Bite of the Underground

Since 1992, Vancouver-based neworldtheatre has produced 17 original plays, winning 17 Jessie awards and always getting a lot of local press. Their recent works include an ambitious adaptation of Crime and Punishment; the FUSE installation placebook, an analog version of facebook; and The Adventures of Ali and Ali and the Axes of Evil, a ballsy satire which garnered some great reviews and won the company quite a bit of attention in 2007.

The group has become one of Vancouver's most consistently exciting theatre companies; priding themselves on a mandate of diversity and a celebration of the places where Vancouver's distinct cultures and aesthetics intersect. newworld's consistently edgy productions are a testament to their dedication to Vancouver's broad artistic community, something that will be on display again as they rev up for the seventh edition of the Bite of the Underground cabaret-style variety show, an event which functions as a fundraiser for the company.

It happens tonight at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, with doors at 8:30. The evening will feature the work of a number of hot local performers, including stand-up, poetry, spoken word, and a variety of music. Some notes on the featured acts after the break...

Hosting the night is Graham Clark of the Laugh Gallery, who won Yuk Yuk's 2008 Great Canadian Laugh Off. Expect a few jokes about what he did with the $25,000 prize, perhaps... or maybe he'll just stick to the Olympics. I haven't seen him, but with that prize the man is bound be funny.

Also performing will be singer-songwriter and accordion player Geoff Berner. The Vancouverite "klezmer rebel" draws on that Hebrew tradition to create songs which edge the line between drinking anthems, protest folk, and polka punk. A true West Coast original.

Fernando Raguero will there, I assume reading poetry, as he's a member of Vancouver's 2007 Poetry Slam Team... a group he was first part of back in 2002.

Then there's the Solidarity Notes Labour Choir. With a membership comprised primarily of union members and retirees, the group is devoted to 'classic labour songs and songs of social justice.' Usually found at various protests and festivals across the continent, they've even sung for Fidel Castro.

Joining Raguero on the poetic side of things will be spoken word virtuosos Brendan McLeod and Barbara Adler of The Fugutives. The singular local group has been described as everything from 'folk-hop' to 'spoken word cabaret.' The CBC called their live show "simply brilliant," and it could easily prove to be a highlight of the night.

Finally is the band Headwater, who bill themselves as 'Tractor Jazz.' According to their website, they're making folk rock with "edge"... or alternatively country music with "banjos". I only had time to listen to a portion of one track, but it was quite nice, and much more subdued than their presskit would have you believe. I'm getting a folk-jazz-bluegrass-country vibe. I hate labels.

And with that, I'm all outta' steam. Sometimes the amount of talent in this city is overwhelming; thank god we have places like neworld to foster this creativity. Tonight's cabaret is like an all-star team drawn from Vancouver's performance underground, together to defend and support a staple of local innovation... they'd take down Iron Man in a heartbeat (accordion style?). Do your part by skipping Tinseltown tonight to enjoy a one-of-a-kind lineup that's not likely to repeat itself anytime soon.

Bite of the Underground takes place tonight at 9:00 (doors 8:30) at the Vancouver East Cultural Center, 1895 Venables Street

tickets for the show can be purchased through the VECC website or Highlife Records. $18.

check out neworld theatre online to get more info about the company

header photo courtesy of newworldtheatre

photo of Graham Clarke courtesy Maria Coletsis from the Laugh Gallery website