Even though Christmas trees are dried out and destined for the chipper and holiday coffee cups are losing their pretty patterns, there are happy things to look forward to in January. Eight such things are listed below, and all eight can be found on a stage somewhere, away from the stormy winter weather.
Let the arts revive your sparkle as you trudge back to work and await the next statutory holiday. From blog-inspired theatre to sketch comedy, from geek musical to Quebecois acrobatics, here are the hottest arts shows for January 2015.
Kayak
Kayak. Photo: Firehall Arts Centre.
A witty tale of climate change, activism, and getting along with your mother-in-law, Kayak stars Susan Hogan as Annie Iverson. On a quest to save her son from his radical environmentalist girlfriend, Annie unwittingly gets caught up in a catastrophic series of events.
- When: January 7th – 17th
- Where: Firehall Arts Centre – 280 East Cordova Street, Vancouver
- More Info: Firehall Arts Centre
Brian Regan
Brian Regan. Photo: Live Nation BC Facebook.
The veteran Miami-born stand-up comedian brings his appealing set back to Vancouver for one night only.
- When: January 9th
- Where: The Chan Centre for Performing Arts, UBC – 6265 Crescent Road, Vancouver
- More Info: Brian Regan
Vancouver Sketch Comedy Festival
Size Matters, a LA-based trio perfoming at Vancouver Sketch Comedy Festival. Photo: Vancouver Sketch Comedy Festival.
The Vancouver Sketch Comedy Festival is celebrating its second year, bringing together comedians and sketch groups from around the city and across the continent.
- When: January 16th – 18th
- Where: Waterfront Theatre – 1412 Cartwright Street (Granville Island)
- More Info: Vancouver Sketch Comedy Festival
PostSecret: The Show
PostSecret: The Show. Photo: Firehall Arts Centre.
An immersive storytelling experience based on Frank Warren’s revolutionary blog, PostSecret: The Show employs original music, recorded voices, projected images and video to portray the secrets buried within.
- When: January 20th – February 7th
- Where: Firehall Arts Centre – 280 East Cordova Street, Vancouver
- More Info: Firehall Arts Centre
Séquence 8
Séquence 8. Photo: PuSh Festival.
An ambitious, jaw-dropping show of human acrobatics, Séquence 8 features in the 2015 PuSh International Performing Arts Festival. A production of Quebec’s Les 7 doigts de la main circus troupe, this spectacle is sure to thrill and make you feel extremely inflexible.
- When: January 22nd – 24th
- Where: Vancouver Playhouse – 600 Hamilton Street, Vancouver
- More Info: PuSh Festival
Re-calculating
The Re-calculating crew. Photo: Realwheels Facebook.
A rare window into the lived experience of a quadriplegic, Re-calculating is a one-man show staring drummer Dave Symington, a man who has lived and made music with a physical disability for over 20 years.
- When: January 22nd – 24th
- Where: CBC Studio 700 – 700 Hamilton Street, Vancouver
- More Info: Realwheels Theatre
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. Photo: Shona Wercholuk, Laura Murray PR.
A medley of classical ballets are re-imagined with all-male performers for one night only. “The Trocks” have performed in 30 countries around the world to rave reviews, and Vancouverites are sure to find this cheeky dance engagement to be en pointe.
- When: January 24th
- Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre – 649 Cambie Street, Vancouver
- More Info: Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
Portal 2: The (Unauthorized) Musical
Portal 2: The (Unauthorized) Musical. Photo: Geekender Facebook Event.
Set in the distant future, Portal 2 is a black comedy about science, family and space. The musical will take off at the Rio Theatre, made possible by none other than Vancouver’s most geektacular performance group, The Geekenders.
- When: January 30th & 31st
- Where: The Rio Theatre – 1660 East Broadway, Vancouver
- More Info: Portal 2: The (Unauthorized) Musical Facebook Event