Drama Beat

Billy Bishop Goes to War is more about people than war

Wednesday, 26 September 2012 07:06 Richard Amery

Classic Canadian play “Billy Bishop Goes to War” is more than just a play about war— it’s a play about people.
Artistic Director Jeremy Mason is excited to direct this John Gray and Eric Peterson penned one man show about First World War Canadian Flying Ace Billy Bishop, Sept. 27-Oct. 6 at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre. Braden Griffiths plays Billy Bishop in Billy Bishop Goes to War, Sept, 27-Oct. 6 Photo by Richard Amery

It is more than just a war story though according to Calgary actor Braden Griffiths.
“When you picture a war play, you picture Patton in front of the flag saying rah, rah, rah war. People are going to die, but there will be glory,” Griffiths observed.

“There is some of that, but what you have here is a more human story — a more human rendition of war,” he continued.
“It’s one of those old chestnuts of Canadian theatre,” he said adding he wasn’t that familiar with the play, or of the legend of Billy Bishop other than hearing about them both in school.

However, once he jumped into rehearsals, he found the character quickly spoke to him.
“He’s very vibrant. At the very beginning of the play he’s a rascal, he almost doesn’t fit in. He gets into trouble, he gets drunk and his superiors don’t appreciate it, but he finds his place in the war as a fighter pilot,” he described.
Griffiths hasn’t been part of a New West Theatre production before, but is very familiar with the company as he knows director Jeremy Mason very well and is also married to Allison Lynch, who is a big part of New West’s summer productions, so he is familiar with the theatre company.

He appears with permission of the Canadian Actors' Equity Association.

“ I’m just excited to share this story with people who don’t know it. It has been my room mate for close to two months,” he said.
Lethbridge classical pianist Jesse Plessis is excited about being dragged out of his comfort zone by director Jeremy Mason. He plays the background music for Bishop and shares a few lines with him.

Theatre XTra to provide a tasty repast of improvised ideas

Monday, 24 September 2012 15:50 Richard Amery

It’s no Whose Line is it Anyway, but Theatre XTra will be improvising long form stories for their first production of the season, “The Free Fall Improv Ensemble,” which runs Sept. 27-29 in the David Spinks Theatre. Theatre XTra’s cast improvises on the word Moose. Photo by Richard Amery

Director Andrew Legg is preparing a hilarious repast of long form comedy, including liberal doses of action, eight talented actors and a couple tickle trunks full of props to whet the palate of any good theatre patron not only looking for a laugh but a story as well. The missing ingredient? The audience and their ideas.

“I’m big person for stories, so these aren’t games, these are forms. They don’t go so much for laughs as we go for the story,” noted Legg, who is directing this production as part of his MFA.

“Though there are laughs to be had,” laughed cast member Rafaela DaCruz or Raffi.

“It’s never been done before,” added Legg of doing an improv show for THeatre XTra. The first two shows of the season will be all original works as the second plays, “1,000 names” which runs Nov. 1-3, is also a student produced piece which won second place in the 2012 Playwright Prize competition.

There are several familiar faces in the ensemble cast including Craig McCue and Andrew Merrigan who have been part of many University of Lethbridge productions as well as a couple Playgoers of Lethbridge productions.

Makambe K Simamba has also been part of several university productions, while DaCruz and Milo Smith have been big part of the University of Lethbridge improv class. Smith also founded the University of Lethbridge’s improv club.

University of Lethbridge alumni have fun with fantasy in Son of A Dwarf

Friday, 14 September 2012 15:36 Richard Amery

Edmonton Theatre company Accidental Humour Company is having fun with fantasy in their production of Son of a Dwarf!, which opened in Lethbridge, Sept. 13 and continues Sept. 14 and Sept. 15 in the University Theatre. Andrew Jenkins and Murray Cullen in Son of A Dwarf. photo by Andrew Suderman

They have spoofed zombie films, action adventure films and westerns. This year, they take a crack at fantasy films like Lord of the Rings.
Son of Dwarf, which was written by New West Theatre artistic director Jeremy Mason, blends live theatre with film.

The concept is along the same lines as their previous productions “Cowboy: A Cowboy Story, “For The Love of a Zombie and “Happy Whackin’ Jim McCrackin” which blend filmed footage with on stage action.

The 80 minute long production was a hit at the Edmonton Fringe Festival this year. It played Calgary last weekend and is in Medicine Hat the next weekend.

“We’re really excited to be back at the University of Lethbridge. It has never sounded or looked better,” said film director Brent Felzien.

He credited New West Theatre veteran and University of Lethbridge sound professor Kelly Roberts with making the local production look and sound so good in University Theatre. Other than two of them, the cast and crew are all University of Lethbridge graduates.

It stars Willie Banfield, who has performed in New West Theatre‘s Theatre for Young Adults productions as well as Murray Cullen, Cliff Kelley and Cari Russell. A lot more familiar faces appear in the film portion of the show including Felzien, who has a cameo in it. The stage part of the show is directed by Kimberlee Stadelmann.

New West parties on ’80s style

Saturday, 11 August 2012 16:54 Richard Amery

New West Theatre knows how to pull off an ’80s inspired party for people.
They put on another superb production of singing, dancing and lots of jokes in their production of Party On, which runs until Sept. 1.

Mwansa Mwansa singing in Party On. Photo by Richard Amery Unfortunately Ian Yuri Gardner had to leave the cast due to personal reasons, but they brought back New West veteran Grahame Renyk, who stepped in with aplomb for a variety of sketches and his show stopping version of Cher’s “I Believe,” in which he dressed up like Cher while the rest of the guys donned sunglasses and danced behind him.

As usual, the entire cast all got to strut their stuff in the show.

Eric Hunt beautifully belted out “Higher” to end the show as well as Stevie Nicks’ “Edge of 17.’
Devon Brayne and Jerrim Rushka's Bare Naked ladies medley was well done.

There were a lot of inspirational moments,' Devon Brayne’s version of Australian comedian Tim Minchin’s song “If I Didn’t Have You” was a hit as, again, Jay Whitehead and Grahame Renyk danced and sang back-up.

Jay Whitehead was the ham of this show, making everybody laugh in his lemonade stand / 50-50 draw promo sketch and dancing with balloons much to the chagrin of Jocelyn Haub and Ksenia Thurgood as they sang ’80s hit “99 Red Balloons.”
The show had a lot of ’80s moments, like the cringeable Rick Astley medley. Not a knock on the cast, but I heard enough of him in the ’80s however the cast did a creditable job of it.

At the beginning of the show, the entire cast did a great job taking turns singing Phil Collins’ ’80s hits.
Musical director Paul Walker stepped from behind the drum kit to play a beautiful sax solo during one of them as Devon Brayne quietly took over the drums for a number.

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