Theatre: “Urban Tales”

On Friday night, I went with a friend to watch Northern Light Theatre’s Urban Tales 9: Night Nurses in an Insane Asylum at the Third Space. Four separate playwrights wrote anecdotes for each of the four characters, which were then edited together to form one coherent play. From the program:

“On a dark and stormy Halloween night, an electrical storm unleashes the inmates, and perhaps a few ghosts, to terrorize Dorothy, Midge, Betty Ann and Vivian.”

This was my first Urban Tales experience, so unfortunately I don’t have any past productions to compare this one to, but what I did not expect was a glorified reading. Yes, there were costumed actresses, sound and music effects, and lighting design, but the actors for the most part read from the script! Each actor even had their own music stand, which made for quite the awkward commute between the very-small stage and an additional stand set up just in front of the stage to showcase the individual monologues.

That said, Annette Christie, who played Dorothy, was by far the standout for me, as she had to voice her lines entirely in the stereotypically “giggly girl” nasal, and provided many comedic moments with her doe-eyed delivery. There was also some interesting work with a projector that flashed a variety of images onto a makeshift curtain screen just to the right of the stage. An image of a catatonic patient with vacant eyes was particularly spooky, and did much to set the mood for that scene. In addition, the sound technician has to be singled out – the necessary timing involved with inserting a *lightning flash* here, and a *creepy howl* there seemed more taxing than in other productions I’ve seen. In all, although I jumped a few times, and my imagination was exercised, Urban Tales 9 pales in comparison with Marty Chan’s The Bone House, my benchmark for chilling theatre.

Pursue the Moment

Have you noticed the recent Lexus “Pursue the Moment” marketing campaign? There is a commercial, for example, on television, which flashes through a series of events and images one might experience in life, urging viewers to live it up.

As affecting as the commercial can be, I’m much more taken by the one-page print ads, featured last week in The Globe & Mail. One such ad, accompanied by a landscape photo, reads:

“Would anyone buy a ticket to the movie of your life? Pack it full of moments. Make it glorious. Make it epic. Make it funny and sad and tender and outrageous. Make it a blockbuster. Fill it with laughs and adventures and special effects of your own design. Be the hero, fight the bad guys, get the girl. Make it colourful and spectacular and dramatic. Make it unique. Give it plot twists and a back-story and total surround sound. You’re the director. You’re the star. You’ll get all the credit. Pursue the moment.”

Cheesy, I know, but it struck a chord with me all the same. The phrasing of the text also reminds me of the ongoing right hand ring campaign – short, staccato sentences that build towards the tag line.

So, have you seized a moment lately?

Theatre: “10 Days on Earth”

Ronnie Burkett is a theatrical genius.

I first heard of him when he premiered Provenance in Edmonton a few years ago, but didn’t get out to see it because of the “hefty” $30 price of admission. Little did I know his talent, as showcased in a 120 minute production, is priceless.

Last night, a coworker and I watched a play titled 10 Days on Earth at the Roxy Theatre, acted entirely with marionettes. The flyer describes the show as follows:

“Darrel, a mentally challenged adult, doesn’t realize his mother has died in her sleep. For ten days straight he unknowingly lives alone, continuing his simple daily routine and daydreaming about his favorite storybook characters.”

Like most synopses of great art, words alone cannot do Burkett justice. At first, I had to adjust to the experience of watching puppets move about in place of live actors. But soon enough, I realized how imagination bridges the gap between you and the stage; you end up relating and empathizing even further with the marionettes because to believe the life being created out of wood and string, you have to invest a part of yourself that isn’t necessarily required with human performers. My heart broke as Darrel called in vain for his mum; as he peered expectantly at her still-shut door; as he sat, ever-patient, in the hallway, and waited. And because the faces of the puppets are unchanging, it was fascinating to notice the vital importance of body language. Every flicker, twitch, and jerk became a telling sign, a character trait. The marionettes are “simply, simply” mesmerizing.

You have to wonder how Burkett manages to perform this show night after night – it was exhausting just watching him maneuver over the numerous platforms, personally handling all two dozen puppets, and voicing all of the different characters, some that I was sure would lead to laryngitis. In any case, his sweat and tears made last night’s show unforgettable. I am already looking forward to his next stop in Edmonton. I encourage you to check out 10 Days; it runs until November 26.

Mini Frittatas

Although I’ve dabbled in baking here and there, my experience creating appetizers and entrées have been limited. That’s why I’m always on the lookout for fast and easy recipes, particularly from my favorite TV chefs. Yesterday, I decided to replicate a frittata recipe I saw on an episode of Giada De Laurentiis’ Everyday Italian. Below is a picture of the result:


(So few product were captured because I ate the majority of them before the shot was taken…)

In my opinion, the recipe is foolproof, and you can substitute whatever you have on hand for the filling. In this case, I used mushrooms and turkey breast slices, though I admit a little greenery wouldn’t hurt the presentation. Another tip: if you fill the muffin tins about 3/4 full, the frittatas come out perfectly concave. This recipe would make a great appetizer, brunch item, or afterschool snack. I encourage you to try this out and share your favorite filling combinations!