Scar Tissue at the Arts Club on Granville Island

I knew nothing about Scar Tissue until I was reading their promo brochure. It was a play based on a novel by Michel Ignatieff (yes, the politician) about a family coping with the mother's Alzheimer's Disease and facing the reality that the children and grand children may carry the same genes.

This story was written for the reality of  looking into the sometimes difficult relationships we have with our parents and siblings and maybe trying to understand and forgive not only their flaws but also our own.

Blood Brothers at the Arts Club Granville Island

The program has quoted that, "Blood Brother's is the musical for those who don't like musicals." I agree. It feels rock and roll. It really is barely noticeable that they are singing their dialogues and thoughts.

Blood Brothers is a musical/play about twins who are separated at birth. The one adopted has lived a privileged life, the other, not so much, in fact, he belonged to an impoverished family.  I love how they have paralleled songs about Marilyn Monroe's life to the story line. Very effective but eventually melancholic.

The most memorable thing about this performance for me is John Mann. I'm embarrass to say that I don't know him or his work at all (Spirit of the West). He plays this somewhat devil like narrator. He's fantastic - he reminds me of the butler in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, but in sexy kind of Seal kind of way. He sang in this commanding, concise but hypnotic devilish cadence.

Blood Brothers is at Granville Island, Arts Club Theatre until December 31st.

Backstage Lounge

Before the play, we went into the Backstage Lounge for dinner, it is convenient because it is connected to the theatre, plus you get a 15% discount if you are going to the show. I had the duck pizza with hoisin sauce. Well, I'm definitely copying that recipe - went very well with a glass of cab.

The Graduate

I went to a see Last Tango in Paris with a very young friend last year when it played at Vancity Theatre. It was both our first time seeing this very famous movie that everyone seemed to know about. The most famous scene being the butter scene. Anyways, my friend was absolutely appalled and disgusted. She could not understand why this movie would be so famous. I, being the older one (saw more movies/experiences) earnestly attempted to defend "art." I explained that "art's" existence is not to be liked or loved, "art's" job is to invoke emotion - good or bad.

http://www.artsclub.com/20102011/plays/graduate.htm

When you see good art (theatre in this case), you instinctively feel something. The Graduate failed to make me feel. I did not empathize with the characters. I cannot exactly identify the reasons why, maybe it's because I had the original images of Dustin Hoffman, Ann Bancroft and Catherine Ross and expected too much (like seeing a movie after reading the book). 

"In 1996, The Graduate was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". It ranked as the seventh greatest film of all time on AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies." <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Graduate>

Late night nosh

Ok, I haven't gone to The Keg in eons (probably since high school, when restaurant choices were very limited). Dining options in Granville Island late night after a show is extremely limited. As it turned out, it was decent enough. At 11:00 pm, my friend and I both had the pepper steak and a glass of wine (one glass only since I will be driving home to the burbs in the snow after all).

Granville Island Winterruption

Granville Island has always been such an interesting place for walking around in. Right now, they are having Winterruption - they have entertainers all over the market.

Have you guys taken the little aquabus lately? Well, if you haven't, do it, it's a nice way to get from here to there around Granville Island and downtown.

If you haven't discovered the culinary school for their pastries, coffee and lunch and dinner, then you are missing out. I had some to die for macarons yesterday. Sooo good.

Afghan Horsemen

Afghan Horsemen is one of my favourite places to take people to. It was voted best middle eastern restaurant by Georgia Straight for the last 3 years (I was one of those voters.) This is a very different place for a casual get-together. You sit on the floor on cushions (they have tables too, but it's more fun in the tent like area) and have your meal on a low table. I like to order the platters so that I can try a variety of food.Their potatoes are to die for, and the lamb melts in your mouth tender. I took my niece and nephew here in the summer time and they say that it's the best food they have ever eaten.