In this episode of Re-Creative, it’s all about acting. Mark and Joe talk to Judy Cormier, an actor based in London, Ontario where she can often be found onstage at the Palace Theatre acting with the London Community Players. She’s also dabbled in directing, having recently co-directed The Wicked Witches of Oz for the Kettle Creek Players. She’s also known for her film work, notably in Black Donnellys, an indie film from 2017 that explores the brutal, vigilante-led end of an infamous Irish immigrant family, and in which Judy portrayed family matriarch Johannah Donnelly.

Judy talks about the work of three heavyweights of the craft who have inspired her —Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, and Maggie Smith. Judy shares specific lessons she unearthed in Dench’s memoir Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent, including the fundamental difference between rote line memorization and the necessity of truly understanding the text you’re performing.

Joe, Mark and Judy discuss everything from the tragedies of Euripides to the structured chaos of “Pantos,” those unique traditional musical comedies often performed around Christmas. Judy walks the lads through the unique challenge of training polite Canadian audiences to abandon their reserve and scream at the villain, something they learn Mark excels at.

It’s a fun conversation with someone truly passionate about her craft.

Re-Creative is a co-production of Donovan Street Press Inc. in association with MonkeyJoy Press.

Contact us at: contact@donovanstreetpress.com

In this episode of Re-Creative, Mark and Joe talk to animator/filmmaker Tess Martin about Yuri Norstein’s Tale of Tales (1979), a complex, surreal masterpiece. As Tess explains, Tale of Tales is less a classical narrative than a tapestry of memories, providing just enough clues to allow viewers to unlock its meaning and hidden depths, though a familiarity with the culture from which it emerged helps. Featuring a little grey wolf from a traditional Russian lullaby, Norstein employs deeply personal and culturally specific imagery—such as a glass of vodka and bread as an offering for the dead—making the film feel intensely real and true, even if one doesn’t fully grasp every reference the first time around.

Originally from the States, Tess relocated to the Netherlands to pursue her craft. Her own work follows in Norstein’s tradition of thoughtful, material-based art. Her projects tend to develop through a mix of personal interest and the practicalities of the Dutch public arts funding system.

Mark, Tessa and Joe discuss two of her recent films:

• How Now House: Using archives, personal memories and the philosophy of time, the film questions whether a space can ever really belong to one person, or time period, at all.
• 1976 Search for Life: A new father visits the hometown of his mother in 1976, accompanied by his wife and baby. At the same time, the NASA Viking lander is sending the first images back to Earth from the surface of another planet.

You can check out Tess’s work on her website.

Re-Creative is a co-production of Donovan Street Press Inc. in association with MonkeyJoy Press.

Contact us at: contact@donovanstreetpress.com

In this episode of Re-Creative, Mark and Joe talk to singer-songwriter Jenn Grant about coffee, smoothies, and a whole lot more, including Jenn’s upcoming tour Cradled by the Waves, described as “a groundbreaking live tour that transforms her forthcoming album, Queen of the Strait, into a stunning multimedia performance blending music, film, theatre, and dance.”

Drawing inspiration from Sarah Harmer, Jenn sees her work as an act of service, viewing music and art as forms of resistance, especially in these troubled times. They talk about how her current album Queen of the Strait was recorded “live off the floor” in four magical days, in their own home studio, and how the “Queen” in the title is an homage to her mother, who displayed remarkable resilience during a tumultuous time in their lives. Jenn also shares the true story behind her wonderful song “Jim Cuddy Dress”

Mark and Joe also talk to Jenn about some of her favourite art. She speaks passionately about her own journey with visual art and her admiration for the work of Mi’kmaq artist Alan Syliboy, and about the importance of reconciliation and supporting the long-standing work of indigenous creators.

Re-Creative is produced by Donovan Street Press Inc. in association with MonkeyJoy Press.

Contact us at contact@donovanstreetpress.com