We acknowledge and respect the Lekwungen-speaking Peoples on whose traditional territories Theatre Inconnu presents its work.
UNIT B-1717
Online access to this show is now over.
Thanks to all who watched!
Theatre Inconnu is proud to present this new one-woman play by one of Canada’s most exciting new playwrights! You may remember Erin Shields’ name from Theatre Inconnu’s previous production of her powerful play, If We Were Birds.
With Unit B-1717 Shields delivers an insightful glimpse into the human mind and spirit. This time she uses the simple action of cleaning out a storage locker as the catalyst for the “woman” to confront current and past characters from her life, and situations that she both abhors and relishes. All this, in a spontaneous process of searching for an underlying meaning to her experiences. Shields has a unique ability to create – in tandem – comedy and suspense. As this was in If we Were Birds, so it is in Unit B-1717.
Actor Melissa Blank is no stranger to tackling challenging roles at Theatre Inconnu, and we know that you will find her portrayal in this production as multi-layered as her previous outings on our stage.
Director David MacPherson (also a Theatre Inconnu veteran) has uniquely directed this production both as a stage play and as one crafted for a virtual presentation. This hybrid approach will bring you back to our “home” in Fernwood, while delivering the intimacy that the camera allows.
Playwright Erin Shields is a Canadian playwright, who has written more than a dozen plays including: If We Were Birds (Governor Generals Award 2011), The Millennial Malcontent, Instant, Mistatim and The Lady from the Sea.
Available for pay-per-view access from April 19 – May 16
Directed by David MacPherson
Starring Melissa Blank
Set design by David MacPherson
Lighting design by Clayton Jevne
Set construction by Clayton Jevne
Produced by arrangement with Catalyst TCM Inc., Toronto.
Ticket purchase and Online Viewing
This production will be available for online pay-per-view access from our website, April 19 – May 16.
Ticket price is $10
You will pay (by credit card) on the day you wish to see the show, and you will have a 24-hour window in which to view UNIT B-1717.
This is not a live-streaming event. It has been pre-filmed in our venue, the Paul Phillips Hall.
Online Viewing During Covid-19 Shutdown
We would like to invite you to check out some past
Theatre Inconnu productions, for which we have been given permission to post online
(click on titles or photos for video)
A Christmas Carol adapted from Charles Dickens by Clayton Jevne
“Damned if it isn’t really good. More than that, it just might be the best version of this show I’ve ever seen… 90 minutes of great storytelling.” John Threlfall, Monday Magazine, 2001
For 8 years Theatre Inconnu presented Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at various historical location in Victoria BC. The show was adapted and directed by Clayton Jevne, with Clayton and Sandra Ritter performing it. Sandra also designed the sound/music-scape, and played live harp.
This particular recorded performance took place on Christmas Eve, 2000, at Emily Carr House (built in 1863) in Victoria BC. Emily had written that A Christmas Carol was one of her favorite stories, and she carried a copy with her in her painting frock. The performance of the show in the Carr dining room, on this night, was a magical experience.
Other heritage locations that saw performances of this production included: Craigflower Schoolhouse (built in1854), Gyppeswyk House (part of the Art Gallery of greater Victoria, built in 1889), Craigdarroch Castle (1887), St. Anne’s Academy Chapel (1858), and the Parfitt Building (now the Paul Phillips Hall, built in1909, and current home to Theatre Inconnu).
We recognize that the recording picture and sound quality is less than we would expect from a more modern digital video, but we hope that this copy of the original VHS recording will provide some joy and entertainment.
We would like to acknowledge the wonderful help of Jan Ross and family for their help with this particular show (as then custodians of Emily Carr House).
Peace Dancer – by Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd
For the One Wave Gathering 2019 (in Centennial Square, Victoria, BC, Canada), Theatre Inconnu (https://www.theatreinconnu.com) had the privilege of remounting – in association with the Pacific Peoples’ Partnership (https://pacificpeoplespartnership.org) and Story Theatre (https://storytheatre.ca) – our 2017 production based on Roy Henry Vickers’ and Robert Budd’s book, Peace Dancer. It tells a cautionary Tsimshian flood tale predating Noah and the Ark. This project was spearheaded and over-seen by Theatre Inconnu’s Youth Program Coordinator, Timothy Gosley. The actual personal participation in both the original and remount productions by the author – and acclaimed Tsimshian Nation artist – Roy Henry Vickers made this a truly wonderful experience for all involved. Directors Barbara Poggemiller and Krystal Cook provided the guidance required to inspire some 30 performers in bringing this uplifting story to life. The traditional live drumming and singing added to the magic of the performance. Pacific Peoples’ Partnership Executive Director April Ingham was also instrumental in bringing this 2019 remount project to fruition.
One-Man Hamlet – by Clayton Jevne
This production was conceived, designed, directed and acted by Theatre Inconnu Artistic Director, Clayton Jevne. Between 1991 and 2008 the show toured in 4 countries (UK, Mexico, US, Canada) logging over 600 performances. In 2011 Clayton remounted the show to celebrate the 20th year since its inception. This performance was videoed and we would now like to share this performance with you.
The Heart Coffer:
a puppeteers quest for the universal heart
By Timothy Gosley
This show is available for online viewing for a limited time period:
BY CLICKING HERE
Tim Gosley’s
The Heart Coffer: a puppeteer’s quest for the universal heart.
(a multi-discipline show using puppetry, music, and projections)
A special presentation by donation.
COVID social distancing and safety guidelines will be strictly adhered to and seating will be limited.
MASKS MUST BE WORN!
2020
Thurs. Oct. 29 @ 7:30 pm
Fri. Oct. 30 @ 7:30 pm
Sat. Oct. 31 @ 7:30 pm
Sun. Nov. 1 @ 2 pm (matinee)
The performance is about 1 hour in length.
This performance will take place at our usual venue:
the Paul Phillips Hall, 1923 Fernwood Road.
Please see below for reservation, payment and attendance procedure and protocol.
About the Show
Tim Gosley is grateful to Theatre Inconnu for accepting to produce The Heart Coffer: a puppeteer’s quest for the universal heart. The show, created during Gosley’s artist in residence fellowship at UVic’s The Centre for Studies in Religion and Society, was going to be cancelled due to COVID; as happened to so many others. The Canada Council Digital Originals (#digitaloriginals2020) initiative stepped in to provide resources to put the performance online, but there still was needed a venue, and hopefully a live audience. Theatre Inconnu saved the day by engaging The Fernwood Community Association’s Paul Phillips Hall and providing all things technical. We are following all COVID regulations, and are allowed a limited audience of 14 patrons for each of our 4 public performances.
The Heart Coffer examines the heart, material and ethereal, through the eyes of Tim Gosley, the grandfather of Canadian puppetry, a boomer puppeteer. It is an esoteric variety show with a lot of heart and many styles of puppetry: muppet-style, video projected, laser shadowed, object manipulated and there are even puppets made from oyster shells. The show has a musical weave from fellow boomers, Douglas Henley, (sitar, tar, guitar, electric bass and lute,) and Niel Golden, (tabla, cajón, and hang.) We are miners for a heart of gold.
Reservations, Payment and Attendance Protocol
Reservations
Because the seating will be very limited (a maximum of 14 people per show), you will need to have a reservation confirmed prior to attending.
When you request your reservation, we will need the names and contact information (phone & email) of all those in your party attending, if there is a later need to use these for contact tracing.
The first 14 requests for reservations received by email for each performance will receive positive confirmation by email. Others will receive a “we regret to inform you” response.
Please reserve by emailing:
Payment
DO NOT MAKE ANY PAYMENT UNTIL YOU HAVE RECEIVED A POSITIVE CONFIRMATION OF YOUR RESERVATION!
When you receive a positive confirmation of your reservation, payment (by donation – with a suggested donation amount of $20) will be made through e-transfer via an auto-deposit email address email address we will send you.
Attendance Protocol
When you arrive (we suggest 20 minutes prior to show time), you may need to line up for a short time outside. We ask that you keep a distance of 6 feet between each other if there is a line-up. Once you enter the building, you will not be able to linger in the lobby, but will proceed directly to a seat in the hall. Washrooms will be sanitized for your use, and hand sanitizers will be placed in the washrooms and in the hall.
If you have not previously provided us with your contact information when making a reservation, you will need to do that upon arrival in case there is a need for contact tracing.
