IFCon Victoria Cancelled, Founder Hospitalised

Originally published on Otaku no Culture

IFCon Preview - Unicorn logoIFCon Victoria which was to be held at the G. R. Pearkes Recreation Centre over the Halloween weekend has been cancelled. An announcement was made today on IFCon’s Facebook page by Bob Lynn, a long-time friend of executive convention producer Bill Code:

My name is Bob Lynn – I have been a friend of Bill Code for 27 years and I have been asked to post this notice and the following information.

For the past 16 months, Bill has dedicated all his time, effort, energy and every cent he has earned into this project to the tune of over $ 84,000.00.

Last Sunday, Bill collapsed on the floor and had to be rushed to the hospital and admitted to Emergency. Today, he has been transferred to intensive care and will be taken into surgery later today. He is fighting for his life.

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In Saanich for Evil Acres — Take 2015

1607035_386482928176879_630313543971803379_nfrom 7 to 11pm daily
continues to Oct 31st
10375 Wilson Rd.
North Saanich, B.C.

In the month of October, some residents of Victoria, BC make a ritual out of going to Evil Acres, a haunted attraction located near Victoria Airport. Part of the joy is in entering the Slaughter House. This spooky abode has changed from what I remember last year. There’s a room that is truly dark, and you have to feel around to find the way out. There’s no joy in going through this home alone (although you’ll get the best experience out of the ‘solitude’ of the situation; some of the best horror stories involve divide and conquer) and I had to wait until two buddies of mine had time so we can go to this spookfest together.

I’m rarely disappointed, even though my stoicness is tough to break. When my writing partner James Shaw is tough to entertain in a concert, I’m harder to freak out when it comes to these walk-through tours. Yes, I can be startled but to get that creeped out feeling, it better be 100% real. That’s just one of the many reasons why I became a paranormal investigator. Although I know most ghosts can not harm you, the feelings you get when something happens and your logical mind can’t figure out, the spine-chilling feeling will just not go away!

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Building Heart in Kaleidoscope Theatre’s 2015 Fundraiser: A Little Shop of Horrors

Tickets can be bought at the McPherson Theatre Playhouse (3 Centennial Square, Victoria, BC) at the box office or online.

Showtimes:
OCT 30, 8PM
OCT 31, 8PM
NOV 1, 2PM

Kaleidoscope Theatre‘s Halloween spectacular is not just taking place in the support of bringing youth to the arts. It’s also a major fundraiser for the theatre company to keep their programs running year-round. Artistic Director Roderick Glanville leads this year’s production of Little Shop of Horrors and he recounts his youth as one of simply finding the right place to belong when the academic side of the education system didn’t quite hold his interest very well. Fortune would find him discovering theatre at the suggestion of his teacher and he loved it.

“From that point on, throughout my whole schooling. I was involved in every theatre program, did every single show (all the way through middle school and high school), excelled in all communications and theatre and formed my own,” said Roderick.

Frequent attendees of this autumn-centric show will find familiar names in this production. This director knows that he should not stress them out since they are volunteering their time to put on a Halloween treat for the theatre-loving community of Victoria, BC. He likes to see performers come back and not feel burnt out because of how stressful last year’s event went. The point is to have fun, and it’s shown in The Addams Family Musical and Rocky Horror, which played in the past two years.

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How to Plan for the Next Nightmare at the Royal BC Museum

nightshift-sep2015-event-banner

Although the Royal BC Museum‘s evening party for this upcoming All Hallow’s Eve is sold out, people interested in this festival will no doubt have to plan far in advance for next year’s Nightmare at the Museum. Interest for this event has been very heavy, and Kim Gough, one of the staff’s event coordinators, reveals that the goal of expanding interest in this archive’s collections in a fun evening event is achieved.

“The best connection that was there for this time of the year seemed to be about the Victorian period’s fixation on dying [in reference to our first event],” said Gough, “Fixation may not be the right word but it was certainly an important part of that culture.”

In previous events, the gallery held a faux Victorian style séance. That was led by actors and they were probably more in line with the Victorian séances that were conducted at the time. There were probably more people out to make some money. While Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, wanted to believe, Harry Houdini was out to disprove the impossible. This escape artist believed any competent magician can muster the illusion. These two frequently clashed over what is truly paranormal.

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Enter Arkenham Abbey If You Dare …. A Review

arkenham-abbey-poster1

Runs October 15 – 31, 2015
Tickets available on site or online at

Craigdarroch Castle.
1050 Joan Crescent
Victoria, BC

Launch Pad Productions proves that they will fly high and soar through the cosmos as they take audiences on journeys of nerdom, Shakespeare (due in April in an adaptation of Shakespeare‘s The Taming of the Shrew) and beyond. First up is their homage to all things Batman.

Arkenam Abbey wonderfully makes use of the Gothic tradition to show the decay of the soul as The Nightwatchman (Justin Carter) journeys through the hallowed halls of this ‘hospital’ and confronts its denizens. Most of them have a sordid past with him and they challenge him to face his fears than theirs as both sides — nicely represented by Black Jack (Trevor Hinton) — face the inevitable. Just who will dominate the night?

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A Few Hungry Picks for Halloween 2015

Instead of simply rinse and repeating the annual events happening at Halloween in Victoria, BC, what we are offering are our picks of the season that changes things up every year. These are the shows that we are thinking of attending and are wanting to lose our heads over like Ichabod Crane. While James’ pumpkin face is topped with a sprig of hair, to show his excitement during the Halloween season, Ed’s will be extended lush and long so he can hide behind it, like a certain member of the Addams Family to blend with the scenery.

david-radford-the-fool-photo-christina-patterson

Oct 15-31st, 2015
Launchpad Production’s
Arkenam Abbey
Craigdarroch Castle
1050 Joan Crescent

The theatre company of Giggling Iguana Productions decided to take a break and thankfully what’s to come in its place will have fans of Gothic entertainment clapping. Launchpad Productions is taking over and they promise to bring entertainment to all new heights for both Halloween enthusiasts and nerds alike with this homage to the Batman universe. This company’s debut from a few years ago at the Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival with Tara Firm and the Lunar War Chronicles certainly shows this group is ready.

Tickets can be bought online through The Castle’s website and to learn about what’s in store, check out our interview with this troupe and a preview here.

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