Sweet heart serenade

A Valentine’s alternative at The Rio

By Angela Espinoza, Arts Reviewer

nce again, Valentine’s Day has

reared its pulsing, pink head

around the corner. If you’re
unsure of what to do for your sweetheart,
or if you just want to wallow under
your computer desk as Radiohead blasts
from your speakers, I may have just the
alternative. On February 14, presenting a
night of romantic culture is Vancouver’s
own Rio Theatre.

Beginning at 7:30pm, The Rio will

be hosting acoustic performances by
locals Said The Whale and folk rock

artist Jasper Sloan Yip. Both fall under
styles just about anyone can enjoy, and
are guaranteed to put on quite the show.
Then at 9:00, a ‘special screening’ of the
cult classic rom-com The Princess Bride
(1987) will be taking place.

Single tickets can be purchased in
advance for $15, or two for $28. The
advance sales are provided through a
link on The Rio’s website under the
“Upcoming Events’ section. If you’re just
in the mood for a movie, though, tickets
are priced lower at $8 each. Here’s to a
hopefully happy Valentine’s Day!

 

My Name is Asher Lev
@ Pacific Theatre Jan 28 - Feb 26

By Julia Siedlanowska

iday night premiered the Pacific
Pieces production of “My Name
is Asher Lev” based on the novel

by Chaim Potok. The story is of a young
Hasidic Jewish man’s struggle between
his art and his religion. Asher Lev
(played by Giovanni Mocibob) painted
a complete picture of every terrifying
and exultant moment in the character’s
life. One of the major causes of struggle
in Asher’s life was his relationship with
his father (played by Nathan Schmidt).
The actors did a great job in portraying
the family in all its love and quarrelling.
Katharine Venour played Asher Lev’s
mother, and did justice to the character’s
struggle in keeping the father-son
relationship intact. Both Schmidt and
Venour played multiple roles in the play,
and each one was fully taken care of. The
cast in this production was solid, to say
the least.

Props go out to set designer Lauchlin

 

Johnston for his amazing design. The
set was simple—the audience on raked
seats facing each other on two sides,
and in-between were the actors. On one
side, the actors came out of what looked
to be a lit window, or hole in the wall.
In the middle of the stage was a simple,
movable window frame that was also
used to portray a canvas, a painting, a
table and finally, as a cross in the central
image of the play. This design impressed
me in the effective use of space and in its
minimalism. The images were allowed
to be in our imagination, helped along
by the actors’ vivid narration. And all
occurred in what looked to be “the palm
of God’s hand,” a giant painting of an
open palm sprawled along the stage’s
entirety.

Under the direction of Morris
Ertman, all the faculties of this
production came together in a solid and
extremely watchable way that let us sit
back and contemplate the story.

 

Seven minutes in informational heaven

Sam Sullivan’s Public Salon

 

Sam Sullivan

By Allie Davison

Salon began as a privately-hosted

event by Sam Sullivan and his wife
at their home. When others expressed
interest in these initial discussions, the
Public Salon was created.

Now, Sullivan invites ten experts
from a variety of fields to speak on a
topic of their choice, for seven minutes
each. Funded in part by Sullivan’s non-
profit organization, the Global Civic
Policy Society, the purpose of these
events is to inform society in general
about any number of important and up-
to-date issues.

This Tuesday was the 8" Public
Salon, hosted by former mayor of
Vancouver Sam Sullivan, at the
Vancouver Playhouse.

Before the speakers began
their seven minute lectures, they
were introduced by a colleague
or professionals in the same field.
Introducers included the creators of
LuluLemon, Shannon and Chip Wilson,
the president and CEO of BC Health
Care, Dianne Doyle, and Vice-President
of Scotia Bank David Poole.

I: its original incarnation, the Public

This week’s audience had the
privilege of hearing speakers such
as artists Graeme Berglund and Jane
Coop, academics Michael Krausz,
Andrew J. Petter and Leslie Van Duzer,
entrepreneurs Nancy McKinstry, Sapna
Dayal, and Terry McBride, and finally
counsellor/ stand-up comic David
Granirer. The topics ranged from
mental health and addiction (Granirer
and Krausz), to global warming and
architecture (Van Duzner). Jane Coop,
concert pianist, devoted her seven
minutes to the importance of live music,
and for two of those minutes she played
a Russian piano piece for the audience.
Nancy McKinstry is the chair of ICBC
as well as being a founding member of
the Minerva Foundation for BC Women.
She chose to spend her time talking about
gender diversity and how, even in these
modern times, it is still a big part of the
workplace.

The next of Sam Sullivan’s Public
Salons will be held at the Vancouver
Playhouse on May 7, although the
speakers are yet to be announced. More
information about the Salon is available
online at: www.globalcivic.org