PuSh International Performing Arts Festival

The second year of Rumble Productions/Touchstone Theatre’s PuSh International Performance Series featured four exciting contemporary works from Canada and abroad.

MAINSTAGE PRESENTATIONS:

K.
Kaleidoskop Theatre (Copenhagen)

Written/directed by Martin Tulinius

January 14 – 24
Frederic Wood Theatre, UBC

Winner of Denmark’s most prestigious theatre award, K. is a passionate and humanist portrayal of Franz Kafka, one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. Copenhagen and Vancouver join forces in this new English translation that stars Patrick Keating, Karen Konval, Jamie Long and Allan Morgan. This unique international co-production is a PuSh initiative with Theatre at UBC.

A Suicide Site-Guide to the City
Mammalian Diving Reflex (Toronto)

Written by Darren O’Donnell
Directed by Rebecca Picherak

January 21 – 24
Firehall Arts Centre

A premier performance of a new work by one of Canada’s most beguiling creators.

“There are parts of this performance which would be best served if I were to shed some tears; some emotional segments that would be all that more effective if I were to be weeping. But, as I’ve mentioned, I feel dead these days, leaden, empty; I can barely feel my own flesh let alone the urge to burst into tears. Which explains the presence of this onion. I hope you will forgive me this one small deception.”— from A Suicide Site-Guide to the City

The Birds, Burnt Norton and Fuse
Trial & Eros (Montreal)

Choreographed by Deborah Dunn

January 28 – 31
Scotiabank Dance Centre

Theatre meets dance, meets Alfred Hitchcock in this trio of profound and witty new works by Montreal-based choreographer and performer, Deborah Dunn. Intrigued by the collision of past and present, Dunn uses striking visuals, stunning movement and a quirky sense of humour in this collection of work inspired by cultural icons of the modern era.

Sign Language: A Physical Conversation
One Yellow Rabbit Performance Theatre (Calgary)

Created and Performed by Denise Clarke

January 30 – 31
Scotiabank Dance Centre

Denise Clarke promises only to dance and talk about it after. Why? She mentions something about “salon performance,” defining it as an opportunity to communicate with her audience in the intimate confines of the theatre. She insists she’ll take questions afterwards. She says she will do anything she feels like. She wants to entertain. She wants to move people. She wants to dance. One Yellow Rabbit says why the heck not.

SATELLITE EVENTS:

ARTIST ROUNDTABLES

Ginger 62, Ramada Inn on Granville at Davie

An intimate discussion with our internationally acclaimed artists.

Martin Tulinius – Friday, January 16 5PM

Darren O’Donnell – Friday, January 23 5PM

Deborah Dunn / Denise Clark – Friday, January 30 5PM

BRAVO!FACT

Scotiabank Dance Centre

January 19

An evening of the best and newest video productions from across Canada. Post-screening reception hosted by Judy Gladstone, Executive Director of Bravo!FACT.

LOSING YOURSELF

January 26 – 27

A creation workshop focusing on new forms of dramatic writing and performance in which character, plot and conflict take a back seat to community, history and experience. Lead by Darren O’Donnell author/creator of pppeeeaaaccceee, White Mice, Boxhead, Who Shot Jacques Lacan?, and Radio Rooster Says That’s Bad. Come prepared to move, talk, write and act.

STAGED READING OF THE TRIGGER
by Carmen Aguirre

Friday, January 2
Firehall Arts Centre

Catch a glimpse of PuSh 2005 with a provocative new work by one of Touchstone Theatre’s Playwrights in Residence, Carmen Aguirre (Chile Con Carne and The Refugee Hotel). This interdisciplinary work combines trapeze work and live music with Aguirre’s taut political text, in a deeply personal story about the ripples of a violation through time.

LECTURE DEMONSTRATION
The Work of Martin Tulinius

January 16
Frederic Wood Theatre, UBC

Tulinius is honoured with being the first theatre artist to win Denmark’s highest awards as both a director and set designer. From original theatre to innovative stagings for the music of Arnold Schoenberg and Eric Satie, to interdisciplinary creations and opera, Tulinius is both a striking and provocative example of a European scenographic tradition.