue of Maureen (Kirsten Slenning) from taking care of her mother Mag (Tanja Dixon-Warren) and feeling like it is the root of all her problems (especially her romantic life) is relatable to some degree (not all the way Maureen has taken it, yikes!) The twists were exciting and shocking, and they were well executed.

Overall, the “horrifyingly funny” play very close to the UBC campus is perfect for a night out. Funny, charming and yet disturbing The Beauty Queen of Leenane is a summertime must-see, especially if you are a fan of McDonagh and The Lonesome West.

 

The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh is running at Jericho Arts Centre on select dates between July 12th – August 17th at 7:30pm evenings and 2:00pm Sunday matinees.

Tickets | Facebook Event | Jericho Arts Centre