Monthly Archives: September 2015

09.29.15
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Looking at Launch Pad Production’s Past, Present & Future with Arkenham Abbey, a Preview

Originally published on Otakunoculture.com

Arkenham Abbey Poster(1)

Christina Patterson and David Radford are the heart and soul of Launch Pad Productions, a Victoria, BC based theatre company, and they have a new production coming up that will be a delight to Batman fans. They are presenting Arkenham Abbey, a horror comedy which pays homage to the comics, TV shows and films about this Dark Knight. It will be playing at Craigdarroch Castle starting October 15th and leading up to Halloween.

I started noticing them when I decided to make attending shows at The Castle an annual tradition. They appeared in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (2009) and Dracula: The Blood is the Life (2012/13). In alternating years, I saw what they did at 2011 the Victoria Fringe Festival was more than fun. They showed a true love for the medium. Tara Firm and the Lunar War Chronicles (2011), according to Radford, is a Teslapunk styled story than steampunk. His imaginative spirit is captivating and he knows how to write for his wife, Christina. I had always hoped for a continuation of this saga and was told that if there’s a venue to continue it at, it would be at the Victoria Event Centre. Hopefully I did not miss any advertising for it, but alas there were years where my nose was stuck behind many an academic book. In what I took from my past inquiry with Radford, I instantly knew he was a literary nerd and it seems there’s many in this community who are just the same. When the cast included my favourite one-man act, Charlie Ross (One Man Star Wars and One Man Lord of the Rings), I knew everyone in this company are big-time pop culture geeks.

Batman is loved by all. Ross will be putting on his condensed version next year in Vancouver and for Patterson and Radford, they have Arkenham Abbey to treat Victorians with. For the folks who thought Giggling Iguana Productions has left the building without leaving a surprise will be glad to know that Launch Pad is the group who is taking over.

“We were very privileged to have Ian pass this torch to us,” said Patterson, “We will continue to uphold the standard of great Halloween entertainment modelled by Giggling Iguana.”

To truly discover who they are, I had a chance to talk to this couple about their beginnings, their company and what’s in store for this play.  When I look at the towering spires at this venue, I’m often wondering if there are bats up there or if a ghost is lurking behind The Castle’s walls.

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09.09.15
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[Victoria Fringe Festival ’15] Pretending Things Are A …. Review

Jon-Bennett

Pretending Things Are a C*ck is no doubt going to be the most difficult show any conservative individual may struggle with in the thought of deciding to attend. All I can say is cast all your inhibitions aside and just go. Fringing is all about taking a risk at a show you may have doubts on. There were a few shows that I went to on top of my predetermined list. They were either recommended to me or I didn’t want to go home.

For this very risqué title, well, how can I not laugh at the idea? This show by Aussie Jon Bennett may sound crass, but there’s more to it than anyone may think. It’s introspective. How? Well, if I told anyone, they may just not bother to go since the punchline is ruined. I can at least say I learned that in Australia, flip-flops are called thongs down under. Who would have thunk it?

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09.08.15
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[Victoria Fringe Festival ’15] From Rumpelstiltskin to Sperm Wars, Jeff Leard is Amazing! A Review

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Master storyteller Jeff Leard is telling the world he’s not limiting himself to one kind of act. As part of Story Theatre Company, he puts on very kid-friendly products for people of all ages to enjoy (I went to see him perform Rumpelstiltskin and Other Tales the day before) and as a member of Random Samples Collective, he can certainly put on a very hilarious take of a George Lucas classic retitled Sperm Wars. To wonder how the trench scene gets interpreted meant I had to see this show when no other program got in the way. Making the choices in what to see first can often be difficult. Sadly, the only time open was on the last day of the Victoria Fringe Festival. The good news is that this show is continuing at other conventions coming up like the Vancouver Fringe.

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09.07.15
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[Victoria Fringe Festival ’15] There’s Plenty of High ‘Spirits’ to Kiss Around Pass Around, A Review

11235244One part Banana Splits, two parts Japanese Folklore and three parts variety show make for a very quirky show called Kiss Around Pass Around. Yanomi Shoshinz (better known as Miss Hiccup back in Victoria Fringe Festival 2010 and 2012) created this act which blends a lot of traditions into a kaleidoscope of fun. But just what is a Kesaran Pasaran? Not many Fringe show attendees will want to research this name prior to or after seeing this production.

According to one online source, it’s the name of a spirit of good fortune. It’s essentially a white ball of fluff that’s evolved from a plant. When the material flies around like the white parts of a dandelion after a strong gust of wind, the joy it brings is often a delight to anyone running through a field of them. That’s what this show is like.

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09.05.15
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[Victoria Fringe Festival ’15] Band Geeks or Band Gleeks? A Review

logo_200x200_000406VENUE:
Copeland Lecture Theatre
St. Michael’s University School
3400 Richmond Rd.

SHOWTIMES:
Sept 5 | 2:00 pm
Sept 5 | 7:00 pm

DURATION:
90 minutes

E: The St. Michaels University School (SMUS) Summer Musical Theatre program never ceases to amaze me. They put on quality productions (school level of course) for the Victoria Fringe Festival and in the five years I’ve been going to see them, I find something that I’ve never seen (until now) unless I head to New York for Broadway or London for West End. This program has been around for at least ten years, if not more, and this year is unique as it introduces a show that I haven’t heard about before.

Band Geeks is an off-Broadway production written by Tommy Newman and Gordon Greenberg. Newman did Broadway productions such as The Single Girls Guide and Tinyard Hill while Greenberg is more noted for producing Disney’s Believe and appearing in a production of Grease.

J: This musical is even unknown to me. This story is about a group of high school students, the Beavers marching band, who are still invisible to their peers even when they are the most visible on the football field. Lead by nerdy tuba player Elliott (Duke Currah), his bubble world of playing a new composition to the public while admiring baton twirler Nicole (Alana Hawes) from afar is popped by bad boy and fallen football star Jake (Ryan Totz). He unwittingly puts a kink into Elliott’s plans. Meanwhile, Elliott’s buddy, Laura (Jordan Kerr) has her own flame she’s burning for Elliott. When it comes to love, Laura is the ultimate band geek, invisible even to Elliott.

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09.05.15
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[Victoria Fringe Festival ’15] Rumpelstiltskin and Other Tales, A Review

4web3webrumpelstiltskin-copy-3VENUE:
Metro Studio Theatre
1411 Quadra St.
Victoria, BC

SHOWTIMES:
Sept 5 | 12:15 pm
Sept 6 | 11:30 am

DURATION:
45 minutes

No fan of the tales collected by The Brothers Grimm and adapted to stage will want to miss the Victoria Fringe Festival‘s two presentations of their works. Rumpelstiltskin and Other Works is aptly named and perhaps bit misleading. Not all the two remaining acts in this three-part show are going to be based on these folklorist’s works. In the other show that’s still playing, The Untold Tales of Brothers Grimm, which is technically more sophisticated, this version is adapted for youths to listen to.

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