18 Cowichan News Leader Pictorial
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
If you can stand the heat, get into the Kitchen
SPOTLIGHT
From London, England comes a tour de force spectacle frequently performed all throughout Europe. The Kitchen puts the workplace centre stage in a blackly funny and furious examination of life lived at breakneck speed, when work threatens to define who we are. Arnold Wesker’s play is set in 1950s London, in the kitchen of an enormous West End restaurant, where the orders are piling up: a post-war feast of soup, fish, cutlets,
omelettes and fruit flans. Featuring an ensemble of 30 people and set in a real kitchen, actors prepare real food on stage. You can see an encore presentation of the National Theatre production in HD on the big screen, 7 p.m. Thursday at the Cowichan Theatre. Tickets range from $15.50 to $23.50. Call 250-748-7529 or go to www.cowichantheatre.bc.ca.
As Cowichan goes, so goes the world Canary in a coal mine: Made-in-Cowichan documentary explores the value of the volunteer in the good health of society Peter W. Rusland
News Leader Pictorial
T
hink of the Warm Land as a canary in the coal mine of social awareness and need. Cowichan ¿lmmaker Tom Shandel’s new 42minute movie explains government pullback on taxpayer funding for crucial community programs, downloading responsibilities onto unsung heroes such as the late Ronnie Phipps. Cowichanians can fete Phipps’ activist life, and her founding of the B.C. Coalition of Health Promotion, during Thursday’s premier of Shandel’s picture As Cowichan Goes, So Goes The World. “The whole economic collapse has changed the agenda for everyone,” said the Cow Bay director who co-produced The Corporation. Shandel explained how Cowichan Goes mirrors the current Occupy Wall Street movement that spawned Saturday’s Occupy Duncan rally. Citizens, he said, want answers about how the world economy — including money for local programs for the disabled, seniors, kids and others — is controlled by one per cent of the population, including bankers and politicians. “Ronnie called and asked if I’d be interested in a project about health promotion.” Shandel was stoked as a documentary maker who explores medicare and other social keystones. courtesy Tom Shandel The project started in 2008, spotlighting government’s reliance on compassionate non-pro¿t groups such the 250-odd in Volunteer-driven, caring organizations like Cowichan Hospice are key to the concept of health promotion — the subject at the heart of the latest documentary Älm from local producer Tom Shandel. Cowichan. “We used Ronnie’s vision of all organizations people with a social conscience can come forward, and they by governments. delivering the determinants of health.” have the time. “People need information and education so they can marshal But Phipps’ sudden death in 2009 was well “The one per cent hasn’t encountered this kind of force ever their own attack and campaign. bbefore Shandel started editing. before.” “When you know what you didn’t know, you have a better “I was left with the project, and very modest Cowichan Goes displays non-pro¿ts delivering good work chance at affecting public policy,” he said of his Àick for folks funding of 20 per cent — that was it.” “as more and more governments start to rely on it and expect of all political stripes. Still, Shandel soldiered on, ¿nding money to it — then places are left high and dry when the taps are turned “This cuts all ways — people in these organizations aren’t ¿nish the story he thought critical. off as (grant) money gets tight,” he said. just NDP, Liberal or Tories. “I learned the whole notion of the non-pro¿t One answer is a volunteer strike. “This is about the caring society we signed up for, and we’re Ronnie Phipps: sector as an expression of community, and how “But no volunteer or non-pro¿t will stop giving rides to can- not happy seeing it slip away — that’s what Ronnie stood for. a Cowichan hero it builds community,” he said. cer patients, or shelter to the homeless — and the government “She was a hero.” But Cowichan Goes shows how governknows that,” Shandel said. Your ticket: i iti drained dough from struggling local volunteer mentt priorities So Cowichan Goes aims to educate about peacefully targetWhat: Eye-Opener ¿lm As Cowichan Goes, So Goes the groups. ing policy makers, he said. World Government’s attack on the middle class has angered aver“We want to affect public policy. When: Oct. 20, 7 p.m. age Americans who’ve launched the Occupy Wall Street “People who see this ¿lm will be those in the non-pro¿t Where: Duncan United Church, 246 Ingram St. movement — leaving Shandel’s ¿lm ahead of the curve. sector,” he said, citing almost half of Cowichan’s 82,000 Tickets: Free. Call 250-701-7928 “Government’s seeing the middle class has more bite — residents give some time to volunteer work that’s relied upon
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