The Cultch is streaming Little Volcano, a new production from Veda Hille and Theatre Replacement, from the Historic Theatre, to your living room, running October 22-25, 2020. The show is accompanied by the release of the Little Volcano’s live album—available on limited edition gold vinyl, and as a digital download.
In Little Volcano, pianist and songwriter Veda Hille combines music and storytelling in an intensely personal performance. Drawing from works by J.S. Bach, as well as Veda’s own compositions, Little Volcano offers a glimpse into the life of one of Vancouver’s most beloved musical artists. This “heightened concert” explores the universality of life’s experiences—loss, relationships, and adventures—through the one constant in Veda’s life: the piano.
Little Volcano was created by Hille, in collaboration with long time friends and colleagues, Maiko Yamamoto and James Long of Theatre Replacement. “For a long time now I’ve said that I am a musician and a composer, and that theatre is something else that I do,” says Hille, who has recorded over 20 albums since she started touring and recording, in 1992. “And it’s not really true anymore. Theatre is kind of the main thing that I do. So Little Volcano is a bit of a coming out for me as a theatre artist. This is me, and I make theatre shows with my theatre friends.” Known also for her work on the award-winning musical, Onegin, Veda Hille premiered Little Volcano with sold-out performances at Music On Main and the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival in early 2020, after several residencies with Cryptic UK and the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.
Veda Hille is no stranger to Cultch audiences, who not only come for her musical evenings (Vhine und Szong), but also come out in droves each winter to enjoy the East Van Panto, for which Hille is responsible for all the music. She became the pandemic artist in residence over the early months of Covid-19, playing three Side Door concerts, live-streamed from the Historic Theatre “I have found it entirely possible to feel together with a room full of people on the internet,” says Hille. “It’s been surprising and I’m really, really, really glad because we need it so bad.” In this time of great change Veda Hille’s Little Volcano will make an impression on anyone challenged to go onwards. “Little Volcano is a show about music, and about life”, says Hille. “ it’s about me, about carrying on.”
Little Volcano streaming tickets are on sale now at thecultch.com for showtimes Oct 22 at 5pm, Oct 23-24 at 7:30pm and Oct 25 @ Noon.