Tinkerblue

Majumder/Cullen/Payne: Laugh it Out! (with Ed Robertson and Tyler Stewart)

Saturday night hubby and I had the chance to attend our first event of the Cultural Olympiad. Technically I guess we saw two. 

We walked down Granville Street and took in the lanterns and lights of Lunarfest: Soul, Art, Life.  2010 lanterns designed by children of Canada and Taiwan create the Lantern Forest and totem lanterns with Canadian and Taiwanese indigenous designs greet spectators from around the world.

The main event of the evening was Majumder/Cullen/Payne: Laugh it Out! at the Orpheum.

I know everyone  will have a different opinion.  For me the night got funnier and funnier the later it went (and it had nothing to do with alcohol).   Nikki Payne was good - made me laugh, Sean Cullen was better- made me laugh out loud, and Shaun Majumder was bestest- made me laugh out loud a lot.

Ed Robertson and Tyler Stewart of Barenaked Ladies MC'd and they almost stole the show.  They were hilarious. It was an awesome night out.  We should do this more often.

Hubby in an art installation on Granville Street.  He wants to be a ski jumper.

Cultural Olympiad beings tomorrow, January 22nd 2010

 

It's rather overwhelming.  There's a lot going on - Cultural Olympiad, LiveCity Yaletown, LiveCity Downtown, Whistler Live, Richmond O Zone, Surrey Celebration Site, Place de la Francophonie, Sponsor Houses, National Houses, Four Host First Nations Pavilion, GE Plaza, Heineken House, GE Plaza, Molson Canada Hockey House etc etc etc.  Not to mention the actual Olympics.

So what is the Cultural Olympiad?  It's a celebration of arts and popular culture, lasting 60 days,  January 22nd to March 21st. It's comedy, circus and street arts, dance, music, theatre, visual art, literary arts, film, video and digital.  Some are ticketed, lots are free. And some are even interactive.  So even if you're not into sports there's bound to be something up your alley.

A 2010 Cultural Olympiad Program Guide is available.  You can pick one up from the Cultural Olympiad Information Centre in the lobby of the CTV Building, 750 Burrard Street.   (and at Cultural Olympiad venues, public libraries, Bell stores, Tourism BC Visitor Centres, Tickets.com outlets and community centres).

 

Quite a few things caught my/our eye.  Not that we will have time to do all or even any of them.

Feist with special guest Gonzales "Piano Talk Show"

Stars with Hey Rosetta

Alberta Ballet: Joni Mitchell's The Fiddle and The Drum

Majumder/Cullen/Payne: Laugh It Out! (hosted by Tyler Stewart and Ed Robertson of Barenaked Ladies)

Cirque Eloize: Rain

Vectorial Elevation

World Tea Party

Hal Willner's Neil Young Project

Whistler Live! Blue Rodeo

The Only Animal: NiX

There is a National Touring Program, so if you're not in Vancouver you can still take part. It's not as extensive obviously, but you'll find the details at Vancouver2010.com

Right now on CODE (Cultural Olympiad Online Edition) you can sign up for an Opening Ceremony digital souvenir on February 12th.

 Become a fan of the Cultural Olympiad on Facebook.