Vertigo Series Open Stage featuring Lillian Allen

Thursday, March 6, 2014, 7:00 pm 
MacKenzie Art Gallery
Admission: $5

Impromptu poetry, spoken word and musical performances combined to create a casual yet seamless event at the recent Vertigo Series Open Stage. Forget about the negative stereotypes you may have about open mic nights: Vertigo does it right. 

House musicians Brian Templeton (double bass) and Herb Exner (guitar) kicked off the evening with an instrumental performance, then played back-up for writers wanting their words set to music. The evening’s program was created by audience members who wrote their names on a sign-up sheet and waited anxiously for host Tara Dawn Solheim to call them to the stage. 

Performances spanned a number of genres. Carla Harris set the tone for the open stage with a poem that turned into a song and ended with a scat solo, all set to the groove of Templeton’s bass. Rachel MacDonald sang an a cappella prayer song that she had written while lying in bed recovering from an injury. Bruce Rice read a series of poems responding to the MacKenzie Art Gallery’s recent 7: Professional Native Indian Artists Inc. exhibition. Spoken word artist Shayna Stock and pianist Jeff Moser presented a collaborative piece that wove poetry and music into a breathtaking work of art. A number of others also shared their work, and none disappointed.

The feature performer was Lillian Allen, an internationally acclaimed, Juno-award-winning writer and reggae musician. She is credited as one of the originators of dub poetry, described on her website as “a highly politicized form of poetry preferring a black aesthetic and specific cultural codification.” Allen combines Jamaican vernacular, vocal sounds, looping and music to elicit an emotional response from audiences and draw them into the situations she explores. 

At Vertigo, she presented pieces with topics ranging from tongue-in-cheek advice on how to be a writer, to the hardship and reward of labour and childbirth, to the anxiety that we feel in modern society. She then called the house musicians on stage for a jazz number and answered a variety of audience questions. Her performance was captivating, entertaining and refreshing, and her presence enhanced rather than overshadowed the local writers taking the stage before and after her. 

Casual yet inspiring: Vertigo does it right.

The Vertigo Series provides regular opportunities for writers and musicians of all genres and levels of accomplishment to share their work with an audience. The series is supported and sponsored by community granting organizations including the Saskatchewan Arts Board, the Canada Council for the Arts and the League of Canadian Poets. For more information, visit www.vertigoseries.com, the Vertigo Series Group on Facebook, or @VertigoSeries on Twitter.

Creative City Sondheim

Creative City Centre is hosting a musical cabaret featuring the music of Stephen Sondheim. The Show has four performances: December 6, 7, 13 and 14. A talented cast of nine performers will be presenting an entertaining journey through selected songs from musicals such as Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George and more!

I want to thank everyone involved for making this show happen. We need more of these kinds of independent productions in Regina, and I know it must have been a crazy amount of work to bring it all together. The music, the set, the casting, the talent - everything came together to create something very special. At the end, someone asked what my favourite number was and I truly could not answer. Throughout the night, I would think, "Wow, that person just stole the show," or "That was the best song," and then the next performer or number would top that and change my mind. In the end, it was a cohesive, excellent performance, and ... just buy a ticket and go before the final two shows sell out. The cold is no excuse. Support live, independent theatre.

Canuck Quixote

2013 Regina International Fringe Theatre Festival

A mini-review of Colin Godbout's Canuck Quixote by Fringe social media liaison Sabrina Cataldo.

If you like Spanish guitar music, Canuck Quixote is a show you will enjoy. Colin Godbout is a highly skilled guitarist who pays tribute to iconic Canadian singer/songwriters by reprising their music with a Spanish flair. His arrangement of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” is beautiful (he just added this song to the show on Friday) and the rendition of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World” is a nice surprise.

The music is lovely but the other elements of the show are confusing. The script presumes an audience understanding of obscure musical and literary references that are inaccessible to the layperson. I was there with two friends – among us, we have eight university degrees and certificates – and we could not follow what was going on.

If you like this kind of music, the show is worth seeing. Just don’t feel dumb if you don’t “get it.” Sit back and enjoy the tunes.

Dusty Shoes

2013 Regina International Fringe Festival
A mini-review of Trilby Jeeves Productions' Dusty Shoes by Fringe social media liaison Sabrina Cataldo.

Dusty Shoes is a hidden gem of this year’s fringe. The colourful and outlandish Madame Rouge interacts with the audience and draws us in from the very beginning with her humour and larger-than-life presence. We soon learn that this buffoon character is the “inner voice from a past life” of Trilby Jeeves, a woman who must come to terms with a disability that changes the trajectory of her life. The different stages of Jeeves’ physical and emotional journey are tied together with a shoe motif – from sneakers to high heels to motorcycle boots – culminating in an unexpected reveal. The show ends with a feeling of joy and freedom that stays with you as you leave the theatre.

The first few shows drew small crowds due to their place on the schedule, so buzz has not grown around this show at the level it deserves. Do yourself a favour and treat yourself to a funny and sweet show this weekend. And bring a few friends with you. You won’t regret it.

Jeeves is a master (or mistress, if you prefer) of social media. Check out her blogs at www.dustyshoes.ca and www.trilbyjeeves.com and find her on Twitter @tjbuffoonery.