The Arts Club Theatre Company is welcoming audiences to gather around and experience a cultural Rubaboo at the Granville Island Stage until April 30th. Rubaboo comes from the Métis-Michif word for “leftovers stew” or “big pot”, and just like the hearty stew, creator Andrea Menard’s Rubaboo offers up a hearty mix to fill the spirits and sustain the soul with a recipe of sharing Métis culture.
Acclaimed Métis performer Andrea Menard, along with co-composer/musical director Robert Walsh, have crafted a celebration of culture to share with audiences. Much like a rubaboo, they take a little of this and a little of that from each of natures four elements to bring Rubaboo to the stage. Like an old Sunday evening variety show, Rubaboo is part cabaret musical, theatrical, educational, inspirational and a lot entertaining.
As she begins filling the pot, Menard speaks directly to the audiences to welcome and sets the ground rules for the performance, making sure we know we are in for a unique performance. Joined by Walsh on guitar, and fellow musicians Karen Shepherd and Nathen Aswell, the entertaining foursome lead audiences on a journey of songs and sharing incorporating Earth, Wind, Fire and Water to create this rubaboo.
Rubaboo is a interactive performance as Menard shares and educated the audience about Métis culture and traditions, encouraging participation throughout performance. On the opening night performance there was a number of audience members who didn’t need any enticement to sing along to some of the Métis folks songs, helping to draw the rest of us into the circle. Hopefully it was heartening for those audience members to see their culture represented on stage and appreciated by the rest of us. For many audience members, Rubaboo may serve as a re-education as we grew up learning only a European-centric point of view of Métis history. The 90 minute (no intermission) set includes traditional folk tunes as well as original numbers by Menard and Walsh to fill the big pot with songs of reconciliation, unity, love, frustration, and resilience so all of us can carry away a deeper understanding.
A co-production with London, Ontario’s Grand Theatre, Rubaboo plays at The Arts Club Granville Island Stage until April 30, 2023. Tickets and show details are available at artsclub.com.
Andrea Menard has also generously shared with all audiences the Rubaboo songlist online.
