Mr. Van Gogh goes to Brixton

BY JOSEPH PLANTA

Monday, 06 February 2006

VANCOUVER - At the Playhouse Theatre until the Saturday is Vincent in Brixton by Nicholas Wright. Directed by the Vancouver Playhouse's artistic director Glynis Leyshon, it stars Seana McKenna, who's a big deal in Canadian theatre, and Vincent Gale, who plays Vincent van Gogh.

Most know van Gogh as the painter who cut off his ear. Anything I've known about van Gogh I've gleaned from the Don McLean song, "Vincent." A tormented genius, who suffered for his art, so says the song. In this play however, he's an amiable fellow, a Dutch man who finds himself living in Brixton while working in Britain. He's a regular at church and he's found himself at the Loyer home on Hackford Road, looking for a room to let.

McKenna, who commands the stage both in quiet glances and furious dialogue, plays Ursula Loyer, a widowed mother with a grown daughter, Eugenie (played by Moya O'Connell), who's as old Vincent. The house doubles as a school, and another tenant is Sam (played by Andrew McNee), an aspiring artist who clashes with Vincent on matters of art and love. It so happens that Sam is carrying on with Eugenie, which is not at first disclosed to Vincent, who one, can't keep a secret, and who secondly, also happens to be in love with Eugenie.

It is true that van Gogh did live in England for a time as an art dealer, and that the people portrayed did exist. The relationships and events portrayed in Vincent in Brixton are the creation of the playwright.

The play resonates in that it's about universal themes of love and secrets, art and life. Glimpses of what was to become of van Gogh are to be had in play but they're subtle enough that the author's creation takes on greater flight through the eyes of Ursula. Vincent in Brixton is often funny, but it is those bemused questions of love and art, and the love of creating art that make this play affecting. The performance of Meg Roe, who appears in but one scene in the second act, and does so with enthusiastic gusto and fine comedic timing, ought to be noted. She literally walks off with the show as she exits the Loyer house.

Vincent in Brixton runs until Saturday, 11 February 2006 at the Vancouver Playhouse. Tickets and information can be had at www.vancouverplayhouse.com.

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Election signs at election time are a given provincially or federally. What's most annoying is when the said signs linger long after election day. Those that put up signs are usually supporters of a candidate or party, who have excellent information about who are already supporters, and hopefully if they're house or business is located where visibility is high. The handiwork of campaign staffers also involves phoning up residents asking if they'd like a sign.

However, when they're still up, as many still were throughout the city after last month's election it made me think: if the parliamentary wannabes can't organise it that they're taking down the signs they have up at supporters, just how do you think they'll do when they're elected to represent an entire constituency?

Of the major parties, none is immune to the inability of paying close attention to taking them down after voting day. Well, in Vancouver, I think we can cut the Conservatives some slack. They didn't have very many signs up to begin with.

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An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE.