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2003 – 2004 Season
Taming of the Shrew
One of Shakespeare’s earliest comedies
October 7 – 25, 2003
Previews: October 7th and 8th at 8pm
Opens: October 9th at 8pm
Evening Performances: October 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 th at 8pm
Matinee: Saturday October 25th at 2pm
Pre-Show Lecture: Friday October 10th at 7pm
Director: Alisa Palmer (Guest Director)
Set Designer: Allan Stichbury (Faculty)
Costume Designer: Alison Green (Guest Artist)
Lighting Designer: William Mackwood (Guest Artist)
Sound Designer: John Mills-Cockell (Guest Artist)
Stage Manager: Jen Braem
Assistant Director: Britt Candide Small (Graduate Student)
Assistant Set Designer: Scott Powell
Assistant Costume Designers: Odessa Bennett, Kendra Oliver and Sarah Wallin
Music Associate: Allison Ward
Starring: Cameron Anderson, Alicia Bate, Melissa Bates, Meg Braem, Annette
Dreeshen, Stacey Gaetz, Jay Hindle, Katie Hood, Eva Markvoort, Emma Claire Miller,
Stephanie Nikolaidis, Mitch Pollock, Beth Scozzafava, Marisa Smith, Karen Taylor, and
Allison Ward.
Shakespeare’s irresistible romp features the two daughters of a rich Paduan merchant:
Katharina thought of by many as a fiery tempered shrew, and Bianca, who is seen as an
angel from heaven. Although there is no shortage of suitors for the lovely Bianca, her
father insists she postpone marriage until her elder sister is suitably matched. When the
boorish Petruchio announces his willingness to marry any woman with a large enough
dowry—even Kate—Bianca’s dilemma seems to be solved. But is it possibly Petruchio
has met his match in the wild Kate?
MEDIA REVIEWS
“Gosh, if I was to limit myself to a single adjective, this could well be the shortest
review ever. To wit, The Taming of the Shrew, the season opener for UVic’s Phoenix
Theatre, is a great show—great set, great performances, great costumes, and really great
directing. Go see it. (See? We’re basically done.)”
-John Threlfall (Monday Magazine Reviewer)
“The play was excellent, filled with energetic presentations of physical and verbal
humour. The language is hard to comprehend at first, but the actors animated the story
with their natural verbal delivery and spirited physical action.”
-Max Lamb (Martlet)
“The personalities, jokes and banter, which challenge and expose the hilarity of
our courting rituals, add a timeless ingredient to the performance. The mood is jovial
and light but not without depth.”
-Jason Schreurs (Nexus)
“Alan Stichbury’s ingenious set and Alison Green’s beautiful costumes added a
depth and visual richness to the production.”
-Linda Fraser (Victoria Rainbow News)
“Palmer, a noted Canadian director, is known for her knack with physical
comedy. Accordingly, she has attempted to liven up the proceedings with plenty of hijinx.
The players caper about mischeviously, with Petruchio even making his entrance on a
moped.”
-Adrian Chamberlain (Times Colonist Reviewer)
“Nonetheless, Palmer’s direction is physically lively and effervescent, always
pairing the appropriate amount of stage business with the right character and she
seemed to take special delight in the often overlooked servant roles. She also tutors the
young performers well in theatre-in-the-round while overall, the production was infused
with a professional and sophisticated charm.”
-Robert Mitchell (CBC Reviewer)
HE Who Gets Slapped
By Leonid Andreyev
Translated by Daniel Stearns
November 11-29, 2003
Previews: November 11 and 12 at 8pm
Opens: November 13 at 8pm
Evening Performances: November 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 at 8pm
Matinee: Saturday November 29 at 2pm
Pre-Show Lecture: Friday November 14 at 7pm
Director: Brian Richmond (Chair)
Production Designer: Mary Kerr (Faculty)
Lighting Designer: Randy Poulis (Graduate Student)
Composer/Sound Designer: John Mills-Cockell (Guest Artist)
Clown Work: Paulette Hallich, Michael Kennard (Guest Artists)
Stage Manager: Julianne Moss
Assistant Director: Yasmine Kandil
Assistant Production Designer: Janis Ward
Assistant Scenic Designer: Kyle Sutherland
Assistant Costume Designer: Karen Fisher, Matt Jackson
Assistant Lighting Designer: Jeremy McLeod
Projection Designer: Brent Nicholson
Entre’actes: Written by Brian Richmond
Directed by Paulette Hallich
The Duck and the Swan:
Melody by John Mills-Cockell
Lyrics by Jacob Richmond
Starring: Ashley Adamson, Sebastien Archibald, Amanda Ballard, Douglas Scott Bates,
Stacie Capt, Claire Charland, Jenny Collins, Anne-Marie de la Giroday, John Ellingson,
Michael Hall, Trevor Hinton, Leah James, James Kot, K. Scott Malcolm (Faculty), Pat
McCloy, Carlo Marks, Alistair Newton, Kate Richard, Jacob Richmond, Devon Taylor,
Colby Wilson, and Jesse Young
On the brink of his greatest success, a world famous scholar witnesses his work credited
to his former pupil—who also steals his wife! Instead of ending his humiliating torment
through suicide, he decides to profit from his loss and reinvents himself as France’s most
famous circus clown HE—whose main schtick is his ability to get uproarious laughter
from his audience by being beaten up! Andreyev is credited with launching the symbolist
movement of 20th century theatre.
MEDIA REVIEWS
“Every detail of the costumes is authentic, with a rich array of lush textures in velvet and
silk. The characters in their brightness seem to glow with an unearthly light against the
charcoal sketched, cubist set of shadows and light. I think Mary’s already on the short
list for next year’s awards! Congratulations to Brian Richmond and the entire cast and
crew for breathing life into this darkling masterpiece.”
-Robert Mitchell (CBC Reviewer)
“The play is not a gut laugh, rather a head laugh as its material is foreboding;
true to clowning, we are watching the small tragedies of life played out in its broadest
form. We loved this one. You will, too.”
-Linda Fraser with Barbara McLaughlin (Victoria Rainbow News)
“It is hard not be charmed by the comic elements of the story, such as Consuella’s
scheming father Count Mancini or the incorrigible clowns Polly and Tilly that come clost
to stealing the show form their more serious counterparts.
The choreography of the supporting cast is impeccable. While the main drama is
being played out on centre stage, eyes are drawn to trapeze artists Thomas and Angelica
exchanging tender looks while a clown snickers at another’s misfortune as the circus’
politics of power and love take their toll. Even the characters who seldom speak are
brought to life against the colorful, chaotic backdrop of the circus.”
-Danielle Hagel (Nexus)
“HE Who Gets Slapped succeeds in being entertaining, as it is a humorous and
flamboyant piece. This is a nice change from the Phoenix’s many tragic and dramatic
shows. But don’t be fooled—it carries a definite, though undefined, dark side.”
-Zoe Bake-Paterson (Martlet)
“Indeed, the overall emphasis on physical theatre in HE Who Gets Slapped
imbues it with an other-worldly grace and power. Certain well chosen gestures and gaits
add richness to the playwright’s themes: betrayal, the masochism of unrequited love,
and man’s self-defeating penchant for consuming and destroying others.”
-Adrian Chamberlain (Times Colonist Reviewer)
“What’s truly great here, however, is Mary Kerr’s production design. Costumes
that range from richly glorious to the gloriously drab, a charcoal-hued set skewed like a
scene from the ‘60s-era Batman, a sense of perspective that is as brilliantly off-kilter as
the story itself. Kerr’s talent is unmatched. The same can be said for director Brian
Richmond, who is obviously passionate about both theatre history and about providing
students with challenging, intelligent production opportunities; while I applaud his
intentions, as an audience member, I can’t say it makes for the most compelling
viewing.”
-John Threlfall (Monday Magazine Reviewer)
The Marowitz Hamlet
By Charles Marowitz
November 25-29, 2003
Director: Charles Marowitz
Assistant Director: Britt Candide Small
Costume Coordinator: Kendra Oliver
Lighting Designer: Jeremy McLeod
Composer: Anna Hostman
Fight Choreography: Jeffrey Renn
Stage Manager: Jesse Logan
Starring: James Douglas, Clayton Jevne (Guest Artist), Stephanie Morris, Kathlene
McGuinness, Erin Ormond (Guest Artist), Bill Miller (Guest Artist), Mitch Pollock, Evan
Roberts (Guest Artist), Jeff Stubbs (Guest Artist), David Ward, Cam Culham (Guest
Artist), David Crone (Guest Artist) and Jenny Abel.
“Hamlet is like a marvelous piece of clay which can be moulded into a thousand different
shapes and then magically snaps back to its original form.”
The Marowitz Hamlet was first performed during the Theatre of Cruelty Season in
London in the late 60’s. It was then expanded and played at the Akademie der Kunste in
Berlin, The Shakespeare Globe in London and theatres throughout Europe. This was a
reviesed and revamped version especially produced for the University of Victoria.
The Fever
By Wallace Shawn
(Spotlight on [the almost] alumni)
January 27, 2004 – February 7, 2004
Previews: January 27 and 28 at 8pm
Opens: January 29 at 8pm
Evening Performances: January 30, 31 February 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 th at 8pm
Matinee: Saturday February 7 at 2pm
Pre-Show Lecture: Friday January 30th at 7pm
Director: Brian Richmond (Chair)
Production Design Coordinator: Allan Stichbury (Faculty)
Lighting Designer: Randy Poulis (Graduate Student)
Stage Manager: Tina Rogers
Starring: Meg Roe
The Spotlight on Alumni shines on a Phoenix student who has found success in the world
of professional theatre. This season, actor, singer, and performer, Meg Roe steps into the
Phoenix spotlight with a mesmerizing theatrical performance while she returns to
complete her journey towards gaining her BFA, starring in a one-woman tour-de-force,
The Fever by Wallace Shawn.
Far from home and the comforts of her own existence, a young woman is challenged by
the third-world misery she sees. The New York Times says this play moves “with
masterful compassion, eloquence and self-scrutiny, as its central character comes to the
realization that having good intentions toward the dispossessed is not enough.”
MEDIA REVIEWS
“Played with the house lights up, there’s no question the audience was captivated by
Roe’s zesty, suitably frantic performance, but it was tough to believe that someone as
young as this could have had the experiences the character describes. Not that she
doesn’t do a good job here—indeed, her delivery of Shawn’s rapid fire, often
overwhelming diatribes were nearly note-perfect, hooking us both physically and
emotionally as the evening progressed.”
-John Threlfall (Monday Magazine Reviewer)
“Roe holds court with grace and puckish charm between up the throes of angst
ridden guilt. Technically as an actress, I felt she never quite reconciled as to whether she
was physically experiencing the illness first hand or just retelling the tale of that fateful
night, she seems frozen to the spot at times, caught in the relentless glare of the spotlight
provided by lighting designer Randy Poulis. The house lights remain up throughout the
play, blasting the audience out of their normal roles as silent, faceless observers and
creating the feel of a forum in the Dan George. It works, Roe involves us willingly or not
in the proceedings, as she searches the faces for some sign of comprehension—pointing,
pulling us in. Moving and moved in equal parts, Roe hold her own with Shawn’s erudite
script.”
-Robert Mitchell (CBC Reviewer)
“The Fever is worth seeing, although this is inarguably a challenging 11/2 hours.
Roe’s performances will doubtlessly grow in depth and resonance. And Shawn’s writing,
often surprisingly poetic, is a rich delight. His intellectual honesty is relentless; more
whimsical that that of George Orwell, yet equally uncompromising.
When the playwright finally shows his hand at the end, we do not feel
manipulated or bullied. Rather, we realize he values authentic moral passion and virtue
over intellectual gamesmanship and cocktail-party cleverness.”
-Adrian Chamberlain (Times Colonist Reviewer)
Wanted
A new play by Sally Clark
February 26, 2004 – March 13, 2004
Previews: February 24 and 25 at 8pm
Opens: February 26 at 8pm
Evening Performances: February 27, 28 March 4, 5, 6, 11, 12 and 13 at 8pm
Matinee: Saturday February 28 at 2pm
Pre-Show Lecture: Friday February 27 at 7pm
Director: K. Scott Malcolm (Faculty)
Set Design: Brain Perchaluk
Costumer Designer: Janis Ward (Graduate Student)
Lighting Designer: William Mackwood (Guest Artist)
Musical Director: Avery Brown (Guest Artist)
Stage Manager: Sarah Wallin
Assistant Director: Katherine Bethell
Assistant Costume Designers: Nicole Lamb, Amy Loiselle
Projection Designer: Brent Nicholson
Dramaturge: James Douglas
Faculty Supervisor (Costume Design): Mary Kerr
Guest Supervisor (Lighting Design): Melinda Sutton
Starring: Ashley Adamson, Sebastien Archibald, Douglas Scott Bates, Stacie Capt, John
Ellingson, Mike Klemak, Colin Maishment, Emma Claire Miller, Peter Minter, Stephanie
Morris, Karen Taylor, David Ward, and Avery Brown (Guest Artist)
Written by one of Canada’s most renowned playwrights, author of Moo and Saint
Frances of Hollywood, Sally Clark puts a fascinating spin on our ideology of the north.
A story of challenge, survival, love and revenge during the Klondike gold rush.
MEDIA REVIEWS
“Only the second time it’s been produced, it seems the real star in Wanted (as
with many Phoenix productions) is the design work. While Bates and Taylor do their
level best to live up to the scripts hopefully intentional melodrama, only Ward succeeds
in capturing the necessary combination of desperation and charm needed to believe these
characters… although Mike Klemak and John Ellingson provide some fine comic support
as a pair of starving miners. Would that the cast in general had shown the versatility of
Brian Perchaluk’s boardwalk-and-timber set, which doubled as everything from the
doomed riverboat to the northern woods, a saloon, and a mine shaft. Also well worth
noting are Janis Ward’s costumes, William Mackwood’s evocative lighting design and
Avery Brown’s haunting piano accompaniment.”
-John Threlfall (Monday Magazine Reviewer)
“Clark specifically notes that since so many of the men and women who made the
trip to the Yukon were in their twenties, consequently she really enjoyed watching such a
young cast. I agree with her—for the most part. There’s a couple of uncanny
photographs in the lobby, comparing an actual group of miners with the young men of
the cast. It’s hard to look at the weather and care worn faces and haunted eyes of these
desperate men (the prospectors, not the actors—though, give ‘em a few years of hitting
the audition trail and they’ll look haunted too) and realize how young they all were—at
least when they set out.”
-Robert Mitchell (CBC Reviewer)
“This is K. Scott Malcolm’s [Phoenix] directorial debut and he has a good, solid
cast to work with. Bates’ performance was particularly good in expanding Joe’s
character from the hostile, gold-hungry prospector to the older brother that Jack loves
and admires despite his deep flaws.
The performance of light-hearted Jack, by Ward, was an effective foil which never
felt one dimensional.
The character of Mary was thoughtfully portrayed by Taylor. She gave a
convincing depiction of a woman who discovers her sexuality as a way to achieve
economic stability but sacrifices her own happiness.”
-Geraldine Bulosan (Martlet)
“Those of us raised in Canada may get ugly flashbacks of Grade 10 Social
Studies when we hear the words “Klondike Gold Rush.” Given the subject matter,
“Wanted” had the potential to be dry. Before it started I pictured myself furiously
scribbling notes on the history of the Yukon while trying to keep up with names and
dates—but this play wasn’t like that at all. With colorful costumes, plenty of humor, and
some great singing and dancing from the girls of Pete’s Place, “Wanted” entertains with
the best of ‘em.”
-Clara Smith (Nexus)
“Wanted has the potential to embrace transcendent themes and truly achieve its
primary goal; that is, to function as an investigation of the darkness that greed and
desperation can foster. To this end, I think the hangman’s show could be explored much
more thoroughly. This seems like a script that needs rethinking, or at least editing. The
production’s greatest asset is piano player Avery Brown, who with unerring grace and
technical skill plays period and incidental music.”
-Adrian Chamberlain (Times Colonist Reviewer)
Rodeo Star
By Paulino Nunes
March 3-6, 2004
Previews: March 1 and 2 at 8pm
Opens: March 3 at 8pm
Evening Performances: March 4, 5, and 6 at 8pm
Matinee: Saturday March 6, at 2pm
Pre-Show Lecture: Friday January 5 at 7pm
Director/Dramaturge: David Ferry (Graduate Student)
Set Designers: Kimberly DeLude, Allan Stichbury (Faculty)
Costume Designer: Odessa Bennett
Lighting Designer: Randy Poulis (Graduate Student)
Stage Manager: Jen Quinn
Assistant Director: Kathleen Greenfield
Faculty Supervisor (Directing): Brian Richmond (Chair)
Faculty Supervisor (Set Design): Allan Stichbury
Faculty Supervisor (Costume Design): Mary Kerr
Guest Supervisor (Lighting Design): Melinda Sutton
Starring: Tanya Gadsby, Trevor Hinton, Leah James, and Jesse Young
The play toys intellectually with the concept of time running on a perpetual loop-de-loop
of emotions, selective memories and guilt. The play has existential resonance, fantastic
sexual frissons and a shattered mirror Groundhog Day structure added with a dollop of
mystery. Paulino Nunes explored role playing in relationships to good theatrical effect as
he investigates the power of first love, sexual honesty and commitment.
MEDIA REVIEWS
“What begins as a fairly straightforward exploration of the motivations behind
one man’s sexual desire is soon sucked into a black hole of time and memory, where
demanding urges battle with the need of absolution in the limbo of a hotel room. While
somewhat repetitive—the audience witnesses the same scene played out a number of
times, with only minor changes—Rodeo Star was chock full of contemporary references,
crackling dialogue and utterly believable pre-and post-coital sexual tension. … David
Ferry’s tight direction kept things moving at a brisk pace, and the use of a revolve in the
hotel room (which spun the bed around the stage much like the hands of a clock) livened
up what could have been a static set design by Kimberly DeLude and AllanStichbury.”
-John Threlfall (Monday Magazine Reviewer)
“Nunes is aided in no small part by a fine cast. Trevor Hinton gives a taut, antsy
performance as the everyman, reshaping the lies of his lost youth. The thesis of this play
came in the line “memories evolve to suit our needs”. Hinton and Leah James, the object
of his desire, both evolve convincingly into a variety of characters that all intersect
convincingly. Given that this is essentially a two-hour, two-handler, these two young
actors should be very proud of the caliber of work Ferry has coaxed out of them. Give
that man a sheepskin!
-Robert Mitchell (CBC Reviewer)
“Rodeo Star’s most interesting aspect is its repitition of certain phrases or
mannerisms in different scenes. It has a certain resonance, for instance, when the
businessman always taps his head distractedly before pouring a glass of scotch. These
selected repetitions are subtle yet powerful, suggesting a strange disassociation between
fact and fantasy; somehow conveying a sense of life’s futility or absurdity.”
-Adrian Chamberlain (Times Colonist Reviewer)
Electra
Sophocles’ greatest character drama
Translated by Anne Carson and Michael Shaw
March 10-13, 2004
Previews: March 8 and 9 at 8pm
Opens: March 10 at 8pm
Evening Performances: 11, 12, and 13 at 8pm
Matinee: Saturday March 13 at 2pm
Pre-Show Lecture: March 12 at 7pm
Director: Britt Candide Small (Graduate Student)
Set Designer: Allan Stichbury (Faculty)
Costume Designer: Matt Jackson
Lighting Designer: Jen Braem
Musical Designer: Avery Brown (Guest Artist)
Stage Manager: Gillian Reiss
Assistant Director: Tanner Harvey
Assistant to the Costume Director: Karen Fisher
Dramaturge: James Douglas
Faculty Supervisor (Directing): Linda Hardy
Faculty Supervisor (Costume Design): Mary Kerr
Guest Supervisor (Lighting Design): Melinda Sutton
Starring: Melissa Bates, Meg Braem, James Douglas, Katie Hood, Kathlene
McGuinness, Beth Scozzafava, Marisa Smith, and Chad Wood.
What kind of a woman was Electra that she would want so desperately to murder her own
mother? Electra is not an easy play to inhabit or to witness. There are no right or easy
answers, only extreme characters in exceptional circumstances who share a knowledge of
what it is like to suffer in an uncertain civilization.
MEDIA REVEIWS
“An elemental set is simple and yet effective: a huge tree trunk leans one way,
three metal cables lean the other. The metallic palace gates are massive, industriallooking constructs. A three-woman chorus is used extremely well. They carry out
traditional functions, commenting on the action and acting as supplemental characters.
Yet in this production, the chorus’ chattering—overlapping and insidious—seems almost
an extension of Electra’s troubled mind. Their formal, synchronized poses are used to
great effect. At one point, when Electra describes how her mother wiped her bloody
blade on her father’s head, the chorus members simultaneously wipe their brows and
exhale with an ominous “Ahhhh!”—a fine and powerful moment.”
-Adrian Chamberlain (Times Colonist Reviewer)
“As revisioned by director Britt Candide Small, this Electra is a powerful piece of
expressionist theatre, fusing a simple set and dramatic lighting with evocative movement,
abstract costuming and generally strong performances.”
-John Threlfall (Monday Magazine Reveiwer)
“Matt Jackson’s costume design adds perfectly to the energy of the play with his
choice of traditional, yet outlandish clothing. Each costume reflects each player, from
the regal garments of Clytemnestra (Bates) to the tight, leather ensemble of Orestes
(Chad Wood). Jen Braem’s lighting is spot-on with a hint of blue tint over the centre of
the stage, and slight shadow over the backdrop of the sides of the performing area.”
-Max Lamb (Martlet)
Studio Series:
March 19-20, 2004
Play Selection Committee: Nicola Harwood, Charles Tidler
Producer/Production Stage Manager: Marisa Vest
Venue Designer: Allan Stichbury (Faculty)
Lighting Designer: Yasmine Kandil (Graduate Student)
Assistant Lighting Designer: Tim Herron
Stage Manager: Nicole Lamb
Assistant Stage Manager: Heather Rycraft
Sound Co-ordinator: Jeremy McLeod
The Island of Woman Written by Russell Reilander and Directed by Katherine Bethell
Fred ends up on an island of woman…sounds good, or is it? Mad cap fun for anyone
who’s pondered the notion. The shocking truth for those who haven’t.
Starring: Kate Richard, Pat McCloy, Mike Ferguson, Anne-Marie de la Giroday, Jenny
Abel, Amanda Duff, Eva Markvoort, and Kassia Warshawski
The Rise and Fall of Anne Boland Written by Clare Morgan Directed by Dee Statz
A play about the power of ambition and the illusions of absolute power… in high school.
Based on the story of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII.
Starring: Philip Lyall, Aynsely Carson, Eva Markvoort, Mike Ferguson, and Kate
Richard.
The World Pulls Heavy Written by Leah Bailly and Directed by Sabrina Evertt
It’s spit freezing cold. Friday night, and Sadie Mills is dragged on a trek across town
with her dreamboat from the past. Destination: dark and dangerous. Based on true
events.
Starring: Claire Charland and Mike Copley
Medea Lived Written by Gabrielle Pope and Directed by Kathleen Greenfield
Is contemporary life reminiscent of Euripides’ tragic world? One woman thinks so.
Operatic mythology takes on the latte-happy generations of apathy.
Starring: Devon Taylor, Kate Richard, and Mike Copley.
The Fall and Rise of Colin Junior Written by Amanda Leduc and Directed by
Kimberley DeLude
Colin Rushford is the ultimate ladies’ man. But his prowess will soon be put to the test—
by two different and yet strikingly similar women!
Starring: Anne-Marie de la Giroday and Philip Lyall.
The Bird’s Nest Written by S-I Parmar and Directed by Catriana Van Rijn
Cha-Cha, an idealistic young woman, must confront her ambivalent feelings for two
friends after one of them discovers a mysterious Bird’s Nest.
Starring; Aynsley Carson, Philip Lyall and Amatai Marmurstein