The Post-Flipside Review

Any play that feeds me buffet-style filpino food is a winner in my book!

Earlier tonight I caught "Flipside 2007: an evening at tita cora's", a collection of short plays interwoven together under the guise of a family party at Tita Cora's place. It was awesome. It was basically immersive theatre, where they did not define the difference between the performance space and the audience viewing space. We, the audience, wandered Tita Cora's "house" hanging out in the living room/dining room and the action taking place all around us. We even were asked to help ourselves to the buffet of filipino dishes in the "dining room": lumpia, adobo, and pancit!

Even though the concept was cool, it simply wasn't gimmicky theatre. The performances were precise, and direction and writing was enlightening, moving, and entertaining. I look forward to participating more with this theatre company. The work they're producing is just getting better and better! It is not only about giving a forum for "other voices" like our filipino-canadian artists; the work itself is simply outstanding as pure theatre.

Surrounding myself with artists is actually making me believe that I can be a part of this community once again.

The Culturing of My Sibling

Okay, so since my sister-in-law is in the Philippines with both my parents, my poor little bro, Princess, is home all alone. Awwww.. poor baby.

Anyway, he's been feeling lonely so I took him to lunch on Monday... and on Friday I'm taking him to see a collection of plays at "Tales from the Flipside 2007: an evening at tita cora's". It's being put on by Toronto's very own filipino independent theatre group, the Carlos Bulosan Theatre. I've been frequently attending their productions since last year, and every time I'm moved and inspired to create art in whatever way I can.

It'll be a good Friday night. Bonding with the baby bro, immersion in our culture and our artists, and living outside our heads for a little while.

The production is on for two nights: Feb 23/24, 2007. Go check it out if you can!

The Art Gallery

Even though we are experiencing a huge cold snap, I felt like I had been cooped up far too long to stay in. And besides, I wanted to go see the Ansel Adams/Alfred Eisenstaedt photography exhibit at the AGO before it closed.

So even though I was still kinda weak, I ventured out with a buddy, to rejoin the "outside world".

The exhibit was amazing. I'm totally in awe of both photographers' skill and work and I'm glad I didn't miss it. It inspires me to shoot more black & white and just generally, enjoy myself, and create something.

Outside of the feature exhibit, my buddy and I highly enjoyed this piece by Julian Opie, titled, "This is Shahnoza". (It's the piece on the wall. It stretched along the entire expanse of the room housing the Henry Moore sculptures.)


A highly provative piece, made sanitary by the usage of outline, it was uber-cool. We wished the gallery would commission prints of this piece because it'd probably make cool wall art for a bachelor pad. (Not mine, but my buddy's, of course) All in all it's been far too long since I visited the AGO, and I hope to continue my excursions to these types exhibits on a more regular basis.