Etienne Manceau in the performance Vu, January 29 and 30, 2016.
UBC’s Creative Studies presents kids-friendly show at Black Box Theatre
What: Vu, part of the 2015-16 FCCS Performance Series (UBC Okanagan)
Who: Created and performed by Étienne Manceau of Compagnie Sacékripa, France
When: Friday, January 29 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., and Saturday, January 30 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Where: Black Box Theatre, 1375 Water Street, Kelowna
The world of circus artist Étienne Manceau is a strange, funny, and sometimes spooky place. It’s a place where newspapers can become claws; where small obsessions like a proper cup of tea can make you crazy; where common objects appear in a new light as they’re touched, moved, transformed.
Manceau performs four shows of Vu this week as part of the FCCS Performance Series, presented by UBC’s Department of Creative Studies. Manceau worked for years as a juggler and has had deep involvement in circus culture. This one-man show applies the comical ethos of the circus world to a story about a sensitive, meticulous man and his relationship with everyday objects.
Manceau’s performance is wordless, a blend of Object Theatre, clowning and what the artist calls “miniature circus.” It’s a mix that could only come from the mind of an eccentric. The creator shows wit, wonderful dexterity, and small-scale ingenuity in his comic mugging — precise physical feats and sheer wackiness that call upon the tradition of old-fashioned physical comedy.
Created in Toulouse, France, Vu is an internationally celebrated, non-verbal performance, which UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies (FCCS) presents for audiences ages age seven and up. Vu takes place at the Black Box Theatre (1375 Water Street, Kelowna) on Friday, January 29 (7 p.m. and 9 p.m.) and Saturday, January 30 (3 p.m. and 8 p.m.).
All shows are $25; $15 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased at the door and online at theatre26.ok.ubc.ca.
Also coming up in the 2015-16 FCCS Performance Series are The Unfortunate Ruth, February 19 and 20 at UBC’s University Theatre (tickets online or at the door), and huff on March 11 and 12 at the Mary Irwin Theatre (tickets online and at the RCA box office).
The FCCS Performance Series is made possible through the generous support of the Central Okanagan Foundation and UBC Okanagan’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal’s Office.
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