LOCATION: White Eagle Polish Hall 90 Dock Street Victoria, BC
DATES: Aug 26, 28-31 8:00pm Sept 01 8:00pm
One style of folk music from Portugal has a rich and very colourful history. Fado rose out of the political climate of the mid-19th century, and it was not until the 1970s when it came into wider acceptance. The New Statesman has a terrific overview of this history, and despite its auspicious beginnings, today’s generation embraced it and it became the song of a nation. Puente Theatre took on the challenge of dispelling the myths and explaining the generational divide in Fado, the Saddest Music in the World. This task did not go unnoticed when I went their opening night show at the Victoria Fringe Festival.
Victoria’s Centennial Square will soon be transformed into more than just a Kaleidoscope of fun, thrills and joy! Not only is this seminal theatre production company hosting this theatre festival in the heart of downtown, but also Puente Theatre, Outpost 31 and The Purple Pirate will participate. Together, they will be offering productions which includes The Little Prince, Gruff (based on the Norwegian fairy tale “Three Billy Goats Gruff”), Winnie the Pooh and Magic & Mayhem being displayed by these respective performance groups. There is more than one show, so families can check their whimsy in nearly any time of the day from 11am to 5pm.
The 4th Annual Kaleidoscope Family Theatre Festival takes place June 11-12 and it will be inviting audiences to free their imagination and celebrate the best in what the performing arts can offer for young people.
“The stories being told at the 2016 Festival encourage families to experience the magic of live theatre,” said Roderick Glanville, Artistic Director of Kaleidoscope. “From a rocking musical for two goats and a troll, to the exploration of the unknown, these plays will inspire audiences of all ages and invite them on a journey to a new way of imagining, thinking, and being.”
For two full days, audiences will enjoy unique theatrical experiences alongside free performances from beloved Victoria entertainers Cam and Daisy. The Festival’s Activity Village makes it easy for the whole family to be creatively adventurous together with such activities as mask making, face painting, dress up booth, and more.
The festival marks the first official use of Kaleidoscope’s Igloo theatres. The largest of the two igloos measures 15.2 metres wide and 7.3 metres high will feature three productions seating 150 audience members, with the smallest of the igloos housing Kaleidoscope’s The Little Prince in an intimate 50 seats performance. The igloo’s are inflated through continued forced air and will create a whimsical theatre environment in Centennial Square.
Tickets can be purchased online at rmts.bc.ca, by phone at 250-386-6121, in advance through the McPherson Playhouse Box Office or during the Festival at the on-site box office.
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