Fugue Theatre presents OFF LEASH

Last Sunday David and I were supposed to go to this Off Leash show in Vancouver, but it was cancelled for medical reasons of one of the actors. We were able to reschedule for last night!

My dad's cousin and our family friend, Karen, sings for the Vancouver Opera, and she was in this show as well. The show was at the quaint Fugue Theatre around W 7th and Granville Street in Vancouver. 

David and I dropped Sherlock off with David's parents, and headed to Vancouver for the show. We had some time to kill, so we met up with Jeff and Adam before hand for a drink at Joey Broadway. Love that they were able to squeeze a visit with us in!

Are they related or something? All I did was say "SMILE!" And they both made this "slightly surprised I'm holding a beer" face!

Jeff said, "Smile like you're going to an opera show soon!" Can't you just feel David over-flowing with excitement!?

After our visit David and I walked down to the Fugue Theatre. We weren't sure what to expect, but when we walked in, what struck us first was how intimate the setting was. There were three rows of seats, maybe 10 seats in each row, on both sides of the floor/stage. There were probably 30-40 audience members at the show last night. The whole thing felt very cozy and artsy! 

       

We really enjoyed the show as well. I think I had a smile on my face the whole time. {Except when I was crying, but I won't get into that.}

Off Leash is described as:

"...a 'fusion-operetta' that deals with savage loneliness in an urban area. Dog owners from disparate backgrounds visit an off-leash designated area of a park at five in the morning each day. Romance and competition lead to antagonism and violence as tension erupts between humans and canines."

Each of the four actors played a dog owner in the dog part, as well as the role of the dog. It was endlessly entertaining watching them switch roles before our eyes. The dogs were: Sasha the Border Collie; Buddy the Bernese Mountain Dog; Jacques the Shih Tzu (or another small breed); and Ruby the Pit Bull, played by Karen. 

All the acting and singing was done with the accompaniment of the live band hidden behind a set of reeds/bull-rushes. 

There's the band! back behind the reeds!

The whole play felt very "Vancouver". We could tell the writers had spent a good deal of time observing dog parks in Vancouver, as they very accurately portrayed many of the interactions; both human and canine. 

Terrible lighting for a selfie... and I'm not sure what David's looking at! I wish my front-facing camera had better low-light abilities on my iPhone. Or I wish I carried a better camera around for photos like this...

Such a fun way to spend an evening! I'm very glad we were able to attend even though the first show was cancelled, and thank you to Karen for inviting us! We feel very cultured now that we attended this artsy Vancouver "fusion-operetta" show in a super intimate theatre. 

I love live theatre and events like this. We hadn't been to a show since the Lion King. Wish we could go more often! 

Until next time! 
Two more days until we're on our way to Orlando!!! This week has been hectic, so it will be so lovely to get away with the two of us.

P.S. Fear not! Here is a random Sherlock shot of the day.... 

Sherlock enjoying an evening brew.