EDITOR JAKE HEWER THE VOICE, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2012 4 Emily Cooper photos From Left to Right: Stephanie Iszak, Tim W. Carlson, Cheyenne Mabberly and Chris Cope from Attempts on her Life. A bold attempt well Dunn Studio 58’s first production of 2012 embraces creative freedom Attempts on her Directed by Katrina Dunn Written by Martin Crimp HE Tickets available on Studio 58 webpage HE Play runs until October 14 By ANNIE ELLISON ttempts on her Life: Seventeen Scenarios for Theatre is Martin Crimp’s provocative portrayal of mystery woman named Anne. It is showing at Studio 58 until Oct. 14. In true postmodern fashion, inter- pretations of Anne range from a flashy new car, to a terrorist, to the subject of an art exhibit. In the script, no line is assigned to any specific character throughout the 17 unrelated scenes. By removing the things that are cen- tral to any story — plot and characters — Attempts... forces audience members not to passively receive the story, but to make meaning from the fragments of information. All 17 have their own spin on Anne. Director Katrina Dunn took pro- found creative freedom and created a powerful theatrical experience. “It’s a political statement to take more control of how you receive mes- sages,” she said. Seeing this production is an active process of questioning. Two TV monitors staged left and right provide a live feed pertaining to each scene. Scenographer David Roberts’ set, which includes a closed-circuit holding pen for the audience, abrasively con- veys Crimp’s message that media con- structs our reality. With no character-specific lines, when the same actor appears in differ- ent scenes wearing the same costume, we assume that it is the same character — but it’s not. Or is it? In this we catch ourselves imposing meaning on the play, while questioning our understanding. Got you thinking yet? That Dunn’s rendition is at times hi- larious, disturbing, infuriating and al- ways perplexing is a good forecast for the 2012 cast of Studio 58. Some scenes were more memorable than others. Group ensemble pieces shone brightest, thanks to the choreog- raphy of Kathleen McDonagh. Alex Patalas and Stephanie Iszak had standout performances. The play ends without warning on the words “previously frozen.” The near-full house received it with gusto. For those who fancy post-modern lit- erature or contemporary theatre, this play is essential viewing. Not your thing? Media, sexuality, language and form will hotwire your consciousness and you will be better for it. Bring few preconceptions. Leave with a new perspective. Film Fest Is back Vancouver International Film Festival brings a wide variety of cinema By KATJA DE BOCK Festival starts its second week to- day and Langara film arts grad Brie Koniczek is ready to welcome thousands of patrons. “Our main priority is getting the butts in the seat and starting the mov- ie,” said the festival venue manager. She recommends volunteering. “You work 32 hours ... You find out the skin- ny on what the best films are and you get to go for free. It’s such a good deal.” Diversity is key at the festival J “Imagine a world j where you could only listen to sta- dium rock, and in- die bands could never be heard,” said Alan Franey, festival director for BRIE KONICZEK 31 years. “A lot of VIFF Venue the best cinema is Manager like indie music.” Langara theatre student Andrew Ferguson says he scans the catalogue for strange descriptions. “The more bi- zarre it sounds, the more interested I am.” Langara Business student Aaron Chung is interested in the Dragons & Tigers section, highlighting the cinema of East Asia. He enjoys the social aspect of cine- ma. “It’s the whole experience, you have it on a bigger screen, you can go with friends,” he said. Festival programmer Stephanie Damgaard can relate to students’ busy lives and suggests the Canadian shorts screenings. “Tt’s a great way to see a wide variety of genres and styles in one program,” she said. “It’s also great way to see something by someone you’ve never heard of before and discover the next gem.” Damgaard suggests Xavier Dolan’s transgender love story Laurence Any- ways. “I would definitely recommend [his film] to college students. It’s his third film and he is just getting better.” T: Vancouver International Film Metro on Marpole celebrates 50 The Metro Theatre, open since 1963, is in the midst of celebrating 50 years of theater By ANNIE ELLISON years of volunteer-run community theatre in south Vancouver to the applause of supporters across the city. The self-proclaimed “humble little theatre” is tucked beneath the Arthur Laing Bridge on-ramp, on the hotly contested Musqueam Nation _ site known as the Marpole Midden. To honour the people who have made its existence possible, the 50th season provides a victory lap of chosen Metro favorites. This season opened in August with Relatively Speaking, and will include a gala celebration for Lend me a Tenor on Nov. 3. The theatre opened in 1963 and for decades it filled the theatrical cravings of the British expat community. During the tech rehearsal for I'll be T: Metro Theatre is celebrating 50 Back Before Midnight - the most-ever produced Canadian play - several Eng- lish accents could be heard arguing over lighting cues. Metro Theatre Company board of di- rectors member Steve Dotto’s first memory of the Metro was from 1972, watching Brigadoon at age 13. Dotto notes a steady decline in seat sales in the last 15 years as that loyal British patronage has begun to age. With this in mind, the Metro has overhauled its advertising focus. Social media and web publicity have replaced print and radio “to put bums in seats,” as Dotto puts it, which were newly do- nated this year. Donors and volunteers like profes- sional director Don Glossop help keep the Metro alive. “Everything I do here, I do for love,” says Glossop. “Without volunteers we couldn’t exist.” The typical Metro volunteer is either in early adulthood, or newly retired. Because of this, teenagers and seniors get the rare chance to connect and col- laborate. However, the theatre’s size, age and location present particular challenges. Board member Don Briard wonders if “a smaller, newer space in a better location” might secure another 50 years for the Metro. Despite its obscure location, the the- atre will see its millionth patron this year. At eight shows per season, that’s 400 shows in 50 years. Such is the stay- ing power of hidden charm, for Dotto. “It’s a discovery you get to make. It becomes part of your life. That’s the beauty of it.” To become a part of the Metro’s lega- cy, visit metrotheatrevancouver.com. New friends are always welcome. Annie Ellison photo The Metro Theatre, just over the Arthur Liang Bridge.