Original farce lampoons city landmarks, personas
For Sarah Glubish, Abagail Vanmerlin and Aaron Coates, clowning around is serious business.
The trio have collaborated on an original farce called The Gala, which premieres at Doherty Hall at Stampede Park from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3.
“The Gala started out as a clown show that Sarah and I had devised, but when we approached Aaron to help ... he said it would work better as a farce and he guided us through the process. Sarah is the primary playwright on the show and Aaron directed it,” says Vanmerlin, who choreographed the dance number in the show.
As one of the producers, she was thrilled to have stumbled upon Doherty Hall, a new performance space on the Stampede grounds.
“For people familiar with the theatre scene in the city, Doherty Hall is a bit like Lunchbox, the Motel or the Big Secret Theatre. You can configure it the way you want.”
What Vanmerlin and her collaborators really want are for prospective audience members to dress up for the occasion.
“We encourage people to dress in fancy garb, clothes from their favourite era or in Halloween garb, which shows you what kind of a gala this is going to evolve into. We want people to already be in a fun mood the moment they arrive.”
Christopher Heatherington, one of the eight cast members of the show, says The Gala “is actually a mock gala the puts Calgary centre stage.
“No food truck is safe. No wedding sacrosanct. Bleach is the new black. Gift wrap is an aphrodisiac and tap dancing is about to enjoy an unprecedented revival.”
Glubish not only devised the script for the show but wrote an original song.
She said The Gala is “a farce in the tradition of Noises Off but with the tables turned. Farce has traditionally been a male-oriented genre of comedy. The female characters are secondary. Our show features a female-centric cast.
The story portrays women as independent, ambitious, and having goals and dreams that do not involve romance with a man.”
Glubish says The Gala “invites Calgarians to join in on the fun of a fast-paced, epic escapade that highlights and spoofs some of Calgary’s most well-known landmarks and personas.”
Joining Glubish, Vanmerlin and Heatherington in all the mayhem are Dawn Nagazina, Kirsten Garcia, Sajan Dhaliwal, Adena Warren and Tracy Cartier.
This is an adult-only show because patrons can order a cocktail or two to help them get into a fun spirit. The performance begins nightly at 7:30 p.m. with 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Doherty Hall is located at 1302 6th St. S.E.
Tickets for The Gala are $20 and are on sale at clownswithissues.ca or at the door and are limited to 60 persons per performance.