Video trailer shows the intensely personal magic of Veda Hille's Little Volcano
The beloved pianist and songwriter livestreams from the Historic Theatre October 22 to 25
Live from its atmospheric Historic Theatre, The Cultch will stream Little Volcano, an intensely personal production from Veda Hille and Theatre Replacement.
The show, which runs online from October 22 to 25, also marks the release of Hille’s Little Volcano live album.
The intensely personal show features the beloved Vancouver pianist and songwriter mixing music and storytelling at the Cultch piano.
Throughout, the versatile performer draws from works by J.S. Bach as well as her own compositions, offering an intimate glimpse into her life.
With a title inspired by Hille’s own nickname, this “heightened concert” explores loss, relationships, and adventures. T
The prolific musician has recorded over 20 albums since she started touring and recording in the early 1990s. But she’s no stranger to theatre, creating her one-woman show in collaboration with long time friends and colleagues Maiko Yamamoto and James Long, of Theatre Replacement.
“Little Volcano is a bit of a coming out for me as a theatre artist. This is me, and I make theatre shows with my theatre friends,” Hille says. The artist is also known for penning the award-winning musical Onegin, as well as bringing the pop-fuelled tunes to the Cultch and Theatre Replacement’s East Van Pantos.
Hille’s Little Volcano won audiences over when it debuted in a copresentation by Music On Main and the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival in early 2020, after several residencies with Cryptic UK and the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.
Meanwhile, look for Hille’s new album on limited-edition gold vinyl and as a digital download.
Hille, who’s also graced the Cultch stage with her musical evenings (Vhine und Szong), became the venue’s pandemic artist in residence over the early months of Covid-19. Using the Historic stage, she played three Side Door concerts via livestream.
It’s a medium she has become entirely comfortable with. “I have found it entirely possible to feel together with a room full of people on the internet,” says Hille. “It's been surprising and I'm really, really, really glad because we need it so bad.
“Little Volcano is a show about music, and about life”, adds Hille. “ it’s about me, about carrying on.”
Photo by Matt Reznek