American Refugee
‘American Refugee’ claws through the darkness towards the light of freedom
Excerpt: “In an era where a reality television star can hijack an election on a platform of fetishizing intolerance, greed, pride, and the extinction of empathy, it stands to reason that art would begin to examine the ultimate landscape of the successful completion of such a campaign..." — Jennie Orton in Beat Route
“A highlight for me was a scene where Amy King sings and dances under a spotlight while her mother performs a strip show on the other side of the stage. The juxtaposition was effective, and King’s graceful movements and flawless lip syncing really conveyed an intimate tenderness that was quite arresting within the context of the scene” — Erin Jane in Review Vancouver
Ties of Blood: The Brontës
Ties of Blood @ The ARTS Project: The Brontës: multilayered and finely crafted
"Let’s start with the obvious. Ties of Blood: The Brontës, currently running at The ARTS Project, is not for everyone. It is not for those who don’t like to be challenged by their theatre. It is not for those who want to be spoon-fed a bland reheating of the same old meal. It is something far more satisfying than that. Ties of Blood is an eclectic reinterpretation of the lives of the Bronte siblings that is anything but vanilla. It is a theatrical meal for those who appreciate that the best experiences are layered in nuance and designed to complement and challenge the palette.
The production, designed, directed, and written by Londoner Caity Quinn, is a study of contrasts. The dark-haired Quinn plays the driven Charlotte – the eldest child who assumes the responsibility of caring for the family, which in turn leads her to seeing her siblings as revenue-producers. Quinn’s physicality and dance dramatically reveal the true emotion that lies beneath her stoic – and at times callous – exterior. Quinn’s Charlotte is contrasted, almost to a polar degree, by Cassidy Furman in the role of Emily. Where Caity is petite and dark, Furmann is tall and blond. Where Caity uses body language to deliver emotion, Emily’s strength is her dominant voice – driving forward the production’s songs and commanding attention...
Again, if your theatrical tastes run towards the bubblegum pop, then this isn’t a play for you. But if you enjoy the multilayered and complementing tones of finely crafted jazz, then head out to see one of the remaining shows." — Jason Menard
