The Upstage Interview: Paul Van Dyck, Eric Davis and Melissa Carter on The Harvester

I like the stuff that is taken seriously. If you look at Ridley Scott’s Alien for example. Gritty, dark, intelligent.

Upstage Host Eric Sukhu spoke with playwright/director Paul Van Dyck, actors Eric Davis and Melissa Carter about The Harvester being presented  at the 2012 Fringe Festival. Below is an abridged version edited by Estelle Rosen, CharPo Editor-in-Chief.

UPSTAGE:   Seems like this time your play is in the sci-fi range. Tell us about The Harvester.

VAN DYCK:  It’s set in the very distant future. Oceans have shifted. Salt deserts cover the earth. A system has been developed of being able to suck time and light out of the surrounding atmosphere with machines and liquefy it so that time can be held in a bottle. That’s what’s been keeping  humanity alive for thousands of years. But it hasn’t worked out so well; only one man is left. And that’s Eric Davis, sitting right here. And Melissa Carter is here too.

The Upstage Interview: Paul Van Dyck

Bumbling losers in their own way.

Upstage and Charlebois Post contributor Sarah Deshaies spoke wiith Paul Van Dyck, Director of Cornered. Below is an abridged version edited by Estelle Rosen, CharPo editor-in-chief.

UPSTAGE

You always have lots of projects on the go. Your current presentation is Cornered, a dark comedy set in a gym. Give us a taste what Cornered is about. 

VAN DYCK

It’s an award winning script by Jim Burke, an ex-pat from England. He lives in Montreal now. He wrote this play about ten years ago and it did very well. Cornered won Best New Play award in Manchester. This is its Canadian premiere. 

It takes place in a boxing ring but it’s not about the boxers; it’s about the two guys who work the corners; basically they sponge the boxers down between fights. It’s their story. Bumbling losers in their own way.  

Ford's Focus: Paul Van Dyck

(Photo credit: Camille McOuat)

Living Life to the Fullest

There were lots of times I thought about coming home...but I thought ‘where’s the story in that?’

by Barbara Ford

Brockville-born producing, writing, directing and acting sensation Paul Van Dyck has already managed to jam-pack a lifetime into the three and a half decades or so that he’s been around.  Growing up, Van Dyck had many varied interests and dabbled a little with theatre, playing in a couple of high school plays.  His British mom still had family living in London and Van Dyck recalls numerous visits on summer breaks, seeing West End musicals such as the glam roller skating hit, Starlight Express (what was Andie thinking?).  When he was seventeen, he and a girlfriend took a trip to Stratford, camping out and seeing a slew of plays, but he still hadn’t caught the bug just yet.

It wasn’t until Van Dyck journeyed out west after high school, passing through Lake Louise and ending up on Vancouver Island, that he got bitten.  He happened to see Brecht’s Caucasian Chalk Circle by a travelling ensemble called the Caravan Barge Theatre.  Quite the romantic troupe they were too, with Clydesdale horses drawing their wagons through the rural farm districts to perform for meagre audiences.  After the show, Van Dyck caught sight of one of the actors roasting a hotdog over an open fire, reminiscent of a Depression dustbowl hobo, and sat down to chat with the fellow.  Perhaps it was the heady mix of travel and theatre that was so irresistible to Van Dyck, who figured if you don’t mind eating a lot of hotdogs over an open pit, a notion he had no trouble swallowing, the life of a thespian had a certain quixotic allure.  

News: Paul Van Dyck off to New York

Paul Van Dyck (who is directing a production of Equus set for Montreal in the Spring), will be performing his solo Paradise Lost at New York City's Frigid Festival. (February 23-March 6) Paradise will be performing at the Under St. Mark's venue. (Submitted by Barbara Ford)