This Lady’s a winner
Despite our best intentions, many unbalanced gender roles are still present today — double standards such as how infidelity is viewed between men and women.
Gas & Light Productions is taking this as inspiration behind its version of Lady Windermere’s Fan, an Oscar Wilde-penned play that centres around adultery and gender double standards.
“It was extremely successful when it was first put on, and I think it will be well received now,” says producer Tereasa Maillie.
Lady Windermere is a beautiful young woman who is also a strong moralist. However, she comes up against a difficult situation when she is confronted with the possibility that her husband is having an affair.
Wilde, of course, is known for his comedy. Maillie says most of this play’s comedic moments come via the incidental characters — the lords and the ladies — who round out the cast. “This is a bitingly satirical play.”
As for the titular “fan,” Maillie says it is “really bloody important,” as it becomes the “instrument of her (Lady Windermere’s) downfall or salvation.”
Maillie secured several vintage fans for the production, which will be auctioned off at the conclusion of the show’s run.
Lady Windermere’s Fan runs until April 20 in the Pumphouse’s Joyce Doolittle Theatre.
Tickets and information: gasandlight.com or 403-8083818.
Song of Praise — Festival Chorus
The Festival Chorus is offering up Felix Mendelssohn’s Song of Praise, a large choral and orchestral work for its spring concert that has never before been performed in Calgary.
Festival Chorus director Mel Kirby describes Song of Praise as Mendelssohn’s “answer to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.”
“He tinkered with this piece right to the end of his life. He thought it was his greatest choral work,” Kirby says.
Song of Praise takes place April 12 at Grace Presbyterian Church (1009 15th Ave. S.W.)
Tickets and information: thefestivalchorus.com or 403294-9494.
Jesse
Calgary actor Mitchell Verigin was on the Canadian Forces Base in Wainwright, putting his acting chops to work helping prep soldiers for duty overseas. The second day he was there, a general mentioned that he had been dealing with a soldier who had tried to commit suicide the night before.
“Every soldier I spoke with seemed desensitized to this news,” says Verigin.
Struck, Verigin set out with some fellow actors to create a short film exploring PostTraumatic Stress Disorder.
Titled Jesse, the film, which stars Verigin, explores what happens when a young soldier develops PTSD following his tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Currently a short film, Verigin hopes to raise funds to develop Jesse into a feature– length picture.
Jesse will have its premiere screening at the Royal Canadian Legion #1 (116 7th Ave. S.E.) on April 13. Contact Verigin via Facebook for more information.