Review of Party This Weekend (Scarlet Satin Productions)
This is Anabelle’s first theater review for HB604.
Early in July Raul was invited to attend a new local play titled Party This Weekend. Since his mom was in town during the whole month, the pleasure fell to me to attend this original and entertaining play on July 29th.
Derek on Party This Weekend. Photo credit: Matt Reznek on Flickr.
The story is… well, there are actually four stories, but I only had the possibility to see one. Here’s the blurb from the Party This Weekend website:
Experience a house party you will never forget, through the eyes of four pivotal party guests. Mingle, eat & drink, following one of these characters through the house each night.
I got to follow Lara around as she made sure that the party for her best friend Gen went smoothly. As the night goes on, the characters and story lines cross each other. As a spectator you become one of the guests, allowed to interact with the characters and participate in the party by hiding (shhh!) or singing Happy Birthday.
The complexity of Lara’s (played by Laura Hope) plot mirrored the life of a mid-20′s professional woman: ex-boyfriends and breakups, attachment to old friends and difficult life choices. Funny yet touching, hers is a story of growth, maturity and the art of letting go. As she meets with other characters Cameron (Andrew Baker), Vivian (Maggie Ma) and Derek (Matt Beairsto), she needs to make sure that the birthday girl is celebrated in style and gets the perfect gift.
The actors were convincing despite a few fumbles in the first minutes. I have to commend them for their ability to improvise and ad-lib around the guests’ interventions; the setting (in a private house in East Van) makes it all feel intimate, like hanging out with a bunch of friends, and acting in that setting must be quite a challenge. The supporting characters bring color and interest and serve as bridges between the four main plots.
It’s a shame that I won’t get to see the whole story. However, if you’re curious, you can always ask the actors as you hang out with them in a nearby bar after the play. It’s this mingling of acting and viewing, passivity and participation that makes this play such an original one.
Party This Weekend is on on Fridays and Saturdays until the end of August. The last weekend will be licensed for beer and wine; otherwise it’s pop, water and hot dogs for a moderate price. Showing up is risky as the spaces are limited, so it’s better to reserve in advance.
Visit the Party This Weekend website for info on location and prices.
Don’t miss this original concept play written, directed and acted by Vancouver talent.
Hummingbird604.com was given a complimentary ticket for Anabelle to attend and see the play but was not required or paid to write a review. As usual, Raul keeps editorial control at all times. You can read more of Anabelle’s writing on her blog.
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