theatre

Swimming in the Shallows at Arts Court provides an intimate look at Man/ Shark love

Written
by
saxby
on Friday, August 20, 2010
.

Sharks are awesome. Swimming in the Shallows - part of the new Arts Court Summer Fling theatre series - explores the intricacies of human relationships (including man/ shark love) through a humourous and well-constructed series of characters.

A couple facing transition in a troubled (but loving) marriage, a lesbian wedding, and a man jumping from one guy to the next (until eventually to shark) - all showed the audience something about how complicated and tedious our relationships can be.

Overall, Swimming in the Shallows is a successful production. I particularly enjoyed watching Margo MacDonald (from Fringe Fest fame with her production Shadows) try to quit smoking. The dream sequences were certainly a comedic high point and Bob, the somewhat-clueless husband played by Richard Gelinas, portrayed honestly and movingly the middle-aged husband who just doesn’t get it.

Swimming in the Shallows runs until Aug. 22. Full details and ticket prices are online at www.artscourt.ca.

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Weekend roundup: Events and things to do in Ottawa!

Written
by
Karen
on Thursday, August 19, 2010
.
Photo detail of Meaghan Haughian's latest display courtesy the artist.

Photo detail of Meaghan Haughian's latest display courtesy the artist.

Weather-wise, this weekend looks like it could mirror last weekend (with hopefully less thunder and lightning). Event-wise, however, we’ve got an entirely different set of options.

Fest, fest, fest: Anyone have ideas for an alternate ending to name large-ish summer gatherings? I suppose Greek-o-rama doesn’t have the same ring… Regardless, GreekFest is on this weekend, as is Reggae Fest (with Sean Paul) and the Ottawa International Film Festival.

Friday marks the kick-off of Capital Pride Week - and despite a bit of a controversy, an abundance of events are set to last until next Sunday.

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Wolfe + Montcalm = Inseparable

Written
by
apartment613
on Wednesday, August 11, 2010
.

inseparable

Post by Britt Novakowski

I vaguely remember chewing on the end of my bic pen while Mr. Lopuck, my grade 11 history teacher, prattled on, and on, and on about some “Wolfe Man” and “Montcalm dude” duking it out on on the Plains of Abraham.  Something about the French, the English and reshaping Canada’s destiny….

In my defence, if Mr. Lopuck had been as animated, humorous and all-around enjoyably presented as last night’s performance, I may have remembered the details more clearly.

Inseparable, the latest Arts Court Production, is about Wolfe and Montcalm and the battle that joined the two names at the proverbial hip.  A historical rewrite and a chance encounter between the two Generals sets the stage for 90 minutes of witty banter and historical homage.  The bilingual comedy by Ottawa playwright Louis Lemire is not a history class…  it is much more enjoyable than that.

Inseparable, runs August 10 to 22 - Tuesday to Saturday @ 8 pm and Sundays at 2pm, with a pay-what-you-can show on August 14th at 2pm. Adult tickets are $25 and seniors/students are $20. Warning!  There will be gun-shot sound. Details are available online at www.artscourt.ca.

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Weekend roundup: Events and things to do in Ottawa!

Written
by
Karen
on Thursday, July 29, 2010
.
Photo courtesy Corinne Copreni on Gentelman Reg's myspace page.

Photo courtesy Corinne Copreni on Gentleman Reg's myspace page.

Such a bittersweet weekend this is, with its extra day marking the fact that summer is half over. However! There is much to do, so revel in the sweetness, and forget the bitter reminder that there’s only four more weeks to go. And, since our beloved calendar is still recovering from the great Apt613 website implosion, we’re jamming this post full of weekend possibilities.

First off: explore the great outdoors - learn about bugs and blacksmithing! Or, if you’d rather not get your hands dirty, check out Barbara Cuerden’s No Man’s land: Dirt & Aprons show. You can make the opening of her show tonight before heading to Raw Sugar, where Gentleman Reg is stopping in to play with the Silver Birch Society.

And it being Ottawa in the summer, we’ve got several “Fests” to keep you busy all weekend long.

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Weekend roundup: Events and things to do in Ottawa!

Written
by
Karen
on Thursday, July 22, 2010
.
Photo courtesy the Sidewalks Facebook page.

Photo courtesy the Sidewalks Facebook page.

With our calendar down this week, I’ll try to pack as much as possible into this little roundup without making anyone dizzy.

Let’s get started with music: if you thought that there’d be a stretch of dry, dull silence between the closing of Bluesfest and the start of the Folk Fest, you thought wrong. Tonight, Ann Vriend (think a Western Regina Spektor) will be headlining at Fat Tuesdays. For Friday? There’s almost too much to choose from:

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The Ottawa Stilt Union presents The Girl Who Was Eaten by the Dark

Written
by
Katie
on Wednesday, July 14, 2010
.

The Ottawa Stilt Union performs The Girl Who Was Eaten by the Dark along the Ottawa River at Remic Rapids on Saturday, July 17 th, 2010, at 11:00am.

Grace is a little girl who is afraid of the dark. One night, she goes to visit her grandmother at her cabin in the woods. A cabin with no lights, in a place with no street lights. As she tries to sleep, she is visited by frightening creatures from folk tales around the world. As she outwits and conquers each of these creatures, she becomes stronger. W hen it’s all over, she is stronger than her fear, and has new insight into darkness as the source of imagination.

The Ottawa Stilt Union and designer Lou Hayden create marvelous, magical creatures and before-your-eyes theatrical transformations from actor to monster and back again. With a sound tapestry created by Geoff Cross and Timothy Mott and performed by the company, The Girl Who Was Eaten by the Dark is a rich experience on all levels.

Audiences and critics in Ottawa have already been charmed by the company’s performances last summer. One
Ottawa Fringe Festival blogger wrote: “A lovely, lovely piece. W onderful characters, costumes, and music.
Entertaining stilt work. Magical! Don’t miss it!”

After performing all over Ottawa and in the Catskills, NY, for the North American Cultural Laboratory, in the
summer of 2009, the Rideau Award nominated company will amaze the capital region’s audiences once again
with acrobatics, folk songs from around the world, creatures from legends, and a girl who conquers all! The
Girl W ho W as Eaten by the Dark is a theatrical presentation for everyone to enjoy, designed to be
thrilling and empowering for children of all ages.

Ottawa Stilt Union invites audiences of all ages to attend the performance of The Girl W ho W as Eaten
by the Dark, on Saturday, July 17 th, at 11:00am , on the rocks at the Remic Rapids, along the Ottawa River.
The show is a pay-what-you-can-event.

For more details or if you are interested in booking the company, please contact Guy Marsan at
613.600.6241 or guym arsan@gmail.com, or visit www.ottawastiltunion.ca.

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The St. Lawrence Theater Festival

Written
by
Katie
on Saturday, July 10, 2010
.

The St. Lawrence Theater Festival is fast becoming the premier outdoor theatre experience along the Seaway. Always lively and exciting, their music-filled productions bring Shakespeare to life. And 2010 will be a special year as we join the celebrations of Prescott’s 200th birthday.

2010 season includes,

Trouble on Dibble Street

Macbeth

120 King Street East Prescott Ontario Canada K0E 1T0

613-925-5788

Tickets are $25 for adults, $18 for students.

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BUSKERFEST 2010

Written
by
Katie
on Saturday, July 10, 2010
.

July 29 - August 2

The 2010 International Busker Festival is fast approaching. Below is a list of some of this years performers.

The 2010 performers:

Bike Boy World-renowned street entertainer

Jeff Hill MAGIC THAT ROCKS

Liquer Flambé A unique blend of circus stunts, virtuosic violin and fire.

Mama Lou - amazing feats of strength, comedy and a strong feel good message

Emma Kerger - National Gymnast and dancer

Silver Elvis - Unusual forms of body art

Checkerboard Guy -  It’s kind of like a live episode of the Simpsons

Karnival of the Bizarre - Non stop energy

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Weekend Roundup! Events and things to do in Ottawa

Written
by
Katie
on Thursday, July 8, 2010
.
Photo courtesy of blurasis on flickr

Photo courtesy of blurasis on flickr

Those of us lacking the means or the connections to get to a cottage this weekend will inevitably be turned into air-conditioning seeking zombies by Friday. If you like classical music with your conditioned indoor air, the NAC is offering a free show tomorrow afternoon while the Music and Beyond festival is on all week. If you prefer the cinema, the Mayfair is featuring another installment of its Silent Film + Live Music series this Sunday (I hear the Bytowne theatre is air conditioned as well).

If you don’t mind getting pummeled by the sun there are lots of excuses to get outdoors: Pay-what-you-can Shakespeare in the park,  Volley Ball Tournament/Concert (Hawksley Workman, Hollerado and Amos the Transparent will be there), plus some international dance and music performances on Sparks Street. The movies in Dundonald Park won’t be starting until August, so in the meantime those of you in Kanata can get some free outdoor movie action at the Hazeldean Mall.

If you need something a bit more intellectual to head off zombification, check out this workshop on community gardening or on starting your own business (featuring Nadia from Raw Sugar). There’s also the barn/house release party for the Ottawa Arts Review.

While Bluesfest is likely to drown out any other music show happening this weekend, there’s some great stuff going on at the Blacksheep and Mercury Lounge.

Let us know what we missed in the comments. As for me, I’m off to make some friends with a pool…

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Shakespeare in the Park: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Written
by
Katie
on Thursday, July 8, 2010
.

Coming to a park near you this July & August 2010!

All shows start at 7pm.

This lively comedy will “snap crackle and pop with energy” says director AL Connors, as true love finds it’s way- helped along by fairy dust, the mischievous Puck, and dare we say it? – an ass.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream has all the Fooling around you expect from the Company of Fools. The talented cast pulls Shakespeare’s first true comedy into the present time with a perfect mixture of physical energy, silliness and fun making it a delight for audiences of all ages. This is Shakespeare the way you wish you learned it in high school!

This year’s production features Richard Gélinas, Stephanie Iszak, Cari Leslie, Brad Long, Katie Ryerson and David Whiteley, with AL Connors directing.

Plan to gather a group of friends together to experience A Midsummer Night’s Dream on a summer’s eve. What could be more perfect?

Performances are 90 minutes in length with no intermission. Tickets are “pass-the-hat-and-pay-what-you-can” ($10 suggested.) Please remember to bring your bug spray and a blanket or lawn chair or to sit on.

sunday monday tuesday wednesday thursday friday saturday
JULY 2 3
Strathcona Park Central Park
Sandy Hill Glebe
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
No Show Strathcona Park Antony Vincent Centrepointe Park Windsor Park
Sandy Hill Manor Park Nepean Old Ottawa South
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
No Show Strathcona Park Weston Park Glabar Park Manotick Alexander Grove Stanley Park
Sandy Hill Alta Vista near Kingsmere Park by Manotick Library Stittsville New Edinburgh
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
No Show Strathcona Park Hiawatha Park Wakefield Clare Gardens Reid Park Walter Baker
Sandy Hill Orleans La Grange B&B Westboro Hintonburg Kanata
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
No Show Strathcona Park Mooney’s Bay Briargreen Park Andrew Haydon Herb Garden Deep River
Sandy Hill Ottawa South Nepean Nepean Almonte Summerfest
1 2
No Show Strathcona Park
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