They're Doin' it Again

BY JOSEPH PLANTA

Thursday, 02 March 2006

VANCOUVER - Regrets, we've had a few. Asking 'what if' questions is expected at any point in one's life, and more often than not they have to do with matters of the heart.

The series is called Sex in Vancouver, put on by the Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre. It's a bit of a misnomer, because it's not just about the act of physical love. Come to think of it, there are probably no more than two contrived scenes of simulated sex in this production, and very often they're not integral to the plot, as much as the pre and post comportment between characters. Doin' it Again is the latest instalment, and they say the last. The way they're going-and seeing how popular it is-one suspects return productions akin to Cher's comeback concerts.

Perhaps because it is the end of the franchise there's a change in venue. The larger Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island plays host to larger cast. The writing in Doin' it Again, by Kathy Hsieh, who co-created the Sex In Seattle series from which this Vancouver version was inspired, is fresh, although cumbersome. It is crisp and avoids the cliché and cheap laughter that can be had with the excessive use of profanity, and cheap double entendre. But it is wieldy in the sense that with too many characters and too many thrown in complications it can get weary trying to sort through it all. Mid-way through the second act, the feeling of restlessness in the audience was palpable for this was a tad longer than previous instalments.

One of the things that made Sex in Vancouver particularly impressive was its effective marriage of live theatre with multimedia. The screen overhead projected thoughts of the characters, and live action sequences that were meant to take place in the past or in some fleeting fantasy of a character. This time around, the video screen wasn't utilised very much as the live action on stage that signified characters going back to the past, acting out those 'what if' sequences. It was more theatre sure, but with the smoke machine that seemed unneeded after a couple of puffs of smoke, and the sheer puzzlement of what was current and what was in the past, not to mention what was the 'what if' part, it became a tad hard to follow. (The smoke machine was more American Idol cheap, than The Wizard of Oz.) Early 1990s fashion evoked in flashbacks featured liberal use of big glasses, ugly hair, and the plethora of logos on apparel that'd make Naomi Klein blush. It was charming, if not helpful in determining where we were in the timeline.

What strikes one most about the cast, besides the fact they're young and easy to look at, (and that except for two of them, they're all Asian) is that they project a great deal of enthusiasm. And it isn't the unnecessary exuberance that's off putting either. They all appear committed, and they all seem believable in the roles they're playing. Notable in the cast include Andrea Yu as Tess, who with great timing is funny and tough, yet lovable; and Grace Kim (Elizabeth), who brings special emotion to her part, as the actor who cries the most during the show. She's believable, and that's what counts.

Also noteworthy is the opening number, which is a choreographed number akin to credits you'd see at the start of a sitcom. It's entertaining and a high note on which to begin the evening.

***

Sex in Vancouver: Doin' It Again by Kathy Hsieh; directed by Peter Leung; produced by Betty So. Presented by the Vancouver Canadian Asian Theatre, executive produced by Joyce Lam. At the Waterfront Theatre, 1412 Cartwright St, Vancouver, BC, 778.885.1973, http://www.vact.ca. Through 05 March 2006.

WITH: Janet Ip (Shari), Candice Macalino (Jenna), Grace Kim (Elizabeth), Andrea Yu (Tess), Jonathan Lee (Kenneth), Lucas Walker (George), Devan Vancise (Nathan), Alfred Liu (Zane), Cyril Redillas (Adam), Edward Fong (Andrew), Alex Chu (Colin), and Emiko Abe, Aaron Lau, and Philip Seo.

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