REVIEWS
Peter Birnie @ The Vancouver Sun: http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Beyond+Eden+builds+beautiful+bridge/2477607/story.html
Michael Harris @ The Globe and Mail: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/history-wins-out-over-writing-in-bc-saga/article1440529/
Kathleen Oliver @ The Straight: http://www.straight.com/article-281978/vancouver/beyond-eden-sells-its-humans-short
Mark Robbins @ gayvancouver.com: http://www.gayvancouver.net/theatre/review-beyond-eden-touched-to-my-core
Gillian Lockitch @ [Re]View from the House http://www.reviewfromthehouse.com/theatre-seen/as-i-see-it/beyond-eden
NEWS
James Bradshaw @ The Globe and Mail: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/theatre/spirits-at-play-in-creation-of-haida-rock-musical/article1442845/
Mac Parry @ The Vancouver Sun: http://www.vancouversun.com/Beyond+Eden+premiere+brings+back+memories/2475730/story.html
Julia Piper’s “Gold Medal” pick for the Cultural Olympiad in The Province: http://www.theprovince.com/entertainment/Games/2481137/story.html
Marsha Lederman’s pick of the Cultural Olympiad in the Globe and Mail: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/bill-reid-and-the-spirit-of-the-west/article1443867/
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Hello, i was asked by the sales manager of the playhouse to post this small narrative I did for school in the blogs. I thought that this would be the best place to do it in.
The rumble of the Skytrain shook my feet as I stared out the window, looking upon the waters of the Fraser River. Today was the twentieth of January, twenty-ten, and I was on my way to a play for school. It was about the rescuing of the Haida totem poles in Haida Gwaii. On the way to the play I found myself thinking a little about the play itself, but I talked to my friends around me about everyday life; those thoughts would soon change.
After having a lunch of sushi, the entire group gathered at the playhouse, in anticipation for the musical that was about to come. When we were seated I looked at the grand curtain that would be used for the play. It was a brown mesh of fabric with a great Haida tribal design of a crow on the front of it, and it was so in detail that it seemed hyper realistic. Quiet warm up scales radiated from where the band was seated in front of the stage and excitement set in my heart.
The curtain rose a few minutes after we were seated and I found myself looking at a three-tiered stage. Each tier was a walk way and large cylindrical poles rose in five places all around the stage at different angles. The singing in the play was loud and powerful. I enjoyed the beat with a smile on my face as I listened to the story unfold. I remember being amused by the kid in the play who seemed to obsess over Elvis and wanted to win a girl over. I was astonished at how one of the actors, who played as a guide for the boat actually pulled out a real pipe and smoked real tobacco. I found it half offensive as I did not want to breathe it in, but at the same time didn’t truly mind it; it gave the scene a clearer picture and worked on another sense. I had never smelled true pipe tobacco and found the smell very sweet much like how my mother described.
One of the greatest parts of the play was when the extras came out with large lanterns from the audience giving us more of a 3-D sense; it made us feel like we were actually in the play. Another part I enjoyed particularly was the ‘dreams’ of when the watcher told the story. The actors who played the raven and eagle did very well to act like birds. Their head movements were sporadic and random, crouching low and hopping every now and then. Overall the play was good, it was not the best I had seen but I enjoyed it, certainly more than normal schoolwork.
The way home was long, and the constant shaking of the bus made me ponder, and the play brought ancestry to my mind. I pondered long about those who came before me, and those who would hopefully come after me. The kind of things I would want my kids to know, how I would raise them and what things I would leave with them. I also thought of those who came before me, my grandfather who is an honorary chief of the Blackfoot, and even those before him, all the way back to my forefathers and how grateful I am to have such rich heritage. It is strange what a play will make you think about.
On behalf of the cast and crew of “Beyond Eden” we would like to thank the Vancouver audiences of Feb 4, 5 and 6th for their generous donations to the Canadian Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund. $14,770.00 was collected following those 4 performances and will be matched by the Federal Government.