Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre to host original piece of contemporary circus

RAVEN by still hungry // Trailer (Official Version Chamäleon Berlin) from Chamäleon Berlin on Vimeo.

A powerful and refreshingly original piece of contemporary circus about motherhood is coming to Vernon.

Hailed as warm-hearted, funny, smart and accessible, Raven is the final performance of the Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre 2022-23 Spotlight Season Theatre Series, May 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Raven confronts the meaning of “Rabenmutter,” (raven mother), a derogatory German term for working moms which has been synonymous with selfish or “bad” moms.

Based on their own experiences as both circus-workers and mothers, the performers of the Berlin-based circus collective challenge the term, revealing the uncomfortable and darkly funny sides of their own motherhood.

Climbing out of their comfortable nest, they adventurously go on unconventional “flights”—with or without regrets, but loud and visible.

Thanks to creative support from British director Bryony Kimmings, they stage a world filled with acrobatics, imagery and humour.

“Raven is a spectacular combination of cirque acrobatics and heartfelt theatre,” said VDPAC’s Artistic Director Erin Kennedy. “These supremely talented artists – and moms – lay bare the realities of motherhood, from the hilarious to the dreadful, all while performing superhuman acrobatics.”

Bird metaphors lie at the centre of Raven and illustrate the different challenges motherhood presents. One moment, the performers lovingly mother their children like hens and the rhythms of their daily movements turn into skilful satirical choreographies.

In the next moment, the memories of their own strength as successful circus artists turn them into eagles, soaring strong and free through the air.

Still Hungry is a contemporary circus collective from Berlin. The three artists and mothers Romy Seibt, Anke van Engelshoven and Lena Ries reunited after long years of friendship to create a piece of innovative circus.

Raven has earned rave reviews and numerous accolades including the Scotsman Fringe First Award (2019), the ThreeWeeks Edinburgh Award (2019) and the Total Theatre Award for Circus (2019). Broadway Baby gave the production four stars, calling it “an excellent hour of circus, physical theatre, and dance digging into what the performers gave up, and what they refuse to let go of.”

Produced by Chamäleon Berlin, Raven comes to Vernon as part of a five-province tour throughout April and May 2023. The Canada tour of Raven has been funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Europe.

The show is 55 minutes long with no intermission.

Tickets are $45 for adults, $42 for seniors, and $40 for students. Special discounts are available for seats in the first two rows of the theatre.

For tickets, call Ticket Seller at 250-549-SHOW (7469) or click here.