The Week in Review – November 12

PuSH FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2013 LINEUP

PuSH International Performing Arts Festival announced their lineup for 2013, with more than 160 shows presented between January 15 and February 3 throughout Vancouver venues.

Shows include I, Malvolio – Tim Crouch’s reimagining of Twelfth Night through the eyes of a sad and frustrated character; Ride The Cyclone, which The Globe and Mail called “probably the most uproarious and outrageous piece of musical theatre Canada has ever produced”; and Human Library – an interactive performance at Vancouver Public Library which ‘lends’ you one of 30 possible human books to interact with.

You can see the PuSh Festival’s full lineup here.

Tim Crouch reinterprets one of Shakespeare's lesser-known characters

JEFF BUCKLEY WORKS REMOUNTED IN NEW MUSICAL

Production of The Last Goodbye, a contemporary retelling of Romeo and Juliet to the music of Jeff Buckley, was announced this week, with a number of workshops planned in New York early next year. Conceived by Michael Kimmel, the “incendiary new musical” will be directed by Tony award nominee Alex Timbers, with 14 singer/actors cast.

Buckley’s featured work includes Lover, You Should Have Come Over, and Eternal Life. So far there has been no mention of Hallelujah, the Leonard Cohen song whose cover Buckley is most famous for.

THE NEW REPUBLIC DEEMS CANADA COOL

The New Republic confirms that Canada's cultural contributions are more than just a pretty face

From Ryan Gosling to Arcade Fire, Seth Rogen to the cast of David Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis, Canada continues to provide artistic talent in droves to the rest of the world… and now America is noticing. The New Republic’s Thomas Rogers writes a fitting but somewhat bemused tribute to our land, asking “How did this happen? How did a land known for politeness and Rush and practical outerwear become a desirable, hip commodity? How did we, dare I say it, become cooler than Americans?” It’s a fun read that, nevertheless, accurately describes and celebrates our cultural contributions of late.

VANCOUVER ART GALLERY CELEBRATES NEW CHAIR & SURPLUS

The Vancouver Art Gallery could celebrate after its annual general meeting on Wednesday, when the Board of Directors reported an operating surplus of $336,954 – an astonishing difference of $1,223,034 from when the gallery was in the red in 2010/2011.

The new chair of VAG is Bruce Munro Wright – a local lawyer and philanthropist who is also chair of the Vancouver Opera Foundation.

DAVID FOSTER WALLACE ON WRITER’S RELATIONSHIP WITH WORK

The Guardian published an extract from Foster Wallace’s collection of essays, Both Flesh and Not, released posthumously. The piece focuses on the complex layers of love and repulsion that a writer feels for his work. Insightful, poetic, and – as always – grappling with what it means to be alive, the essay will charm anyone who writes, or reads, voraciously.

BURLESQUE SALUTES CANADIAN TROOPS

The Great Canadian Burlesque troupe marked Remembrance Day in Toronto by holding a special striptease brunch at the city's Cadillac Lounge. The “We Salute You, Veteran’s Tribute” featured acts such as ‘Rosie The Riveter’, with accompanying wartime jazz and big band songs. Of course, veterans attended for free. The Globe and Mail spoke with troupe co-founder Fiona Flauntit, whose comments you can read in a full interview here.

Categories: MPMG