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VerseFest is back for more.
VerseFest, Ottawa’s poetry festival, is off and running, celebrating its third year with an enthusiastic and packed opening night this past Tuesday. Continuing until Sunday, March 17, VerseFest has something for everyone, whether it’s Kay’la Fraser’s spoken word, Lady Katalyst’s jazzy flow, Ken Babstock’s Griffin Poetry Prize winning poems or Matt Jones’ junk. More than 30 poets, performers and spoken word artists are showcasing their work at over a dozen events across the six days of the festival, which has grown in leaps and bounds since it began.
In 2010, Ottawa’s wide-ranging poetry communities, often gathered around the various reading series that dot the city, came together to form VERSe Ottawa. The goal of this collective was to draw on the strengths of these groups to see if they could put on something bigger. Which they did with their inaugural VerseFest 2011, which included written and spoken word showcases.
Magpie Ulyses: Capital Slam Showcase, Saturday, March 16
Artistic Director David O’Meara’s welcome message for VerseFest 2012 was, “We said we were going to be an annual event and we weren’t lying.” And it has become much more than an annual event, going global this year with three international showcases (Australian, Irish and Dutch) that will supplement the local talent. There’s also cross-country artistry from RC Weslowski and Magpie Ulysses (who represented Van Slam nationally and internationally) and Anita Lahey, Barbara Langhorst as well as Ottawa’s Christine McNair.
Most events are at the Knox Presbyterian Church (120 Lisgar Street), where the festival kicked off on Tuesday, March 12, with the Vox Australia reading at 7pm, followed by Arc Poetry Magazine Presents at 9pm. This year’s roster is filled out with events hosted by Voices of Venus, In/Words, Tree Reading Series, AB Series, Urban Legends, Plan 99, Capital Slam, KaDo Japanese forms and Dusty Owl. The Factory Reading Series is presenting a master class and the Women’s Slam Champions will also host an evening.
Greg Frankson and William Hawkins
A very special event this year will be the Hall of Honour, created to recognize people who have made important contributions to local poetry, and, importantly, to the poetry community in Ottawa. Greg Frankson (aka Ritallin) and William Hawkins are the first two poets to be inducted, on Sunday, March 17, 7pm.
One interesting feature of this year’s VerseFest was the Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign they recently ran. Supplementing other sponsorship, the campaign topped its target of $5, 000, offering donors items ranging from tickets, T-shirts and cupcakes to a hand written and signed poem by Booker, Giller and four-time Governor General Award winner Michael Ondaatje.
With that kind of local, national and international support, VerseFest will only keep on growing.
Kay’la Fraser: Women’s Slam Champions, Thursday, March 14
VerseFest 2013: Tuesday, March 12 until Sunday, March 17. For full schedule details and ticket prices go to their website.
You can get more information on their Facebook page, or by following them on Twitter . VerseFest also has a YouTube channel, featuring past performances by the likes of David McGimpsey, SenseSay, Sarah Musa and a whole lot more.
Brendan McNally is an Ottawa based writer who runs the House Band Reading Series, which features performance word alongside a DJ score, adding special guests to round out the evening.
Orpheus tells us it’s time to pay the RENT
Rent is Orpheus Musical Theatre’s latest high energy, all-singin’, all-dancin’ extravaganza. Based loosely on Puccini’s classic tragic opera, La Bohème, Rent tells the story of a group of poor artists living in New York City’s East Village in the early 1990s; they struggle with the threat of eviction, lack of recognition of their artistic endeavours, drug addiction, and AIDS (at least half of the characters are HIV positive).
Pretty grim stuff, you might say. After all, this is based on an opera, so you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking that the show is not going to be a barrel of laughs. But on that count you would be wrong. With songs that soar, some nifty dance moves, and a truly talented cast, under the direction of Nicole Milne, Rent will draw you in, get you seat-dancing, laughing, and yes, OK, crying.
The story opens on Christmas Eve. It’s 9:00 PM, and aspiring film director and the show’s narrator, Mark (Brennan Richardson) is filming his roommate Roger (Derek Eyamie) for a new documentary. The two find out that their old friend, now their landlord, Benny (Stefan Keyes) is going back on his word and wants the rent for the past year. This leads to the show’s rousing title number where they vow not to pay, and opens up the debate about the artistic life versus the commercial.
This being a musical, it’s not long before love is in the air, with sometime philosophy professor, Tom Collins (Maxim David) being helped after a mugging by the appropriately named Angel (Jeremy Saunders), a street musician/drag queen with quite the wardrobe, including a sassy Mrs. Claus outfit. Roger, shattered by the suicide of his girlfriend and his HIV status, is tempted to try love again by the arrival of neighbour, Mimi, an exotic dancer (Andréa Black). As for Mark, he’s mourning the loss of his fiery performing artist girlfriend, Maureen (Devon O’Reilly) to lawyer Joanne (Rebecca Abbott). Let the wooing begin and the lessons about “Forget regret, or life is yours to miss.”
Derek Eyamie, Devon O’Reilly, and Rebecca Abbott are the vocal standouts, with stirring numbers, “One Song Glory”, “Over the Moon”, and “Take Me or Leave Me” showcasing their talent. Andréa Black displays an athletic litheness, as well as singing chops in “Out Tonight”, while Brennan Richardson and Rebecca Abbott mix humour and some sexy dance moves in “Tango Maureen”. “La Vie Bohème” performed by the entire company is an absolute showstopper, as is “Seasons of Love”, perhaps the best-known song from the production. They do not disappoint.
Act Two is decidedly darker than the first, and the cast makes the transition from the light-hearted cheekiness and sexiness of the first half to more sombre themes. Get your hankies out; you’re going to need them.
The innovative set, designed by Jennifer Donnelly, evokes the squalor of the Lower East Side, and is put to imaginative use by the cast.
One small quibble with the production is that at times, the band, which is terrific (conducted by James Caswell), sometimes drowns out the cast. Hopefully, this was just a glitch on opening night, and will be fixed in future performances.
Orpheus has outdone itself with Rent. Make sure you catch it.
Performance dates:
March 6-10 at 7:30; March 11 at 2:00 PM at Centrepointe Theatre
For tickets: 613-580-2700 or www.centrepointetheatre.ca
VerseFest 2012: A World of Poetry in Ottawa
Following up on the success of its inaugural launch last year, VerseFest is back with another festival that celebrates all things poetry. Organizers Kevin Matthews and Dave O’Meara got things rolling with a welcome message, with Dave receiving great applause with, “We said last year we were going to be an annual event and we weren’t lying.”
Running from February 28th until March 4, VerseFest 2012 has more than 15 events at 4 locations, 30+ readers showcasing multiple styles of poetry, from slam, dub and spoken word performances to the print launch of In/Words 11.1 as well as “Oral: the audio album,” workshops and more.
Dennis Lee at the opening night of VerseFest 2012, reading the titular poem “Melvis and Elvis” which will be published in 2013. http://www.charlesearl.com/
Hosted by CBC Radio’s Alan Neal, VerseFest kicked off last night (Tuesday, February 28, 2012) at the Arts Court Theatre (2 Daly Avenue) with Suzanne Buffam, Paul Tyler and Dennis Lee at 7pm, followed by Shauntay Grant and Afua Cooper at 9 pm.
Buffam, who came up from Chicago to read, thought VerseFest is fantastic, adding, “It’s nice to see a festival that’s not about networking, it’s just about poetry.”
Capital Slam presents Taqralik Partridge and Ursula Rucker on Saturday night (March 3).
The festival has its roots in Ottawa’s diverse poetry communities, some of which gather around various reading series, each presenting their own literary fare. VERSe Ottawa came together in 2010, as a collective of some of these groups, both traditional, written, and spoken word. The idea was to pool resources and create new opportunities to showcase local poetry, culminating in VerseFest 2011, with different groups hosting events under the festival umbrella.
Tim Lilburn reads alongside Rae Armantrout on Saturday, March 03.
One of the many different groups making up VERSe Ottawa is Voices of Venus, hosting an event on Wednesday (February 29) at 7pm that features top poets from January’s Women Slam Championships. Following that is the In/Words event, launching the latest edition of their journal along with four readers at 9pm (Helen Humphreys, Rachael Simpson, Christian McPherson, Gregory Scofield).
Dave Currie (In/Words) welcomes the opportunity that VerseFest present, allowing, “…us to escape the insular experience of running one reading series and to integrate it into the wider poetry community of Ottawa.” On a scheduling note, In/Words is co-hosting the event with Moose and Pussy magazine, who will be launching “Oral: the audio album.”
Governor General’s Award winner Roo Borson reads on Thursday (March 1) alongside Abby Paige and Fred Wah.
In attendance once again is Amanda Earl, poet and managing editor of Bywords.ca. Earl enjoyed the variety of local poetry on offer with VerseFest 2011 and is, “…grateful for the opportunity to hear great poetry and to meet some of my poetic heroes in person.”
The Dusty Owl Series has teamed up with the AB Series to present on Friday night (Pearl Pirie, Susan McMaster, Bruce Taylor), while Tree and Plan 99 will host Saturday afternoon (Tim Bowling, Shane Rhodes).
Saturday also has Ian Keteku leading a Slam Workshop for highschool student following a Family Workshop with Danielle Grégoire.
American Poet Laureate Philip Levine reads alongside Pura López-Colomé and Phil Hall
at the National Arts Centre (Sunday, March 04).
One feature of pooling resources has allowed VerseFest to work with the Ottawa International Writers Festival and the embassies of both the United States and Mexico to present The Summit Reading. The reading features three of North America’s top notch poets: Pura López-Colomé, Phil Hal and Philip Levine, Sunday March 04 at the National Arts Centre. David O’Meara says of the event: “It’s historic enough to have Philip Levine read here, a great American poet, who has only recently been appointed the Poet Laureate for the States. And I don’t think this kind of thing has ever been done before, having prominent poets from all three North American countries read together at one event. It’s going to be really exciting.”
VerseFest 2012 runs from Tuesday February 28th until Sunday March 04. For full event details, event locations and ticket prices, visit http://www.versefest.ca/
Brendan McNally is an Ottawa based writer who runs the House Band Reading Series, which features performance word alongside a DJ score, adding special guests to round out the evening. And beer.
OttawaTonite Event Listings (Archived Listings)
Here are past listing which have appeared on OttawaTonite.com for your perusing pleasure…
The New Art Festival
The New Art Festival (TNAF) is Ottawa's largest non-commercial outdoor art festival. Featuring over 200 artists and entertainers from a full spectrum of disciplines, this annual event draws thousands of visitors and participants from across Canada and around the world.
The New Art Festival is a non-commercial event, therefore we do not include any mass-produced goods, nor do we have any representation from large chains or corporations. We are a low carbon footprint event and feature food providers from the community.
All of the artwork, food and music at TNAF are the direct result of the artists and artisans who are featured at our festival. The organizers do not take any percentage of the artists’ sales.
OttawaTonite Event Listings
To submit your event click here! | View Past Events
The New Art Festival
The New Art Festival (TNAF) is Ottawa's largest non-commercial outdoor art festival. Featuring over 200 artists and entertainers from a full spectrum of disciplines, this annual event draws thousands of visitors and participants from across Canada and around the world.
The New Art Festival is a non-commercial event, therefore we do not include any mass-produced goods, nor do we have any representation from large chains or corporations. We are a low carbon footprint event and feature food providers from the community.
All of the artwork, food and music at TNAF are the direct result of the artists and artisans who are featured at our festival. The organizers do not take any percentage of the artists’ sales.
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APPRAISE of the Theatre: . . . EXIT UP.
[Ken Godmere is an Ottawa-based freelance actor/director with 35 years experience and offered his theatre reviews as an unbiased professional appraisal. www.kengodmere.com]
It was quite a year for Ottawa theatre and quite a year for me in the role of a reviewer. And now, as this new theatre season begins, I have decided not to renew my column commitment with Ottawa Tonite.
Even with some indications that “APPRAISE” may not be what the Ottawa theatre scene wants, it is actually my fresh focus on acting and directing that is driving my decision (performing in a television series pilot with Parktown Productions, creating two films for the Digi60 Festival, developing a new webseries with Tim Anderson, performing a new solo show for a national Fringe tour, and more). I am full-plated. And sated.
To wrap a whole year of experience and experiences, I graciously thank Ottawa Tonite Producer and Editor, Cheryl Gain for such faith and support. A big thanks to the theatre companies, casts, and crews for inviting me and trusting me to review their work. And so much appreciation to the readers and the commenters for sharing in the life of my “APPRAISE of the Theatre” column.
Au revoir, merci, et merde.
>> Ken
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Complex Numbers—An Ottawa Fringe Review
Complex Numbers = No Pants
You know when the writer and producer of a theatre production hands you a condom before the show that you’re not in for a run-of-the-mill Rom-com.
And certainly Nadine Thornhill’s Complex Numbers is anything but run-of-the-mill. It’s smart, funny, sexy, and geeky and has no fear treading deep into the confusing and taboo world of open relationships. Polyamory: check. Intraoffice romance: check. Analingus: check.
But it’s not all about sex, it’s about the people. And here Thornhill as Writer & Producer and Ken Godmere as Director deliver a piece that’s remarkably human whereas others may have been tempted to indulge in prurient exhibition. We watch mathematician/software developer Fiona (Stephanie Halin) and English academic Alex (J.P Chartier) navigate the dark, deep waters of an open relationship (with a little help from a course on the subject as voiced by Jenn Keay.) There are many rules but sometimes rules are broken. Sometimes with consequences.
The script is quick and clever, rapidly switching between intimate discussions about the fine mechanics of relationships to the minutia of mathematical algorithms with ease (and technical accuracy!) Staging is spare and simple and music provides a surprisingly effective means of setting the scene. Tim Anderson is excellent as Dan with great timing and delivery and Ellen Manchee as a female PHB (that’s Pointy-Headed Boss for non-Dilbert readers) gets some of the best laughs as Maggie.
The rapid-fire delivery could be a little smoother at times, and some of the scene cuts, while clever, could have benefited from a better timing. I saw Complex Numbers on its second of six nights so these quibbles can only improve as the cast and production gets into it’s groove.
Complex Numbers is never heavy but nor is it frothy. It’s a frank (perhaps explicit) exploration of couples and coupling and the irregular intersect between love, desire, and commitment. Like it’s namesake mathematical construct,
Complex Numbers is comprised of multiple parts and dimensions that make it work.
Complex Numbers
60 minutes
Ottawa Fringe—Academic Hall
$12
Sunday June 19, 1:30pm
Monday June 20 9:30pm
Wed June 22 8:00pm
Thursday June 23 11:00pm
Saturday June 25 12pm
Sunday June 26 6:30pm
For information and tickets ottawafringe.com/complex-numbers
David Hicks—Ottawa dweller. Marketing consultant. Dad. Dog owner. Handyman. Gadget guy. Photographer. Coffee Drinker. Scotch sipper. [Not necessarily in that order] Blogs at davidhicks.ca and spends too much time on Twitter.
APPRAISE of the Theatre: Daniel MacIvor’s “This is What Happens Next”
Ken Godmere
[Ken is an Ottawa-based freelance actor/director with 35 years experience and offers his theatre reviews as an unbiased professional appraisal. www.kengodmere.com]
* Opening Night, Thursday May 26, 2011 *
In 2007, Daniel MacIvor, actor and playwright (The Soldier Dreams, Cul-de-Sac, House, and Monster) announced that he “would no longer be doing solo shows”. Two years later when his life imploded, the award-winning playwright approached collaborator Daniel Brooks to do “one more”. With Brooks’ condition that the stories in this one be true, MacIvor set himself to question truth and real characters in his exploration of true feelings and fears and joys. The result – This is What Happens Next – is layered, complex, and at times, obscure.
In his most autobiographical piece to date, MacIvor began by discussing at length, his arrival, what he’s going to be talking about, and why he’s telling us a story — a story about people telling stories. Is it theatre? Is it meta-theatre? It felt more like “MacIvor in concert”. A CBC Comics Special. It was definitely an interesting look at the life and into the mind of the writer. But I suppose I arrived at the restaurant expecting a meal. What I got was a description of the chef, the menu and the complex preparations, a few juicy samples and then a glass of port to wrap things up. The set and lighting were also in the style of those character-based standup routines of, say, Cathy Jones or Sandra Shamas. Sharp and quick, but static and spotlight-y. Co-creator and dramaturg, Daniel Brooks also directed the piece and he kept things brisk. But with MacIvor’s own mile-a-minute rants and the recurring self-commentary breaks, that briskness made it difficult for us to get right in and stay onboard. Even the ending (that “glass of port”) was an odd fit of instant theatricality and sentimentality in their world of bare bluster.
On stage this evening, MacIvor’s writing was stronger than his performance. The writer’s sense of the human script (what characters say, what they don’t say, and what they change in the middle of saying) was absolutely brilliant. While the actor’s fluid comfort, consistent connection and confidence only landed near pretty good. I do understand firsthand how it can be most difficult in that kind of autobiographical exposure. Where all the elements did align and light up the night was during the fully-felt character monologues of the female lawyer and the drunken ex-husband. Daniel MacIvor hit deep and high and broad.
I don’t know if it was the project, the script or the performance that had me feeling as though we walked through some very long hallways with lots and lots of doors. And only a few were opened.
MY ASSESSMENT: | Brilliant | Clear | Murky | Flawed | – a tricky locket.
————————————————
This is What Happens Next runs through June 12, 2011.
A Necessary Angel Production
Created by Daniel MacIvor and Daniel Brooks
Written and Performed by Daniel MacIvor
Directed and Dramaturged by Daniel Brooks
At the Great Canadian Theatre Company
Tickets available at the GCTC Box Office
www.gctc.ca
613-236-5196
This production is also part of the Magnetic North Theatre Festival
www.magneticnorthfestival.ca
613-947-7000
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[Requests for "APPRAISE of the Theatre" reviews should be directed to info@ottawatonite.com]
All Together For Japan
Wednesday, April 13th at the Rainbow Bistro: be sure to check out this fundraiser for Japanese earthquake/tsunami victims, organized by local musicians Chris Landry and Tara Porter. This event features a whole bunch of great and diverse local music talent, as well as spoken word and raffle prizes. Show starts at 9pm sharp.
From the facebook event listing page:
By now we’ve all heard about the situation in Japan and seen the horrible images of the destruction caused by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami. We’re all connected to Japan through people we may know who live there, or those who have travelled or visited. Because of this, we have decided to hold a fundraising event.
FEATURING:
The Polymorphines, www.myspace.com/thepolymorphines
Claude Munson, www.myspace.com/claudemunson
L. Poushinsky, www.sonicbids.com/lpoushinsky
PrufRock, www.reverbnation.com/prufrock
Lefty McRighty and the Shameless Bastards, www.myspace.com/leftymcrighty
Wise Young and King, www.myspace.com/wiseyoungandking
Train Jumpers, www.myspace.com/2trainjumpers
