Dress me up in your love

A little video treat for you

2011-08-10T10:13:00.000-07:00

I was just going through my emails and found this little vid that the wonderful Cindy Mochizuki made of us practicing light animation during Dress me up in your love last March. Pay particular attention to the mad skillz of Andrew McNee (3rd from the left) He is very impressive with his legs, no? Enjoy!

Daily ab workout

2011-04-14T00:32:00.000-07:00

With a week till performances to come, the morning warm ups have become more focused (less morning chatter) and the favourite workout song is Rihanna's Disturbia. It has the right number of beats for about 140 sit ups!

Not only our abs, but the show is tightening up, but I admit I'm sad to see some scenes be cut, because I've become attached to them - to the stories. I've gotten to hear much of them in little snippets here and there throughout the 3 year development. Sometimes, I find it difficult to see the show with fresh eyes (and ears), I've become so familiar with these clothes. Are there lots of inside reference and jokes now? Or generational / popular references people wont get? Will a short introduction or glimpse of the clothes share enough of their significance or leave the audience just wanting more?

The preview in the Vancouver Courier shares some of the outfits origins.

Against the white pallet of Barbara Clayden's mysterious set, the often unique and outrageous, as well as the familiar and nostalgic outfits stand out to me. I'm sure the audience will want to know more about the people and stories behind the clothes. Even more, I think that desire will trigger some people to look in the back of their own closets and remember our own stories.

So, I asked my mum about the skirt I made from her dress that I was wearing the other day. My mother's memory is going, but she remembers the minute details of the dress, but doesn't remember where she wore that one to. It was probably over 40 years ago. I'm so curious, I'm going to have to look through old photos and ask her more questions!

No more sweet high carb treats for most of us, these cupcakes were made by Dani for Conor's birthday last week.

we keep clothes that we never wear anymore

2011-04-11T15:21:00.000-07:00

I don't always get down to the rehearsal hall to see what's going on. When I do, I'm always surprised by the new elements emerging from the clothing and the stories, the new melodies from Veda, - and how scenes keep changing around really changes all the transitions, the funny improving - much of it by Andrew McNee. He makes me laugh a lot.

What can I say without giving it away?
Well, be warned that the show has mature content, coarse language, and people in their underwear.

Listening to the stories makes me think about the clothes we hold onto and the memories we associate with them. There's Mike's two "go to" t-shirts in the show; they are almost see through because they have been so well worn, but he wants them back after we're done the show. Is he really ever going to wear them again? I think about holding onto things in general - because of memories, or maybe because we think we'll wear them again someday. Today I'm wearing a skirt I made from my mother's 1960's (?) dress, on which I had to let out the seams so it would fit, with a belt from another one of her dresses. Mostly I like them because they are retro, but totally in fashion. I should find out Then there's that long sleeve shirt I ripped and blackened when it got caught in my bicycle chain; I recrafted it into a new shirt, but never wore it, and have now crafted it into a different shirt. I really like the pattern; I got it in Japan many years ago and it matched a pair of beach pants I had gotten in Thailand. I ripped it on my way to an interview with a company I never ended up working with, so it kind of has a bitter memory associated with it. Giving it a new life makes me feel like that interview wasn't a waste of my time.

As for the rest of the clothes in the show, I wonder if the others really want them back. Are the donors happy that the clothes have new life in this show? Are they glad that their memories live on in a show? Or that someone has taken them over in a positive way so that they don't have to actually get rid of the clothes themselves?

We're still playing around with new ideas, like the fashion show type scene, and of course, everything is layered with stories and memories. Most of the show is all together, just need to add lights by Itai Erdal. Everyone brought in their new underwear for the show today. Some of the underpants are pretty sexy!

2011-03-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

I feel pretty lucky to be able to sit in the rehearsal room observing the Dress me up in your love development and rehearsal process. What a great bunch of people working together!

There are lots of sharing of personal stories and retelling the stories pulling out threads of truths and the lies. The clothes whisper feelings and rhythms and what emerges from various play is a lot of sexy and laughter, but also some sadness, and a lot of nostalgia. There’s lots of live original music in the show by Veda Hille – what a treat! She makes all the scenes just that much sweeter.

The other day we made more light pictures of messages with the slow exposure camera setting we will do live in the show. We sent them to the Tochka group who made a compilation of images, they call “pika pika” messages from all over the world in response to current earthquake and tsunami attack in Japan.

Here’s a link to the compilation: http://tochka.jp/pikapika/2011/03/we_need_your_help_1.html

In the wake of the recent disaster affecting our friends, families, colleagues and fellow people in Japan, Theatre Replacement is collecting donations (eligible for tax receipts) for earthquake and tsunami relief. All funds collected will be donated in full to reputable charities like the BC Japan Earthquake Relief Fund or the Red Cross. You can contribute through our Canada Helps account, and choose the designated fund “Japanese Tsunami & Earthquake Relief” or send in your cheque to Theatre Replacement with a note for the designated fund.

Dress me up at PuSh/OFF

2011-02-02T21:15:00.000-08:00

check it out:
http://www.antonyminc.ca/pushoff/

something we are trying

2010-11-12T10:23:00.000-08:00

a thousand silk pajamas

2010-08-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of the July 2009 development presentation, including all of us in silk pj's for our 11 o'clock number I love you Donna Soares!

About the show

2010-08-13T11:37:00.001-07:00

Revealing, sexy and sometimes startling, Theatre Replacement once again delves into the world of biographical examination with their latest performance Dress me up in your love. Using distinct garments collected from around the world, performers dress and undress to reveal in text, song, movement and animation the stories behind the clothes and the closets they came from.

Part theatre, part installation, part fashion show, Dress me up in your love is a collection of intimate and personal stories gathered and told — from the banal and everyday to the critical moments and turning points that shape our lives — woven together in a truly unique and resonant performance.

Co-produced by and developed at PAZZ Performing Arts Festival, Oldenburgisches Staatstheater (Germany). Created by Barbara Clayden, Itai Erdal, Sascha Grub, Veda Hille, Samantha Madely, Dario Martin Rodriguez, Andrew McNee, Cindy Mochizuki, Anita Rochon, Donna Soares, Conor Wylie, James Long and Maiko Bae Yamamoto. Dress me up in your love is proud to have the Powell Street Festival as a community partner.

Welcome!

2010-06-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

To the official blog for Theatre Replacement's latest performance, Dress me up in your love. The show will premiere at The Cultch in its historic theatre in April 2011. Here you will get a sneak peek into the creative process of the show, see and hear some juicy tidbits, as well as meet some of the fantastic collaborators working with us this time round. Thanks for visiting and check back often!