Tag: British Columbia

Juicy Woo Woo! A Mind-Bending Cosmic Cabaret at Victoria Fringe 2025

In what makes John Sobol’s Juicy Woo Woo – the UFO Cabaret – unique is that he’s up to date with the latest facts, theories and disguises. And he encourages everyone to look at the facts too!

juicy woo woo
Remaining Shows Aug 26 8:00 pm

Some conspiracies about the alien agenda lean into Juicy Woo Woo! territory—and if John Sobol has any say, that’s exactly where he wants to lead us. As a storyteller and musician, he mixes UFO lore, pop culture, and cosmic musings into a 60-minute journey that moves from fear to acceptance. With his show, he wants audiences to feel they are in the experience. Here, they also get caught up in the latest reports too.

There are no cameos from the jazz greats I usually spin, but I swear Pharoah Sanders might have heard the call.Anything tied to cosmic consciousness or “The One” could appear, though that might overwhelm a casual Fringe crowd. As for the Lemurians of Mt. Shasta or why some people live in a shared bubble, that depends on which studies you trust.

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A Nerds’s Guide to the 2025 Victoria Fringe Festival

We offer our top ten picks on what to see at the 2025 Victoria Fringe Festival, and they span a wide range that includes comedy, burlesque and sci-fi!

2025 Victoria Fringe FestivalThe 2025 Victoria Fringe Festival will soon take over the Garden City and while I’m divided since it’s the start of Ghost Month, I’ll handle both in my own super and natural way.  This year’s lineup promises a fantastic mix of comedy, drama, sci-fi, and musicals from both local and touring artists. To help you navigate the packed schedule, I’ve put together a list of must-see picks that cover everything from improvised Shakespeare to a musical about Rapunzel and a drag sci-fi show. Whether you’re looking for something spooky, silly, or seriously thought-provoking, this guide has you covered.

20 QUESTIONS

20 QuestionsHINOX/TY WESLEY Victoria, BC
Created by: Hinox/Ty Wesley

Two paranormal investigators try to save their jobs until an annoying mysterious entity comes along and lures them into playing a game to save them from their ‘horrible fate’. Can they save themselves before their first date?

  • Showtimes: August 22 at 7:30 pm, August 31 at 5:00 pm.

THE DISNEY DELUSION

The Disney DelusionLEIF OLESON-CORMACK Edmonton, AB
Written by: Leif Oleson-Cormack

A hit at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe, this (unfortunately) true story follows a disastrous Disneyland trip that spirals into crime, delusion, and chaos on the night of the 2008 US election—featuring sinister sugar daddies, Sinatra impersonators, and a LOT of magical thinking along the way.

  • Showtimes: August 27 at 6:00 pm, August 28 at 7:15 pm, August 29 at 5:30 pm, August 30 at 12:00 pm, August 31 at 4:15 pm.

ESCAPE FROM VICTORIA

Escape from VictoriaTAMLYNN BRYSON Toronto, ON
Created by: Tamlynn Bryson & Rod Peter Jr.

It’s 1997, the future. Snake must clear his name and save Canada! The Canadian comedy hit of 2024 finally comes to Victoria.

  • Show Dates: August 20-31, 2025. Specific showtimes are not yet listed.

JUICY WOO-WOO!

juicy woo wooSOBOLTALK Burritt Rapids, ON
Created by: John Sobol

Juicy Woo-Woo! – the UFO Cabaret – features funky saxman and high-octane action poet John Sobol in a dazzling one-man show that offers a cogent and mind-expanding recap of the latest stunning developments in the weird and wild realm of UFOs.

 

  • Showtimes: August 21 at 7:45 pm, August 22 at 6:00 pm, August 23 at 3:15 pm & 2:00 pm, August 26 at 8:00 pm.

KIN

KinBECOMING THEATER Victoria, BC
Created by: Andrew Sawyer

An original musical based on the story of Rapunzel. When she learns she isn’t who she thought she is, Rapunzel travels down into the magical forest below her tower to find her name.

  • Showtimes: August 21 at 8:00 pm, August 27 at 8:00 pm, August 28 at 8:00 pm.

ORIGINS OF THE COAST

Origins of the CoastALECTORIA PRODUCTIONS Victoria, BC
Created by: Alectoria Productions

The creatures that live in those hidden places all around us have crawled out of the ocean and the forest and the mountains to speak with you at Macauley Point. They have been here since time began, and they are ready to share their story.

  • Show Dates: August 20-31, 2025. Specific showtimes are not yet listed.

POPURRÍ

PopurríPLASTIK THEATRIK Victoria, BC
Created by: Lore Andrea

From the nightmarish visions of an outcast Latina comes this surreal collection of short vignettes blended together with a whimsical and eerie flavour.

  • Show Dates: August 20-31, 2025. Specific showtimes are not yet listed.

RUBY’S POP UP PEEPSHOW

RUBY ENTERTAINMENTS AND EVENTS Victoria, BC
Created by: Ruby a.k.a Sarah Smith

By donation at the venue. People are pleasure! Doomsday got you down? Practice “radical joy” with us! Our travelling carnival-style entertainment has body-positive vibes. A community of celebration, with performances in the Pop Up circus caravan, accompanied by novel elements like popcorn, games, and prizes. It’s go-go on the go!

SPACE QUEEN

SPACE QUEENDRAG SUNDAY PRODUCTIONS Victoria, BC
Created by: Aaron Nickol/Shelita Cox

What do you do when the stories you needed growing up didn’t exist? This one-person sci-fi drag musical is a love letter to the queer futures we dream of, and a fight song for the histories we’ve lost. Sequins. Synths. And outer space.

  • Show Dates: August 23-30, 2025. Specific showtimes are not yet listed.

TRAGEDY OR TRIUMPH:
AN IMPROVISED SHAKESPEAREAN EPIC

Tragedy or Triumph- An Improvised Shakespearean EpicTHE SPONTANEOUS SHAKESPEARE COMPANY Vancouver, BC
Created by: The Spontaneous Shakespeare Company

Come see a once-in-a-lifetime Shakespearian epic, inspired by your story. Will it be a heart-rending tragedy or an epic romance? Join and find out!

  • Show Dates: August 20-31, 2025. Specific showtimes are not yet listed.

Gaming Gauntlet: GRETA Bar’s YVR Identity Crisis

GRETA Bar in Vancouver offers arcade games but feels more like a sports bar than a dedicated nerd hangout, raising questions about its target audience.

Greta Bar YVR LogoTo find places to enjoy the latest arcade games has become increasingly tough with what home consoles and computers can do, but for that hangout experience, GRETA Bar delivers in that front. I would not have known about them unless they have an impressive marketing team to draw in the tourists. And when Fan Expo Vancouver helped bring awareness to this island nerd, I had to check it out! I returned recently to see how different it is when they are not hosting an event with this convention, and it has the feel of a sports bar more so than a true nerd’s hangout.

And when this franchise type operation includes Calgary, Edmonton, and Toronto, I’m sure catering to a specific type of geek is easier than figuring out who to cater to in Vancouver’s Gastown. When this city’s version of Fan Expo thought this place is appropriate for an after-party of sorts, the success may well be mixed. I have yet to see this convention settle upon a dedicated operation to run an event. When a few previous businesses they have worked with closed their doors years later, I hope that’s not a sign.

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At F1RST, The Spirit Who Swims Sheds Light On A Local Problem

Through powerful storytelling, The Spirit Who Swims highlights the resilience of Indigenous stewardship and the urgent need to protect both salmon and Indigenous rights.

Playing at FIRST: A Celebration of Indigenous FilmThe Spirit Who Swims Movie Poster

The next time I go fishing, I’m paying respect to the river for allowing me to catch my bounty. That’s because the well-meaning documentary, The Spirit Who Swims, shows how the times have changed. From net catching to being more than a sport, there’s a lot more to just going out to reconnect with nature. This movie directed by Bev Sellars and Garry Tutte examines the clash between local Indigenous communities who subsisted on fishing for continued growth versus the west. To be specific, the Secwépemc, Stó:lō and Tsilhqot’in are identified.

When Europeans came to North America and formed their governments, they wanted to gatekeep. While these colonials were not dependent on the land to find their sustenance, others were. While four particular indigenous communities depended on the bounties the Fraser River offered, the other settlers saw something else and changed the way the waters flow.

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F1RST: A Celebration of Aboriginal Film is back for its Second Year in Victoria, BC

Next month will present various opportunities to acknowledge what makes this continent special with its look at what its F1RST settlers have done when they settled this land. 

F1RST- A Celebration of Aboriginal Film PosterVisitors to Victoria, British Columbia might want to plan if they want to take part at F1RST: A Celebration of Aboriginal Film while here. This short movie marathon run by the folks from the Victoria Film Festival is now in its second year. It may well be replacing Feast Food+Film, an event that may have ended when the pandemic hit.

In this follow-up to last week’s post, this introduction provides more information about this sophomore event and what to expect next. After this show is Free-B Summer Nights screenings at Beacon Hill Park.

When a lot of events, operations, and festivals, including this blog, makes our home in this region, we are all honoured to be based on the traditional territory of the Lekwungen-speaking peoples of the Songhees Nation and Xwsepsum Nation, and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples, whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.

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An Island Fancon Report and Why Greater Victoria Needs More Nerdy Events!

When Greater Victoria is home to Island Fancon, can this event grow to replace the huge gap that nerds living in this region need?

Island Fancon LogoWhen Island Fancon becomes the event for pop culture enthusiasts to congregate in the Greater Victoria region, let’s hope this show will keep on going. The convention takes place in Langford, British Columbia, and chief organizer Lonnie Eckardt is committed to keeping this celebration going. He is aware of the challenges and will do his best to make it work.

After last year’s news from Capital City Comic Con that they cannot continue, no other party with similar offerings exists. And I discussed the problems this city faces in a separate editorial. In a nutshell, this region has trouble with keeping a convention going after three or so years.

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