New works from Le Gateau Chocolat, The Darlings, and Kim Senklip Harvey as The Cultch and Urban Ink unveil TRANSFORM Festival lineup
Event September 23 to October 2 will be a digital and live-performance hybrid
An array of artists at TRANSFORM Cabaret Festival.
A CONCERT documentary, a fantasy drag neo-noir, and a showcase of Indigenous composers and circus performers are just some of the offerings just unveiled for the upcoming TRANSFORM Cabaret Festival.
The Cultch and Urban Ink announced the lineup for the groundbreaking fest, set to run online and in person from September 23 to October 2.
Co-curated by Corey Payette and Heather Redfern, with the support of Protocol Keeper Quelemia Sparrow, the third-annual cabaret event aims to empower Indigenous artists while enabling collaboration with non-Indigenous artists.
Opening and closing the festival will be a new kind of Bash by Queer Based Media—featuring Continental Breakfast, Mx.Bukuru, Lynx Chase, Bo Dyp, Venus Kunt, Maya Ritchey, Shay Dior, Skim, Zaya Sawchyn, and Quelemia Sparrow.
At the Cultch Historic Theatre and online on September 24, The Candy Show, with comedian Candy Palmater, features folk icon Buffy Sainte-Marie, Colin Mochrie, Tom Wilson (Blackie and Rodeo Kings), and newcomer Keenan Simik Komaksiutiksak.
Elsewhere, watch for Connective T/issue—Classical Cirque, curated by Cris Derksen and Sidonie Adamson, brings together Indigenous composers and circus performers in an array of digital offerings (to screen at home or at the event at the Cultch Historic Theatre) on September 25.
Meanwhile, Duckie marks the first family show from British cabaret sensation Le Gateau Chocolat, a hit at last year’s fest. It’s a reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ugly Duckling, with a message of tolerance and self acceptance. See it by stream or screen on September 26 and October 2.
And returning nonbinary-drag favourites The Darlings have an experimental new piece, in which their alter-ego detectives investigate their own dissappearances. Called The Queer and Compelling Case of The Darlings’ Demise, the noir-ish show happens live at The Cultch and online September 30.
October 1, watch for the concert documentary Break Horizons: A Concert Documentary, which follows the creation process of Governor General’s Award-winning storyteller Kim Senklip Harvey’s Break Horizons: A Rocking Indigenous Justice Ceremony. This 75-minute film features nine original songs and is woven together with behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the creative team, screening live at the Historic Theatre and streaming online.
Note that live screening Watch Parties are followed by an in-person party at the Historic Theatre, featuring beats by DJ Kookum, interviews with the artists, and other performances, all hosted by Joyce Rosario and Virago Nation's Sparkle Plenty. In the case of screenings for Le Gateau Chocolat’s Duckie, the Transform Cabaret Club will be transformed into a kids’ dance party with Zee Zee Theatre, complete with favourites Peach Cobblah and Isolde N. Barron, and a few of their friends.
For any live shows, in accordance with BC regulations, all patrons will be required to be masked and to show proof of vaccination.
Tickets are on sale now through The Cultch’s Box Office: 604-251-1363 or transformcabaret.com.
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