Podplays – Curatorial Statement

December 02, 2010

by Associate Curator Dani Fecko

I don’t have a driver’s license.  Much to the chagrin and mockery of many of my friends, I can’t drive a car.

This means I take a lot of buses, but more than that, I walk a lot.  I have always felt like I know this city pretty well, but in a time of iPods and cell phones, I will admit I am not usually as open to taking in my surroundings as I should be.  I’m not proud of this.  I remember growing up in North Vancouver and being constantly reminded of the natural beauty of this place because my eyes were always on the trees  (and flowers and birds and squirrels).  I miss that.

Ironically, experiencing Neworld Theatre’s Podplays changed everything for me.  I was lucky enough to be able to go for a walk, with an iPod and with Adrienne Wong, who conceived this production with Martin Kinch.  Adrienne wasn’t exactly by my side, she kept me in sight and allowed me to experience the show on my own. And I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Podplays allowed me to see Vancouver in a brand new light.  It allowed me to look up.  I was no longer in “the City of Glass”, but in a city drenched with architecture, urban landscaping, and history.  I was in a city with a story. More to the point, I was in a city whose people had stories.

Podplays gave me an experience.  It left me in quiet reflection about how I fit into the intricacies of a seemingly young city, which has taken the lives of so many to create.  I was left uplifted about the creativity of my peers and so proud to be a part of a community that so deeply cares about its background.

PuSh is proud to continue its relationship with Neworld Theatre, following the 2005 production of Crime and Punishment and the 2008 production of My Name is Rachel Corrie. Neworld is a leader within the independent Theatre Community, producing pieces that examine Canada’s diversity in the broadest sense.  They ponder our lives in the context of who counts, who doesn’t and what our relationship is to the people we may think we are.

Podplays is a perfect fit into our 125th Anniversary series.  It fully examines the ideas of cityness, identity, history and beginnings.

Podplays will leave you wanting to open your eyes and ears to the city.  And to take many more walks.

Dani Fecko, Associate Curator

Show info
Facebook event
Podplays: Powell Street Edition
Listen to past Podplays