Call and Response – The Georgia Straight

Our last Call and Response sparked a very lively conversation between Mark Robins from Gay Vancouver and Sebastien.  At the end of the online conversation Mark suggested we respond to Colin Thomas’ review in the Georgia Straight.  We’ve taken the bait.

International Big Deal athletes

Here’s a link to the review in case you haven’t read it

http://www.straight.com/article-337596/vancouver/itsazoos-robin-hood-comes-out-swinging

Chelsea

I’m always excited and nervous about getting a review from Colin.  He is very honest and I tend to agree with him more than any other reviewer in the city.  This means that basically his opinion means a lot to me.

Overall I agreed with a lot of what he said about the show.  It did however bring up a few thoughts in terms of how you make theatre relevent and timely.  The Olympics were in February, it’s now August.  The play was written during the Olympics and it takes about that long to produce a show.  It wouldn’t have been possible to make this comment any sooner due to the timeline of theatre. I personally haven’t yet seen a play that comments directly on the Olympics so for me this does seem timely and relevent.  I wish it could have been even more so but I’m not sure how given the timing issues.

Now one bit of coming to my own defence – the audience moves in a very small area in this show and this was one of the things Colin didn’t like about the production.  One of the reasons why I did this was to try to  give a sense of proximity – the Olympic events are right  next to a tent city, which is right next to the Mayors home etc. These elements existing side by side for me gives a clear idea of the way it felt to be in Vancouver during the Olympics.  The other reason was because we have had lots of complaints in past years about our promenade plays being too long.  This was my attempt to cut down the walk time so that the play would be shorter without compromising the script.  This is something I will explore more in future promenade shows.

Sebastien

I appreciate some of the kind words Colin said about the show and given that he’s a tough critic with very high standards I’m happy to just have my work taken seriously and evaluated by a professional.

Of course I disagree with some of his comments. First, sophistication was never on the agenda. There is a long history of successful political plays and playwrights who relish in simplicity and juvenility. There’s no law that states that good satire has to be sophisticated. Banksy comes to mind. We see this in pop culture with Stewart and Colbert and South Park. We see it in theatre history with playwrights like Dario Fo (one of Italy’s most prolific and internationally produced playwrights). Sophisticated political theatre tends to be very dry and cerebral, a la David Hare. This is not the crowd I’m gunning for. Brecht was also rather sophisticated but his plays are rarely, if ever, funny. So sophistication would negate my audience and undermine the fun and frivolity of my piece. Our Robin Hood is more of a giant political cartoon with a touch of humanity than it is some sort of deep, profound meditation on capitalism and poverty.

As far as adding new insights regarding the Olympics this wasn’t a goal of mine either. Although it may have arguably made for a stronger play. I wrote it as a reflection on what had happened and a reminder of all the promises that were made that weren’t kept regarding cleaning up our streets, a reminder that maybe we’re now a “World Class City” but the problems facing us haven’t changed. A little Olympic time capsule, if you will, performed a mere six months after the fact. Hardly an age ago given that artists are prone to reaching much farther back into history to find fodder for their work.

The fact that Robin Hood steals from society’s elite is an obvious update to the myth. It has nothing to do with them making more than actors. I’m not sure where that comment comes from. Some Hollywood actors are among the most ridiculously wealthy people I can think of. And many don’t take the opportunity to be philanthropic at all. Not to mention the ones who are card-carrying republicans and don’t believe in any form of social welfare.

Gabriola and holdover

It’s been far too long.  Where has the ZooCrew been?  You may be wondering.  On Gabriola Island and preparing for a holdover.  That’s where!

Gabriola Recap

This past weekend was the second annual Gabriola Theatre Festival and it was the second year that we took part in it.  we’ve performed on Gabriola three times in the past year and just love the friendly, intelligent and supportive community there.  This year all 12 of us working on Robin Hood were staying in a campsite for the two nights of our stay.  Bad idea.  We were having too much fun and being way too loud and got stern talking tos both nights.  We did three shows and they all went really well.  Here’s a snippet of some feedback we received from a Gabriola Island resident:

“I just saw your version of Robin Hood on Gabriola and not only enjoyed it immensely, but was very moved by your intelligent and artistic approach to our current social challenges. You guys, I believe, are taking the role of “artist” seriously and I know that your work is having an impact as I chat with people who’ve seen your plays.
 
My wife and I also saw the Death of a Clown on Gabriola this past spring and were once again moved and informed by the presentation. Your troupe has a unique, current, creative and insightful approach to theatre and I’m really pleased to have seen two of your productions. I look forward to seeing more of your work.”

Sweet.

HOLDOVER!

The initial run of Robin Hood was so successful that we decided to add 4 additional shows this week from Wednesday to Saturday at 7PM.  This is a chance for anyone who procratstinated to see it  now!

In case you aren’t sure if you want to see Robin Hood this review in the Westender may convince you otherwise

http://www.westender.com/articles/entry/newfangled-robin-hood-a-biting-satire/arts-and-entertainment/

Hope to see you in the park this week, it’s your last chance!

Call and Response – Gay Vancouver

In part 2 of our series called Call and Response Sebastien Archibald  will respond to the review of Robin Hood posted on Gay Vancouver.

Here’s a quote from the review

“The entire cast here is committed to the material and there is some real talent.  Cook’s Robin Hood was endearing in just the right amount of rogue-we-love swagger and enough charisma that by the end of the night I was almost ready to join his crusade.  Williams’ Marion sees a nice progression from clueless Paris Hilton to steadfast activist willing to give it all up to do the right thing (and for love, of course).”

And here’s the whole thing:

http://www.gayvancouver.net/theatre/review-robin-hood-a-promenade-play-pushes-the-boundaries-of-social-satire

Seb’s Thoughts:

This is a great review and I’m glad he got the show. I agree with a few criticisms in that the script could pull in a tighter focus and not labor the points too much.

Although Robin Hood’s ideals are more socialist in nature I would argue that the play doesn’t pit capitalism against socialism with socialism coming out as the victor. A direct and objective criticism of the two is never made given that socialism doesn’t actually exist in Robin Hood’s world (it’s only and ideal that he supports). Also, it’s not capitalism that’s directly assaulted but the kind of people at the top of the chain, the ones who call the shots, that are lambasted.

The criticism of focusing on the Olympics as being stale is surprising. It only happened six months ago. It’s barely history. People make art refrencing past events all the time (the holocaust being a notable example). I’d like more details as to what is “stale”.

Tonight makes it all worthwhile

During the run of Robin Hood I am the Front of House Manager and Head usher. This means that for the most part I am the audience herder.  I always really like doing this because I get an up close and personal look at what the audience thinks of the show. I also get to observe the show on a nightly basis and to take in the confused looks on the faces of people who stumble upon us in the park.

At the end of the show I ask anyone who wants to recycle their program to give it back to me.  This gives me an opportunity to have a face to face with a lot of the audience, something most directors and producers never get.  Sometimes it’s awkward and sometimes it’s amazing.
Last night a man in tight white pants walked up during the final scene with his son.  When Robin Hood yelled “Steal from the rich and give to the poor” his son cheered along with the audience.  The man said loudly to his son “Don’t cheer, we’re rich.  They’ll steal from us.”  The son said “oh” and shut his mouth.

Tonight after the show a woman came up to me and gave me her program. She said thank you and then stood there, very close to me, looking me in the eyes. I thought it was a bit odd but quickly realized that she wanted to say something to me but was nervous. I wasn’t sure if that thing she wanted to say was going to be positive or negative but I wanted to encourage her to say it either way so I looked right back at her, confidently, until she was ready to speak.
Eventually she was ready.  She said: “Some of us have homeless kids.” She started to cry “We look like everyone else so you’d never know.  Thank you for doing this.” I touched her arm. She said thank you again and walked away.

It’s hard to do theatre that says something.  It’s a whole lot easier to do a fluffy musical or a classic piece or a lovely romantic comedy. Audiences shy away from political theatre. People challenge your views and call you preachy. Every review we get for Robin Hood says that the show is angry and hardhitting.  No shit it’s angry.  I’m angry. I think we should all be angry.

I have held a strong belief for a long time that theatre is able to touch people and communicate on a very honest level in a way that nothing else can. These past two nights have solidified that belief in a big way.

I hope you get a chance to see our show.

The Reviews are in – Call and Response

Tent City

Robin Hood has been running for three nights now and it’s off to a great start.  We had a really stacked opening night with more reviewers and artistic directors than we’ve ever had. PRESSURE!

In the interest of preserving transparency I am going to post links to all of the reviews we receive, not just the good ones.  And then we’ll give you our 2 cents about what the reviewers had to say. We’ll call it Call and Response. Seb and I look at reviews as insightful tools for learning and try to engage in an open dialogue with critics whenever possible.  This will be a look into what goes through our heads as Artistic Directors/writer/actor/director when we read a review of our work.

One of our primary goals with a play like this is to engage the audience in a very real way and to start a conversation. This conversation has already begun.  We want to share our opinions and invite you to share yours.

Let’s start with a good one.  Here’s an excerpt from a review by Peter Birnie that was published today in the Vancouver Sun (with a big photo!)

Sebastien Archibald’s script is a mix of the clever and the twee. In keeping with the spirit of political theatre, his characters are all caricatures and the messages are bombastic, and the story of trying to build a Sherwood House for the homeless is so simplistic that kids in the crowd will easily absorb the message that poverty should not be considered a crime.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Merry+mayhem+filled+with+sharp+barbs/3371336/story.html#ixzz0vwnj5rI8

Sebastien’s response – I don’t have much to say, it’s just really good. We’re not a Victoria troupe, we started there but have been settled in Vancouver for 3 years now. I think it’s really nice when a critic gets what you’re trying to do and Peter does. That demonstrates the clarity of vision of the production and also the depth of Birnie’s knowledge.

Chelsea’s response -I’m generally pretty happy whenever I’m mentioned in a review. Often times as a director I feel overlooked but that’s happening less and less.  I appreciate that he gave a shout out to the whole cast and feel like he got what we were trying to accomplish with the piece. Peter has been a strong supporter of our summer shows for three years now but evey year says they are too long.  We’re trying Peter but sometimes people just walk really slow! Next year we’re really going to strive for a tight 90 minutes.

Would you like to respond?

Tomorrow we’ll play Call and Response with the review from Gay Vancouver.

12 Angry Men – What our artistic associate has been up to

In ITSAZOO news unrelated to Robin Hood…

Cameron Anderson, ITSAZOO’s Artistic Associate, is starring in Hardline Theatre’s production of 12 Angry Men at Dreamlife Studios.  Here’s what Cam has to say about his newest artistic endeavour:

12 men feeling angry

I’m playing Juror #12 in Hardline Production’s 12 Angry Men by
Reginald Rose, adapted from the 1957 film of the same name starring
Henry Fonda.  The show is pay-what-what-you can, and the venue is
licensed, so we will be serving beer.  The performances are being held
at Dreamlife Studios on 68 Water street in Gastown.  For more info
about the show, folks can check out the event page at
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=132098956824656&ref=mf.

-Cameron Anderson

Pay what you can!  How can you not check out this provocative work by this exciting new company!  The ZooCrew suggests you do.

Opening night!

Robin Hood opens tonight!  It was awesome last night to have our first show in front of an audience. It was a really supportive crowd and we all learned a lot about the show from having it in front of an audience.  With a promenade play the connection with the audience is what makes the show so magic and you don’t know until you have an audience how to really seal the deal.  Last night we were observers of the process and tonight we’re going to connect.

Yesterday there was a comment published in the Province about our article that ran in Sunday’s paper.  I found it very touching and wanted to share it.

Theatre of conscience
 
 
By Tracy Scott, The Province August 4, 2010
 
 
Reading your ar ticle on ITSAZOO’s alternative production of Robin Hood forced me into deep session of introspection.
In the past two weeks alone, I have spent over $400 on tickets to see some big touring productions currently in Greater Vancouver.
I haven’t given a penny to charity nor a can of food to the Food Bank, or even my pocket change to the unshaven man who wanders the streets near my home.
I’m not alone in this — the government’s behaviour has been eerily similar, but on a much grander scale. The theme of our government and its various systems as of late has been that the impoverished, addicted and homeless are a scourge that ought to be extinguished, or at the very least made to disappear.
In our reality, Robin Hood could never be a hero to the masses. Stealing from the rich to give to the unemployed and impoverished violates capitalism’s deepest rooted tenet — you must work for a living. Robin Hood would be arrested and put in jail.
In the end, I think I’ll add $34 to my summer tab of event tickets and head down to QE Park. They may not have a cast of Tony Award nominees or a big-top tent, but I think the folks at ITSAZOO at least have a conscience.
Tracy Scott, Langley
© Copyright (c) The Province

Do you agree that Robin Hood could not be a hero to the masses today?
Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/Theatre+conscience/3357270/story.html#ixzz0vkaxgfSs

Ladies and Gentlemen Mr. Kyle Sutherland

Tomorrow is the Robin Hood preview. We’ve spent the past few days doing tech and dress rehearsals. A big part of this has been hauling many set pieces up and down a giant hill. This has brought our awesome set designer Kyle Sutherland to mind.

Mr. Kyle Sutherland

Kyle Sutherland is ITSAZOO’s newest Designer in Residence.  He designs the sets and props for the majority of our shows.  He’s magic.  He is the king of taking a little and making a lot out of it.  Kyle is the King of “Yah sure, I can do that.”

For example- Me: ‘Hey Kyle, do you think you could build a full set that can convert to 4 very different venues that can also fit in to a one ton van and be set up in an hour by 10 people who have no idea what they’re doing for $200?’ Kyle: ‘Yah sure, I could do that.’

The awesome thing is that when he says he’ll do it he actually does.

With Robin Hood he had the challenge of building various pieces of set that looked like they were built out of garbage, that were light, functional and easy to haul around a park 5 days a week.

Here’s an example of one of the great sets he built.

Me'Hey Kyle, can you build a kitchen in a park?' Kyle 'Yah sure, I could do that'

He also had the challenge of building set pieces out of shopping carts.  To see that and all of the other sweet bits Kyle has created (including the most ridiculous video camera you’ll ever witness) you’ll have to come to the show…

Pay-What-You-Can Preview tomorrow, August 4 at 7PM

Opening August 5 at 7PM

Dana Gee Video Preview

The opening of Robin Hood is less than a week away so that means that all of the previews are going to be coming out this week.  Today we had an article in the province

http://www.theprovince.com/Robin+Hood+Tents/3348598/story.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQHJkKMvoi4

And a video preview on DGTV with Dana Gee