Tag: 2016

[Victoria, BC] Melissa Taylor Announced for “Winnie the Pooh” Fringe Play

MelissaTaylorBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

The Hundred Acre Wood has become a little more populated recently. In an earlier article, we announced the reuniting of Langham Court Theatre‘s Pride and Prejudice actors Ellen Law and Ian Simms for Winnie the Pooh and Tales of 100 Acre Wood. Today, production company Outpost 31 announced a new cast member Melissa Taylor. She is an actor, writer and director. She created Bereavement (produced by the University of Victoria’s Student Alternative Theatre Company in 2011) and The Oldest Trick in the Book (as part of Theatre SKAM‘s SKAMpede in 2015).

Her one-act play Macramé will be performed next month (August 4 and 5) at Intrepid Theatre. Taylor has garnered critical praise for her portrayal of Mia in the Victoria Theatre Guild’s edgy production of Polly Stenham’s That Face. Times Colonist newspaper’s resident critic Adrian Chamberlain wrote, “[Taylor] captured the truth of her character, Mia, in a tremendously convincing manner. It was a skilled performance.”

She will be juggling the roles of bouncing Tigger and the respected Owl.

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[Victoria, BC] Pride & Prejudice Actors Reunited for Fringe’s Winnie The Pooh

Illustration by E. H. Shephard
Illustration by E. H. Shephard

By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

Actors Ellen Law and Ian Simms, who performed together in Langham Court Theatre’s hit production of Jane Asuten’s Pride and Prejudice, are reuniting on stage for Winnie the Pooh and Tales of 100 Acre Wood. University of Victoria alumni Law and Simms played Kitty Bennet and Charles Bingley in Janet Munsil’s adaptation of Austen’s novel and will be taking on roles of Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh for this production. Theatre critic Janis la Couvee wrote of Pride and Prejudice:

“My guest for the evening is more familiar with rock and roll than the genteel considerations of Austen. The genius of this production of Pride and Prejudice is that it captured his attention completely. Bravo to cast and crew for a job well done—you have breathed new life into an undisputed treasure of the English language canon.”

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Cowabunga! NECA Announces SDCC 2016 TMNT Exclusives!

NECATurtlesSDCC1By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

NECA Toys is looking to make collectors’ heads spin with an announcement of their latest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) sculpts. Due to make their debut at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con (SDCC), these TMNT figures are modeled after the smash 1989 Konami co-op arcade game. Figures are available in a 4-pack that when opened will recreate the look of the original arcade cabinets. The Turtle pack comes with Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael. The Foot Clan pack will contain Shredder and three of his Foot Soldiers, each Foot Soldier is painted a unique colour that reflects their in-game appearance.

NECATurtlesSDCC3

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KW Designs’ Fem7 Armor the Talk of WonderCon 2016

LunaticTrooperWCBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

WonderCon is wrapped-up and is now a footnote in the convention history books, but yet talk lingers on about some of the things seen and heard at the 2016 show. And part of that talk (a lot of it really) is the great new armor by KW Designs (KW) that had premiered last month at the Long Beach Comic Expo. Based off the New Order armor from Star Wars VII – The Force Awakens film, the Fem7, was designed specifically with females in mind. Women have worn the armor of the New Order’s predecessor before, although slightly altered. The Stormtroopers of the original Star Wars trilogy of films were male dominated and there was little room for women in their ranks. With the release of Star Wars VII just last year, to see a woman as a soldier in the New Order, let alone one ranked as high as Captain Phasma (played by Gwendoline Christie, Game of Thrones), girl power (as the Spice Girls used to promote) has finally come to the Dark Side. Even the baddies had to give in to equality some time.

WonderCon 2016
WonderCon 2016: Martha Quiroz, Sandy Burbano, Sarah Young, Brooke Mayhew Weir, Liz Perales, Ainsley Kelley Parks, & LeeAnna Vamp

 

Fem7LBCE1
Long Beach Comic Expo 2016: Brooke Mayhew Weir

Source(s): Sal Perales, Kevin Weir, and Elizabeth Rage.

Photo Source(s): Kevin Weir.

The 2016 Victoria Film Festival Closing Weekend Thoughts & Award Announcements

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

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The 2016 Victoria Film Festival Valentine’s Day Closing Festivities was bittersweet. I enjoyed the treats offered on the last three days of this show and will have to wait for next year to taste what will be new in the world of independent cinema. From getting early previews of The Smalls: Forever is a Long Time, The Girl in the Photographs, Sergio Herman and Foodies, so I wouldn’t be faced with running around to see other films in conflicting times or in alternating theaters, I managed to add two more movies Project Itoh’s The Empire of Corpses (屍者の帝国, Shisha no Teikoku) and Our Last Tango (Un Tango Más) on top. I could have seen a film on Friday, but a certain mainstream movie was heavy on my list of must see during opening weekend.

The End of Festival Bash wrap up party at Lucky Bar was well attended. Although the space was tight and it was meant as a thank you event to all the volunteers, staff and guests who were in attendance, I did have to find out which films won audience favourites and the like. The big question everyone asks is what were your favourites from this year?

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[VFF ’16] How to Meet “The Steps,” A Movie Review and Afterwards

by Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

the-steps-2015-movie-poster

The 70’s comedy, The Brady Bunch has always represented the ideal family, but in a modern world, to see two families embrace is never easy. That’s what Sherry (Christine Lahti), the new wife to Ed (James Brolin) wanted. Despite her best intentions, including a well placed image of the extended family in the home showing them as a happy bunch, the weekend jaunt is not about to go according to plan. Jeff (Jason Ritter) and Marla (Emmanuelle Chriqui) get an invitation by their father, Ed (James Brolin) to meet her at their cottage in rural Ontario, but little did they know her side of the family is going to be there too.

Sherry has a past she’s not proud of and she’s not the only individual with secrets. As this film reveals, she always does what’s best for her kids. Everyone in the newly formed family is odd. They are all grown up but they still have a few problems to deal with. Keith (Steven McCarthy) is a failed musician, Samir (Vinay Virmani) is a full-time stoner and David (Benjamin Arthur) is a Canadian redneck. This outing is kind of like Cheaper by the Dozen 2 where going back to nature to reconnect is required to get back to basics. In this film’s case, it’s to discover they do not care for each other. Try as they might in family bonding games, the situations they end up in make for some great chuckles. Viewers can learn from their mistakes.

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