Direct Access Gone: the first programming casualty

In addition to off the record job losses that we’ve heard of at PLANK, we’ve now heard of the first program casualty caused by the cancellation of Direct Access Funding.

Ruby Slippers have announced they are cancelling the Vancouver premiere of 2b theatre’s critically heralded production of The Russian Play & Mexico City by rising Canadian playwright Hannah Moscovitch. Mexico City is a short satiric romance that explores the intersection between tourism-as-voyeurism and the battle of the sexes. Lurking through the doomed men and rotten ideals of Stalinist Russia, The Russian Play is a bleak, bittersweet and darkly ironic ode to the dangerous joys of love.

In their statement, Ruby Slippers cited the cancellation as being caused by the BC Government reneging on their financial commitments to the company. There will no doubt be further annoucements from other companies in the near future.