Bid.

 

__- Artist Spotlight

Mary Burns’ Imperfect explores decades of suffering

have been a part of that history, and
some of us had seen recent news
stories on Woodlands, we decided to
concentrate on that.”

How does someone go about
writing about such a controversial
subject? The answer is very carefully.
Burns read everything from books
about institutions to websites on
disability history, to Ministry of
Health reports from the 50s to 80s.
She also interviewed former residents
and staff members of different
institutions, families of people who

dramaturge.

The play is roughly 90 minutes
and focuses on the experience of
institutionalism, through the eyes of
the children sent there, and hopes to
reveal the tensions that can exist within
individuals, families and systems, and
what happens to society when those
people that are considered “imperfect”
are hidden away.

By Ashley Whillans, Arts Editor

ith her latest original work,
Imperfect, debuting at the
Laura C. Muir Performing

Arts Theatre in New Westminster, from
March 20"-28": as part of Douglas
College’s Woodlands Project, Burns,
former chair of creative writing at
Douglas College, takes a look back at
the almost three years of research and
rewrites which made Imperfect possible.
Y Burns shares with The Other Press her
journey from idea to page and finally, to

Imperfect runs March 20"—28" at the Laura
C. Muir Performing Arts Theatre. Tickets

are $10 at the door for students presenting

stage.

“The project originally began
while we were looking for a project

that reflected the history of New West,”
explains Burns. “Since large institutions

 

have developmental disabilities and
Woodlands survivors themselves. It
wasn’t until Burns had spent many
months researching that she began
drafting the play with the help of a

ID and are also available by calling the
Massey Theatre at 604.521.5050

Also, in conjunction with World
Theatre Day, Jmperfect will have a “pay
what you can” show on March 27".

 

 

Mary Burns

 

 

 

 

* COMMON EXISTENCE

THURSDAY -

Common Existence
Thursday

Thursday is one of several punk bands
where one member does the singing
and another member does the shouting,
kind of like System of a Down.
Unfortunately for this band, both of
them are horrible at what they do. The
screamer often goes several pitches too
high and sounds like an angry 10-year-
old girl. The lead singer, Geoff Rickly,
can write good lyrics but can’t deliver

\ them with dignity. The musicianship on
this album by the six member band is
excellent— great guitar riffs, good use
of keyboards, other effects, firecracker
drumming —but when the words come
out they don’t come out right. Thursday
has had some major issues with two of
their former labels—they famously told
fans at their concerts not to buy their
albums because they didn’t want their
former label to make any money off

it. They’ ve found a new label, Epitaph
Records, home of many of today’s most
pissed-off punk bands. So since they
won’t say it this time, I'll say it for
them: don’t buy this album.

—Mark Fisher

 

 

 

   

 

Dark Chocolate Mocha
Gallagher’s Café

I know my coffee. When I’m not drinking
it, ] am thinking about drinking it, or
writing about drinking it. I have worked

as a barista at Waves Coffee, the busiest
and scuzziest coffee shop in Vancouver,
travelled to Costa Rica enjoying coffee
fresh from a plantation, and have
volunteered for Oxfam—and everyone who
volunteers there knows one of the amazing
perks of that organization (and how it keeps
its volunteers around) is the large quantity
of Fair Trade Coffee they inject you with at
meetings. So, when | tried a dark chocolate
soy mocha for the first time on Wednesday
at Gallagher’s in NewPort Village, I wasn’t
expecting anything special. And yet the
chocolate whip cream-topped soy dark
chocolate mocha rocked my world. It was
creamy, delicious and definitely made

with love—chocolate-covered espresso
bean love. Even the almighty Starbucks
has nothing on Gallagher’s; in fact,
Gallagher’s dark chocolate masterpiece
makes Starbucks coffee look weak, cheap,
watery and expensive... oh, right, that’s
because it is. So, next time you’re in
NewPort, I highly recommend checking out
Gallagher’s—the drinks are high quality
and delicious and the small café always
seems to have an event going on, like
improv or music nights—not to mention it
boasts the best mocha in town!

—Ashley Whillans

 

 

 

 

22

 

MAN ON WIRE

“Exhilarating”

 
 

r

 

Man on Wire
Magnolia Pictures

French tightrope walker Phillipe Petit is

no stranger to controversy. Decades ago,

he took petty crime to a whole new level
when he was arrested by New York’s Port
Authority Police Department for walking
tightrope across the 43-meter gap between
the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center.
Now, as the subject of the documentary
Man on Wire, he is making history once

again—this time for his words, not his walk.

Man on Wire is nominated for the 2009
Oscar for Best Documentary and deservedly
so. Director James Marsh, famous for
making documentaries about people like
Elvis Presley and Marvin Gaye, takes an
in-depth look at Petit, and his motley crew
of accomplices who made the historic Twin
Tower tightrope walk possible. This film

is beautiful, poignant, and juxtaposes the
building of the Twin Towers with Petit’s
childhood, preserving the legacy of the
buildings, and the man himself. Ultimately,
Petit is revealed not as a rebel or fanatic,
but as an artist—a man who’s only wish

is to live authentically, and bring beauty
and wonder to the world with his amazing
airborne acts. While I highly recommend
this documentary it comes with one
warning: please, for the love of God, do not
try this at home.

—Ashley Whillans

 

 

 

Testimoiiv Vol. 2

Ind
After i 3, India.Arie is
bara ‘ iestimony: Vol. 2

Love & Politics. However, after listening
to this overly-manufactured and sappy
commercial record, I’m sort of wishing
she hadn’t bothered. India.Arie’s music

is supposed to be uplifting, inspiring and
full of hope, promise and self appreciation.
Love & Politics, on the other hand, sounds
more like a PSA ad. It preaches to listeners
about the “terrible world” a.k.a. politics
and “how we might overcome it” with
love, or, more specifically, buying Arie’s
CD. To my surprise, the few first few
tracks—albeit sappy love ballads— were
not just “fillers,” and the soulful, acoustic
sounds of Vol. ] were nowhere to be
found. After hitting listeners over the head
with the problems of the world, India.
Arie then proceeds to lull them to sleep
repeating lines such as “we are made from
the same grains” over and over and over
and over. While Aries voice is beautiful

to listen to, skip this album, forget it ever
happened (which won’t be difficult) and
hope that “third time’s the charm” for
India.Arie.

—Ashley Whillans