The Show Must Go On Cast Blog: Max Wyman, Jan 17

January 18, 2010

by Max Wyman, performer in The Show Must Go On

It’s clear from the discussion that has been generated around the show on the web and in the media that Bel provokes some lively thinking.

In an on-line interview with the Vancouver office of the French Consulate-General (one of the sponsors of the show) Bel talks about ˝disparity˝ as a central issue of the show. ˝How do people of various origins, age and social practices share the same space and create a viable community of people? This is what is at stake in this production.˝ The creation of a community of individuals has dominated much of our work. Dancers from several generations of Vancouver performers and a diversity of styles (ballet, bhangra, modern dance, hip hop) mingle with actors and directors from the innovative edges of the community, a good sprinkling of SFU arts students and alumni, a professional singer, a veteran arts administrator. And me, a lapsed dance critic and by a large number of years the oldest person on the stage.

Despite the age differences, and the variety of cultural backgrounds, we have begun to grow into the community that Bel talks about so much, and which Dina and Henrique are so keen to encourage. Everyone is so exposed in this piece that we need the support of each other; and the more that communality grows, the more confidence we seem to have in establishing individuality – the ˝people˝ part of Bel´s ˝community of people.˝ I know the mutual concern and trust that this show generates among the cast members will leave me with some good new friends.

The first of our run-throughs, last Wednesday, drew the term “catastrophe” from our directors. We could only go up from there. Subsequent run-throughs have gone better, so much so that we were given a day off on Sunday. Given that rehearsals ended late Saturday afternoon and don’t start again until Monday at 6, that means we have a 48-hour break from the show. I hope that’s not too long. The next time we run it we’ll be in the actual theatre for the first time, just two nights from opening. The theatre is just finished, new to everyone: performers, technicians, audience. We are all likely to need some breaking-in.

The Show Must Go On is part of the 2010 PuSh International Performing Arts Festival and is presented with SFU Woodward’s and The Dance Centre. Jan 20-23, 2010 at 8:00pm, The Fei and Milton Wong Experimental Theatre, SFU. Click here for full details.