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Contemporary Circus The Goblin Market Takes Stage At The York Theatre October 3-14, 2017

27 Sep

 

Goblin-Market-3-736x1024For the first time in Vancouver two sisters from New Zealand will be performing the re-telling of Christina Rossetti’s poem, The Goblin Market at the York Theatre.  The show is a contemporary circus performed to the story line that follows two sisters, one of whom gets sick after eating bad goblin fruit and is healed because of her sister’s bravery.  The production celebrates sexuality and sisterhood, through double trapeze, mask, projection, acrobatics, spoken word and music. Tickets for this performance start at $22 and are available from The Cultch. Note: The production includes nudity and sexual scenes, therefore, is being presented as an adults only production.

What people are saying about The Goblin Market:

“SPECTACULAR, MAGNIFICENT AND BREATHTAKING are a few of the words that describe contemporary circus show The Goblin Market”
Sara Meij, Nelson Mail

 “… THE MOST REMARKABLE PRODUCTION I HAVE SEEN in the last decade. THRILLING, MOVING, INSPIRING, MESMERIZING (and sometimes even humourous) – it reminded me of why I work in the performing arts in the first place”
Howard Mendelsohn, Centaur Theatre Company

 “…A full house, standing ovation and the most common word on everyone’s lips: SPECTACULAR!”
Janet Whittington, Theatreview

“Superbly choreographed acrobatics featuring the finely muscled bodies and disciplined athleticism of highly trained performers.”
New Zealand Herald

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Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival September 30, 2017

26 Sep

RenfrewRavineMoonFestivalThe 15th annual Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival is scheduled for September 30th, 2017. If you haven’t attended this event, you are missing out. This is a great family event celebrating the environment around us with displays of colour, light and music.  This year’s theme is migrations.  Organizers, being the Still Moon Arts Society, would like those attending the event to reflect on the global movements that occur every day. It could be fish swimming across vast oceans, birds flying across Canada or that person travelling to meet friends or a loved on.  With the issues facing the world today, movement is playing a more significant role.

You are invited to come experience the installations created for this year’s event and discover your own stories in the theme of migration.  The festivities begin in the afternoon with the Harvest Fair which kicks off at 4:00 pm and goes till 6:45 pm at Slocan Park.  This event is a pre-cursor to the parade that happens at dusk.  The Harvest Fair features games, crafts, friendly competitions, musicians, community booths and more.  If you are interested in making a last minute lantern or purchasing one from a local artist before the parade, you can do so at the Harvest Fair. 

At approximately 6:45 pm, as the moon rises and the sun sets, musicians and dancers will lead a twilight lantern parade from Slocan Park through the Renfrew Ravine to Renfrew Park.  Along the way, the procession will pass the river-stone labyrinth with candles laid throughout.  Many of those in the procession are carrying lanterns and as you walk along you will see many homes on the route getting into the act with displays of light and colour on their properties that abut the Renfrew Ravine.  Once at Renfrew Park, this is where some exquisite lanterns are on full display and candles set up throughout the ravine. It is quite a spectacle to see.  The event finishes at 8:30 pm in Renfrew Park with choreographed dance performances, stilting and fire spinning along with swing and jazz music. The grand finale includes fireworks.  This is a free all ages family friendly event.

 

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Feasting On Famine At The Firehall Arts Centre September 27-30, 2017

25 Sep

FeastingOnFamineYou are invited on one man’s journey through the extremes of body building and health fitness. Feasting on Famine explores the symmetry between the human body and excess of capitalism in a world where one man consumed the daily caloric intake of a family of five.  Shay Kuebler takes you from the beginning stages of training at local gyms and fitness centers to an obsession with what foods and supplements help the body function at peak performance.   His journey has made him question “the ethics and morality of health and fitness as a business (a very big business) and, furthermore, examine how the industry is misrepresenting and framing – staging – our expectations of what health and fitness should look like.”  We all want a healthy body, but the definition of what is healthy is defined different by individuals, health professionals and big business trying to sell you health in a bottle. So who do you believe?    Experience one man’s journey trying to figure it all out. Feasting on Famine hits the stage at the Firehall Arts Centre this Wednesday, September 27th and runs till September 30th. Tickets are available online from Firehall Arts Centre.

Contributing writer Tiva Quinn’s review of Feasting On Famine:

No matter how long you live, you will never have another chance to see a dance performance that addresses both erections and constipation.

Feasting on Famine isn’t really about precisely those things, though, it’s about the obsessive quest for a certain type of masculine ideal, and solo performer Shay Kuebler certainly knows what he’s dancing about with this topic. It’s written in every line of his body, and that’s a lot more lines than you’re probably used to seeing, as the guy is ripped. Beyond that, it’s about the general themes of obsession, dominance, perfection and self-control.

Kuebler dances in a variety of styles, the one that made the strongest impression for me involved moves that resemble break-dancing, but with all of the fluidity replaced by a frenetic repetition that turned it into a form of pushing muscles to their limit. He also interacts with props and video segments, often in ways that got a good chuckle from the audience.

This is not meant to be a comfortable performance, and it isn’t, but if you like your dance as challenging as an intense workout, you’ll like it a lot.

What else people are saying about Feasting On Famine:

(Keubler’s) style is indeed mesmerizing and explosive –
Vancouver Weekly

 

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What’s On East Van: September 22, 2017

22 Sep

 

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Lots happening in East Van this next week.  Our weekly feature What’s On East Van sets out cool events for the upcoming week. Beyond the week, we invite you to check out our Event Listing which is updated daily and features events for the month and beyond.

Tango Lessons – Italian Cultural Centre – September 22, 2017

Looking for a perfect date night?  How about a tango lesson at the Italian Cultural Centre. This is currently a weekly event happening on Friday nights until the end of October. Classes run from 6:00 – 7:30 pm. Cost is $20 per person per class, or you can register by the month at a cost of $60.

Comedy With Debra DiGiovanni – York Theatre – September 23, 2017

One of Canada’s funniest female comedians will be at the York Theatre this Saturday night.  This is where you’ll find us. Tickets are a very reasonable $25 if you can still snag yourself a ticket. We recommend you do.

Affordable Concert Series: Big Easy Funk – Rio Theatre – September 23, 2017

The Big Easy Funk Ensemble along with guests Disco Funeral and Subscura are performing at the Rio Theatre this Saturday. The show features sounds from the 60s funk legends to funk, jazz and blues. This event is part of the Affordable Concert Series, it is just that affordable. Tickets are $15 in advance or $18 at the door. To learn or buy tickets visit, the Rio Theatre.

Benefit Concert For Aunt Leah’s Place With Blue Dirt Girl At The Notional Space

You are invited to listen to the sounds of Blue Dirt Girl tonight at the Notional Space at 1523 E Pender Street.  If you don’t know it, Blue Dirt Girl is the latest musical project of singer, songwriter, guitarist, and Vancouver indie artist, Kathryn Sutherland. The Notional Space show will feature blue dirt girl’s trio along with craft beer by Luppolo’s Brewing. They will be raising funds for Aunt Leah’s Independent Lifeskills Society which helps event children in foster care from becoming homeless and assists mothers in need.  To reserve your spot email: bluedirtgirl@gmail.com.

Clothing Swap – Wise Hall – September 24, 2017

Do you have clothes, books, shoes, craft supplies, jewellery, accessories you’d like to rehome? Maybe pick up a few new items in the process. Clothing Swap happens this Sunday at the Wise Hall from 12-3 pm.  Drop off is 12:30 – 1:00 pm, cost is $10. Come back between 1-3 pm and shop. All eras, sizes, mens, women’s and children.  For more information visit the Wise Hall.

Walk For Reconciliation – Strathcona Park – September 24, 2017

The first-ever Reconciliation Expo will be held Sunday, September 24th.  The event begins at 10:00 am with a 2 km walk that starts at  650 Cambie Street and travels to Strathcona Park.   After the walk, there are a host of activities lined up for the day at the Expo that continues till 3:00 pm. The event will include community booths that include information about reconciliation, cultural activities as well as presentations by community groups.  Along side the events, there will be an area dedicated to local artisans and it will be a great opportunity to experience local Indigenous art and culture as well as musicians and dance groups.

Jazz Night With Dylan Cramer Quartet – Italian Cultural Centre – September 27, 2017

Dylan Cramer performs with his swinging quartet at the Italian Cultural Centre.  A buffet is available from 6:00 pm until 7:00 pm. The concert starts at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $35 for dinner and $15 for concert only.

Entertainment, Comedy + Live Theatre

If you are looking to take in some interesting theatre, we recommend checking out Feasting For Famine which runs for a brief period at the Firehall Arts Centre September 27 to 30, 2017. The show features one man’s journey through the extremes of body building and health fitness  If you missed the sold out show Draining The Swamp during the Vancouver Fringe Festival, it has been held over at Havana Theatre until September 23rd. You have a chance to catch it.  To see more of what’s on, check our Events Listing.

 

 

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Walk For Reconciliation To Strathcona Park September 24, 2017

20 Sep

WeAreAllOneThe first-ever Reconciliation Expo will be held Sunday, September 24th.  The event begins at 10:00 am with a 2 km walk that starts at 650 Cambie Street and travels to Strathcona Park.  After the walk, there are a host of activities lined up for the day at the Expo that continues till 3:00 pm. The event will include community booths with information about reconciliation, cultural activities as well as presentations by community groups.  Along side the events, there will be an area dedicated to local artisans. This is a great opportunity to experience local Indigenous art and culture.  There will also be an area for children to play educational games and a space for Indigenous craft making. If you get hungry while there, a variety of Vancouver based food-trucks serving ethnically-diverse foods will be on hand.

The day also features musicians, dance groups and a host of activities and exhibits some of which we’ve set out below. To see a full rundown of events, we invite you to visit reconciliationcanada.ca: 

Exhibit: Site Unseen (Gitga’at and West Vancouver Youth – Mural of Merging Voices) 

A unique and innovative project supports links between different groups of coastal youth. To deepen the understanding of their unique cultures and lands, students from the District of West Vancouver and the Gitga’at Nation in Hartley Bay worked together to create a large art installation that explores reconciliation among youth.

Exhibit: National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation 

An exhibit from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation that explores working together for a strong future and better understanding of reconciliation.

Exhibit: Carey Newman’s Witness Blanket (Full-Size Replica)

Inspired by a woven blanket, the Witness Blanket is a large-scale art installation, made out of hundreds of items reclaimed from Residential Schools, churches, government buildings and traditional and cultural structures including Friendship Centres, band offices, treatment centres and universities, from across Canada. The Witness Blanket stands as a national monument to recognise the atrocities of the Indian Residential School era, honour the children, and symbolise ongoing reconciliation.

Weavers Corner

Facilitated by the Earthand Gleaners Society and a diverse group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous weavers, this will be a tactile, interactive space to learn more about the craft of weaving from multiple cultural perspectives. The space will be hands-on, inviting participants to engage with plants native to this territory and learn more about the social history of weaving.

Kairos Blanket Exercise

The KAIROS Blanket Exercise is an interactive learning experience that teaches the Indigenous rights history we’re rarely taught. Developed in response to the 1996 Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, which recommended education on Canadian-Indigenous history as one of the key steps to reconciliation, the Blanket Exercise covers over 500 years of history.

On-site Mural Painting

The Vancouver Mural Festival will host an interactive mural site where with spray paint where participants can add their message of hope or reconciliation. There will also be several commissioned artists creating pieces during the Expo that aim to capture the energy and experience of the Walk for Reconciliation.

Commitment Gallery

Using the pre-existing infrastructure of the tennis court in Strathcona Park, Reconciliation Canada will facilitate the creation of a temporary Commitment Gallery. This will serve as an opportunity for participants to make a personal pledge towards reconciliation following their participation in the Walk. Commitment Cards will be exhibited on the fence to visually display and celebrate actions.

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Comedian Debra DiGiovanni At The York Theatre September 23, 2017

19 Sep

DebraDiGiovanniCanadian comedian Debra DiGiovanni is Canada’s favourite female comedian. Lucky for us she’s coming to East Van on Saturday, September 23rd. She will be performing her edgy playful comedy at the York Theatre.   If you aren’t familiar with her humour, you can easily find a YouTube video with her performance.  She was a finalist in NBC’s Last Comic Standing and her first stand up DVD “Single Awkward Female” is now on Netflix.  She is currently on comedy network’s revival of Match Game on which she is a panelist and you can often hear Debra on CBC radio’s Debaters’ program.  Tickets for the show are $25 and available through The Cultch.  This is one show we won’t be missing.

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Story Story Lie At The Rio Theatre September 21, 2017

18 Sep

storyStoryLieInLightsCan you spot a liar? How about putting it to the test and checking out Story Story Lie? This is an interactive show with one simple premise: Vancouver’s best intimate share. The stories are often hilarious as well as embarrassing and just a little to strange to be true. What’s the catch? Well someone’s lying of course. The audience gets to take part in the interrogation to reveal who the liar is. And the first audience member to guess who the liar is, wins the grand prize, as well as the respect, admiration of the crowd and bragging rights. The Westender calls this show “One of the most inventive events on the Vancouver arts calendar” Story Story Lie now moves to a bigger space at The Rio Theatre for its first show in this venue on Thursday, September 21st.  They have a great line up for their first show at the Rio including Leo and Gemini Award winner Erica Sigurdson, TJ Dawe and comedian Patrick Maliha. Tickets are available in advance online at Rio Theatre for $10 online or $12 at the door.

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What’s On East Van: September 15, 2017

15 Sep

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Lots happening in East Van this next week.  Our weekly feature What’s On East Van sets out cool events for the upcoming week. Beyond the week, we invite you to check out our Event Listing which is updated daily and features events for the month and beyond.

Tango Lessons – Italian Cultural Centre – September 15, 2017

Looking for a perfect date night?  We suggest trying out a tango lesson at the Italian Cultural Centre. This is currently a weekly event happening on Friday nights until the end of October. Classes run from 6:00 – 7:30 pm. Cost is $20 per person per class, or you can register by the month at a cost of $60.

Vancouver Fringe Festival – September 7-17, 2017

This is the last weekend to catch the Vancouver Fringe Festival.  In East Van, you find shows at The Cultch and Firehall Arts Centre. To see a full listing, visit Vancouver Fringe Festival.

First Pick Handmade – Heritage Hall – September 16 & 17, 2017

First Pick Handmade brings together 27 Canadian men’s and women’s fashion accessory designers. The Heritage Hall will be transformed into a 3,300 square foot pop up boutique with a variety of items for men and women. Event runs Saturday (11:00 am – 7:00 pm and Sunday (10:00 am – 6:00 pm). Admission is $3 at the door.

Drive-In Movie – River District – September 16, 2017

After a false start last weekend with a last minute cancellation, Drive-In Movies are back at River District. The evening starts off this Saturday with a showing of Wonder Woman at 7:30 pm, followed by The Transformers The Last Knight at 10:00 pm.  Cost is $20 per carload for one movie and $30 per carload for 2 movies.  Gates open at 6:45 pm and is first come first serve

Tailgate Party – Whisky Six BBQ  – September 17, 2017

Whisky Six BBQ at 826 Renfrew Street invites you for a Tailgate Party with BBQ, beer and cocktails. We hear the good folks at Bomber Brewing and Odd Society Spirits will be on hand.  Event runs from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Yoga In The Park – Grandview Park – September 17, 2017

Ocean and Crow Yoga will be hosting free yoga in the park this Sunday, September 17th. Bring your own towel and yoga mat and you are set.

Story Story Lie – Rio Theatre – September 21, 2017

Can you spot a liar? Story Story Lie is an interactive, live and laughter filled show with one simple premise: Vancouver’s best share intimate, hilarious and often embarrassing stories that seem too strange to be true. The catch? Someone’s lying. The audience takes part in an interrogation to reveal who it is. The Westender calls this show “One of the most inventive events on the Vancouver arts calendar” Story Story Lie now moves to a bigger space at The Rio Theatre for its first show in this venue on Thursday, September 21st.  Tickets are available in advance for $10 online or $12 at the door.

Entertainment, Comedy + Live Theatre

If you are looking to listen to music, Columbian group Breaking Boundaries will be performing at Café Deux Soleils on Friday night. Cover is $5-10. If it’s saucy and sexy you are wanting, you may wish to check out Dan Savage’s Hump Festival Tour 2017 happening at the Rio Theatre all weekend.  To see more of what’s on, check our Events Listing. 

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First Pick Handmade At The Heritage Hall September 16 & 17, 2017

13 Sep

First Pick Postcard jpegThis weekend you are invited to First Pick Handmade YVR happening at the Heritage Hall at 3102 Main Street on September 16th and 17th. This is a curated event of 27 Canadian men’s and women fashion accessory designers. They will be on hand with a limited run of their fall picks.  First Pick Handmade will transform Heritage Hall into a 3,300-square foot pop up boutique department store for the person that values Canadian design and quality materials.   The event will include a combination of long standing designers as well as newer start ups.  The common thread all these designers share is high quality construction and materials. The event will showcase clothing, jewelry, hats, winter accessories, shoes and bags, for both men and women.  Some of the local designers featured include Westerly Handmade Shoes, Friday Socks, Bill Would, Winterluxe, Anderson Boots, Daub and Design, Lana Betty and Buruko Bags and Zed Handmade just to name a few.

First Pick Handmade was created and curated by Janna Hurtzig  who is the founder/designer behind Winterluxe Recycled Cashmere and Astrosatchel labels.  Hurtzig has been part of Vancouver’s handmade scene since 1988 in a variety of roles including co-organizer of Shiny, Muddy Fuzzy.  So we are expecting to see some great things at this upcoming first ever market.  First Pick Handmade YVR runs this Saturday from  11:00 am to 7:00 pm and Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Entrance is $3.00 at the door.

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A Little East Van History – Motel Row On Kingsway

11 Sep

MotelVacancyTraveling along Kingsway through Collingwood, I noticed some inconspicuous street signs the City installed a few years back. Designed in the style of 1960ʼs era Trans Canada Highway markers, the signs proclaim Indigenous Trail and Wagon Road. This was done as an acknowledgement of Kingsway as a historical route into and out of Vancouver for indigenous and non-indigenous people.

These signs got me thinking about my own use of the route. In particular how I had designated some navigational points along Kingsway which I used to gauge my progress entering or exiting the City. These points are or were motels that stand out against the shifting commercial landscape of Kingsway. I set off to rediscover my motel route.

Heading east the starting point was always the Biltmore at 12th and Kingsway. Once a Howard Johnsonʼs Hotel, and previously various others, it is now social housing. The next point is the Days Inn at Kingsway and Victoria. This place has been there for 70 years and in the early days was considered quite upscale. I know because the hotel is where my mom stayed on her wedding night. Either that or my Dad really was the cheapskate he was suspected of being.

Continuing east to Kingsway and Nanaimo, where there once stood a vast motel with beer parlour and off-sales called the Eldorado. It has since been replaced by several condo towers although the motel name lives on with the small Eldorado liquor store on the corner. I wonder if the owners actually did their research on the name. The beer parlour with off-sales was called Mulhernʼs Pub, named after the family that owned the Eldorado. A curious side note about the pub is that a family member apparently attempted to pull a stick-up of Mulhernʼs, but had a little problem with the stocking over their face and was recognized. Always helps to have a proper disguise when robbing family.

Past the old Eldorado site is the iconic and hard to miss 2400 Motel. This city owned 3 acre enclave of 18 cottages has been a frequent film location for everything from the X-Files to Smallville. The 2400 also briefly hosted Ahmed Ressam the Millennium Bomber, who fortunately didnʼt overcook anything during his stay. After the 2400 Motel is the last point before Boundary the Mr. Sport Hotel at Kingsway and Battison. This placeʼs marquee always seemed to advertise it as the last stop for strippers and off-sales before the wilds of Burnaby. The Mr. Sport eventually became a Ramada and then like the Biltmore was bought by the City and turned into social housing. A painted over Ramada sign and faded “Lobby “awning stand as a reminder of its intimidating previous lives. The Mr. Sport looked then and still looks to me now like a place you went into and instantly got shit kicked.

Aside from these motels, there are two other strange atolls of accommodation along the Kingsway route. One, almost directly across from the old Mr. Sport, is the Deluxe Hotel. I suspect it is as deluxe as that burger you get from the cafe gas station garage in Boston Bar. One the other hand the Deluxe, which has been around since 1958, recently changed hands. It has a nice new sign and may be slowly drifting towards the boutique style. Although youʼll probably never find out as it is probably booked full of would be novelists trying to get that gritty East Van feel.

More suspect is the Cassandra at 3075 Kingsway. While it advertises itself as a “comfortable and connected 3 star”, youʼve got to wonder what it’s doing there. From the outside it definitely has that must be a front for something feel. Certainly if you are in a witness protection program,  or generally have at least one hand gun stuffed into your saggy baggy jeans, you might not feel out of place.

By Contributing Writer Al Tee

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