Passionate tale of love and courage, Dickens classic, and digital-age take on Shakespeare featured in UFV Season of Theatre

The University of the Fraser Valley’s Theatre department will once again challenge and engage audiences as it presents its 2014/15 Season of Theatre. Three exceptional plays have been chosen to inspire and entertain local audiences. All productions will be held in the performance theatre on the Chilliwack North campus, at the corner of Yale and Airport roads in Chilliwack.

Show 1 — Birdsong by Sebastian Faulk
Set in the years leading up and during the First World War, this poignant and critically acclaimed play tells a compelling story of love and courage. It begins in pre-war France when Stephen, a young Englishman, falls into a passionate and dangerous love affair with the beautiful Isabelle. As the war begins, Stephen must lead his men through the Battle of the Somme. He clings to the memory of Isabelle as the world explodes around him. This stunning piece of theatre speaks to contemporary audiences about the power of memory and longing. Based on the best-selling novel by Sebastian Faulk, and adapted for the stage by Rachel Wagstaff, Birdsong will be directed by Raïna van Waldenburg, a UFV Theatre instructor. The show will run October 15–26, 2014.

Show 2 — A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Dramatized with flair and wit in a version first performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company, this adaptation of the ageless story captures Dickens’ ironic point of view and creates a panoramic view of Victorian London. Enjoy this innovative telling of a timeless holiday tale. Adapted for the Royal Shakespeare Company by John Mortimer, and directed by Paul Gélineau, Director of the Academy of Fight Directors Canada and UFV Theatre instructor, A Christmas Carol runs December 10–21, 2014.

Show 3 — Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
Envy, betrayal, and power collide in Shakespeare’s greatest political thriller. What if the assassination of Julius Caesar had occurred in the digital age?  In this contemporary adaptation of Julius Caesar, the play’s intense examination of rumour mongering and political machinations meets the spin of 21st century technologies. The performance weaves digital projection, interactive social media, telepresence, and virtual reality into an immersive, multimedia environment where truth becomes opinion and power forsakes justice in a relentless pursuit to control the message. Not to be missed, Julius Caesar will be directed by UFV theatre department head Bruce Kirkley and runs March 4–15, 2015.

The 20th Annual Directors’ Theatre Festival will round out the year’s activities.
D-Fest, as it affectionately known, features a plethora of one-act plays, ranging through the tried and true to original works created by UFV and visiting students, all performed and directed by some of the most talented post- secondary theatre students in BC. Runs April 22 to 26, 2015.

For more information on the 2014/15 UFV Season of Theatre or to purchase season tickets, please call 604-795-2814 or email theatre@ufv.ca