The world premiere in Vancouver of Anosh Irani's play My Granny the Goldfish also marks the debut of the Arts Club's New Revue Stage - a 198-seat venue that until last year was home to Vancouver's TheatreSports League. The space has been reformatted and reconfigured, modelled after the Arts Club's original home, the Seymour Street Stage.
Artistic Director Bill Millerd was anxious for the company to have a smaller venue for plays that might not attract a huge audience, but that are important to mount nonetheless. "I think it's best to nurture plays like [ My Granny the Goldfish]in a more sort of incubator-type space."
The desire was driven home to Millerd in 2007, when, despite good reviews, the Arts Club's world premiere production of the Daniel MacIvor play His Greatness attracted less than full houses to the 440-seat Granville Island Stage.
"Even if there's 100 people in a 400-seat theatre, it feels empty," says Millerd. "Whereas in a less than 200-seat theatre, it's half the house. It's a completely different feel."
Marsha Lederman