Set in an aging cinema and during the moments between film screenings, The Flick is a sharp-witted snapshot of three underpaid ushers struggling to find their place in the world. Popcorn is swept, movie trivia shared, and a secret ticketing trick puts more money in their polyester pant pockets. But somewhere between their mind-numbing tasks and time-killing chatter, they reveal the private hang-ups holding them back from their dreams. This Pulitzer Prize–winner about the mundane lives of misfits is a captivating close-up on modern disconnection and our struggle to build authentic, meaningful relationships.
Director Dean Paul Gibson says, “Because of Annie Baker’s beautiful obsession with writing dramas in real time, she allows the actors an opportunity not only to explore the silence that can sometimes fill moments with huge emotion, but also to afford the possibility for a hyper naturalism that harkens back to the birth of modern theatre. This sensibility has been beautifully captured in this poetic and contemporary story.”
To achieve the production’s heightened realism, set designer Lauchlin Johnston ensured all stage elements were authentic, sourcing treasures that had outlived their time in Vancouver cinemas. “We inherited our 74 onstage seats from The Cinematheque this summer and were lucky enough to borrow one of the Ridge Theatre’s original 35mm film projectors from VIFF’s collection.”
The Flick’s running time is also crucial to maintaining the show’s hyper-realism. The National Theatre (London) had a running time of 3 hours and 15 minutes, and Arts Club audiences can expect the Granville Island Stage production to have a similar duration.
IN BRIEF Arts Club Theatre Company’s The Flick at the Granville Island Stage (1585 Johnston Street) from September 29 to October 29, 2016. Monday–Thursday at 7:30 pm, Friday & Saturday at 8 pm, Wednesday at 1:30 pm, and Saturday at 2 pm. Tickets start at $29, inclusive of taxes and fees. Call the Arts Club Box Office at 604.687.1644 or visit www.artsclub.com.
