I've been in NYC for a couple days now and have been taking in some new (or new to me) shows.
I saw Spring Awakening last night, the winner of the Best Musical Tony this year. It was composed by 90s alt-rocker Duncan Sheik and is about a group of teens and their respective sexual awakenings in 19th century Germany (it was based on a play of the same title). I found it interesting in that it was kind of antithetical as a musical; it consisted of a young, energetic and good-looking (early 20s) cast belting out a pseudo-punk score (think "punk" made palatable for a broadway audience) and kind of figuratively telling a story in broad impressionistic strokes through the lyrics. At times it felt like it was trying too hard to be "edgy" and different (like the odd stylistic choice of having the characters perform the major numbers in "rock concert" style complete with hand-held microphones) but overall I enjoyed it, there was some good talent on display and the tunes were agreeable enough.
Here's a music video for "The Bitch of Living" Scene:
And I finally saw Wicked tonight. I wanted to catch it when it was in Toronto but the run was sold out and even nowadays on broadway the show is one of the hardest tickets to get; I scored a seat fourth-row dead center which was perfect for being close to the performance but just far enough to take in the big picture.
I didn't really know if I'd enjoy it going in; I'd heard a rough synopsis and given the popularity of the show I figured it would be a pretty vapid affair with some techy production designs. It certainly had the production design part but I actually found myself really enjoying the show. I thought the story was really clever and really enjoyed the "other side of the story" take on the Wizard of Oz and all of the social and political undercurrents woven into the story. The score was pretty standard for a broadway show, it's enjoyable if not particularly unforgettable. The performers were all really good (as is expected on Broadway). And of course I really enjoyed the production design. It was definitely extravagant and way over-the-top but I think the show balanced the razzle dazzle with a solid storyline that an audience member could really think about if he or she were so inclined. Maybe because I deliberately didn't listen to the score beforehand or research the show in too much depth but I thought Wicked lived up to all the hype.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Diavolo Dance Theatre
I went to check out a performance by DIAVOLO the LA-based dance company founded by Jacques Heim the guy who did the choreography for Cirque du Soleil's KÀ. I went more out of curiosity than actual interest since I wasn't really impressed at all by what I've seen of Heim's work in KÀ but I was definitely pleasantly surprised.
Diavolo is known for incorporating over-sized surrealist sets and large structural pieces into their performances so I was expecting something vaguely KÀ-like, in fact some scenes in KÀ are blatantly borrowed from concepts developed by Diavolo. The difference was that Diavolo was able to effectively use these large props and set-pieces in a way so that the performances shone through and weren't upstaged by the sets. It didn't seem gimmicky at all like it does in KÀ.
The troupe performed five pieces from their repertoire tonight. The second piece tonight D2R-A was the inspiration for the Climb scene in KÀ:
In this version the Plinko board is stationary and doesn't fly around in the air. The piece was originally created back in 1995 but they've since reworked it and it's now performed to the end title theme of The Matrix Revolutions which gives it a bit of a KÀ feel but the choreographical concept for the Diavolo version is much better defined and the piece was powerful.
The finale piece tonight, Trajectoire, is performed on a large rocking boat-like platform (and was obviously the basis for the Storm scene in KÀ).
However, the way the choreography was structured with interesting variations in the styles of movement and above all the emotion projected by the dancers was able to transcend the overwhelming set-piece and create a beautiful work of art. I was completely captivated throughout the entire half-hour piece (by comparison I get bored and lose interest about a minute and a half into the three-minute Storm scene in KÀ). I was surprised that a piece featuring such an ungainly and cumbersome set-piece could actually be so lyrical. Trajectoire ends with a lone female dancer on the tilted platform doing a beautiful, heart-wrenching solo. Her expression combined with the music was just stunning.
Fast forward to about 6:45 in the vid for a clip of Trajectoire:
The other pieces they chose to perform tonight were also very good, they opened with one of their newest pieces called Foreign Bodies which was a very abstract expressionist piece involving a large cube that they de-construct and re-construct into a variety of different geometric shapes. I loved how the piece combined dance with the notions of geometry and architecture.
The other two pieces were pas de deux entitled Knockturne Duet I and II, "knock" being a pun because they are centered around a door set-piece; duet one was a little comedic vignette, duet two was very lyrical and poetic and reminded me of La Nouba's aerial cradle.
Anyway, I'm glad I decided to go check out Diavolo, Jacques Heim's original work for Diavolo is infinitely more interesting than the stuff that ended up in KÀ. He seems like an interesting guy too, he personally came out on stage to introduce the show and he hosted a talk-back with the cast afterward.
I definitely recommend checking out a Diavolo performance if you get the chance.
Diavolo is known for incorporating over-sized surrealist sets and large structural pieces into their performances so I was expecting something vaguely KÀ-like, in fact some scenes in KÀ are blatantly borrowed from concepts developed by Diavolo. The difference was that Diavolo was able to effectively use these large props and set-pieces in a way so that the performances shone through and weren't upstaged by the sets. It didn't seem gimmicky at all like it does in KÀ.
The troupe performed five pieces from their repertoire tonight. The second piece tonight D2R-A was the inspiration for the Climb scene in KÀ:
In this version the Plinko board is stationary and doesn't fly around in the air. The piece was originally created back in 1995 but they've since reworked it and it's now performed to the end title theme of The Matrix Revolutions which gives it a bit of a KÀ feel but the choreographical concept for the Diavolo version is much better defined and the piece was powerful.
The finale piece tonight, Trajectoire, is performed on a large rocking boat-like platform (and was obviously the basis for the Storm scene in KÀ).
However, the way the choreography was structured with interesting variations in the styles of movement and above all the emotion projected by the dancers was able to transcend the overwhelming set-piece and create a beautiful work of art. I was completely captivated throughout the entire half-hour piece (by comparison I get bored and lose interest about a minute and a half into the three-minute Storm scene in KÀ). I was surprised that a piece featuring such an ungainly and cumbersome set-piece could actually be so lyrical. Trajectoire ends with a lone female dancer on the tilted platform doing a beautiful, heart-wrenching solo. Her expression combined with the music was just stunning.
Fast forward to about 6:45 in the vid for a clip of Trajectoire:
The other pieces they chose to perform tonight were also very good, they opened with one of their newest pieces called Foreign Bodies which was a very abstract expressionist piece involving a large cube that they de-construct and re-construct into a variety of different geometric shapes. I loved how the piece combined dance with the notions of geometry and architecture.
The other two pieces were pas de deux entitled Knockturne Duet I and II, "knock" being a pun because they are centered around a door set-piece; duet one was a little comedic vignette, duet two was very lyrical and poetic and reminded me of La Nouba's aerial cradle.
Anyway, I'm glad I decided to go check out Diavolo, Jacques Heim's original work for Diavolo is infinitely more interesting than the stuff that ended up in KÀ. He seems like an interesting guy too, he personally came out on stage to introduce the show and he hosted a talk-back with the cast afterward.
I definitely recommend checking out a Diavolo performance if you get the chance.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
I'm Legally Changing my Name
I just downloaded the forms I need to legally change my name . . . any suggestions as to what my new name should be?
Nah, I'm not doing this on a whim and I already know what my new name is gonna be . . . exactly what it is now.
So why do I need to change it?
Well, being a child of first-generation immigrant parents there are a lot of little quirks that I've had to deal with. As some of you may know in Chinese names are read "backward" i.e. Last-middle-first. Unfortunately, this little factoid was missed by whomever was registering my name at birth so on my birth certificate my name is technically wrong, it came out middle-first-last so my middle name is legally my first name.
The same deal happened with my brother and when he registered for his teaching certificate they had to use his "legal" name on his birth certificate so he decided to legally change his name to what it was always intended to be so he could get the right name on his teaching certificate.
I originally wasn't going to bother since this hasn't been an issue for me in the past, I've been able to use my de-facto first name "Wayne" without any problems. Somehow I was able to get my Social Insurance Number and Passport under the correct name. But my mom was pretty adamant that I correct it too, to avoid any legal complications that may arise down the line for stuff like marriage certificates (not gonna happen anytime soon) or wills.
Changing your name is a hassle; there's this massive form you have to fill out (it's more complicated if you're under 18 or married which I am neither), they have to do a criminal background check and credit check to make sure you're not on the lam; you have to get a non-family member "guarantor" to sign that you've lived in the jurisdiction for at least five years, then you have to sign the form in front of a commissioner (a lawyer or civic official).
Then you send in the signed and commissioned forms along with your old birth certificate, wait 6 to 8 weeks and if everything goes smoothly they send you a change of name certificate and a new birth certificate.
Blah, it's such a hassle and it's expensive too: the cost is $137 plus the $34 I have to pay the commissioner to stamp my document. I'd be more motivated if I were at least changing my name to Max Power or something cool. It's especially pointless for me since I've already been using my intended name but I understand why my mom wants me to clear up the mistake to avoid legal problems down the line.
Damn, I was hoping to keep the old birth certificate so if I ever have to declare bankruptcy or fake my own death I can get a new identity :P
Nah, I'm not doing this on a whim and I already know what my new name is gonna be . . . exactly what it is now.
So why do I need to change it?
Well, being a child of first-generation immigrant parents there are a lot of little quirks that I've had to deal with. As some of you may know in Chinese names are read "backward" i.e. Last-middle-first. Unfortunately, this little factoid was missed by whomever was registering my name at birth so on my birth certificate my name is technically wrong, it came out middle-first-last so my middle name is legally my first name.
The same deal happened with my brother and when he registered for his teaching certificate they had to use his "legal" name on his birth certificate so he decided to legally change his name to what it was always intended to be so he could get the right name on his teaching certificate.
I originally wasn't going to bother since this hasn't been an issue for me in the past, I've been able to use my de-facto first name "Wayne" without any problems. Somehow I was able to get my Social Insurance Number and Passport under the correct name. But my mom was pretty adamant that I correct it too, to avoid any legal complications that may arise down the line for stuff like marriage certificates (not gonna happen anytime soon) or wills.
Changing your name is a hassle; there's this massive form you have to fill out (it's more complicated if you're under 18 or married which I am neither), they have to do a criminal background check and credit check to make sure you're not on the lam; you have to get a non-family member "guarantor" to sign that you've lived in the jurisdiction for at least five years, then you have to sign the form in front of a commissioner (a lawyer or civic official).
Then you send in the signed and commissioned forms along with your old birth certificate, wait 6 to 8 weeks and if everything goes smoothly they send you a change of name certificate and a new birth certificate.
Blah, it's such a hassle and it's expensive too: the cost is $137 plus the $34 I have to pay the commissioner to stamp my document. I'd be more motivated if I were at least changing my name to Max Power or something cool. It's especially pointless for me since I've already been using my intended name but I understand why my mom wants me to clear up the mistake to avoid legal problems down the line.
Damn, I was hoping to keep the old birth certificate so if I ever have to declare bankruptcy or fake my own death I can get a new identity :P
Friday, August 31, 2007
The Far Side of Robert Lepage
I recently found a DVD copy of Robert Lepage's La face cachée de la lune (Far Side of the Moon).
I'd seen this movie (adapted from the one-man play of the same title that Lepage wrote, directed and performed himself) in the cinema when it was first released back in 2003 and remember really enjoying it.
Face cachée de la lune is typical of Robert Lepage's intimate one-man shows (he's amazing to watch live on stage as he shifts from character to character). It's a richly drawn out character study of protagonist Philippe, an aloof 40-something grad-student fascinated with the cosmos, and his relationship with his estranged gay yuppie TV weatherman younger brother André (both played by Lepage). The two brothers are coming to terms with the passing of their mother.
Lepage parallels the brothers' relationship with the US-Russian space race of the 1960s and uses all of this as a background to explore the broader themes of loneliness and isolation, reconciliation and narcissism versus the innate need for self understanding.
As it was adapted from a play, the pace of the movie is languid and it is mostly dialogue-driven. Lepage densely packs both the narrative and the visual elements of the movie with layers of symbolism and allegory. The dialogue is often very witty and it is full of subtle humour. I love the visual style; it's a simple, low-budget film but the cinematography and art direction are superb and there are several symbolic surrealist sequences (and LSD trips) that add to the visual impact of the movie.
Despite being a bit cerebral the movie is accessible and also packs an emotional punch, you really empathize with Philippe by the end of the movie but the emotion is very well-balanced, it's definitely not the over-the-top, sentimental variety.
Having been familiar with Lepage's work prior to seeing Cirque du Soleil's KÀ in Las Vegas. I was so surprised at how flat and one-dimensional that production is (despite that flying monstrosity of a stage). Yes, Lepage is known for his use of technology in theatrical storytelling but not to the point where it overwhelms the production. At the end of the stage version of Face cachée there's a surrealistic sequence where Philippe is seen floating alone through the void of space (actually the audience is looking at a large, tilted mirror and watching the reflection of Lepage rolling around on the floor of the stage), but given the significance of what the scene symbolizes this simple "technological" trick made for a really touching moment to end the show . . . sometimes less really is more.
Anyway, as you can tell, the movie is kind of difficult to explain so I suggest you watch it yourself. I'd love to hear your opinions of the movie.
I'd seen this movie (adapted from the one-man play of the same title that Lepage wrote, directed and performed himself) in the cinema when it was first released back in 2003 and remember really enjoying it.
Face cachée de la lune is typical of Robert Lepage's intimate one-man shows (he's amazing to watch live on stage as he shifts from character to character). It's a richly drawn out character study of protagonist Philippe, an aloof 40-something grad-student fascinated with the cosmos, and his relationship with his estranged gay yuppie TV weatherman younger brother André (both played by Lepage). The two brothers are coming to terms with the passing of their mother.
Lepage parallels the brothers' relationship with the US-Russian space race of the 1960s and uses all of this as a background to explore the broader themes of loneliness and isolation, reconciliation and narcissism versus the innate need for self understanding.
As it was adapted from a play, the pace of the movie is languid and it is mostly dialogue-driven. Lepage densely packs both the narrative and the visual elements of the movie with layers of symbolism and allegory. The dialogue is often very witty and it is full of subtle humour. I love the visual style; it's a simple, low-budget film but the cinematography and art direction are superb and there are several symbolic surrealist sequences (and LSD trips) that add to the visual impact of the movie.
Despite being a bit cerebral the movie is accessible and also packs an emotional punch, you really empathize with Philippe by the end of the movie but the emotion is very well-balanced, it's definitely not the over-the-top, sentimental variety.
Having been familiar with Lepage's work prior to seeing Cirque du Soleil's KÀ in Las Vegas. I was so surprised at how flat and one-dimensional that production is (despite that flying monstrosity of a stage). Yes, Lepage is known for his use of technology in theatrical storytelling but not to the point where it overwhelms the production. At the end of the stage version of Face cachée there's a surrealistic sequence where Philippe is seen floating alone through the void of space (actually the audience is looking at a large, tilted mirror and watching the reflection of Lepage rolling around on the floor of the stage), but given the significance of what the scene symbolizes this simple "technological" trick made for a really touching moment to end the show . . . sometimes less really is more.
Anyway, as you can tell, the movie is kind of difficult to explain so I suggest you watch it yourself. I'd love to hear your opinions of the movie.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
My New Porsche . . .
I recently noticed that my own drives are pretty full and decided that it was time to look for some more storage.
I ended up buying this 500 GB external hard drive by LaCie:
Apparently they partnered with F. A. Porsche for the design (the words "Design by F. A. Porsche" are even engraved on the side of the case) which might be a selling point for some but I don't really see what the big deal is. The design is simple, the lines are clean and it has a nice matte silver case but it's nothing a regular design firm (or even a recent industrial design grad) couldn't come up with.
The main selling point for me was price. The drive usually retails for $320 but I got it on sale at Future Shop (the Canadian Best Buy) for $120 which really isn't a bad price for half a terabyte of storage.
I'll finally have enough space for my files without having to resort to the stop-gap solution of burning a bunch of DVDs. Plus there's the added bonus of being able to use the drive with my laptop while I'm traveling.
It was über easy to set-up since it's USB 2.0 it's pretty much plug 'n' play although I did have to reformat it from the default FAT 32 to NTFS for better compatibility with Windows XP.
I ended up buying this 500 GB external hard drive by LaCie:
Apparently they partnered with F. A. Porsche for the design (the words "Design by F. A. Porsche" are even engraved on the side of the case) which might be a selling point for some but I don't really see what the big deal is. The design is simple, the lines are clean and it has a nice matte silver case but it's nothing a regular design firm (or even a recent industrial design grad) couldn't come up with.
The main selling point for me was price. The drive usually retails for $320 but I got it on sale at Future Shop (the Canadian Best Buy) for $120 which really isn't a bad price for half a terabyte of storage.
I'll finally have enough space for my files without having to resort to the stop-gap solution of burning a bunch of DVDs. Plus there's the added bonus of being able to use the drive with my laptop while I'm traveling.
It was über easy to set-up since it's USB 2.0 it's pretty much plug 'n' play although I did have to reformat it from the default FAT 32 to NTFS for better compatibility with Windows XP.
Monday, March 19, 2007
KODO: One Earth Tour
I longed to see a world beyond this one, so I searched for the door that would take me there. Until I open the door, I have no idea what awaits me on the other side. For now I simply dream about the unknown.
I just got back from Kodo's One Earth Tour, it was, in a word, AWESOME! I've been a fan of Kodo ever since I picked up a couple of their CDs a few years ago after Mystère piqued my interest in Taiko drumming.
Having only heard the music on CD I was surprised at how visual the show was, it really is a blend of both music and dance and I loved watching the troupe's precise movements when playing synchronously. I was amazed at the sheer physicality of the performance, the drummers' stances and the movements that they use to play exude grace and power. The performance ran the gamut between intricate, densely layered pieces involving dozens of drums to simple but masterful solos.
In between the major pieces when they were setting up the drums they had little interludes, during one they were playing these Japanese chimes and bells and it sounded exactly like the Mystère opening. I was sitting there waiting to hear the crying babies! Three of the drummers also do these little subtle comedic interludes while performing percussion and choreography, they reminded me a lot of the Blue Man Group or Les Cons from La Nouba the audience loved them and it really served to show that the group doesn't take itself too seriously. At the beginning of the first encore these guys even lead the audience in a call and response banging out rhythm patterns that the audience would clap back (Stomp does this for audience-participation at the end of their show as well).
My favourite piece was O-Daiko. It's a huge two-sided drum (pictured above) and the drummer on one side beats out a basic rhythm and the soloist on the other side freely improvises. It was amazing the soloist was giving it hard for about ten minutes non-stop. It was intense.
I'm glad they chose to perform in the Opera House because the acoustics were awesome, these drums are huge and when they play the bigger ones you can feel the sound resonate in your chest cavity. It also meant that the quieter drum pieces and the vocal solos could be performed un-amplified. There was one song performed by an amazing female vocalist who would modulate and trill the notes brilliantly, she was accompanied by wood flute and Chinese violin it sounded gorgeous.
Anyway, I highly recommend catching the show if you're a fan of music, dance or performance art, it's a thrilling night of theatre.
I just got back from Kodo's One Earth Tour, it was, in a word, AWESOME! I've been a fan of Kodo ever since I picked up a couple of their CDs a few years ago after Mystère piqued my interest in Taiko drumming.
Having only heard the music on CD I was surprised at how visual the show was, it really is a blend of both music and dance and I loved watching the troupe's precise movements when playing synchronously. I was amazed at the sheer physicality of the performance, the drummers' stances and the movements that they use to play exude grace and power. The performance ran the gamut between intricate, densely layered pieces involving dozens of drums to simple but masterful solos.
In between the major pieces when they were setting up the drums they had little interludes, during one they were playing these Japanese chimes and bells and it sounded exactly like the Mystère opening. I was sitting there waiting to hear the crying babies! Three of the drummers also do these little subtle comedic interludes while performing percussion and choreography, they reminded me a lot of the Blue Man Group or Les Cons from La Nouba the audience loved them and it really served to show that the group doesn't take itself too seriously. At the beginning of the first encore these guys even lead the audience in a call and response banging out rhythm patterns that the audience would clap back (Stomp does this for audience-participation at the end of their show as well).
My favourite piece was O-Daiko. It's a huge two-sided drum (pictured above) and the drummer on one side beats out a basic rhythm and the soloist on the other side freely improvises. It was amazing the soloist was giving it hard for about ten minutes non-stop. It was intense.
I'm glad they chose to perform in the Opera House because the acoustics were awesome, these drums are huge and when they play the bigger ones you can feel the sound resonate in your chest cavity. It also meant that the quieter drum pieces and the vocal solos could be performed un-amplified. There was one song performed by an amazing female vocalist who would modulate and trill the notes brilliantly, she was accompanied by wood flute and Chinese violin it sounded gorgeous.
Anyway, I highly recommend catching the show if you're a fan of music, dance or performance art, it's a thrilling night of theatre.
Friday, March 2, 2007
Leaving Traces . . .
I had the chance to catch Traces, the sophomore show by 7 doigts de la main a couple times this week.
The show is performed by five fresh, young graduates of École nationale de cirque; Héloïse Bourgeois, Brad Henderson, Will Underwood and brothers Francisco and Raphaël Cruz. These artists seem to have a limitless supply of energy; the performances are explosive, fast-paced and action-packed. The 90-minute show seems to zoom by in an instant.
Traces has a darker tone and a faster pace than Loft did. Whereas Loft had more existential overtones Traces is more Fatalistic. The theme is some sort of impending catastrophe and the set is a kind of make-shift fall-out shelter that the artists have constructed. There's a countdown/ticking clock motif throughout the show that really gives the show a sense of urgency and sets an ominous tone. The artists are basically racing against time to create something by which they can be remembered, to leave their "traces" on the world.
Though the backdrop is sort of bleak it really serves to contrast the actual performances in the show which have an energetic, youthful, rebellious and often whimsical quality to them. Though the performers are young (all in their early 20s) they are extremely talented and multi-disciplinary. Their style is really fresh and hip, even compared to 7 doigts' first show.
The soundtrack is mostly progressive rock and hip hop with some old school jazz and classical piano (performed by the artists themselves since four of them are classically trained pianists as well). The choreography is contemporary and urban. The two standout acts in the show are ancient Chinese circus disciplines, Chinese Poles and Hoop Diving, but the presentation in Traces is so fresh and creative it's like watching these acts for the first time. I loved the Chinese poles number performed to a Radiohead song and the gorgeous and graceful Roue Cyr solo performed to a hip hop song.
The choreography is inventive and often stunning. There's an amazing group dance and manipulation number using a basketball and another sequence where the artists use skateboards to produce a whimsical old-school Hollywood musical number that would make Fred Astaire proud. The show also had moments of beauty, showcasing the depth and range of these young artists performance abilities. There are two gorgeous hand to hand numbers (one by a Will and a Héloïse the other by the Cruz brothers) and a stunning solo aerial strap number performed by Héloïse.
The 7 fingers' style is omni-present in the show but Traces also creates it's own signature style; it doesn't have the same distinctly sexual undertones that Loft did but really emphasizes youthful energy and it's absolutely exhilarating to watch. Every time I come out of a 7 doigts show I can't help but think how the sheer creativity, inventiveness and resourcefulness of this small troupe makes Cirque du Soleil look stale and old in comparison.
The show is still new (less than a year old) so it's still a little bit rough in some places but I loved it and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.
The show is performed by five fresh, young graduates of École nationale de cirque; Héloïse Bourgeois, Brad Henderson, Will Underwood and brothers Francisco and Raphaël Cruz. These artists seem to have a limitless supply of energy; the performances are explosive, fast-paced and action-packed. The 90-minute show seems to zoom by in an instant.
Traces has a darker tone and a faster pace than Loft did. Whereas Loft had more existential overtones Traces is more Fatalistic. The theme is some sort of impending catastrophe and the set is a kind of make-shift fall-out shelter that the artists have constructed. There's a countdown/ticking clock motif throughout the show that really gives the show a sense of urgency and sets an ominous tone. The artists are basically racing against time to create something by which they can be remembered, to leave their "traces" on the world.
Though the backdrop is sort of bleak it really serves to contrast the actual performances in the show which have an energetic, youthful, rebellious and often whimsical quality to them. Though the performers are young (all in their early 20s) they are extremely talented and multi-disciplinary. Their style is really fresh and hip, even compared to 7 doigts' first show.
The soundtrack is mostly progressive rock and hip hop with some old school jazz and classical piano (performed by the artists themselves since four of them are classically trained pianists as well). The choreography is contemporary and urban. The two standout acts in the show are ancient Chinese circus disciplines, Chinese Poles and Hoop Diving, but the presentation in Traces is so fresh and creative it's like watching these acts for the first time. I loved the Chinese poles number performed to a Radiohead song and the gorgeous and graceful Roue Cyr solo performed to a hip hop song.
The choreography is inventive and often stunning. There's an amazing group dance and manipulation number using a basketball and another sequence where the artists use skateboards to produce a whimsical old-school Hollywood musical number that would make Fred Astaire proud. The show also had moments of beauty, showcasing the depth and range of these young artists performance abilities. There are two gorgeous hand to hand numbers (one by a Will and a Héloïse the other by the Cruz brothers) and a stunning solo aerial strap number performed by Héloïse.
The 7 fingers' style is omni-present in the show but Traces also creates it's own signature style; it doesn't have the same distinctly sexual undertones that Loft did but really emphasizes youthful energy and it's absolutely exhilarating to watch. Every time I come out of a 7 doigts show I can't help but think how the sheer creativity, inventiveness and resourcefulness of this small troupe makes Cirque du Soleil look stale and old in comparison.
The show is still new (less than a year old) so it's still a little bit rough in some places but I loved it and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
I went to see Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater tonight, I've been wanting to see them perform for a while and was not disappointed, they are absolutely spectacular. It was definitely one of the most exhilarating dance performances I've ever seen.
I love jazz ballet because I find it much more free form and expressive than classical ballet which is too often burdened by its rigid structures. The energy and intensity of the Alvin Ailey dancers was amazing, such power, grace and precision.
The show was sold out tonight, which I rarely see for dance performances in Ottawa (outside of schmaltzy acts like Riverdance).
The troupe performed four pieces from their repertoire; Night Creature, Solo, The River and one of Ailey's signature pieces Revelations. Two of the pieces Night Creature and The River were choreographed to the music of Duke Ellington which was awesome 'cause I love The Duke's music.
Solo was an interesting piece for three male dancers choreographed to a Bach violin concerto, it was an interesting juxtaposition of classical music with modern dance.
Revelations was brilliant, it's performed to African American Spirituals and has such an amazing energy. There was a huge ovation at the end and people even stayed standing and clapped in time to the music throughout the encore which is really rare for audiences in Ottawa since it's such a conservative, uptight, white collar town.
I'd definitely recommend catching AAADT if you can, the talent of this troupe is unbelievable and they give an absolutely exhilarating performance.
I love jazz ballet because I find it much more free form and expressive than classical ballet which is too often burdened by its rigid structures. The energy and intensity of the Alvin Ailey dancers was amazing, such power, grace and precision.
The show was sold out tonight, which I rarely see for dance performances in Ottawa (outside of schmaltzy acts like Riverdance).
The troupe performed four pieces from their repertoire; Night Creature, Solo, The River and one of Ailey's signature pieces Revelations. Two of the pieces Night Creature and The River were choreographed to the music of Duke Ellington which was awesome 'cause I love The Duke's music.
Solo was an interesting piece for three male dancers choreographed to a Bach violin concerto, it was an interesting juxtaposition of classical music with modern dance.
Revelations was brilliant, it's performed to African American Spirituals and has such an amazing energy. There was a huge ovation at the end and people even stayed standing and clapped in time to the music throughout the encore which is really rare for audiences in Ottawa since it's such a conservative, uptight, white collar town.
I'd definitely recommend catching AAADT if you can, the talent of this troupe is unbelievable and they give an absolutely exhilarating performance.
Friday, February 16, 2007
The Bellagio Fountains "hijacked"
Have you heard of these "Alternate Reality Games"? Basically they're like adventure/puzzle solving video games but in a real-life setting, players solve a bunch of elaborate puzzles that lead them on a treasure hunt (think Da Vinci Code).
There's a new one that was just launched last month called Vanishing Point some of the prizes are pretty extreme like a sub-orbital space flight and the premiere puzzle was presented at CES in Las Vegas last month.
I guess the premise is the Bellagio Fountains are "hijacked" for a pirate broadcast to present the first puzzle clues, the effect is pretty neat, if they just keep the row of vertical jets
I wonder how much they had to pay Bellagio to basically turn their fountain show into a big, elaborate billboard?
There's a new one that was just launched last month called Vanishing Point some of the prizes are pretty extreme like a sub-orbital space flight and the premiere puzzle was presented at CES in Las Vegas last month.
I guess the premise is the Bellagio Fountains are "hijacked" for a pirate broadcast to present the first puzzle clues, the effect is pretty neat, if they just keep the row of vertical jets
I wonder how much they had to pay Bellagio to basically turn their fountain show into a big, elaborate billboard?
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Ice Sculptures
Every year the city of Ottawa holds a winter festival called Winterlude. Now I have a secret to confess . . . I actually hate winter, it's something to be grudgingly tolerated not celebrated with a festival.
But I was downtown tonight so I checked it out. Part of the festival is an ice sculpting competition. I find ice sculpting an interesting art since it deals with a medium that's so ephemeral, the works last only a few weeks or less (depending on the weather) before they melt but I guess that somehow adds to their beauty. I had my camera on me so I snapped some pics of a few of the sculptures.
The entrance to the "Crystal Garden" at Confederation Park where the ice sculptures are on display.
An ice model of the Canadian Vimy Ridge War Memorial.
March of the Penguins
Water Goddess
I love the detail on the water in this one.
The International Walkway:
Moscow, Russia
China
Dome of the US Capitol in Washington, DC
Marvel Comics
Dragon
Mammoth
Mermaid
I peeked into the ice bar but not much was going on in the early-evening.
I didn't bring my skates tonight but this is the Rideau Canal, the world's longest skating rink (almost 5 miles long).
But I was downtown tonight so I checked it out. Part of the festival is an ice sculpting competition. I find ice sculpting an interesting art since it deals with a medium that's so ephemeral, the works last only a few weeks or less (depending on the weather) before they melt but I guess that somehow adds to their beauty. I had my camera on me so I snapped some pics of a few of the sculptures.
The entrance to the "Crystal Garden" at Confederation Park where the ice sculptures are on display.
An ice model of the Canadian Vimy Ridge War Memorial.
March of the Penguins
Water Goddess
I love the detail on the water in this one.
The International Walkway:
Moscow, Russia
China
Dome of the US Capitol in Washington, DC
Marvel Comics
Dragon
Mammoth
Mermaid
I peeked into the ice bar but not much was going on in the early-evening.
I didn't bring my skates tonight but this is the Rideau Canal, the world's longest skating rink (almost 5 miles long).
Monday, February 12, 2007
Ugh, they don't make 'em like they used to
Just over a year ago I bought an HP laptop cause it was on sale at Best Buy, I basically just use it as a secondary computer for use on the go, school work, travel, etc.
Anyway, last week it would start randomly switching to battery power even when it was plugged in, I inspected the power cord and saw that the end closest to the power adapter box was frayed, of course it's the part of the cord that gets the most stress when it's packed up. I patched it up with some electrical tape but then yesterday I couldn't get the power to patch through at all.
You'd think they'd make these things more robust but obviously they're designed to break exactly after the one year limited warranty period has passed.
I didn't want to plop down the ridiculous amount of money that the replacement power adapter would cost so I basically just decided to fix it myself.
It took about an hour with the wire strippers and soldering gun and it was a bit of a tricky job since the fray happened at the very end of the wire. I had to cut off the plastic nub that holds the wire to the adapter box with an Xacto knife to get a long enough length of wire. It's not pretty (big globs of solder and lots of electrical tape) but I think I got the job done. I'm just testing it now to make sure it doesn't short out or overheat, the last thing I need right now is an electrical fire.
Anyway, last week it would start randomly switching to battery power even when it was plugged in, I inspected the power cord and saw that the end closest to the power adapter box was frayed, of course it's the part of the cord that gets the most stress when it's packed up. I patched it up with some electrical tape but then yesterday I couldn't get the power to patch through at all.
You'd think they'd make these things more robust but obviously they're designed to break exactly after the one year limited warranty period has passed.
I didn't want to plop down the ridiculous amount of money that the replacement power adapter would cost so I basically just decided to fix it myself.
It took about an hour with the wire strippers and soldering gun and it was a bit of a tricky job since the fray happened at the very end of the wire. I had to cut off the plastic nub that holds the wire to the adapter box with an Xacto knife to get a long enough length of wire. It's not pretty (big globs of solder and lots of electrical tape) but I think I got the job done. I'm just testing it now to make sure it doesn't short out or overheat, the last thing I need right now is an electrical fire.
Friday, February 2, 2007
Lost in Pan's Labyrinth
I saw Pan's Labyrinth tonight. I had heard a lot about the film going into it; I was told that it was a sort of dark fairy tale but I really didn't expect it to be as stark or as gory as it was. Nevertheless the violence definitely served a purpose and the film was generally brilliant.
The film is basically the story of a girl, Ofelia, who conjures up a fantasy world as an escape from the bleak reality of life in rural post-war fascist Spain of the Franco era. I really loved how the director, Guillermo Del Toro, leaves it open to the viewer's interpretation whether the fantasies conjured by the main character were real or completely imaginary. It's akin to the question of faith. He provided evidence to support both conclusions and left it ambiguous. That's exceedingly rare, most moviegoers nowadays are used to being force-fed stories and having to think or decide things for themselves might make them a little uncomfortable (you know the people who just have to know what Bill Murray whispered to Scarlett Johansson's character at the end of Lost in Translation).
I also found the film to be replete with symbolism, similar to The Fountain but the symbolism was more allegorical in Pan rather than self-referential like in The Fountain. I was also fascinated by many religious references, particularly Catholic references. Del Toro references the story of Eve and the expulsion from Eden, the sacrificing of Abraham's son as a test by God, the story of Christ and many of the film's scenes seem almost allegorical to his view of the church (or at least it seems that way from my ex-Catholic point of view). There are also many pagan symbols, fauns and earth-gods. It all leads me to believe that the movie has many more layers than what is presented on the surface.
Although the film wasn't anything like I expected I ended up really enjoying it and found myself thinking a lot about the imagery and the possible messages the director tried to convey through the symbolism. The movie is dark, it's bleak, it's gory but at the end there's a definite beauty to it too, I enjoyed it.
The film is basically the story of a girl, Ofelia, who conjures up a fantasy world as an escape from the bleak reality of life in rural post-war fascist Spain of the Franco era. I really loved how the director, Guillermo Del Toro, leaves it open to the viewer's interpretation whether the fantasies conjured by the main character were real or completely imaginary. It's akin to the question of faith. He provided evidence to support both conclusions and left it ambiguous. That's exceedingly rare, most moviegoers nowadays are used to being force-fed stories and having to think or decide things for themselves might make them a little uncomfortable (you know the people who just have to know what Bill Murray whispered to Scarlett Johansson's character at the end of Lost in Translation).
I also found the film to be replete with symbolism, similar to The Fountain but the symbolism was more allegorical in Pan rather than self-referential like in The Fountain. I was also fascinated by many religious references, particularly Catholic references. Del Toro references the story of Eve and the expulsion from Eden, the sacrificing of Abraham's son as a test by God, the story of Christ and many of the film's scenes seem almost allegorical to his view of the church (or at least it seems that way from my ex-Catholic point of view). There are also many pagan symbols, fauns and earth-gods. It all leads me to believe that the movie has many more layers than what is presented on the surface.
Although the film wasn't anything like I expected I ended up really enjoying it and found myself thinking a lot about the imagery and the possible messages the director tried to convey through the symbolism. The movie is dark, it's bleak, it's gory but at the end there's a definite beauty to it too, I enjoyed it.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Curse of the Golden Flower
I went to see Curse of the Golden Flower last night.
I'm a huge fan of the director Zhang Yimou, Ying Xiong (Hero with Jet Li) is one of my all time favourite movies. Zhang has an amazing eye for imagery and a modern artistic sense that allows him to marry Asian iconography and symbolism with Western theatricality. When I was in Munich, Germany a couple years ago I nearly had a chance to catch Zhang's production of Puccini's "Chinese" opera Turandot, the same production he had staged in Beijing at the Forbidden City, I really regret not trying harder to catch it now. Golden Flower is a gorgeous film with one of the richest visual palettes I've ever seen in cinema.
The set design, costume design and cinematography are all decadent to the extreme. The film's leads, Chow Yun Fat and Gong Li as Emperor and Empress and heads of a highly dysfunctional royal family, give performances that are subtle yet intense. The film's pacing is a little un-even, the first half is very dialogue-heavy, Zhang uses it to really build the intrigue in the story and it's all an elaborate build-up to the action-packed (and often gory) second half of the movie.
As the story unfolded I was reminded very much of some of Shakespeare's works. There are obvious parallels to Hamlet; themes of royal corruption, incest, plots to usurp the throne, but as the second act unfolded I was reminded more of Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare's gruesome revenge-tragedy and his bloodiest and most-violent play.
**Spoiler Warning**
While Zhang was obviously influenced by Western sources the film is very Chinese in its themes. The story follows a revenge plot by Gong Li's Empress character as she plots to usurp the throne from The Emperor not necessarily because she is power-hungry but more as a means of self-preservation as the Emperor is slowly poisoning the Empress by forcing her to take a special "medicine" to cure her supposed anemia. At the end of the movie, the Empress' bloody coup has failed, all three of her sons are dead and she is still forced to drink the medicine that will eventually kill her, she is completely broken and defeated.
I couldn't help but think that if this were a Western movie, the Empress' coup would have succeeded, there would be this great "girl power" message and she'd go on to live happily ever-after (roll credits with an Evanescence song in the background). Hollywood movies are so formulaic and predictable nowadays that when you see a tragedy where there isn't a happy ending it feels odd, though because it was so different the ending to this film actually felt like a breath of fresh air.
The ending also begs the question posed by the vast cultural differences between China and the West. In the West the triumph of the individual is of the utmost importance, in most Asian cultures the success of the group is more important than the success of any one individual. This may be why most Western movies are some variation of the Hero (or Heroine) fighting and triumphing over "the Man". In this frame of reference the message of Golden Flower seems to be, "no matter how hard you try to fight to overcome your circumstances tyranny will always triumph". Or maybe the ultimate message of the film is "below the beautiful exterior of Power there is corruption to the core". But then again, maybe this film isn't trying to be as didactic as its Western counterparts, maybe this is just a drama/action/tragedy with no pretenses of a greater message.
Overall I really enjoyed the film, there are some phenomenal action sequences, although they are less balletic and slightly more gory than in Hero or House of Flying Daggers. The sumptuous visual feast that this film provides is reason enough to see it.
I'm a huge fan of the director Zhang Yimou, Ying Xiong (Hero with Jet Li) is one of my all time favourite movies. Zhang has an amazing eye for imagery and a modern artistic sense that allows him to marry Asian iconography and symbolism with Western theatricality. When I was in Munich, Germany a couple years ago I nearly had a chance to catch Zhang's production of Puccini's "Chinese" opera Turandot, the same production he had staged in Beijing at the Forbidden City, I really regret not trying harder to catch it now. Golden Flower is a gorgeous film with one of the richest visual palettes I've ever seen in cinema.
The set design, costume design and cinematography are all decadent to the extreme. The film's leads, Chow Yun Fat and Gong Li as Emperor and Empress and heads of a highly dysfunctional royal family, give performances that are subtle yet intense. The film's pacing is a little un-even, the first half is very dialogue-heavy, Zhang uses it to really build the intrigue in the story and it's all an elaborate build-up to the action-packed (and often gory) second half of the movie.
As the story unfolded I was reminded very much of some of Shakespeare's works. There are obvious parallels to Hamlet; themes of royal corruption, incest, plots to usurp the throne, but as the second act unfolded I was reminded more of Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare's gruesome revenge-tragedy and his bloodiest and most-violent play.
**Spoiler Warning**
While Zhang was obviously influenced by Western sources the film is very Chinese in its themes. The story follows a revenge plot by Gong Li's Empress character as she plots to usurp the throne from The Emperor not necessarily because she is power-hungry but more as a means of self-preservation as the Emperor is slowly poisoning the Empress by forcing her to take a special "medicine" to cure her supposed anemia. At the end of the movie, the Empress' bloody coup has failed, all three of her sons are dead and she is still forced to drink the medicine that will eventually kill her, she is completely broken and defeated.
I couldn't help but think that if this were a Western movie, the Empress' coup would have succeeded, there would be this great "girl power" message and she'd go on to live happily ever-after (roll credits with an Evanescence song in the background). Hollywood movies are so formulaic and predictable nowadays that when you see a tragedy where there isn't a happy ending it feels odd, though because it was so different the ending to this film actually felt like a breath of fresh air.
The ending also begs the question posed by the vast cultural differences between China and the West. In the West the triumph of the individual is of the utmost importance, in most Asian cultures the success of the group is more important than the success of any one individual. This may be why most Western movies are some variation of the Hero (or Heroine) fighting and triumphing over "the Man". In this frame of reference the message of Golden Flower seems to be, "no matter how hard you try to fight to overcome your circumstances tyranny will always triumph". Or maybe the ultimate message of the film is "below the beautiful exterior of Power there is corruption to the core". But then again, maybe this film isn't trying to be as didactic as its Western counterparts, maybe this is just a drama/action/tragedy with no pretenses of a greater message.
Overall I really enjoyed the film, there are some phenomenal action sequences, although they are less balletic and slightly more gory than in Hero or House of Flying Daggers. The sumptuous visual feast that this film provides is reason enough to see it.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Threatening Bank Letter
. . . Okay, maybe "threatening" is a tad melodramatic but still annoying nonetheless.
I have two main credit cards; a Mastercard (from Citibank) and a Visa (from Scotiabank). The MC is a Citibank Driver's Edge card so basically I get 1% back on all my purchases toward the purchase of my next vehicle. Ergo, I charge as much as I can to it and it is my card of choice.
I basically keep the Scotiabank Visa for "backup" and for the odd-place that only accepts Visa. I've also had the Visa card longer.
Anyway, I get a letter from Scotiabank today:
Since your No-Fee Scotiabank Value Visa card has been inactive for a while, we want to remind you of its many useful features and benefits . . . Please note that each year a $10.00 fee is charged to keep inactive accounts open. You can avoid this fee and rediscover your card's value and convenience simply by using it to make a purchase or cash advance within the next 60 days.
Um . . . if I'm not using your lame product maybe you should give me some incentive to; lower my interest rate, increase my interest-free grace-period, give me cash-back on my balance. Instead, they basically resort to threatening to charge me to keep the account open (which basically costs them nothing).
I realize $10.00 is nothing but out of principle, I think the concept of paying to pay is ridiculous, I refuse to do it. I may be cheap but does the bank honestly think this is a good business practice? They're basically trying to weed me out as customer because I don't have a massive credit debt on that account that they can make money off of.
Ugh, I'm done with this bank
I have two main credit cards; a Mastercard (from Citibank) and a Visa (from Scotiabank). The MC is a Citibank Driver's Edge card so basically I get 1% back on all my purchases toward the purchase of my next vehicle. Ergo, I charge as much as I can to it and it is my card of choice.
I basically keep the Scotiabank Visa for "backup" and for the odd-place that only accepts Visa. I've also had the Visa card longer.
Anyway, I get a letter from Scotiabank today:
Since your No-Fee Scotiabank Value Visa card has been inactive for a while, we want to remind you of its many useful features and benefits . . . Please note that each year a $10.00 fee is charged to keep inactive accounts open. You can avoid this fee and rediscover your card's value and convenience simply by using it to make a purchase or cash advance within the next 60 days.
Um . . . if I'm not using your lame product maybe you should give me some incentive to; lower my interest rate, increase my interest-free grace-period, give me cash-back on my balance. Instead, they basically resort to threatening to charge me to keep the account open (which basically costs them nothing).
I realize $10.00 is nothing but out of principle, I think the concept of paying to pay is ridiculous, I refuse to do it. I may be cheap but does the bank honestly think this is a good business practice? They're basically trying to weed me out as customer because I don't have a massive credit debt on that account that they can make money off of.
Ugh, I'm done with this bank
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