1033: About Edmonton Fringe Star Ratings by Vue Weekly

FREE (STARS)

#1033 / AUG 13 – AUG 19, 2015 VUEWEEKLY.COM

WHAT'S IN A STAR?

REVIEWING HOW WE REVIEW THE FRINGE REDRAWING THE ELECTORAL MAP 5 EDIBLE FLOWERS: NOSH SOME BLOSSOMS 6

BLUES FEST PULLOUT INSIDE 15

EVENING APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE 10126 - 118 Street, Edmonton, AB T5K 1Y4 Ph: (780) 482.4000 • Fax: (780) 482.1841 empiredental@mail.com • www.empiredentists.com @empiredentists 2 UP FRONT

VUEWEEKLY.com | AUG 13 – AUG 19, 2015

ISSUE: 1033 AUG 13 – AUG 19, 2015

LISTINGS

ARTS / 11 MUSIC / 23 EVENTS / 25 CLASSIFIED / 26 ADULT / 28

FRONT

"[Gerrymandering] is not impossible—nothing is—but it is very unlikely in Canadian politics. And it is not reflected in Edmonton at all." // 5

DISH

"There are a few basic rules to follow with edible flowers, the first of which is common sense: don't eat anything you're not sure about." // 6

ARTS

"The star system can make or break a show ... I've seen a lot of bizarre reasons for either twos or threes or fives." // 8

FILM

"Transphobia is out there, it's very difficult, but not every film about trans life needs to be a documentary." // 12

MUSIC

"My goals in the band were to tour the country, maybe go see something overseas and release an album, and in the last year we've done all that." // 14

vVUEWEEKLY #200, 11230 - 119 STREET, EDMONTON, AB T5G 2X3 | T: 780.426.1996

F: 780.426.2889

FOUNDING EDITOR / PUBLISHER.................................................................................................................RON GARTH PRESIDENT ROBERT W DOULL......................................................................................................................rwdoull@vueweekly.com PUBLISHER ANDY COOKSON ...............................................................................................................................andy@vueweekly.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER / SALES MANAGER JOANNE LAYH ..................................................................................................................................joanne@vueweekly.com OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR VALERIE GROSS .............................................................................................................................valerie@vueweekly.com MANAGING EDITOR / MUSIC EDITOR MEAGHAN BAXTER .................................................................................................................meaghan@vueweekly.com ARTS & FILM EDITOR PAUL BLINOV ........................................................................................................................................paul@vueweekly.com NEWS & DISH EDITOR MEL PRIESTLEY ....................................................................................................................................mel@vueweekly.com POSTVUE / FEATURES WRITER JASMINE SALAZAR...................................................................................................................... jasmine@vueweekly.com EDITORIAL INTERN TAMANNA KHURANA ..............................................................................................................tamanna@vueweekly.com LISTINGS HEATHER SKINNER....................................................................................................................... listings@vueweekly.com PRODUCTION MANAGER CHARLIE BIDDISCOMBE .............................................................................................................charlie@vueweekly.com PRODUCTION CURTIS HAUSER .............................................................................................................................curtish@vueweekly.com ACCOUNT MANAGER JAMES JARVIS ....................................................................................................................................james@vueweekly.com ACCOUNT MANAGER KRISTIN ASHMORE ........................................................................................................................kristin@vueweekly.com NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE DPS MEDIA .......................................................................................416.413.9291....................dbradley@dpsmedia.com DISTRIBUTION MANAGER MICHAEL GARTH .........................................................................................................................michael@vueweekly.com

CONTRIBUTORS Kate Black, Josef Braun, Rob Brezsny, Bruce Cinnamon, Ashley Dryburgh, Tami-lee Duncan, Gwynne Dyer, Fish Grikowsky, Tamanna Khurana, Jordyn Marcellus, Alex Migdal, Dan Savage, Mike Winters

DISTRIBUTION Terry Anderson, Shane Bennett, Jason Dublanko, John Fagan Aaron Getz, Amy Olliffe, Beverley Phillips, Justin Shaw, Choi Chung Shui, Parker Thiessen, Wally Yanish

Vue Weekly is available free of charge at well over 1200 locations throughout Edmonton. We are funded solely through the support of our advertisers. Vue Weekly is a division of Postvue Publishing LP (Robert W. Doull, President) and is published every Thursday. Vue Weekly is available free of charge throughout Greater Edmonton and Northern Alberta, limited to one copy per reader. Vue Weekly may be distributed only by Vue Weekly's authorized independent contractors and employees. No person may, without prior written permission of Vue Weekly, take more than one copy of each Vue Weekly issue. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40022989. If undeliverable, return to: Vue Weekly #200, 11230 - 119 St, Edmonton, AB T5G 2X3

VUEWEEKLY.com | AUG 13 – AUG 19, 2015

UP FRONT 3

FRONT

NEWS EDITOR: MEL PRIESTLEY MEL@VUEWEEKLY.COM

Queer Fringe options

ASHLEY DRYBURGH // ASHLEY@VUEWEEKLY.COM

A selection of shows featuring obviously queer content Summer may be quickly coming to a close, but Edmonton always saves the best for last: the 34th-annual Edmonton International Fringe Festival starts this week. Of all the events in the city, Fringe is hands-down my favourite festival of the summer. (Full disclosure: I love it so much that I joined the Fringe board). With over 200 indoor shows and 1600 performances this year, it can be a daunting task to decide what to see and what to skip. Never fear, though—I have scoured this year's program guide and pulled out the shows which feature obviously queer content. This isn't to say that there won't be queer themes in other shows, but the following shows made an effort to highlight it. I make no guarantees about quality; keep an eye out for reviews by Vue writers on edmontonfringe.ca. Darrin Hagen and his team at Guys in Disguise have two shows this year: Typhoon Judy and Witch Hunt at the Strand. The first stars Christopher Peterson as Judy Garland; here, Garland

VUEPOINT

recalls the events of her life through song and story. Witch Hunt, a new play written by Hagen, explores a piece of Edmonton's gay history. Drawing from legal transcripts and archival material, the play tells the story of the 1942 police raid targeted at Edmonton's theatre scene. In a similar vein, (un) Known Stories, presented by In Arms Queer Theatre Company, is a series of vignettes highlighting the unknown stories of our queer community. According to the program guide: "approached from an anti-oppressive and feminist perspective, the In Arms ensemble worked through a series of storytelling workshops

homosexual," presents his one-man show Cootie Catcher. The show follows Brooks' close encounters with sexually transmitted infections and his attempts to remain sex positive in an HIV-negative society. The last show, MAN UP, promises to explore sexuality, m a s c u l i n i t y, vulnerability and authenticity. It also promises to feature four very attractive men dancing in high heels for an hour. I'll let you decide which reason is more compelling.

The last show, MAN UP, promises to explore sexuality, masculinity, vulnerability and authenticity. It also promises to feature four very attractive men dancing in high heels for an hour. I'll let you decide which reason is more compelling. one: in an interview on his website, Bailey is asked to describe the show in five words. His answer? "Fag Takes on Hell: Wins?" Lucas Brooks, who describes himself as a "professional intellectual

DYERSTRAIGHT MEL PRIESTLEY MEL@VUEWEEKLY.COM

No smiles for you This past weekend, CBC reporter Megan Batchelor was filming a live broadcast from the Squamish Valley Music Festival when a man ran up and kissed her on the cheek. She filed an RCMP complaint in response, a move that has been both praised and condemned: some agree that the act was completely unacceptable while others say she is simply being too sensitive—she was at a music festival, after all. The tacit assumption in the latter argument is that for whatever reason, simply entering a music festival is apparently a free pass on behaviours that are otherwise unacceptable in the outside world. I wasn't kissed by a stranger at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, but I did experience several instances of casual sexual harassment, though my experience was less blatent and therefore more easily dismissed: on three separate occasions I was approached by a man who told me to smile. In each case they either followed me a short distance repeating their entreaty, or they stopped to badger me while I was waiting in various queues. This phenomenon—strangers, almost always men, telling women to smile—has been discussed at length, as it's something experienced by the vast majority of women at some point in their life. It's also one of the most easily dismissed examples of street harassment because it seems so trivial—but ultimately it comes down to a male passing judgment over a female's appearance and purposefully trying to change it to suit his own preference. Music festivals, because they exist outside the boundaries of usual social mores, are often spaces where nonmainstream behaviours are magnified—good and bad. Their convivial atmosphere makes it seem like anything goes, but make no mistake: you are not free to harass someone no matter where you are. So please stop telling me to fucking smile while I'm waiting in line for the porta-potty.V

4 UP FRONT

where personal stories transformed into semi-fictional narratives." Adam Bailey is on Fire is a comingof-age story about the gay son of an Evangelical minster. I'm going to let Bailey's words stand alone on this

While these were the six shows with obvious queer content, there are a number of others that might

also touch on the queer community. The Seminar: Breakthrough features a bunch of sexy women satirizing the beauty industry. …didn't see that coming is Beverley Elliott's one-woman musical show about, amongst other things, Hollywood and gay bars. Naked Ladies is a feminist show about why women get naked on stage. If I really start to stretch things, there's the third iteration of God is a Scottish Drag Queen. Finally, while probably not queer in any way, shape or form, there are a number of burlesque shows this year promising sexy people parading on stage in sexy underwear: Oh Manada!, A Burlesque Satire: The Second Breakfast Club and Burlesque-Prov. Happy Fringe, everyone: may your green onion cakes be crackling hot and your taco-in-bag disgusting but oddly compelling! For more information, including tickets, performance times and venues, check out fringetheatre.ca. V

GWYNNE DYER // GWYNNE@VUEWEEKLY.COM

More trouble dead than alive

Mullah Omar has been dead since 2013, but no one told his followers Islamist fanatics, as you would expect, are very earnest about their beliefs. They accept that secrecy and deceit are necessary to mislead the enemy, but they do not expect their leaders to be lying to them. When they find out that they have been lied to, consistently and over a long period of time, they get very cross—and this has repercussions in the real world. From the time that the Taliban conquered Kabul and took over most of Afghanistan in 1996, Mullah Muhammad Omar Mansoor was the man who ran the show and was effectively the head of state. He was the man who allowed Osama bin Laden to set up camp in Afghanistan. And although the Taliban lost power after the US invasion in 2001, Mullah Omar remained in control of the organization until his death in 2013. The trouble is that nobody told his faithful followers that he died more than two years ago in Pakistan. Until last week the Taliban was still issuing statements in his name—most recently, on July 15, a message endorsing the Taliban's recent peace talks with the current Afghan government. Now all Mullah Omar's statements since April 2013 are in question, and so are the men who made them in his name. This matters a lot, because Mullah Omar was not just the leader of the Taliban. He was also the most important figure in the broader alliance of Islamist groups known as al Qaeda. Indeed, he had as much right to claim to be its founder as the man who actually gets the credit, Osama bin Laden. With his long record as a real fighter,

Mullah Omar was much more respected than the man who formally inherited al Qaeda's leadership after Osama bin Laden was killed in 2011, the reclusive Egyptian theorist Ayman al-Zawahiri. Indeed, Zawahiri felt compelled to renew his pledge of allegiance ("baya") to Mullah Omar when the rival jihadi group, Islamic State, declared its leader, Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, to be the "caliph of all the Muslims" in 2014. This is not just internal politics in a local jihadi group. Al Qaeda and Islamic State are in a frequently violent competition for the loyalty of all the scattered Islamist groups in the Muslim countries. It was therefore very important for al Qaeda that Mullah Omar rejected Baghdadi's claim to be the caliph—and it is very important to the rest of the world that the two jihadi organizations remain divided and hostile to each other. Al Qaeda has been losing ground in this competition for some years now. Indeed, Islamic State recently set up its own rival franchises in the two countries where al Qaeda still dominates the struggle against the local regime, Afghanistan and Yemen. The two groups are currently at war with each other in both countries, but that could change fast if al Qaeda's leadership is discredited by the lies it has been telling. If Mullah Omar actually died in 2013, he could not have denounced Baghdadi's claim to be the legitimate caliph in 2014.

VUEWEEKLY.com | AUG 13 – AUG 19, 2015

Similarly, Zawahiri's pledge of allegiance to him in 2014 was either a deliberate lie, or a demonstration that he is hopelessly out of touch with what is actually happening beyond his hide-out, presumably somewhere in Pakistan. Either way, al Qaeda loses credibility. There would be no reason to mourn the decline of al Qaeda except that the main beneficiary will be Islamic State. There is no strong reason to prefer one organization to the other, either—except that the last thing the world needs is for Islamic State to take over all of al Qaeda's franchises and create a single, much more powerful and attractive Islamist fighting front. The current state of division of the extreme Islamist movement is deplored by almost everybody in both organizations. There is little ideological difference between them, although Islamic State is more apocalytic in its vision. If al Qaeda's claim to leadership is seriously undermined by its lies about Mullah Omar, the unification of most or all the Islamist groups under Baghdadi's authority is a real possibility. The first victim of that would be the Assad regime in Syria, which is already tottering, and an Islamist takeover of the whole country. But much more might follow, and none of it would be good news. V Gwynne Dyer is an independent journalist whose articles are published in 45 countries.

Redrawing the map What will Canada's electoral changes mean on election day?

anada's new map of electoral ridings is only one reason why this year's federal election is going to be a fascinating, potentially groundbreaking race—but it's also one that has given many people pause. The Globe and Mail ran an article back in January 2014 suggesting that the Progressive Conservatives stand to benefit the most from both the newly minted ridings and redrawn boundaries, a sentiment that has been echoed (or at least mentioned) in many conversations about the impending race. Some have even outright accused ridings of being gerrymandered, a term from US politics that refers to the establishment of electoral districts that provide a political advantage to one party (typically the one in power at the time the districts are redrawn). Gerrymandering is based on past voting preference and the assumption is that if a neighbourhood voted a certain way in a past election, they will vote the same way in future ones. But Jim Lightbody, a political science professor at the University of Alberta, dismisses these suggestions. "We really do, in Canada, have one of the most fair ways of aligning electoral boundaries," he says. The federal electoral ridings are redrawn every 10 years by Elections Canada to account for population growth and movement based on

the federal census; the most recent changes are therefore most significant in British Columbia, Alberta and the Greater Toronto Area. After October's election, the House of Commons will have 30 new seats, six of which will be in Alberta: two are in Edmonton and one is in Calgary. Additionally, dozens of ridings across the country have had their boundaries redrawn, including several in Edmonton. The changes are required under the Constitution of Canada, and the process is conducted by independent commissions working in each province, which are comprised of politically neutral people like justices and provincial electoral officers. "They do the best they can to ensure the constituencies are roughly similar in size," Lightbody says. "Within that framework they do a reasonably good balancing act, and it's largely free from political meddling. It's all in law. "That's one thing that Harper hasn't got around to fixing yet," he adds with a sarcastic snicker. "[Gerryman-

dering] is not impossible—nothing is—but it is very unlikely in Canadian politics. And it is not reflected in Edmonton at all." But while the new ridings were likely free from political interference, the Harper government has made two other moves that are blatant attempts to hedge its bets: changing the identification process at the polls and, most significantly, calling the election early. The first item is similar to what

nates against certain categories of people," Lightbody says. "That discriminates against students, certainly people with lower incomes who are highly mobile, some seniors. But I suspect that the people who are actually going to make it to the polling stations are intelligent enough that they'll be OK." What the Conservatives are really banking their campaign upon—and the real reason why they called the election early—comes down to one thing, Lightbody states: money. " T h a t ' s where the Harper government did fiddle with the rules," he says. "They changed the law to have a fixed election date." Nothing in the Election Act, however, prevents the government from calling an election early. Lightbody argues that Harper did so because the Conservatives have an almost two-to-one advantage over the other two parties in terms of the money candidates have in their war chests: in the 37 days leading up to the election, the Fair Elections Act ensures that each candidate have

[Gerrymandering] is not impossible— nothing is—but it is very unlikely in Canadian politics. And it is not reflected in Edmonton at all American Republicans have done south of the border: instead of just being able to bring your voter card to the poll on election day, all Canadians must now provide proof of address. This means that people either have to show a piece of photo ID with their current address or two other pieces of ID, one of which must show the address on it. (The list of acceptable forms of ID can be found on the elections.ca website.) "That is new, and that discrimi-

VUEWEEKLY.com | AUG 13 – AUG 19, 2015

FRONT // POLITICS

a fixed spending cap of roughly $100 000. But if the election campaign is longer than 37 days, the Act permits candidates to spend one 37th of that cap each day. Therefore, because the election is about twice as long, candidates can spend a total of roughly $200 000. "Now, all candidates can do that— the Greens, the Liberals and the Conservatives," Lightbody says. "But the reality is that only the Conservatives have the money." The election is still in its early days, so Lightbody cautions against anyone drawing conclusions yet. He's looking to the post-Labour Day poll for the first true indication of what might transpire in October. One thing to consider, he notes, is that Harper called this election without consulting his local party officials, which is exactly what Jim Prentice did a few months ago in Alberta. As well, Canada's current economic climate will play a significant role in swaying voters' minds come election day. "This is a difficult time for a national government to go to vote," Lightbody says. "The problem is the economy, and that problem is for all of Canada across the board. It's very hard for a government to win reelection in the midst of a recession." MEL PRIESTLEY

MEL@VUEWEEKLY.COM

UP FRONT 5

DISH // FLOWERS

DISH

DISH EDITOR: MEL PRIESTLEY MEL@VUEWEEKLY.COM

NOSH SOME BLOSSOMS Edible flowers add pizzazz to your plate

et your garden go to bloom, pick them in a park or grab some at the farmers' market: edible flowers are a great way to use plants that are otherwise non-edible ornamentals, or to extend the usefulness of fruits and veggies once they have passed their usual harvest period. There are a few basic rules to follow with edible flowers, the first of which is common sense: don't eat anything you're not sure about. Some flowers are toxic, even ones from plants that have other edible parts (tomato and potato flowers are great examples); many ornamental flowers are very poisonous. Second, never harvest flowers where there is a risk that they may have been sprayed with pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals—call the city if you're harvesting from green spaces in Edmonton to make sure nothing has been sprayed there. Also avoid harvesting from roadsides due to accumulation of automobile pollution. Before using, wash flowers by swishing them in lukewarm water to remove dirt and any insects, then allow them to dry on paper towels. When edible flowers are quite large, usually you should remove the pistils and stamen (the inside

6 DISH

parts) before preparing them. If they grow in a compact head (like chives) break them apart and scatter the petals over the dish. Due to their delicate nature, most edible flowers are best when sprinkled on salads, soups or other dishes as a final garnish—cooking over high heat and/or for extended periods will destroy their flavour. Also, a large reason for including edible flowers in a dish is purely esthetic: they look fantastic and even though they may not comprise the dominant flavour of the meal, they are a feast for the eyes. The following is a list of edible flowers commonly found growing in Edmonton's green spaces and gardens; most are also readily available from various sellers at local farmers' markets, either on their own or as part of salad mixes. Nasturtiums Nasturtiums are a longtime favourite edible flower as they add a distinctively sweet-spicy flavour to salads. They are also visually quite stunning and they're easy to grow, to boot— they thrive in poor soil, so even

novice gardeners should be able to grow a good crop of them. If you're into pickling, let some of the flowers go to seed and then pickle the seeds—they are an inexpensive (not to mention homegrown) substitute for capers. Chive and garlic tops Known collectively as alliums, this species of plants includes a number of kitchen essentials that also produce edible flowers: onions, chives and garlic. They form a ball-like top on mature plants, which can be plucked and shredded over salads to add a mild onion-y flavour without the bite of the fresh leaves/roots. Squash Blossoms Large and striking, squash blossoms make a bold statement on the plate. All squash, both summer and winter varieties (butternut, pumpkin, acorn, zucchini) are monoecious, meaning they produce both male and female flowers. Only about 10 percent of the flowers on a squash plant are female, which are the ones that, once pollinated, will go on to produce fruit. The rest are male and will drop off and die quite quickly. It's easy to identify the sex of these flowers by simply looking at their base: if there's a swelling,

that's a female flower (the swelling will grow into the fruit); male flowers are also usually on longer stalks whereas female flowers are closer to the base of the plant. Pluck off the male flowers and eat at will: they are great battered and fried (and stuffed with cheese first if you're feeling decadent), thinly sliced over salad, soup, pasta or rice, made into soup or simply lightly roasted on a pizza or in a quesadilla.

Beans The flowers of scarlet runner beans (a tall pole bean variety) are great to use in salads as they have a striking bold red colour. Once these plants produce pods they quickly go from young and tender to old and tough— the window seems to be annoyingly short (at least in my garden), so I've largely given up on them for producing actual beans and instead grow them as ornamentals/edible flowers.

Herb Flowers Most culinary herbs have edible blossoms. Leafy green herbs (and most other greens, for that matter) tend to bolt in hot weather—meaning they shoot up a flowering stalk. This will happen regardless of whether the herbs are growing in your garden or in a pot on your deck or windowsill. (The small potted herbs sold in the supermarket—basil is probably the most common—are particularly notorious for bolting immediately, as they are potted and sold when they've reached or just surpassed peak maturity.) After bolting, the greens become bitter and not very palatable. The good news is that you can eat these flowers, so when your herbs inevitably bolt you can still pluck the delicate flowers for use in salads or as garnishes for soups and other dishes.

Dandelion This list would not be complete without the humble dandelion, the flower despised by urbanites who value lawns over food. The dandelion was originally brought here by European settlers as a forage crop because the entire plant is edible and very nutritious. Care must be taken to ensure you're not harvesting dandelions that have been doused in herbicide. The yellow dandelion tops are at their most prolific in early spring, so you might want to stake out an area now that's safe for harvesting next spring when you'll be jonesing for something bright and fresh to eat, but their ubiquity means they aren't hard to find all summer long. Those who are particularly industrious can even try making dandelion wine—or you can buy a bottle of Dande from Spirit Hills, a honey winery in southern Alberta.

Rose Petal All types of roses are edible, from the wild ones growing in abundance throughout the ravines and river valleys around Edmonton to the many cultivated varieties proliferating in gardens and backyards. They are also an ancient food that has been used for centuries for various culinary and medicinal purposes. The simplest way to use them is to pluck off the individual petals (don't eat the centre part) and sprinkle over your dish, but they can also be used in countless other preparations ranging from h e r b a l teas, cordials, rose lemonade, ice cream and rosewater, the latter of which can be used in place of plain water in desserts.

VUEWEEKLY.com | AUG 13 – AUG 19, 2015

MEL PRIESTLEY

MEL@VUEWEEKLY.COM

TO THE PINT

JASON FOSTER // JASON@VUEWEEKLY.COM

Luck of the Irish (Red)

A small Irish brewery comes to Alberta

ne of the joys of travelling is ery—a six-person operation that enjoying craft beer from small opened just over five years ago—lobreweries whose products aren't cated in the little city of Waterford found around our part of the world. on the south coast of Ireland. The Sometimes, however, the craft beer business is significantly smaller than comes to us. Edmonton's Alley Kat Brewery, A couple of Copper Coast Irish Red Ale weeks ago I disyet it's developed Dungarvan Brewing Company, covered some a strong reputaWaterford, Ireland tion for its English new beer on the $8.25 for 500mL bottle store shelf from and Irish styles of beer in a very a brewery I had never heard of, an Irish brewery short time. It seems unusual that called Dungarvan. On a lark I picked such a small brewery would ship its beer as far afield as Edmonton. up a bottle. As I sipped the beer I looked it up The beer I sampled was Dungaronline and was surprised to learn ven's Copper Coast Irish Red Ale, that Dungarvan is a small craft brew- which seems an appropriate name given its hue: a deep copper with red accents. It builds a big, fluffy white head that hangs around for quite a while. The aroma has a very inviting and satisfying toasted bread character, along with some toffee and caramel. Light fruitiness plays back-up. Soft caramel, toffee and berry fruit flavours show up first, along with a delicate sweetness that is present but not too cloying. The initial body could use a bit more fullness to give a stronger start, though the mid-palate brings up a soft sharpness from a touch of hops and just a hint of darker, toasted malt, creating a nice mitigating balance to the sweetness and preventing it from carrying away the beer. The finish is moderately dry with just a hint of floral hop flavour and a dry toasted malt note. Copper Coast is a deceptively complex beer. It starts simple but builds intriguing dimensions of toast and floral hop. It's a finely executed example of the style. I can't say how long this beer will be around—Dunvargan is very small, after all—and I'm unlikely to visit its hometown anytime soon, so that means I need to enjoy this beer while I can: another trip to the store is in order. V

come get some patio while there’s still time!

Jason Foster is the creator of onbeer.org, a website devoted to news and views on beer from the prairies and beyond.

VUEWEEKLY.com | AUG 13 – AUG 19, 2015

DISH 7

COVER // FRINGE

ARTS

ARTS EDITOR : PAUL BLINOV PAUL@VUEWEEKLY.COM

An evaluation of the star-rating system used by Fringe critics

here's a glorious sort of madness that sets over Edmonton during our International Fringe Festival. Its vast swath of performances—some 203 shows this year—is proudly unjuried, with no censorship to limit the content or forms on display. As long as you can pay the festival's entry fee (or a lower fee, if you arrange your own venue in the BYOV [Bring Your Own Venue] system), you can have a stage, a spot in the program and a chance to carve out a slice of the 100 000 Fringe tickets purchased annually. Of course, that uninhibited artistic freedom also means the quality of work varies wildly, and poses a challenge to audiences looking to navigate an eclectic festival—they do so by making use of a mix of personal interest, word of mouth, being handbilled by artists and, of course, reviews. Vue Weekly is among the outlets that attempt to critically access as much of the festival as possible (we review every show in the first few days, actually, all of which you can find at edmontonfringe.ca). In doing so, we make use of something we don't make use of during theatre coverage the rest of the year: a starrating system, ranging from zero to five stars, that helps quantify the festival's hundreds of works. It's a system that I'm certainly willing to admit, as arts editor of this paper, is somewhat problematic. Flack comes in from all sides: artists (most often about three-star reviews, curiously enough) claiming we've ruined Fringe runs to writers agonizing over how many stars to give a show. But audiences also seem to bank on them being there, with "how many stars did it get?" ringing out as a constant beer-tent refrain. Any piece of criticism is, of course, a person's opinion (however wellversed in the artform at hand they

8 ARTS

may be), with whatever star-rating acting as a quick-look reflection of that opinion. But longtime Fringe artist Jon Paterson—who did his first Fringe back in 1993, and has toured the circuit regularly since 2000—notes the damage that stars can do, when the rating doesn't seem to match up with the review it lords over. "The star system can make or break a show," he says. "I've seen a lot of bizarre reasons for either twos or threes or fives. Just, 'I didn't get this show,' or [a] show is amazing in its own way, and then someone doesn't understand it so they gave it one [star]." It's not that Paterson can't see the appeal. In addition to being a performer himself—this year he's in a thriller, Inescapable, alongside fellow Fringe mainstay Martin Dockery—he programs a few stages in the ever-more-popular cluster of BYOVs centred around La Cite Francophone. It's off the main Fringe grounds, but features multiple stages and significant audience pull these days (the Varscona Theatre atists are setting up there this year while the Varscona is out for renovations). With his producer hat on, Paterson knows that stars can attract audiences to a particular show that they might skip out on otherwise. "When I see that five stars, or even four stars, great—that looks good on a poster, it's going to suck people in," he says. "But I actually prefer not to have them. If I were to have a choice between that and some laurel leaf from some sort-of award, I'd put that on a poster more than I'd put stars, because stars give people a warped view." To him, that warping that comes with ratings is two-fold: the first is that the lack of consistency between the abundant number of critics, which makes it

difficult to find objectivity in the starrating itself—someone's three stars is another person's four, and so on. The second is audiences chasing stars instead of seeking out the shows that actually appeal to them. "[Audiences] should go see what interests them," Paterson says. "Oh, this is a space show, it got three stars, but I love space, let's go and see it. As opposed to, oh, this is a cowboy show, I know nothing about cowboys but it got five stars, so let's go see it. It's the wrong way of looking at it." Bad reviews can be weathered Paterson notes. He's been doing this long enough to know what to do to bring in audiences when the star ratings aren't behind him. He also notes that in a place like Edmonton, there's three major outlets doing significant amounts of criticism, plus blogs; enough variety in voices that a bad review can usually be offset by a good one at another paper. Elsewhere on the Fringe circuit can be different story: over in Winnipeg, where there's just two major outlets offering Fringe criticism and thus less conversation overall, reviews can be vital for a show playing to either full houses or empty rooms. "It can make a difference between Pita Pit and a steak," he laughs, ruefully. "It really can." Of course, star ratings aren't unique to the Fringe. They took much of their present shape and status in the early 20th century. American author Edward O'Brien introduced a threestar system for ranking The Best American Short Stories, the anthology of US-penned stories he edited, back in 1915. The New York Daily News started grading films on a star scale (zero to three) back in 1928, and more papers adopted the practice for cinema after that, spilling out into other mediums and persisting until this day. Stars have been loved

and hated as a simplification of criticism ever since, whether in the form of stars or some other signifier, from the classic Siskel and Ebert thumbs up/down system to the aggregate percentages of websites like Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic. At a certain level, it seems we've come to expect a quick symbolic summary of a review, and use it to help make our decisions—including whether or not to read any further— from there. Venerable Edmonton Journal theatre critic Liz Nicholls echoes some of Paterson's thoughts. Having covered more Edmonton Fringes than virtually any other person around (her very first Journal assignment was the very first Edmonton Fringe), she points out, to her chagrin, that stars can make more of an impression on a reader than whatever was actually written in the review. "Wouldn't you rather have your review read than your star-rating read?" she muses, accurately. "The Fringe is such a collection of works in progress, bright ideas, new, risky ventures by talents you know, and up-and-comers making their showbiz debut with a great idea, big amateur musicals, church groups and community theatre," Nicholls continues. "It would be hard, in some cases, to have any sort of coherent throughline on reviewing them anyway. And then at the Fringe, when they're all thrown together into one marketplace, the stars emphasize the arbitrary nature of that, I think." There was a year or two she can recall, ages ago, where the Journal experimented with skipping out on star ratings at the Fringe. The paper's readership demanded they come back. Nicholls notes that she agonizes over star ratings almost as much as the reviews themselves—"I'm exaggerating slightly," she says, "but only slightly."

VUEWEEKLY.com | AUG 13 – AUG 19, 2015

"The main problem: what does a three-star review even mean?" she says. "It could mean a middling experience, [or] an OK show that didn't have massive impact on you as an experience. Or, it could mean a show that had some really fabulous insights and sublime scenes, and some really disastrous scenes that should be cut immediately. And what do you do with that? You give it three stars, and it means something quite different. I think that's problematic." Why do star ratings at all then? They may prove troublesome for artists to accept and critics to settle on, but the system seems to offer something that audiences still enjoy using as a guide, even while acknowledging the flaws and inconsistencies. And as far as dedicated audience members go, Jim and Barb Beck would fall into the most hardcore percentile of Fringe-goers: on average, the retired couple estimate that they see "somewhere between 50 and 60" shows a year. They use star ratings as part of their selection process, but they also read beyond them: there are critics whose opinions they trust and ones they know they frequently disagree with—"You got to look at whose doing it," Barb notes—but, especially when they first started attending the Fringe, criticism and star ratings are something they found invaluable. The pair parse the Fringe program for what they deem "must-see," based on their own interests, or artists whose work they already know they like, then look for reviews coming out of Winnipeg's Fringe. "Anything from Winnipeg that rates a three-point-five or above, it gets some extra thought from us," Jim says. "Anything that gets below three-point-five goes into my discard pile for a while." CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE >>

Of course, they've been steered wrong by critics before: when, a few years ago, most outlets erupted in universal acclaim for musical comedy duo Die Roten Punkte, the Becks bought tickets only to find the show not to their taste. "It got fives from everyone," Jim says, "and it didn't cut it from us." But they don't hold it against the system, either: the Becks use a combination of review, word of mouth and personal interest to guide their marathon Fringe sessions. "I would miss if the star ratings aren't there," Jim notes. Perhaps, more than any condemnation of the star-system itself, this is simply an acknowledgment of its flaws, and a call to read the words behind the ratings as well—that one person's three-star review can be a four (or two) for someone whose interests align more (or less) with the show's content than the reviewer's

did. If the system of criticism is a bit messy, well, so is the whole Fringe: a massive, beloved potpourri of high and low quality art, the mixing of which manages to bring out huge crowds of potential audience members, some of whom might not attend any theatre at all during the regular season. To Paterson, regardless of reviews, in the end it's the conversations that happen between those potential audience members—in line-ups, in beer tents or while aimlessly wandering the grounds—that proves the most effective way of finding a show its crowd. "I still believe in this—maybe it's just my ideals—but word of mouth is just the best way," he says. "In the end, it's word of mouth. And if people talk at the beer tent, people talk. And we know people talk. That's always going to be safe. Hopefully."

PAUL BLINOV

PAUL@VUEWEEKLY.COM

WHAT’S ON AT UALBERTA? FAB Gallery:

Five Graduate Designers 2015

Aug 25 - Sept 19

From Time to Time: 50th Anniversary Print Portfolio

Closing reception: Thurs Sept 17, 7-10 pm

FAB Gallery, 1-1 Fine Arts Building

Convocation Hall: Béla Bartók: Art and Nature Sat, Sept 19, 3 pm Convocation Hall

Alumni Weekend: Moving On Friday, Sept 25, 8 pm Convocation Hall UAlberta Music Live in Concert Sunday, Sept 27, 3 pm Convocation Hall Free admission

Come for the Festival, stay for a show! Purchase tickets to Indoor & BYOV shows: By phone: (780) 409-1910 Online: www.fringetheatre.ca In Person: Central Box Ofiice Location: ATB Financial Arts Barns Lobby Download the Fringe App: for iOS devices at the App Store or for Androids, at the Google Play

WWW.FRINGETHEATRE.CA LEAD PARTNER & SPONSOR FUNDERS

Studio Theatre:

Beyond Therapy

by Christopher Durang

Oct 15 – 24 Timms Centre for the Arts

ualberta.ca/artshows

VUEWEEKLY.com | AUG 13 – AUG 19, 2015

ARTS 9

ARTS

ALB E RTA BALLET’S 2015-2016 S EAS O N

PREVUE // THEATRE

S U B S C R I B E TO D AY F O R A S L I T T L E A S $ 7 8

ALBERTA BALLET COMPANY ARTIST KELLEY MCKINLAY | PHOTO: PA UL MCGRATH

Earlybird picks

A L B E RTA B A L L E T. C O M

s d e e n Who n e h w e n i c i med t o g e v ’ u yo f o l u f n o o a sp

! e k o o r b r She

0.455.4556 RT TRAIL | 78 11819 ST ALBE

10 ARTS

.COM

KELIQUOR | SHERBROO

Six shows intriguing our intrepid reviewers as the Fringe Festival arrives

ust over 200 ticketed shows make up the 2015 Fringe Festival's final roster. That's actually a slight decline in number from last year, but still a dizzying selection of theatrical opportunities to consider. So, on outset of the Fringe, a few members of our intrepid reviewer team have offered their earlybird picks: the shows that, from the outside, seem the most intriguing to their particular sensibilities. These aren't reviews or guarantees, per se—and really, half the fun of the Fringe is chasing your intuition and taking some risks— but all of the below should prove to at the very least intriguing experiences to witness. And, of course, check out our Fringe reviews as they come tumbling in all weekend at edmontonfringe.ca. Picks by Bruce Cinnamon (BC) and Mel Priestley (MP). How Often Do I Dream (Venue 10: Acacia Hall) There comes a moment at every audience-participation Fringe show when we shrink down in our chairs and pray silently that we won't be picked. Halifax artist Katie Dorian erases this anxiety by welcoming each audience member personally, learning their names, then guiding them through her "memory museum" as she shares stories about her grandfather. Everybody has been picked, and everybody gets to experience the full sensory immersion of this show—from tasting Jell-O to touching fur to writing down their own memories. A meditation about dementia and the fluidity of memory, How Often Do I Dream sounds more like a gentle conversation than a conventional play. BC Post Traumatic Super Delightful (Venue 3: Walterdale Theatre) Making its international debut at the Edmonton Fringe, Post Traumatic Super Delightful uses humour to disrupt the culture of silence that surrounds campus sexual assault. Antonia Lassar performs as four characters— a flamboyant Title IX coordinator, an anxious professor, a perpetrator who isn't just a one-dimensional villain and a silent, nameless clown who dramatizes dozens of survivor interviews and brings to life Lassar's own experiences. Aside from using laughter to put audience members at ease with an uncomfortable topic, Lassar will also provide resources for anyone who is triggered by her performance. PTSD is the type of show that won't just be fun and enlightening to watch— seeing it will also provide tangible support for survivors, since Vassar is touring the show across college campuses and crisis centres in the fall. BC Reincarnation Soup (Venue 10: Acacia Hall) As a soup fanatic I admit to being hooked by the name alone, but I was

VUEWEEKLY.com | AUG 13 – AUG 19, 2015

further intrigued upon reading the description of what looks to be a thoughtful, curious tale. Reincarnation Soup debuted at the 2010 Orlando Fringe, and this will be its Canadian première. It's the work of Vie t Nguy en, who responded to the dearth of Vietnamese stories and voices in American theatre by creating a show about the myth of M nh Bà, an old blind woman who guards the border between death and rebirth and gives souls a bowl of memory-erasing soup before they move on to the next life. MP (un)Known Stories (Venue 3: Walterdale Theatre) Formed last year at the University of Alberta, In Arms Queer Theatre bills itself as Edmonton's first LGBTQ+ theatre company. But in many ways it's carrying on the tradition of Workshop West's Loud & Queer Cabaret, which for the past 36 years has maintained a space for queer narratives in Edmonton theatre. In (un)Known Stories, a handful of young performers will tell tales about their experiences as queer Edmontonians. This new generation of intersectional queer artists is taking up Loud & Queer's torch—determined to make feminist, anti-oppressive theatre that shows off the true heterogeneity of our city's queer community. BC Who Am I? Unauthorized Stories From The Varscona Parkade (Venue 33: Varscona Parkade) Toy Guns Dance Theatre exploded on to the local arts scene at last year's Fringe with a pair of innovative, immersive and ramblingly titled contemporary dance shows: Propylene Glycol, Maltodextrin, Retinol Palmitate and Other Words I Don't Understand Like Love and Red Wine, French Toast, And The Best Sex You've Ever Had. They've gone on to maintain this reputation with shows over the course of the past year, so it will be interesting to see if it's further sustained with the company's entry to this year's Fringe—which takes place in the Varscona Hotel's parkade and features an assortment of couches, garbage cans and "a plethora of deodorant." MP Witch Hunt at the Strand (Venue 13: Old Strathcona Public Library) Darrin Hagen has unearthed a dark facet of Edmonton's theatre history in a new work, which is based on the real court transcripts of a group of high-profile gay men who were rounded up and charged after a police sting in 1942. This is probably something that most Edmontonians, even ardent theatre buffs, knew nothing about (myself included), so it should be worth seeing just to find out what happened. But it should also prove interesting to see how this show is informed by and engages with our city's contemporary narratives on LGBTQ+ rights. MP

ARTS WEEKLY EMAIL YOUR FREE LISTINGS TO: LISTINGS@VUEWEEKLY.COM FAX: 780.426.2889 DEADLINE: FRIDAY AT 3PM

DANCE ARGENTINE TANGO DANCE AT FOOT NOTES STUDIO • Foot Notes Dance Studio (South side), 9708-45 Ave • 780.438.3207 • virenzi@shaw.ca • Argentine Tango with Tango Divino: beginners: 7-8pm; intermediate: 8-9pm; Tango Social Dance (Milonga): 9pm-12 • Every Fri, 7pm-midnight • $15

BODY IN QUESTION(S)2 • University of Alberta Enterprise Square Gallery, 10230 Jasper Ave • bwdc. ca • View the visual art and watch the ongoing dance performances by premiere dance company Van Grimde Corps Secrets • Aug 20-22; 7pm, 7:30pm or 8pm • $20

SALSA DANCE LESSONS WITH THE U OF A DANCE CLUB • Devonian Botanic Garden, 5 kms north of Devon on Highway 60 • 780.987.3054, ext. 2227 • devonian.ualberta.ca • Dance lessons start at 7:30pm. No experience required. Members of the U of A Dance Club will teach you and your date how to salsa in a fun and supportive environment • Aug 20, 6pm-dusk

SUGAR FOOT BALLROOM • 10545-81 Ave • 587.786.6554 • sugarswing.com • Friday Night Stomp!: Swing and party music dance social every Fri; beginner lesson starts at 8pm. All ages and levels welcome. Occasional live music–check web; $10, $2 (lesson with entry) • Swing Dance Social every Sat; beginner lesson starts at 8pm. All ages and levels welcome. Occasional live music–check the Sugar Swing website for info • $10, $2 lesson with entry

FILM CINEMA AT THE CENTRE • Stanley Milner Library Theatre, bsmt, 7 Sir Winston Churchill Sq • 780.496.7070 • The Last Five Years (Aug 19), The Salt Of The Earth (Aug 26) • Film screening every Wed, 6:30pm • Free

EDMONTON FILM SOCIETY • Royal Alberta Museum Auditorium, 12845-102 Ave • 780.439.5285 • edmontonfilmsociety@gmail.com • royalalbertamuseum. ca • royalalbertamuseum.ca/events/movies/movies.cfm • The Toast Of New Orleans (Aug 17), Lullaby Of Broadway (Aug 24), For Me And My Gal (Aug 31) • 8pm FROM BOOKS TO FILM • Stanley A. Milner, 7 Sir Winston Churchill Sq • 780.496.7000 • epl.ca • In Darkness (Aug 14), Life Above All (Aug 24), Quill (Aug 28) • Films adapted from books every Fri afternoon at 2pm METRO • Metro at the Garneau Theatre, 8712-109 St • 780.425.9212 • CULT CINEMA: Dog Day Afternoon (Aug 25) • STAFF PICS: Wild At Heart (Aug 24)

MOVIES ON THE SQUARE • Sir Winston Churchill Square • edmonton.ca • Enjoy movies in the Square that will be playing on a three storey high inflatable screen. Closed captioning will be off when available • Each Tue in Aug, 7pm (pre-entertainment, movies start at dusk) • Free

GALLERIES + MUSEUMS ALBERTA CRAFT COUNCIL GALLERY • 10186-106 St • 780.488.6611 • albertacraft.ab.ca • FEATURE GALLERY: Here and There; Jul 11-Oct 3 • DISCOVERY GALLERY: Coming Up Next: artwork by Michelle Atkinson, Holly Boone, Corinne Cowell, Soma Mo, Dena Seiferling and Bart Simpson; Jul 18-Aug 29 ALBERTA RAILWAY MUSEUM • 24215-34 St • 780.472.6229 • AlbertaRailwayMuseum.com • Open weekends during the summer until Sep 2 • $5 (adult)/$3.50 (senior/student)/$2 (child 3-12)/child under 3 free; $4 (train rides)

ART GALLERY OF ALBERTA (AGA) • 2 Sir Winston Churchill Sq • 780.422.6223 • youraga.ca • Tyler LosJones: A Panorama Protects its View: Jan 23-Jan 31, 2016 • The Double Bind: Conversations Between Modernism and Postmodernism; May 2-Sep 13 • Jack Bush: May 30-Aug 23 • Illuminations: Italian Baroque Masterworks in Canadian Collections; Jun 27-Oct 4 • Wil Murray: On Invasive Species and Infidelity; Jun 27-Oct 4 • Douglas Haynes: The Toledo Series; Jun 27-Oct 4 • Charrette Roulette: Language; Jul 18-Nov 15 • Open Studio Adult Drop-In: Found Texture (Aug 19), Altered Books (Aug 26); Wed, 7-9pm; $18/$16 (AGA member) • All Day Sundays: Art activities for all ages; Activities, 12-4pm; Tour; 2pm • Late Night Wednesdays: Every Wed, 6-9pm

ART GALLERY OF ST ALBERT (AGSA) • 19 Perron St, St Albert • 780.460.4310 • artgalleryofstalbert.ca • Verve: artwork by Patricia Coulter & Donna MarchyshynShymko; Aug 6-Sep 26 • Flow of Traffic Theory: Gerry Dotto; Sep 3-26; reception: Sep 3, 6-9pm • The Winter That Was: Pierre Bataillard; Oct 1-31; reception: Oct 1, 7-9pm • Art Ventures: Wonderful Window Clings (Aug 15); 1-4pm; drop-in art program for children ages 6-12; $6/$5.40 (Arts & Heritage member) • Ageless Art: Vibrant Views (Aug 20), 1-3pm; for mature adults; $15/$13.50 (Arts & Heritage member) • Preschool Picasso: Colourful

Collages (Sep 19); for 3-5 yrs; pre-register; $10/$9 (Arts & Heritage member)

DAFFODIL GALLERY • 10412-124 St • 780.760.1278 • daffodilgallery.ca • Off-Whyte 2015: Whyte Avenue Art Walk Holdover Show; Aug 1-14 • Tea & Watercolours at The Tea Girl; Aug 16, 6:30-9:30pm • Art & Teas Pairing; Aug 22, 2-4pm •

ROYAL ALBERTA MUSEUM • 12845-102 Ave • 780.453.9100 • royalalbertamuseum.ca • Glimpses Of The Grasslands: The Artistic Vision of Colin Starkevich; May 16-Aug 23 • The Grand Tour; Jun 28-Aug 27

SCOTT GALLERY • 10411-124 St • scottgallery.com • Stockwell Depot 1967 – 79; Jul 24-Sep 12 • Summer Group Exhibition; until Aug

DEVONIAN BOTANICAL GARDEN • 51227 AB-60, Parkland County • devonian.ualberta.ca • Perseids Pyjama Party: Bring your pillows, blankets, flashlights and lawnchairs and sit back to enjoy one of the busiest times in the night sky; Aug 14, 8pm until midnight

DC3 ART PROJECTS • 10567-111 St • 780.686.4211 • dc3artprojects.com • Intellectual Play: art by Devon Beggs and Richard Boulet's collaborative drawings and textiles; Aug 6-Aug 22

SNAP GALLERY • Society of Northern Alberta PrintArtists, 10123-121 St • 780.423.1492 • snapartists.com • SNAP Klusterfak: A Collaborative Community Installation; Aug 1-Sep 5 • SNAP Members Show; Jul 30-Sep 1

SPRUCE GROVE ART GALLERY • 35-5 Ave, Spruce Grove • 780.962.0664 • alliedartscouncil.com • MAIN GALLERY: Members Novelty Show “Hidden Gems”; through Aug

STRATHCONA COUNTY MUSEUM & ARCHIVES

ENTERPRISE SQUARE GALLERIES • 10230 Jasper Ave • Open: Thu-Fri, 12-6pm, Sat 12-4pm • Body in Question(s)2: View the visual art and watch the ongoing dance performances by premiere dance company Van Grimde Corps Secrets; Aug 20-22 • Recollections: An Imperfect Schematic: art by Erin Pankratz-Smith; Aug 20-Oct 10 • Mind Games: art by Lisa Turner; Aug 20-Oct 10 • Arche-Textures: artwork by Amy Loewan, RCA; Aug 20-Oct 10

GALLERY 7 • Bookstore on Perron, 7 Perron St, St Albert • 780.459.2525 • After: artwork by Laara Cassells; Jul 10-Aug 30 • Members of the St. Albert Painters Guild; Jul 28-Aug 31; Opening reception: Aug 6 • Members of the St. Albert Painters Guild; Sep 1-28; Opening reception: Sep 3

GALLERY@501 • 501 Festival Ave, Sherwood Park • 780.410.8585 • strathcona.ca/artgallery • After: Artwork By Laara Cassells; Jul 10-Aug 30 GALLERY AT MILNER • Stanley A. Milner Library Main Fl, Sir Winston Churchill Sq • 780.944.5383 • epl. ca/art-gallery • Com·mu·ni·cate: to transfer information, thought, or feeling: The Sculptors' Associtation of Alberta group exhibition; Aug 5-31 HARCOURT HOUSE GALLERY • 3 Fl, 10215-112 St • 780.426.4180 • MAIN SPACE: Between Reality and Transcendence: Chun Hua Catherine Dong; Aug 6-Sep 10

JEFF ALLEN ART GALLERY (JAAG) • Strathcona

• 913 Ash St, Sherwood Park • 780.467.8189 • strathconacountymuseum.ca • Paving the Way: Pioneers of the country Part 2; until Sep 30

TELUS WORLD OF SCIENCE • 11211-142 St • telusworldofscienceedmonton.com • Free-$117.95 • Dinosaurs Unearthed: until Oct 11 • Dark Matters "Nerdgasm"; Aug 20, 7-10pm

VAA GALLERY • 3rd Fl, 10215-112 St • visualartsalberta.com •TREX Alberta Foundation For The Arts Travelling Exhibition; Aug 6-Sep 26 • Off-Site (Jubilee): OPEN IMAGE: Partnership between Visual Arts Alberta - CARFAC and the Alberta Jubilee Auditoria Society; End of Aug-Nov

VASA GALLERY • 25 Sir Winston Churchill Ave, St Albert • 780.460.5990 • vasa-art.com • The Iconic Alberta Rose: artwork by Cindy Barratt and Susan Casault; Aug 5-31

LITERARY CARROT COFFEEHOUSE • 9351-118 Ave • vzenari@ gmail.com • Prose Creative Writing Group • Every Tue, 7-9pm

EDMONTON STORY SLAM • Mercury Room,10575114 St • edmontonstoryslam.com • facebook.com/ mercuryroomyeg • Great stories, interesting company, fabulous atmosphere • 3rd Wed each month • 7pm (signup); 7:30pm • $5 Donation to winner

Place Senior Centre, 10831 University Ave, 109 St, 78 Ave • 780.433.5807 • seniorcentre.org • Together Again: Instructors and Students; Jul 28-Aug 26 • Artist Greg Doherty; Aug 27-Sep 24; Reception: Sep 9, 6:30-8:30pm

NAKED CYBER CAFÉ • 10303-1008 St • The Spoken

LANDO GALLERY • 103, 10310-124 St •

POETRY PICNIC • Devonian Botanic Garden, 51227

780.990.1161 • landogallery.com • Summer exhibition; until Aug 22

Word: Featuring writers and an open mic for performances for short stories, book excerpts, poems • 1st Wed ea month, 7:30pm AB-60, Parkland County • devonian.ualberta.ca • With performances by Edmonton's Poet Laureate, Pierrette Requier and award winning poet Alice Major. Alice will read

LATITUDE 53 • 10242-106 St • 780.423.5353 •

from her new collection Standard Candles (UofA Press). An open mic will follow • Aug 13, 6:30pm

ROUGE LOUNGE • 10111-117 St • 780.902.5900 • Spoken Word Tuesdays: Weekly spoken word night presented by the Breath In Poetry Collective (BIP); info: E: breathinpoetry@gmail.com SCRAMBLED YEG • Brittany's Lounge, 10225-97 St • 780.497.0011 • Open Genre Variety Stage: artists from all mediums are encouraged to occupy the stage and share their creations • Eve0ry Tue-Fri, 5-8pm

SCRIPT SALON • Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Upper Arts Space, 10037-84 Ave • A monthly play reading series: 1st Sun each month with a different play by a different playwright

STRATHCONA COUNTY LIBRARY ANNUAL BOOK SALE • Strathcona County Library, 401 Festival Lane, Sherwood Park • 780.410.8600 • sclibrary.ab.ca • Pick up some great deals on gently-used books, CDs and DVDs. Proceeds go towards purchasing new materials for the library’s collections • Aug 14, 9:30am-8:30pm; Aug 15, 9:30am-4:30pm; Aug 16, 1pm to 4:30pm • Free

TALES–Monthly Storytelling Circle • Parkallen Community Hall, 6510-111 St • Monthly TELLAROUND: 2nd Wed each month • Sep-Jun, 7-9pm • Free • Info: 780.437.7736; talesedmonton@hotmail.com

THEATRE _AN ANONYMOUS CONTRIBUTOR_ • Academy at King Edward, 8525-101 St • fringetheatre.ca/box_office_hours.php • A richly imagined journey into the morally ambiguous world of an academic ghostwriter. Part of the Fringe Festival • Aug 13, Aug 15-17, Aug 19-21 • $5 (students/seniors), $10 (adults) BURLESQUE-PROV • Upstairs at the Armoury, 10310-85 Ave • Presented by Burlesque A La Carte and part of this year's Fringe Festival! Featuring an improvized burlesque show and a dance battle. With performers Kiki Quinn, Letabby Lexington, host Lee Boyes, and the sidekick music man Reverend Charlie Scream, each show the cast will be joined by two different special guest Burlesque Artists • Aug 14-17, Aug 19-20, Aug 22 • 18+ only CHIMPROV • Citadel's Zeidler Hall, 9828-101A Ave • rapidfiretheatre.com • Rapid Fire Theatre’s longform comedy show: improv formats, intricate narratives, and one-act plays • Every Sat, 10pm • $12 (door or buy in adv at TIX on the Square) • Until Jun 13

CRUX • Citadel Theatre, 9828-101A Ave • 587.989.6838 • citadeltheatre.com • albertaaboriginalarts.com • A conversation of cultural appropriation and exploration of what is love. Set in a dystopian future where the earth is

no longer habitable, a society in space is trying to create a perfect Indigenous nation by cloning natives and teaching them how to be native • Aug 14, 7:30-9:15pm • $26.25

EDMONTON INTERNATIONAL FRINGE THEATRE FESTIVAL • Various locations throughout Old Strathcona • Thirty-four years of Fringe! This year's theme? SupercaliFRINGEilistic! Featuring some of the world's greatest performers and plays • Aug 13-23 • Ticket prices vary

GO FOR BROKE IMPROV • Blues on Whyte • An improv show for horrible people. Part of this year's Fringe Theatre Festival • Aug 13-14, Aug 16-21

HEY, COUNTESS! • Campus Saint-Jean, U of A Auditorium, 8406-91 St • teatroqu.com • This play hasn't been seen since 2006! In this Fringe Holdover, a lawyer at loose ends with his own life sets out on a surprise transcontinental quest for consumer justice, accompanied by the unruffled assistant manager of a local multiplex cinema • Aug 26-29 • $22 (adults), $20 (students/seniors) ONCE UPON A TIME IN GRACELAND • Jubilations Dinner Theatre, #2690, 8882-170 St • jubilations.ca • The evil Queen has placed a strange curse upon many of our most loved fairy tale characters. They don't remember how their classic stories unfold and now these tales are in jeopardy of being retold. There is one King who can fight the evil Queen, a man who rose from being an incredible performer to becoming a legend himself, a legend that became the King, the King known as… Elvis? • Jun 19-Aug 23

THE SECOND LINE: TWO LADIES AND THE OLD-SCHOOL BLUES • La Cité Francophone, 8627 Marie-Anne Gaboury • Follow the personal stories of two women who have made their lives as performers – the challenges and excitement of being women on the road, finding their voices in the trenches of touring life – and discover the hidden history of women’s seminal role in the development of blues and rock and roll, going all the way back to the early 20th century • Aug 14-22

UNDER THE BIG TOP • Festival Place, 100 Festival Way, Sherwood Park • festivaplace.ab.ca • A unique program teaching children and youth the brilliant skills of the circus: stilts, wire walking, juggling, rolo bolo, clowning, magic, puppetry and silks • Aug 4-28, 9am-5pm WE HAVE YOUR KING: THE ELVIS ABDUCTION STORY • Citadel Theatre, 9828-101A Ave • capitalcityburlesque.com • Featuring Capital City Burlesquewith Les Trois Femmes. On the eve of the anniversary of Elvis’ death, Edmonton’s favourite teasing troupe of glittery, shimmying, tongue-in-cheek dancers are paying high-kicking homage to The King and revealing the celestial truth of the icon’s end • Aug 15, 8pm • $35 (adv) • 18+ only, no minors

Community Gallery: Incubator: Jun 9-Sep 1 • Main Space: Off Route 2: art by Amanda Dawn Christie; Jul 16-Aug 29 • ProjEx Room: A Conversation: artwork by Roselina Hung & Mary Porter; Jul 16-Aug 29

MCMULLEN GALLERY • U of A Hospital, 8440-112 St • 780.407.7152 • friendsofuah.org/mcmullen-gallery • The Language of Flowers: art by Elaine Tweedy; Jul 4-Aug 23 • Weather Report: Andrzej Maciejewski; Aug 29-Oct 18; Opening reception: Sep 3, 7-9pm

MULTICULTURAL CENTRE PUBLIC ART GALLERY (MCPAG)–Stony Plain • 5411-51 St, Stony Plain • multicentre.org • Landed: artwork by Judy Weiss & Sharon Rubuliak; Jul 16-Aug 10

MUSÉE HÉRITAGE MUSEUM • St Albert Place, 5 St Anne Street, St Albert • MuseeHeritage.ca • 780.459.1528 • museum@artsandheritage.ca • In the Money: A Bilingual Exhibition from The Currency Museum; Jun 30-Aug 30

NAESS GALLERY • Paint Spot, 10032-81 Ave • 780.432.0240 • paintspot.ca • Girls, Women, Lives, Images: a group exhibition of paintings by Larissa Hauck, Carmella Haykowsky, Brandi Hofer, Riki Kuropatwa, and Dave Thomas • Artisan Nook: Little Monkey in a Tree: ink drawings on paper by Yong Fei Guan • Vertical Space: Life Itself: A group show by members of the Art Mentorship Society of Alberta • Jul 6-Aug 17

NINA HAGGERTY CENTRE FOR THE ARTS • 9225118 Ave • 780.474.7611 • volunteer@thenina.ca • Closed Jul 24-Aug 4 • Summer Republic III: Art from the NHCA's collective; Jul 6-Aug 14

The

ood GBr ide

PARADE GALLERY • Window Display Box 101 Street, north of 102 Ave, Edmonton City Centre Mall • paradegallery.ca • Work in Process: artwork by Megan Stein; Jul 17-Aug 30 PETER ROBERTSON GALLERY • 12304 Jasper Ave • 780.455.7479 • probertsongallery.com • August Group Show: New arrivals from gallery artist Jonathan Forrest; Jul 25-Aug 15 • Anamnesis - Recollection and Perception: Kirsty Templeton Davidge; Aug 1-18 • Artwork by Julian Forrest; Aug 22-Sep 12

PICTURE THIS GALLERY • 959 Ordze Rd, Sherwood Park • 780.467.3038 • picturethisgallery.com • Canada Scapes & Spaces; Jul-Aug PROVINCIAL ARCHIVES OF ALBERTA • 8555 Roper Road • PAA@gov.ab.ca • 780.427.1750 • culture.alberta. ca/paa/eventsandexhibits/default.aspx • Alberta & the Great War: An exhibit that draws upon archival holdings to show the many ways that the First World War changed the province forever • until Aug 29, 9am-4:30pm

VUEWEEKLY.com | AUG 13 – AUG 19, 2015

PCL STUDIO ATB FINANCIAL ARTS BARNS 10330 84 AVENUE EDMONTON, ALBERTA SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS ON SALE NOW AT WWW.NORTHERNLIGHTTHEATRE.COM

ARTS 11

PREVUE // COMEDY

FILM

FILM EDITOR: PAUL BLINOV PAUL@VUEWEEKLY.COM

At least one of us is pregnant

e meet Adam (Gavin Crawford) at what seems to be the start of some yet-unnamed life transition, unaware he's already in the middle of one. Moments after he schedules an initial consultation for something, old flame Miriam (Naomi Snieckus) calls him out of the blue— "How did you get this number?" he asks, a question she handily ignores—in desperate need of his help with what turns out to be a home-go at artificial insemination. Their relationship, you can probably figure, is kind of complicated. Anyway, what starts out as a fun memory-lane hookup with an added goal of baby-making ends with Adam finding himself the one pregnant, a rather-large complication preventing him from completing his FTM transition from the Melaine he used to be. Just out on iTunes, Two 4 One offers something that seems uncommon in the oeuvre of transgender films: a family minded romantic comedy. Its focus is not so much on one's initial transition as it is the living that comes after. Which was

12 FILM

part of the point, writer/director Maureen Bradley explains. "I didn't want to make a Queer 101 or Trans 101 film," Bradley explains. "I've been going to queer film festivals for more decades than I'd like to admit, and I haven't seen a ton of films that really deal with family in a nuanced way." Bradley, who teaches screenwriting at the University of Victoria, had the idea for Two 4 One back in 2008; her own partner was trying to conceive via home insemination, and a midwife's book warned of the possibility of the unintended partner getting pregnant. "A lightbulb went off," she recalls. "Right, OK—that's the interesting narrative. The reluctant hero who accidentally falls into a situation that he doesn't want." That said, Bradley didn't write the film until 2012; she'd been uncertain there was an appetite (or, more pressingly, funding) for an idea like hers. But as more trans figures began appearing in more mainstream areas—Bradley flags

Chaz Bono's appearance on Dancing Beyond settling on having a comic With The Stars as a sign of grow- framework to her story, though, ing acceptance—possibilities began Bradley found herself caught up in to appear. The filmmaker got her casting. Limited by budget to hire idea into the National Film Insti- within the country—("To cast outtute's Features First side of Canada I program, there was a would've had to Now available successful Indiegogo pay almost twice Two 4 One campaign, and out as much for all Written & directed by came Two 4 One. the actors," she Maureen Bradley Framing her story as says)—Bradley a comedy, she notes, was unable to find a trans accame partly as a response to a perceived lack of com- tor around Adam's age to play the edy in the trans films that were al- role. Eventually, on the advice of her casting director, she called up ready out there. "I think audiences—and not just Crawford of This Hour Has 22 Minqueer audiences—deserve to have utes' fame. "We went back and forth: do we these stories where we get to have humour," she says. "The films about want a dramatic actor? Do we want trans issues are so heavy. People somebody with comedy?" Bradley die, yes. Transphobia exists, yes. recalls. "[Crawford]'s connection to Transphobia is out there, it's very the LGBT community, he has a lot difficult, but not every film about of trans friends, he's in the commutrans life needs to be a documen- nity, he, like me, has seen this world tary. I think we can have both, and for decades and he understands it. "He had hesitations about the role," I think viewers deserve to be able to see a film that tackles drama and Bradley continues. "He showed the script to friends, and he talked to comedy at the same time."

VUEWEEKLY.com | AUG 13 – AUG 19, 2015

his trans friends. And both of us thought, OK, people buy this." Though the lead isn't played by a trans actor, Bradley notes she did have trans consultants on the script and a scatter of trans actors in the film, all cast in non-trans roles. As Two 4 One tours the film fest circuit, Bradley notes that, casting aside, the most frequent questions all surround where Adam is in his life—that we aren't dealing with the beginnings of his transition, but what happens a little farther down that road. "Whenever I go to Q&As, I always get this question: 'Is this really realistic? Everybody seems so accepting,'" she says. "Well, that's because we're four years into his life [after transition]. This is about a 40-yearold. The coming out, the transition story, they're just the beginning of the story. And I wanted to jump ahead, and give viewers a glimpse of contemporary queer life that's beyond the 101. "

PAUL BLINOV

PAUL@VUEWEEKLY.COM

ASPECTRATIO

JOSEF BRAUN // JOSEF@VUEWEEKLY.COM

FRI, AUG. 14 – THUR, AUG. 20

WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAY FRI, AUG. 14 – THUR, AUG. 20

JIMMY’S HALL FRI 6:50PM SAT & SUN 1:00 & 6:50PM MON - THUR 6:50PM RATED: STC

FRI 7:00PM SAT & SUN 1:30 & 7:00PM MON – THUR 7:00PM RATED: PG MATURE SUBJECT MATTER

AMY FRI 9:00PM SAT & SUN 3:30 & 9:00PM MON – THUR 9:00PM RATED:14A SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MATURE SUBJECT MATTER ,

T H E A T R E

10337 Whyte Ave. 780 433 0728

T H E A T R E

10337 Whyte Ave. 780 433 0728

Man on the run

Rat in a maze

Night and the City among the most emblematic of noirs Harry Fabian is running from the very start of Night and the City (1950) and hardly stops for the film's duration, which, true to its title, does indeed unfold in an almost exclusively nocturnal world made of urban nightlife and rubble. Even Harry's fiancée Mary, who possesses the closest thing in Night and the City to a pure heart, keeps vampire hours, singing songs to sling drinks to in the very same over-lit tavern into which Harry nightly corrals sucker-tourists. Harry is always on the run because he is always deep in a grift. Mary dreams of saving enough cash for the two of them to get married, whereas Harry just wants to "be somebody" by any means necessary. Ambitious without vision, a hyperactive rat scurrying his way through a vast maze he mistakenly believes he can navigate, Harry has his charms but he's surely doomed: because he's myopic, because for this time and place he's the wrong kind of dreamer—an optimistic American stuck in gloomy postwar London—because he's played by the inimitable Richard Widmark and because he is an antihero in this thing called noir. Directed by Jules Dassin (Rififi) and adapted by Jo Eisinger (Gilda) from Gerlad Kersh's eponymous novel, Night and the City

is fast, serpentine and poetic, one of the most emblematic of all films noir. Criterion has just released it on DVD and Blu-ray. Harry is always owing somebody money, so Mary (achingly melancholy, lovely Gene Tierney) is hardly scandalized to catch him with his fingers in her purse—in just a few years Widmark would famously finger still more purses as the pickpocket in Sam Fuller's Pickup on South Street (1953). Harry is chronically afflicted with big ideas, but the one that's destined to ruin him for good is sparked by an encounter with an aging, imperious Greco-Roman wrestler known as the Great Gregorius (real-life wrestler Stanislaus Zbyszko, a fascinating screen presence). Gregorius' son is impresario of London's lucrative wrestling scene, but Gregorius is disgusted by the mockery the local muscle-bound showboats are making of his beloved sport. Harry pretends to share Gregorius' old school convictions, and after applying a bit of flattery, a business card and a sly proposal, Harry is certain that he "holds the means to control wrestling in all London!" Of course, he needs money, he needs friends, and he needs to find some way to negotiate with both a corpulent tavern proprietor (Francis L

Sullivan) and the proprietor's scheming wife (Googie Withers), with whom Harry has a special secret arrangement. The walls slowly close in on Harry, and Dassin and his team illustrates this with images of cages, towers, bombed-out buildings and winnowed confines of the wrestling ring.

vueweekly.com/contests

While we're talking noir, have you heard of Barry Adamson's Moss Side Story (1989)? It's a record, not a movie, but it is as cinematic as anything comprised of sound can be—it's not for nothing that Adamson would eventually be invited to collaborate with David Lynch. Adamson started out playing bass for Magazine and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds—to whom he's recently returned—and Moss Side Story, a concept album or soundtrack for a non-existent noir, was his knockout solo debut, drawing upon bone-like percussion, bracing industrial rhythms and curtains of shimmering electronics, upon phantasmagoric sound effects, haunted horns, plaintive piano and a street-funeral chorus. The record looks back to Charles Mingus' Black Saint and the Sinner Lady and forward to Tricky. It's just been reissued by Mute with bonus tracks and I've only just discovered it. It's dark, enveloping and brilliant. V

VUEWEEKLY.com | AUG 13 – AUG 19, 2015

FILM 13

PREVUE // ROCK

MUSIC

MUSIC EDITOR: MEAGHAN BAXTER MEAGHAN@VUEWEEKLY.COM

THE PISTOLWHIPS ON MOVING FORWARD AND ITS NEXT ALBUM

lot of people, they think going and playing the gig is the work, right? But that's not. That's the payoff," Zach Davies says. Davies plays bass for the Saskatoonbased rock four-piece the Pistolwhips alongside Rylan Schultz (vocals, guitar), Paul Kuzbik (guitar) and Tallus Scott (drums), but instrumental duties are merely one facet of what's involved in keeping an independent band moving forward. He lists off a litany of tasks like handling social media, paperwork and applying for grants as the "work" required, while driving to any given city to play a show is the proverbial gravy. "We're opening up a bank account now, we're a registered business and, you know, it's work," he says with a laugh. "It's not just going and playing a gig for fun because we want to try it out." And the band is finding itself increasingly busy these days—since the beginning of January, the Pistolwhips have played gigs in 28 cities across Canada and reached a precarious point where music is nearly full-time, but the band members can't give up their day jobs just yet. However, a full-time music career wasn't the endgame when the Pistolwhips formed three years ago—it was "just for fun" at that point—but the release of the album On Your Side last July marked a shift in direction for the group. The record garnered positive reviews (including being named the Best Album of 2014 by readers of Planet S, Saskatoon's bi-weekly alt paper), the band's shows started getting larger and its reach extended beyond its home city to larger markets in Canada and Europe. "When the album came out we started

// Alan Yuen

Over

14 MUSIC

30 years of diverse and

Wed, Aug 19 (8 pm) With Tallest to Shortest, Eugene Ripper, Moving Bodies, Colin Close Wunderbar, $10 to sell out shows local, and to me that was kind of the turning point where we were making enough money at our local shows that our dreams could get a little bigger," Davies recalls. "My goals in the band were to tour the country, maybe go see something overseas and release an album, and in the last year we've done all that." Davies notes the band is nearing the end of its touring cycle for On Your Side, and new songs are making their way into its current set list in order to road-test them before deciding to record them on the next album. He likens it to a comedian trying out new jokes, adding the group is looking to see how the crowd reacts to the new material. The reactions have been positive so far, and Davies says the final versions of the new songs are likely to follow in the stylistic vein of On Your Side, which is filled with blues-tinged rock anthems that wouldn't sound out of place alongside Kings of Leon. "Every type of music that we play, whether it's a hard, kind of riff-rock song or if it's a slower ballad, we always kind of put the Pistolwhips into that, so I think in that sense you're always going to have it," he says. "But I think the new album is going to be a lot of fun and still accessible." MEAGHAN BAXTER

MEAGHAN@VUEWEEKLY.COM

EDMONTON’S

quality programming

LISTENER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEER POWERED CAMPUS COMMUNITY R A D I O S TAT I O N

CHECK OUT CJSR.COM TO LISTEN LIVE AND LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR ECLECTIC PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE

780.492.2577 CJSR.COM FM88

VUEWEEKLY.com | AUG 13 – AUG 19, 2015

EDMONTON BLUES FESTIVAL 2015

AUGUST 21 • 22 • 23

TICKETS PURCHASED THROUGH THE WEBSITE Tickets will be available for pick up at the "Tickets/Will Call" tent starting at 2:30PM Friday and noon on Saturday and Sunday. IF YOU WOULD RATHER GET YOUR TICKETS BEFORE THE FESTIVAL, TICKET PICK UP DAY IS SUNDAY AUGUST 16 FROM NOON TO 4PM AT THE TOUCH OF CLASS LOUNGE, DOWNSTAIRS AT THE CHATEAU LOUIS HOTEL, 11727 KINGSWAY. Bring ID in the name of the purchaser to claim your tickets.

PARK ‘N’ RIDE

Hawrelak Park has limited parking available on a "First come, first served" basis, so we suggest using our FREE FESTIVAL SHUTTLE service from the Windsor Parking lot at the University of Alberta, located at 116 Street, just south of Saskatchewan Drive. The University charges $5 to park. We provide supervised motorcycle parking and you can lock up your bicycle in a rack if you pedal to the show.

SCHEDULE

GATE OPENS 12:00 • SHOW Shawn Holt and the Teardrops

5:30

Diana Braithwaite and Chris Whi

The 44's with Special Guest Kid Ramos

7:00

Mr. Sipp "The Mississippi Blues

Elvin Bishop

8:30

Adrianna Marie and Her Groovec

West Coast All Stars with Special Sugaray Rayford

EDMONTON BLUES FESTIVAL 2015

TICKETS PURCHASED AT THE GATE Friday passes are $60; Saturday/Sunday passes are $65. Tickets one price, all ages.

OR BUY WEEKEND PASSES NOW!

BLUESINTERNATIONALLTD.COM Parking and drop off for persons with disabilities is available at the festival.

Shuttle is free, University charges $5 to park

W 2:30 - 10:00 PM TIME

GATE OPENS 12:00 â&#x20AC;˘ SHOW 2:30 - 10:00 PM

TIME

iteley