issue 30 // volume 40 arts // 7 Artistic treasure in other people's trash at ‘Patch’ » Explore humanity, monstrosity, and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch Sharon Miki Humour Editor M humour @theotherpress.ca ou, me, and everyone we know lives in a world where isa real, though often ignored, place—but an upcoming local play, Patch, is set to make us notice in a thoughtfully trashy way. Patch is a one-act fantasy play conceived, written, and directed by Alyssa Kostello, an award-winning Capilano University graduate. Set in 2014, the play—which Kostello says was inspired by the Pacific Garbage Patch and the effects that it’s having on the albatross— explores the culture shock that occurs when bird named Alby (played by onto the Garbage Patch. There she meets a plasticized 1950s woman named Debra (played : by Nhi Do) and her creature : made out of trash, Little Drew : (played by Michelle Vine). : Tensions grow as Alby yearns : to return home to her ailing : family, whilst Debra yearns for : Alby to stay. After all, Debra has : : been living with nothing and no : the Great Pacific Garbage Patch one but garbage for 60 years. Stories of family, longing, : and loneliness are not new— : but the setting of Patch is. : Indeed, setting the story in : humankind’s modern-day : sludge of ecological shame isa : bold choice, but Kostello asserts : : that upon learning of the real- : world Patch, the location itself : was her entry into the story. “T didn’t want to write a play that was really preachy, : telling people that garbage is : bad and they should recycle or : that sort of thing... I wanted to : rm : have [the Great Pacific Garbage a humanized albatross-inspired : Patch] asa setting for the play, ‘ eC : so I began with the [Patch] and Julia Christina Ray) crash-lands : then tried to figure out what the : : story was,’ says Kostello. “Patch : ended up becoming more of a 7 uy = Chairman of the oe Shopaholics paradise » ‘Mall Madness’ game review Ed Appleby i /[lustrator j Millustrator @theotherpress.ca I the height of summer and the malls are packed with chattering youngsters, window shoppers, and those trying to find the perfect item on clearance. But why struggle with the crowds when you can stay home and play a game all about shopping? Mall Madness is a roll- and-move game for two to four players designed in 1988 by Michael Gray and published by Milton Bradley. In the game, players take the roll of one of eight different teenagers going : at their local mall. The first one : : to cross six items off their list : and get to their final destination : : wins. “Simple” doesn’t begin to Shockingly, I actually found : this game a lot of fun to play. onan afternoon shopping spree : There are some subtle jokes : hidden in each character’s list, : fantasy play, or surreal, so with : more interesting characters, : and the messages being a bit : more subtle in the background : so that the story itself wasn’t : about the problem—but the problem was a setting that you can't avoid.” Aside from the obvious : entertainment-value of a’50s : girl, a trash creature, anda : human-bird struggling to : : resolve interpersonal conflict in : | : a pile of garbage (which is made : , : out of trash compiled from | the cast, crew, and donations), : Kostello hopes audiences will : be inspired by Patch. “I’m hoping that, even : for people that know about : the Garbage Patch and the : albatross, that they walk away: : from it learning something new, : : and being more aware of those : issues, and hopefully being : inspired to do something, even : the smallest change—making some sort of small change : in their life that is a more : sustainable practice.” like how the skateboarding : stoner has to run to the science store for a “chemistry kit” to : be used for an undisclosed : : purpose. The mindless : describe the gameplay here. The : : version of the game I played : was from 2004 and involved an : electronic rolling system, which : : has been the dominant version : since 1989. The only random : factors of the game are the roll : of the dice, the path you take to : : the store, and how you manage : your money. Purchasing items : requires an unintuitive process : of swiping your card to see if : the item is available and then : paying cash. gameplay works in the game's : favour, and it is most fun for : players who like to adopt their role and act out their characters : while playing, without complex : mechanics getting in their way. I : also found the multilevel board to be quaint, and I absolutely : love the illustration style of the : 2004 version. Mall Madness is not : recommended for the serious : gamer, but if you have an old : version kicking around or if you stumble across one ina thrift : store, pull it out for a fun bit of : nostalgia. Catch Patch as part of : Granville Island Cultural : Society’s Summer at the : Waterfront Series at the : Waterfront Theatre from : August 15 to 17. Tickets range : from $5 to $20 and can be : purchased at the door or via es Photo by Raymond Fryer patchplay.brownpapertickets. com. Patch will also be playing as part of the Victoria Fringe Festival from August 22 to 31. Tickets are $u, or $9 for students, and can be purchased via victoriafringe.com Comic Corner: Noir with fangs! » ‘American Vampire Vol. l’ review Brittney MacDonald Senior Columnist he image of the vampire has been through the wringer as of late. With movies like Twilight, Vampire Academy, and Cirque du Freak, it is nice to get back to basics with a real horror story. American Vampire presents a dual narrative of two characters separated by both centuries and genres. Despite this, the book is cohesive, engaging, and intensely entertaining. The story follows two characters: Pearl Jones, a wannabe-actress in 1925, and Skinner Sweet, a cow- boy outlaw in 1880. Pearl’s place in Los Angeles, written by comic-veteran Scott Snyder. As she’s searching for her big break, she gets ina whole whack of trouble when she ends up dead. Skinner’s story is written by horror legend Stephen King and follows a more : destructive path as Skinner : is turned into a vampire on : the way to his execution. ooocco : an old, European disease, : now altered by the soil of : the “new world.” Tensions : arise when the traditional : vampire families of Europe : attempt to bring the new- : breed Americans to heel. Both narratives show a new take on vampirism as being The art, which is done : by Rafael Albuquerque, is : both unique and grotesquely : beautiful. Done with inks : and muted tones, each panel : looks like a watercolour : painting. Albuquerque : breaks tradition in the comic : horror genre and limits : his blood and gore to key : points in order to emphasize : the frenzied aspect ofa : predator on the hunt. narrative is a noir tale taking : With unique art unlike : anything I have ever seen : before and a deep, well-writ- : ten story, this novel is the : perfect midnight read. A : definite recommendation : to any horror fans, or as : an introduction to graphic : novelsas a genre.