If you missed the sold out premiere of Empire Of The Son last fall, you are in luck. This wildly successful performance, which included an extended run, is returning to The Cultch in the VanCity Culture Lab from Tuesday, November 1st to Sunday, November 13th. Empire Of The Son is written and performed by Tetsuro Shigematsu who is the former host of CBC’s The Round. Tetsuro brings us the story of his personal relationship with his father who is dying. They are separated by a generation but connected by blood. Tetsuro’s father speaks several different languages and possesses different values but what has kept them apart for so many years is their similarities. This is a story of two generations of broadcasters who have a lifetime of radio silence between them. With time running out, Tetsuro attempts to reach out to his dying father but is constrained by outmoded yet persistent cultural traditions about it means to “be a man”.
Empire of the Son uses a series of audio interviews, a camera, miniatures and projector to conjure up worlds from the ashes of Hiroshima to the glass towers of Vancouver and beyond. This is a unique theatrical experience that is intimately connected to real life in real time. It is a funny and poignant story of one immigrant family, their intergenerational conflicts in this one man show that blurs the lines between artistic disciplines and continents. There are a number of matinees for this run including November 5, 6, 9, 12 and 13 at 2:00 pm and you can enjoy a post-show Q&A on November 3, 8 and 10. Tickets are $55 each and available online at The Cultch. If you wish to catch this performance this time around, we encourage you to grab your tickets.
Here’s what people are saying about Empire Of The Son:
“Exquisite. I’m telling all of the people I love most to see this show…I can’t say enough good things about Empire of the Son” – Colin Thomas, The Georgia Straight
“Filled with hilarity and heartbreak” – The Ubyssey
“Grief stripped raw in all its beauty” – Vancouver Sun
“Tetsuro Shigematsu’s Empire of the Son is a stunner” – Westender
“Empire of the Son is jewel-like in its sparkle and perfection” – JoLedingham.ca
“Empire of the Son is gorgeous” – Vancouver Presents!
ILiveInEastVan.com 
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