Any Night

In "Any Night" dream, nightmare and reality cut into each other and through each other. Characters appear and disappear or so it seems. Privacy, trust, love are all illusionary and real (what ever that might be).

I ushered for this play at the cultch's culture lab this evening and I'd have to say it was right up there with "True Stories" for engagement. One of the audience members said that she "... kind of forgot it was a play, I was so in it to it...", have to agree.

Four more performances, go and see "Any Night" and you can have nightmares too.

Jem Rolls At the Fringe

Jem Rolls is one of the hardest working performance poets out there. Soaked in sweat 5 minutes into a hour long show, he just roars into his monologue/poetry/performance. He gleefully shakes language by the back of the neck and beats on your ears with rhythms, and burns images into the back of your head.

Jem is immediate solidly planted in the here and now. There are no books or cds for sale, no mp3s to download, just you and Jem, his performance and your memory.

Stories, images, poetry, memory.

There is a great review and article on Poets on Fire that I'd have to recommend.

Van Django at the Cellar

I took my dear friend out for a birthday treat and we both got treated. I don't remember the last time I was in the Jazz Cellar but I think I've been missing something.

Room is pleasant, comfortable; service is stellar; food good (the salmon chowder was excellent as was the pasta w/ prawns, mangos, pineapple in a light cream curry sauce). Best of all was the music.

Van Django is a string ensemble that uses the sounds of Django Reinhart and Stephan Grappelli to start out from as the note on the The Cellar's website says:

Van Django is an acoustic string ensemble made up of four extremely talented and eclectic musicians. Their music is well-rooted in the gypsy jazz of 1930's Paris France, but beyond that it's all pure blue-skying: flights of dazzling fancy, driving rhythms and boundless creativity. Experience this foursome as they play their original compositions and quirky arrangements in an action packed musical universe they call, "acoustic string hot jazz!"

A great show and I will be back. But it's quarter to one, and I'm tired, and so to bed.

later

@2 back from Dark Knight eahh! Okay but I could have waited until the rental

Just up and trying ping some more

Titus Andronicus

Very good, very violent and the scene with the rape and mutilation of Lavinia was brutal. No one left and no one seemed seriously discomfited although Monica complained that the woman beside her kept up a nervous laughter throughout.

Needless to say, everybody dies.

There was some talk on the way home about how issues and themes that would be revisited in later plays could be picked out. I liked the production, I usually do. Bard on the Beach does good work and I always come away feeling that I have spent my time well.

There was also a clear connection between the issues that Shakespeare was trying to deal with and our present varied predicaments. A failing (failed) imperial power, a ruling class addicted to plots and torture, an ignored and essentially powerless populace that gets trotted out for justification for decisions made behind closed doors and with no interest in its needs or desires. Wars, leavened with bread and circuses.

NINE POINTS TO NAVIGATE - The Brian Webb Dance Company

First show I have ushered and seen at this years Dancing on the Edge. I was very strongly affected by this piece, less by the dance and far more by the spoken and sung word. This is a piece of remembrance, of fathers who were young enough to be influenced, changed, affected by the 1930's Depression and the 2nd World War; as my father was.

The two leads (David Webb and Sheir Somerville) spoke of their fathers with love, and understanding. Both of their fathers had been damaged in the Great Depression and the War, focused on providing for their families but finding it difficult to care for their families. I know that one. The silent father who struggles against the odds to make a living and support his family but who cannot speak or play with his children.

As I said a very affecting piece, using music, theatre, voice, and movement to remember, with love and understanding.

Susan Tedeschi at the Commodore

Got in to catch the last 20 minutes of John Scofield, a couple of nice pieces and the one I walked in on he was just howling on.

The treat of the evening was Susan Tedeschi over at the Commodore, she was paired with Jim Byrne. I got in at about 10:30pm and she hit the stage seconds later, and she smoked. I was reminded of Bonnie Rait or Ellen McIlwaine but only reminded, Tedeschi has a look, sound and style all her own.

She is one to keep an eye on. Hope she does as well as she seems posed to.