HOLY MO

Lucia Frangione is my favourite playwright. Her Holy Mo, the story of Moses told through the eyes of children and clowns is highest holiest art with just a holy heap of whimsical absurd delight. I laughed myself silly despite having been to Holy Mo before. That's Lucia for you. There's so much happening and so much humor you can return again and again to the same production and experience a whole new show . I hate to say it for such a young and lovely artist but her works really are that iconaclastic. Caribou Magi is truly a Canadian 'classic' if this young country can claim such a word. Expresso her Italian family piece touches the heart as much as her other works reveal the soul. With next year's Leave of Absence, to be performed by Ron Reid's Pacific Theatre she promises a serious play. I look forward to any Frangione but what difference will that be. She has always moved me to tears.

Eria-Faye Forsyth played Bufoona of a thousand personalities. One minute scamp, next minute sage, old then young, adolescent and rebellious and really only wanting to be a princess whenever Follie, played by Katharine Venour would have her be a slain villain. Bufoona's step ladder Goliath was a testament to the creativity of costume designer Drew Facey. Katherine's Venours extraordinary talents as an actress were displayed throughout from Rambo the Sphynx, to dancing girl in Hebee town to God almighty, her voice and performance thoroughly engaging. Julia Mackey played Guff, kazoo playing guitar strumming mute whose transformation crescendos the show. Morris Ertman, the director, must have come direct from a benedictine monastery specializing in the mystery of herding hilarious cats to bring this outrageous script and these women of such wit and genius to the stage in tact. It was a testament to the overall professionalism that none on stage broke a smile when the audience was rolling in their seats and gasping for air at juke box elvis and icebox grails.

I've had season's tickets to Pacific Theatre longer that I've been married or lived in one home and never regretted bringing friends along to enjoy what I"m forever telling people is Vancouver 'best bang for the theatre buck'. That's saying alot considering the overall high level of theatre which is offered in Vancouver. Vancouver has been called "Hollywood North" due to it's excellent filmcraft but might as well also be called "Broadway Northwest" thanks its brilliant stagecraft.