Victoria Archives | Otaku No Culture

When All You Need is “Yaga,” You Better Be Ready to Fight Instead of take Flight

Halloween season has begun! And to get your early scares on, The Belfry is bringing the cross country hit, Yaga, to Victoria, BC!

Kat Sandler's Yaga Title Card — **Playing at The Belfry,** **Victoria, BC**
**From Sept 14th, 2023 to Oct 8, 2023.**
**Tickets are available here**

Please check Playwrights Canada for other regional performances.

The formula for what Kat Sandler‘s play, simply titled Yaga, is about may well be like an episode of Twin Peaks for some attendees, but for myself, I’m thinking Murder, She Wrote. But instead of solving mysteries from the perspective of a best-selling author, the point of view is from an omniscient presence needing more than the usual sustenance. Baba Yaga is an infamous Slavic witch known to eat children, but these days, she’s not picky.

Ever since this show’s debut in 2019, various theatre houses have put this play on across Canada. To kickstart Victoria, BC’s The Belfry 2023/24 season and get attendees ready for Halloween, it seems the director Jani Lauzon added an indigenous touch on top. We’re in a birch house to listen to the very beginnings of life. It’s told by a woman shaman (Tracey Nepinak) in a set that I believe was designed to resemble a traditional First Nation longhouse.

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[Victoria Fringe 2023] New Earth Bandits Photo Gallery, Beware of Mutants!

Is the Future Safe from SNAFU Dance’s New Earth Bandits? Look on as we present images from Sunday evening’s performance.

For folks unable to attend SNAFU Dance‘s New Earth Bandits because it’s a regional show, I offer a sequential journey on what I experienced. Please visit the prior article for a full review and synopsis. Although there was lots to take in, the visual spectacle and journey of these remaining survivors of Earth (and visitors to) was amazing to behold, and plus, we got a terrific sunset to experience as the show drew to a close. Not included are images of the closing act, since some spoiler info should be kept masked.

Without further adieu:

In Victoria, BC Cherry Bomb Toys is Back in Business on Yates! Isn’t That Great?

The good news for locals, tourists and toy collectors coming to Downtown Victoria is that Cherry Bomb Toys is back in business!

Cherry Bomb Toys with B Woodward! In Victoria, BC, Cherry Bomb Toys has moved, and it’s now nestled on the same side of the street along with Interactivity Board Game Cafe and Haunted Manor: Mini-Golf + Ping-Pong Lounge. This much beloved family run toy store has lots of memories contained in its now bigger location, and as everything is located on one floor, The National Toy Museum of Canada will occupy the back half of the space. For this weekend, there’ll be a few random giveaways to thank those who supported them over the years and bring even more smiles to what’s been done to show they have no intention of ever closing shop.

They held their grand (re)opening Friday, May 26th with customers old and new wandering through during the afternoon. There’s still a few bits that weren’t ready, like a new storefront sign. I have no doubt it’ll be scaled to size, but for the nostalgia, the original hangs over the payment counter. The museum isn’t quite ready yet for people to wander through, but Biagio Woodward promises it’ll be spectacular.

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A Pop Culture Guide to the 2023 Victoria Film Festival

The 2023 Victoria Film Festival is turning twenty-nine years old, and it’s terrific to see them continue to support the local filmmaking community. Arnold Lim’s latest, “My Name is Arnold,” is the spotlight this year. Not only do they continue to bring the love for independent film to Vancouver Island but also do what they can to keep cineastes in town happy.

Whether they attract more from abroad is something they should include in their guide to say why this event is important on a global scale. That’s mostly because there’s lovers of film from afar who often ask that.

If travelling to the wet and wintry garden city is not possible to show support, then I suggest checking out if your local film festival or art house theatre will play them. Thankfully, there’s three works in this list which are more accessible than others (see below). One is already on home video, and I’ll never tire of watching on a traditional basis.

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What’s New in Bootoria Event Guide 2022 Edition

Victoria, BC isn’t dry for scary things to do. There’s a lot of dance parties for Bootoria 2022, but why limit yourself to other family fun activities?

There are not a lot of new special events going on in Victoria, BC as Halloween nears. Aside from staples returning to normal form as pandemic concerns abate, what’s new is limited to what is advertised and not. Please check our past Bootoria Event Guide(s) for those annual shows that may have come and gone. It’s safe to say not every organiser wants to be liable should immunised event goers get sick.

But as for those confirmed to be running, the list includes the staples–John Adam’s Ghostly Walks, Galey Farms’ Festival of Fear, Ocean View / Saanichton Corn Mazes Fright Nights, The Vic Theatre’s annual Rocky Horror Picture Show and Cinecenta offering some movie marathon. This year is Nosferatu Live!.

Sadly, the organisers behind Fear in the Pier and University Frights Theatre haven’t announced anything. Let’s hope they have something spectre-acular planned when we can truly put the pandemic behind us. But as for what’s new, I’m compiling this list as they become known for the public to purchase tickets in advance for. Thanks go to Theatre Victoria’s Facebook collective for contributing ideas to this list.

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[Victoria, BC] Cherry Bomb Toys Needs Your Help

Cherry Bomb Toys is more than a fixture, but also a heart of the Nerdtoria community with the many shows they put on throughout the year.

Say it isn’t so, but another fixture in Victoria, BC’s Nerd Row is required to relocate. Cherry Bomb Toys and The National Toy Museum of Canada can’t stay in the building they called home for 13 years.

According to Candice Woodward, co-owner of the two operations, the new landlords have other plans. It’s tough to say what 1410 Broad Street will become, but since they’re not going to challenge CTV Vancouver Island (formerly known as A Channel before broadcasting giants took over), what that bit of street will become is unlikely going to be media related. All any long time residents of this city can hope for is that the Victoria Event Centre isn’t the next target.

What lays along Broad and Johnson are many shops catering to comic book, gamers, home video enthusiasts, and toy collectors. A few years ago, Yellowjacket Comics had to move because the building needed upgrades. It’s safe to say developers don’t have the interests of geeks in mind and Nerd Row will eventually get demolished. It’s safe to say Legends Comics and Books is next.

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