Cole Porter's High Society

05/20/2012

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Now playing until June 24 at the Stanley Theatre

By Kaylin Metchie

Summer has come and it's cocktails all around.


            High Society is an exhilarating performance from start to finish. The acting is crisp, the singing is flawless, the live band is terrific, the choreography is entrancing, and the play itself is romantic, lively and humorous. Cole Porter deserves his place amongst other composers whose works have found their way into the Great American Songbook. High Society consists of some of the finest music one can hear in any musical.

            High Society is essentially a romantic comedy, following wealthy socialite Tracy Lord (played by Jennifer Lines) as she plans yet another wedding to social climber George Kittredge (Steve Maddock). But of course, like in most romantic comedies, things do not go smoothly as just days before her big event Tracy’s ex-husband, smooth talker Dexter Haven (Todd Talbot), arrives back in town.

            Now the plot line is not a complicated one. I bet you can already guess what happens next. But this is not theatre that is meant to challenge you on an intellectual level. It is simply a great time, a great play that you can take your partner to and come out feeling all giddy and romantic.

            The thing that sets this musical apart from others in its genre is the music. There’s a reason why Cole Porter’s tunes have lasted into the 21st century, and why so many artists continue to sample his work. And the cast and band do the music justice. These truly are some of Vancouver’s finest performers. All the singers are able to stand their ground in these well-known pieces. Some of the greatest musical moments of the night come from Lauren Bowler, who plays the quick-witted photographer Liz Imbrie. She effortlessly sings throughout her range, with a warmth in her voice that fills the room. Another stand out is Steve Maddock, who is regarded as one of Canada’s best jazz vocalists. It’s unfortunate that he only gets one solo song in the play, as you can listen to his silky-smooth voice all night long.

            The acting in itself is a delight. Jennifer Lines is always superb in all that she does. Along with the rest of the cast, she brings you on a light and exciting journey.

            High Society is a great play for the summer. It’s fun and loose and down right enjoyable. It’s like watching reality TV, except better, and with singing. You will leave wanting to “misbehave” with a bottle of champagne. 

             

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A Craigslist Cantata @ the PuSh Festival

01/29/2012

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Your postings, set to music

By Kaylin Metchie

Have you ever wondered the history behind the items posted on Craigslist? What did these animal hats mean to their original owner? How does someone come to amass over 100 stuffed toys?

Well, A Craigslist Cantata: Do you want what I have got answers all those questions, and many more, and puts it all to a tune. A Craigslist is not a standard play in any sense of the word. I wouldn’t even really call it a play. It was more like a stand-up comedy routine that you’d see in one of those musicals where people randomly break out into song. The actors looked fresh from rehearsing Rent or Fame, dressed in borderline clichéd 80’s hipster clothes. Not that this detracted from the performance at all, as clothes really don’t have much importance when there are no specific characters. Like I said, this wasn’t a play in the typical definition of the word. It was more like a variety show where each segment could have stood alone and still have had the same effect.

Veda Hille, writer/performer/pianist, created stunning musical scores. They were beautiful in a strange sense. They did not resemble corny musical songs in the slightest, but were thoughtful and contemporary, with a fun, tongue in cheek undertone. I mean, what can you bash when in one evening you hear solos by a musical saw, a saxophone and a flute? The only thing I would have edited down was the repetitive somber “Missed Connections” pieces. I get it, some desperate people peruse craigslist, hoping that their soul mate was that girl drinking coffee at the table across the room, or that guy waiting for the bus in the orange track suit. I also could have done without the biblical dove metaphor. It was cute and original, but out of touch with our era.

All in all, if you are looking for a light night of live entertainment, I would definitely suggest you see A Craigslist Cantata. I’d venture to say it’s probably the least confrontational piece of the PuSh Festival. The whole audience laughed the entire time. How could you not laugh at a song about a children’s size guillotine. I mean come on.

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01/29/2012

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