Hilda's Yard

Metro Theater is one of the many amateur theater companies in the Lower Mainland of BC and it is, in my opinion, a hidden gem. This is the 55th season of Metro Theater and they have an outstanding lineup of plays for this year.

The first play of the season is one that my wife and I went to on Saturday night. The play was called Hilda's Yard. Set in 1956, it follows the Fluck family through one extraordinary day during which their son loses his job and moves back home, their daughter leaves her husband and moves back home and Sam Fluck, thinking that he and his wife Hilda are empty nesters now and can start to live their OWN lives, buys their first television set.

The generation gap between the parents and the children is large and what may seem like far out ideas to the parents are reasonable to the new generation. The contrast between generations and the difficulties in seeing a situation in someone else’s shoes, especially when your values are set in stone is a major theme in the play.

Hilda’s Yard is chock-full of Foster’s well-known humour, even as it delves into the depths of the serious issues of Gary’s post-traumatic stress disorder and Janey’s spousal abuse. The contradictions inherent in the quirky characters lead to many fine comedic moments.

In the end, despite the challenges of the day, ties of love, family, and friendship prevail and we come to understand a uniquely Canadian look at family dynamics, which really don't really change much over the years.

The play was fun to watch, the actor who plays Hilda fills the stage with her presence and I had no problem believing that she ruled the household. She could be very intimidating to her family and to her guests, one invited to dinner by her son and one not invited by her son. The uninvited guest is a small-time bookie who is trying to collect a debt from Hilda's son.

The actor who plays the father did a good job of convincing us that he was a nice guy, who was celebrating his new found "freedom" from his kids. However, in a scene with his daughter he showed the dark side of male attitudes in the 50's. He did in the final scene redeem himself and again showed that he was really a nice man.

I enjoyed the production and if you are in the Vancouver Area I really recommend that you go see it. Metro prices are very low and I understand that this play was on Groupon so the ticket price is even lower. However, be warned the number of tickets left on Groupon is limited. Without a discount, a ticket will only set you back $25.00 or if you are a senior tickets are only $22.00. One of the best deals in town.

The Actor Inside You

Baby boomers love the theater.  And with good reason.  The theater has always been an art form that teaches the love of culture and values that were important to baby boomers when they were enjoying those explosive years of youth during the 50s and 60s.  You can see the influence of the stage even in the clothing and ways of expressing themselves that the “hippies” demonstrated when they were at their zenith.

The love of the stage and culture that has become wide spread in the baby boomer culture also reflects that this has always been a very well educated generation.  The fact that such a big percentage of baby boomers either had some exposure to the arts in college themselves or from their parents has been a healthy thing for preserving this important part of society throughout the time this generation has been in charge. 

For many a baby boomer the stage has held a fascination that is more than just watching a good play and being a good patron of the arts.  Many feel that there is a performer inside them that wants to become part of theater history by getting up there and acting in a play with all the joys and terrors that such a big step would mean.  But that shyness and unwillingness to take a chance has kept many of us from getting out there and giving it a try, knowing it could lead to disaster.  While risk taking of this nature might have been easy when we were youth, it might not be so easy as adults when we, allegedly, need to preserve our pride and try not to look stupid on stage if we forget a line.

But as more and more baby boomers move toward retirement age and have the time to explore the creative side of themselves, this time of life is a perfect opportunity to get out there and take that plunge and see if you can release the actor inside to captivate a crowd with your dramatic or comedic talents. 

There are plenty of opportunities around that you can give yourself a chance to step out on stage and experience that thrill of performing a theatrical piece for a live audience.  Virtually every community in the country has one or many local theater groups who offer the chance for an amateur actor to try his or her wings in a small role of that next local production.  In addition, many churches, colleges, art museums, improv groups and culture centers use drama as part of their programs.  These are good places to try out your acting skills in short 3-5 minute skits that would take less commitment to learn and limit your time on stage so you can get your legs and learn the craft.

If you want to get involved with groups like this, it’s easy to volunteer and perhaps enjoy being part of theater without getting out on stage at first.  You can help with sets, costumes and other tasks and still have the fun of rehearsals and all that back stage drama before you actually have to step out there and face an audience.

If ever there was a part of life that cried out those words that should become our mantra as baby boomers who are sprouting new wings in our later years, the theater is that place.  And that mantra is WHY NOT?  Why not take a chance with a part of life you have always dreamed of trying out?  Retirement is a time when you say, “Hey!  No more excuses.  I am going to give it a try.” 

You have let your fears and timidity keep you from letting that actor inside you try out an actual role in an actual play for long enough.  By letting that actor inside out, you may have the most fun you could ever imagine by getting out on stage and becoming someone else for a little while.  And when you hear that sound of applause and you know that applause was for you, then that actor inside you will not only thank you for letting him loose, he will begin nagging you to get out there again and try an even bigger role next time.  And you will be hooked for life.

Lend Me A Tenor (Metro Theater, Vancouver)

I went to the play that my wife is working on at Metro Theatre last Saturday. The Play was called Lend me a Tenor and there was a Gala before the play. Here are my thoughts and some history of the theatre.

This little Theatre which sits at the foot of Granville Street, has outlasted  the venerable Playhouse, is older than the Arts Club and without any form of Government support, is celebrating their 50th  consecutive year of providing first class entertainment.

After the 50th Gala Saturday was the opening of Lend Me A Tenor. Fond memories were rekindled as faces from Metro's past mixed with the present and all enjoyed a wonderful comedy directed by long time Metro Director, Catherine Morrison.

Metropolitan Co-Operative Theatre Society was spawned by the need a number of small non-professional organizations had to pool resources. Finding performance space, costumes, lighting equipment, attracting box office and back stage volunteers and then addressing publicity and promotion was a daunting task for small theatrical groups.

The Metro was, was, formed by eleven struggling Companies and began life in the Kitsilano Community Hall on West 4th Avenue and Arbutus in 1963 with a production of The Hollow. The following year, the group raised sufficient cash to purchase the present Theatre on South West Marine Drive.

Metro Theatre does the most annual productions of all non-professional Companies in North America and probably most of the professional ones as well. The income of the theatre is derived from the box office, which means that they have to stay closely attuned to what the public actually wants to see for them to survive.

Over the years the Metro has provided an amazing training facility for young actors, stage managers, carpenters, electricians and set decorators. Many have gone on to successful careers in the performing arts. The practical, hands-on and urgent experience gained at the Metro smoothed their entrance to professional work. Ultimately, then, Metro has carved a special place within the City's fabric and, whether or not its role can ever be defined, that place exists in the hearts and minds of the people who frequent our theatre, the workers and the players.

I highly recommend Lend Me a Tenor; from the opening the laughs are continuous. The timing of the actors is perfect. At intermission make sure you stay and watch the 8 minute pantomime by the stage crew. 

All in all you will enjoy the evening. Metro Theatre is a humble theatre that after 50 years still delivers good value.

50th Season for Metro Theater in Vancouver

Congratulations to  Metro Theatre on the start of their 50th season. For 50 years the actors, producers, directors of this theatre have entertained thousands of people. They still are one of the best, and cheapest nights our for live Theatre in Vancouver. I consider the opportunities I get to go to Metro Theatre to be one of the highlights of my year.  Metro Theatre has been in Vancouver for 50 years and that says something about the quality of the performances given by this Theatre. 

I have never been disappointed by a play that I have seen at this theatre. So I am encouraging all of you who enjoy live theatre to make a point of going to see the first show of this their 50th season, (or any show of the season), if you can.  

If you live in the Vancouver area,  Metro Theatre has a wonderful season upcoming, if you are going to visit Vancouver then I recommend you try to take in a play. You will be entertained.  To get tickets phone the Box Office  604-266-719. Ticket prices Adult $25, Seniors and Students $20

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Metro Theatre is proud to announce its 50th season with something for everyone! The first play of the season is:
Relatively Speaking  by Alan Ayckbourn,  Directed by -John Crittenden

This production will run from:
August 25th—September 22nd  ( Thursday, Friday and Saturdays only with two Sunday Matinee's on Sept 9^th and 16^th) Curtain 8PM, Matinees 2PM

Relatively Speaking opened at the Duke Of York’s Theatre, London, on 29 March 1967. The majority of critics fell over themselves to praise the production. True, it was considered insubstantial and slight, but this did not stop the plaudits for the quality of the piece; Alan’s dialogue, Nigel Patrick’s direction and the cast were rewarded with high praise. Alan’s fortunes had turned and the play would continue to generate excellent reviews in the coming weeks as the periodicals were published.

"I regard Relatively Speaking as a comedy. The plot is devious but doesn't really fulfil those desperate and anarchical requirements that would qualify it as a farce." (Personal correspondence,  Alan  Ayckbourn , 16 January 1986)

Here are extracts from many of the major reviews of the London premiere of the play.

Daily Express (Herbert Kretzmer)

Almost continuous laughter last night augers well for the commercial future of this cleverly judged comedy. It is bound to attract a large middlebrow audience and will deserve such success.

Daily Mail (Peter Lewis)

Unashamed, artificial, laugh-a-line comedy with no message or significance whatsoever…. Unlike most clockwork comedies, this one clicks and fizzes to the very end.

Daily Telegraph (W.A. Darlington)

If you want to see how brilliant light-comedy acting and production can make a charming evening’s entertainment out of a basically silly play, go to the Duke Of York’s and see Relatively Speaking…. Where then, lies the trouble? Simply in the fact that the author has to labour like an old-fashioned convict to prevent any of his characters from speaking the one line of sensible explanation that would clear up the mistake and bring the play to a premature end.

Evening Standard (Milton Shulman)

Slight, tenuous and too fragile for rational analysis. Relatively Speaking emerges as the funniest trick of the season.

Metro is next to the Arthur Lang Bridge, Vancouver and there is plenty of easy parking.

One of the charms of the Metro Theatre is the Metro Lounge, where after the show, the cast always shows up to meet and talk to the audience members who are in the Lounge. So be sure to visit the The Metro Lounge after the show, meet your friends, and to meet the cast.