Category Archives: Features

New faces in theatre: six up-and-comers whose talents will have an impact on the scene. First, Helen Belay

By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca They’re young. They shine brightly. And their talents are already lighting up the Edmonton theatre scene. 12thnight talked to six starry and sought-after up-and-comers, artists whose work, on- and backstage, will have a big impact on … Continue reading →

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Happy birthday Shakespeare: a pandemical celebration

By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca “I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams.” — Hamlet No one ever said he was a repository of positive thinking, … Continue reading →

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Just in time for Will’s birthday, the Freewill Shakespeare Festival has a new artistic director: Dave Horak

By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca Many happy returns, Will. True, the 32nd edition of E-town’s outdoor festival in his honour has, alas, been cancelled this summer, postponed till 2021, and for entirely good reasons. But there’s welcome news to be had … Continue reading →

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How does it feel to have your face misrepresented? Whiteface, the play and now the film

By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca At the outset of Whiteface, a smug chalky-faced couple chat over dinner about their culinary and entertainment options.“Here we go,” sighs the woman, overcome with ennui and exasperation. “We’re always the monsters….” The man rolls his … Continue reading →

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Can live theatre live online? Ask improv and video expert Matt Schuurman

By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca It’s a strange moment in history when live theatre has been struck down by the lack of its traditional venue (and raison d’être) — the room where people gather, and actors and audiences connect, in person. … Continue reading →

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The year in podcast dramas: The Alberta Queer Calendar Project

By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca Lately I feel like I’m constantly on the edge of a vortex. Swimming. Trying to keep my head above water.” — Local Diva, Liam Salmon In January when his “one-person drag queen drama” premiered in podcast … Continue reading →

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A time for dreaming: we asked theatre artists what roles and plays they’d love to do

By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca Live theatre hasn’t disappeared. It’s just on hold, suspended like time and probability, until we can all be together again in person: artists and their audiences, people sharing stories in a room. Along with the human … Continue reading →

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‘Hello. My name is Jamie Cavanagh. And I want to be Wolverine’.

By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca In a mapless, chaotic universe, it’s kind of reassuring to find a goal, and a campaign, to get behind. Here’s one, and it even has clarity and showbiz sense on its side: Jamie Cavanagh wants to … Continue reading →

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The Digital Fringe: Chase Padgett’s bright idea for tough times

By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca The Fringe has always been a lab for bright ideas. That’s why the people love it; that’s what it’s for, this bright idea hatched in Edmonton 38 summers ago. So here’s a new one, from Fringe … Continue reading →

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When the curtain doesn’t open: strange nights without theatre

By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca It’s a strange feeling. I’ve spent most of my adult life encouraging people to go to live theatre. Exhorting people to share the excitement, the fun, the surprise, the laughter and the tears, the shared gasp, … Continue reading →

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