February 4 2025 edition: No business like snow business

Hey there. It’s been a wild weekend for anyone trying to stay away from the news, as we somehow got a trade war mixed in with the regularly scheduled snow and Grammys content. (As of the time of writing, the tariff tiff has been paused for 30 days.)

While opinions on what to do about our nightmare neighbour may vary, it’s been strangely heartening to see Canadians come together and proclaim that we won’t stand attacks on our sovereignty. We’ve even been booing the US national anthem at sports games. But does this mean the whole country is going to have to cheer on the Maple Leafs? Well… we all have limits.

— V.
Associate Editor

— FEATURE — 

The Banksy exhibit that Banksy would probably hate is coming to Vancouver

The thing about street art is that everyone can see it for free. The British graffiti artist Banksy made a career out of works that critique money, power, war, and consumerism… and now you can pay to see reproductions of it, as The Art of Banksy Without Limits is rolling into Vancouver later this month.

SPONSORED BY ARTS CLUB THEATRE COMPANY

Celebrate the courage to change

Don’t miss the Canadian premiere of Primary Trust, starting February 6 at the Arts Club’s Granville Island Stage. This delicate, profound, and comical story by Eboni Booth was the winner of the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

In the small upstate New York town of Cranberry, meet Kenneth, a 38-year-old bookstore clerk who spends his evenings at the local tiki bar with his best friend, Bert. But sipping mai tais is no longer enough when bitter reality hits—Kenneth is suddenly laid off, launching him into a world with challenges he has long avoided. Aided by the kind townsfolk he meets along the way, including a warmhearted waitress, Kenneth reaches past his isolation to see the world for the first time.

— LIVING —

Make the most of the snow with these top tobogganing spots

We got our (possibly only) snow for the year this week! Before it all melts into horrible brown slush, get your thrills with some cold-weather sliding.

• Puck off: J.T. Miller is no longer a Canuck 

• Sex//Work: Immigrant and migrant sex workers deserve better rights

• Explore global issues in adult education with UBC's Adult Learning and Global Change (ALGC) master's program. Fully online, asynchronous, and in collaboration with a global cohort across Europe, North America, and Africa. No thesis required.*

• Grandma. Gangsta. Guerrilla. by Abi Padilla. A Ruby Slipper Theatre World Premiere. Shadbolt Centre for the Arts Feb. 6-8, and Presentation House Theatre Feb 13-16. A hilarious and heartwarming sprint down memory lane of a butt-kickin’, bar-spittin’, tough grandma who escapes the care home to be with her family.*

• PHS Community Services Society provides an immediate response to street homelessness in Vancouver. Help bring people in out of the cold. Please donate today.*

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY VANCOUVER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Superman in Concert

Get your tickets to Superman in Concert. Listen to the VSO while the movie plays on the big screen! February 7 and 8 at the Orpheum.

Movie Nights with the VSO presented by TELUS.

— ARTS—

Abi Padilla mixes laughter and legacy in Grandma. Gangsta. Guerrilla.

Abi Padilla’s new play owes a lot to her grandmothers. “They’re so sassy and unapologetic,” Padilla tells us. “Even with all the hardships they’ve faced, they’ve found joy. It’s a huge part of Filipino culture—laughing through the tough times.”

• The Johnny Cash-inspired musical Ring of Fire is touring the Lower Mainland 

• What’s In Your Fridge: Anjela Magpantay of Theatre Replacement and rice & beans theatre

• PuSh Festival welcomes Annie Clarke as new managing director

• Lights at Lafarge: A Winter Wonderland. Brighten up winter with a visit to Lights at Lafarge, Metro Vancouver’s largest free light display—glowing at Town Centre Park until February 17.*

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY THE IMPROV CENTRE ON GRANVILLE ISLAND

Get your mix of romance AND comedy during LOVE MONTH!

People love someone who can make them laugh, so set yourself up for the perfect date!

With hilarious rom-comedies all month, special Valentine's Week shows, and the debut of I Saw You (inspired by the iconic Georgia Straight column), The Improv Centre delivers the perfect comedy experience for anyone whose love language is laughter!

— FOOD —

BC chefs are finding success with life off the line

For some local chefs, restaurants are not the only path. Instead, they’re forging their own way: staying connected to food but taking back control of their time.

• Community support helped prevent Thank You Pizza’s entry from turning into an electric scooter obstacle course

• Vancouver’s own Alex Kim won this year’s Canadian Culinary Championship

• Brewhalla returns to North Vancouver and Fort Langley

• Enjoy the world-renowned flavour of AeroPress, a velvety-smooth coffee without the grit or bitterness found in other methods. Loved globally, with 55K+ 5-star reviews.*

*sponsored listing

— ICYMI —

• Kolm Kontrast opens with Vancouver’s largest sauna 

• The Invictus medals feature Indigenous craftsmanship and culture

• Vancouver Sevens returns to BC place

• Anonymously-written play A Taste of Hong Kong will debut next month

• Jann Arden’s next tour will close out with a Vancouver show

— THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK —

PERFORMING ARTS: Hold On Let Go showcases seven experimental works. (February 4 to 8 @ Russian Hall)

THEATRE: Wonderful Joe uses puppets to tell an ultra-human story. (February 4 to 23 @ Historic Theatre)

MUSIC: New scene kings Palaye Royale get ready to rock. (February 4 @ Vogue Theatre)

FOOD & DRINK: Chefs Shane Chartrand and Dino Renaerts showcase progressive Indigenous cuisine. (February 5 @ Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art) 

VISUAL ARTS: The Veterans Art Show and Exhibition presents current and former armed service members’ art. (February 5 to 16 @ The Gallery George)

THEATRE: A Doll’s House, Part 2 takes place 15 years after the original Ibsen classic. (February 5 to 23 @ Pacific Theatre)

FILM: A Night of Obsidian highlights local Black filmmakers, creators, and musicians. (February 6 @ Rio Theatre)

THEATRE: King Musu follows an African kingdom’s relationship with mysterious gods. (February 6 to 8 @ Anvil Centre, New Westminster)

Want to know what else is happening in Vancouver? Check out our events listings.

That’s it!

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