Twin Peaks, in Kelowna

Don’t we all love the moody Pacific Northwest? I look forward to the hoot of the owl, and eagerly await the thick fog that rolls in right around this time of year, adding an air of mystery to everything and everyone. 

Perhaps that is why I love the series Twin Peaks so much.  

The short-lived series, directed by David Lynch, had way too many characters and a convoluted plot line that rivalled Lost, but what it lacked in continuity it aced in style and mood, enough so that it remains a cult classic today.  

Twin Peaks is now back in production for Showtime, and slated for a 2017 release. Originally it was on the line-up for 2016 with Lynch himself set to direct, but ugly creative differences with the notoriously strange filmmaker have him now off the project, with the production delayed, leaving fans waiting.

I guess I just couldn’t wait. As director/writer for Kelowna’s own live and televised soap opera As The Sun Burns, I am always looking for kitschy inspiration and guest stars who will make our shows, which are oftentimes more like interactive events, as unique as possible. 

Last year when planning our season, I knew I wanted to add the Twin Peaks theme to the mix for November. The red, black and plaid colour scheme and 50’s blues vibe was a perfect mix, with the eccentric characters that populate both shows. We all know about November in Kelowna. It is the month that dances on the moody edge of winter, just as the original series did. 

On Twin Peaks you had a plethora of strange and unusual characters. There was Dale Cooper, the FBI agent in love with the ‘damn fine coffee and cherry pie’ served at the R and R Diner. There was the strange Log Lady who would whisper, and get advice from her log about the puzzling crimes happening in town. Also to be found were not-so-best friends, a motorcycle James Dean tough, and a hotel owner with a strange past.

In As The Sun Burns, we have our own motley crew of cult characters, over 20 of them. We have the town bordello/spa operator, a disgraced politician, a murderous beauty queen, a hotel heiress, and a bit part actor who pretends to be so much more. Instead of being set in Twin Peaks, Washington, ‘five miles south of the Canadian border, 12 miles west of Idaho’, our series is set right here in Kelowna.

We all know Kelowna moods and interests change once the locals are left to their own devices after the tourists are gone. 

Come visit our own R and R Diner, complete with One Eyed Jack, blues music, and more this Saturday night. Agent Dale Coopers’ ‘damn fine cherry pie and coffee’ will be served up free with every ticket purchased, and audience members are encouraged to dress in red, black or white to truly get the Twin Peaks experience. Maybe some will even bring their own log to talk to, or will don an eye patch.

Don’t wait until 2017 to get your Twin Peaks fix. Step out of the fog and come out to our fun show this weekend.

AS THE SUN BURNS: The Twin Peaks Episode
Sat. Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m.
The Black Box Theatre at 1375 Water Street, Kelowna
Advance tickets, $20, available here: www.selectyourtickets.com
At the door, $30 (cash only).
New Vintage Theatre members: 2 for 1

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.