Victoria Summer 2001 Under the Sea with Brennan Storr · Monday July 25, 2011 by colin newell
Under the Sea We Off the Hook, or Why I Want to be a Hermit Crab
By Brennan Storr…
I have a pet theory, one that I dreamed up during moments of great reflection –usually while sitting on the toilet or waiting for traffic lights to change. My theory is that this world is the spiritual equivalent of a rock tumbler. The rough, jagged gemstones are new souls: immature, wild and unaware of the damage they do to others.
Through the love and hardship of a thousand lifetimes the rough edges are worn smooth and we emerge from the other end as wiser, kinder old souls – polished gems – and we make our exit. I haven’t gotten as far as figuring out where the stones come from or go to but if you’re looking for hints I always recommend the “Three B’s” – Bible/Bhagavad Gita/Battlefield Earth.
The reason I mention this is because I recently moved apartments and with the hassle involved in moving this middle-class circus from one fairground to another I have decided that in my next life I want to be a Hermit Crab.
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Victoria Summer 2011 Theater with the Blue Bridge Who's afraid of Virginia Woolfe · Friday July 15, 2011 by colin newell
As much as I enjoy a well written, filmed and acted movie – whether it be drama, comedy or action adventure, it never comes close to live theater – especially when it is great theater – like most of the productions that Victoria’s own Blue Bridge Repertory have been delivering.
Blue Bridge Repertory Theater, established in 2008 is led by veteran producer and director Brian Richmond. The founders of B.B. were convinced that the City of Victoria would support a professional theater offering its residents and visitors the opportunity to see world class productions of the great plays while offering early professional artists, many from UVic, the opportunity to work with some of Canada’s most respected directors and actors.
Andrea and I have been supporting Blue Bridge for the last couple of years. With this latest production, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolfe?, we feel they have simply outdone themselves.
The story revolves around associate professor George (played by the massively talented Andrew Wheeler) and his boozy and combative wife, Martha (played to breathtaking perfection by Meg Tilly) as they wind their way through an evening with a younger faculty member, Nick (in the role a dyed blond Alex Plouffe…) and his capricious and often bubble-headed wife, Honey, (again played to perfection by the skilled Celine Stubel).
“Who’s Afraid” is as much gut-wrenching drama, with impeccably timed witticism and repartee as it is a oddly comedic study on the nature of human romantic and sexual relationships… and their eventual and epic decay into sadness, loss and frustration.
And as much as I expected Meg Tilly, as Martha, to steal the “show”, that would be unfair to the rest of the ensemble cast – the truth is, Ms. Tilly puts everything on the line with her character. Martha is a gin soaked, bombastic whirlwind whose unrelenting cannonade of cyclonic verbal abuse leaves the average viewer, inexperienced with any form of domestic calamity, in a sensory coma. The literacy of the two characters, Martha and George, and their collaborative seduction and corruption of the two guests create a sense of team folly – that keeps us guessing as to their motives and their true feelings for each other.
“Who’s afraid” is a three act play with two 15 minute intermissions – and the intermissions are as as much an opportunity for the audience to grab some oxygen and ground themselves as they are for the cast to take a breather.
For the two of us, neither of whom have ever seen the movie (with Liz and Richard), I had no idea of what to expect. “Who’s Afraid” is a hurricane of journeyman acting and the key to balance is equal participation of all four members. It’s not for the faint of heart or those with delicate sensibilities. There is a visceral sexuality and open-wound emotional vulnerability that would, if not unchecked with the brilliant dialogue, lead to overload in short order. Most of us survived. The audience did dwindle after the end of the 2nd intermission – but that was more a product of the late start and the average age of the audience – many of whom were way passed bedtime.
Meg Tilly’s portrayal of Martha demands complete physicality, full-on, safety off, emotional release. Watching her from the 4th row of the “Mac” wind up and unleash a fury of frustration infused verbal abuse upon an all-to-eager to expiate and thoroughly pecked George… was exhausting – and the relief would come in the final moments of the final act with a completely unexpected and dazzling dénouement.
Andrea commented after the standing ovation – “How does one sleep after a performance like that – how does anyone have anything left to give?”
I have never seen anything like it in my life – like many people, I have witnessed some domestic fireworks in my childhood, most of which began and ended within seconds or minutes and did not involve any physical harm to anyone – But “Who’s afraid” takes you to a place you have never been before, a place you don’t want to be – and it’s only the artful skill of the thespians that allow you to witness the complete extreme of human pain and domestic discourse without completely being blown from the theater.
Meg and the cast of “Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolfe” were utterly brilliant and delivered “the goods” – their interpretation of timeless sexuality infidelity and complete sadness within the context of the drama was flawless. If you were lucky enough to get tickets to this show… Enjoy… and I use that term loosely.
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Victoria Summer 2011 About Victoria - Victory Chapter 3 · Saturday July 9, 2011 by colin newell
We spoke with Matthew Conrad of Victory Barbers yesterday prior to and during a much needed haircut.
Victory Barbers and hard goods for Men is the latest addition to the Atrium on Blanshard – also housing Habit Coffee and Culture, Cook Culture, AJ Organic, Zambri’s and PIG BBQ – a welcome addition indeed.
Photo at left – Matthew Conrad (and Victory Barber mascot “Belle”) holds down the fort at Victory Barbers – Victoria
Sensing the need for a male enclave, Matthew has built this around his own vision but also based on encouragement and recruitment from the likes of Shane Devereaux of Habit Coffee and the ever benevolent Jawl Properties – the owners of the building.
Matthew notes, “Victoria is saturated with Salons – the ladies are well represented in Victoria…” “The classic barber seemed to be near extinction, but the demand has never disappeared…”
In some ways, the craft of male grooming was on the decline in Victoria – but for the staff of Victory, all was not lost. Each of Victory’s skilled scissor wizards (including two lovely ladies) had training from a master barber. And it shows. You feel like you are there – in a modern day wild west version of the classic masculine enclave.
For Matthew and his crew, this joint is all about honest to goodness male grooming without the stigma or labeling of “metrosexuality” – simply, Victory Barbers is a man’s World… inside the confines of the salon. Outside, you are on your own.
My salon barber, Kim, circles skillfully with razor sharp shears taking my reasonable sparse pate to a more civilized place – a better place – a manly place.
I leave the chair and the salon with a rugged Bruce Willis (slight more hair) look. No nonsense.
Matthew concludes, “You might not want a straight razor and hot towel shave every day… but you might love one once a month… a treat. Guys need to indulge themselves occasionally…”
And I agree wholeheartedly.
Victory Barbers is open 6 days a week for walk ins or with a reservation.
Victoria Summer 2011 Starting Fridays Off Chapter 2 · Friday July 8, 2011 by colin newell
It’s a ritual. In July and August, in lieu of taking any time off of work, we take every Friday off during these two bright months. It is amazing what it does to the overall look and feel of the week.
Let’s talk about today – our first Friday in July off (not counting last Friday as it was Canada Day…)
Dropped into John’s Place in the 700 block of Pandora Avenue. Photo above I have been going there since they first opened in October 1984. I have 35mm photos of friends clustered around tables from those “old days”. Truth is, little has changed in the 27 odd years they have been open; real food for real people… or something like that. Their grub is reliable as gravity – particularly the breakfasts… waffles, eggs any which way, bottomless mugs of coffee.
Today we were late for the breakfast so we opted for the late breakfast specials of Omelette’s – we had the veg and the meat ones with sides of toast and English muffins – I tend to pass on the “Home style potatoes” – they are breakfast plate filler.
Their coffee is strong enough to stand a spoon in and is great for kick starting a caffeine kind of day… like today.
Quick stops in City Hall to flash up my downtown parking card and then Capital Iron and Steel to look at some tools and hardware.
Second stop was Ken Gordon’s Street Level Espresso for a shot of the good stuff. Ken Gordon’s lilliputian espresso bar is super small but it kind of adds to the overall intimacy of the joint… because it is always packed with beautiful men and women. I do not know where they all come from but be prepared to rub shoulders if you are in for coffee – or hang out on the sidewalk for some of Victoria’s finest people watching near the corner of 700 Block Fort and Douglas Street.
Today I walked in for the espresso and Ken put a size large Street Level Tee on my back – the one with the 60’s era Diana camera on it.
Third stop – Victory Barbers in the Atrium (going to do an entire blog on this place because it deserves it…) for my haircut. Victory is a barber shop with some interesting period energy from yesteryear – but totally in the 21st Century. They do conventional cuts for Men and straight razor shaves – as well as a wide selection of “hard goods” for men; shaving kits, colognes, pomades and knives… yes, knives. They even have a Bulldog mascot who does a cute trick. So, if you love dogs, handsome male (and female) barbers – and neat stuff, get on down to Victory!
Victory is the brain child of the devilishly handsome Matthew “Matty” Conrad – who would not be out of place in a wild west flick – He and his equally absurdly and unrealistically good looking staff are on-duty to bring out the manly-man in you.
Fourth stop – HABIT coffee and culture in the Atrium for decaf and some cookies from Origin Bakery
Victoria B.C. is a great place to spend a Friday – great food, coffee and attractions for everyone.
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