The Arts Club Theatre Company Granville Island Stage is taking a trip to the cottage, presenting The Golden Anniversaries by Mark Crawford, the writer of Bed and Breakfast and The Birds and the Bees. On stage until February 15th, this Vancouver premiere is only the play’s second ever production, following its 2024 debut in Ontario.
Without spoilers, The Golden Anniversaries follows the Goldens, Sandy and Glen, who, for 49 years have returned to the same cottage every year to celebrate their anniversary. Now, on their 50th, golden, anniversary things have changed. A week ago, Sandy threw Glen out of the marital home and cancelled their big anniversary party. Glen encamped to the cottage, and on this day of their anniversary he and Sandy recount the ups, downs and dilemmas of their marriage. Whether clear or murky, comedic and sentimental, memories from the cottage come flooding back; from their wedding night to other milestone years, they remember that marriage takes work and compromise.
Directed by Arthi Chandra, Eileen Barrett and Peter Anderson portray Sandy and Glen with a natural ease that draws in the audience. Wearing their characters like the comfortable clothes – as costumed by Madeleine Polak. With Alexandra Caprara’s lighting design dividing present and past – Crawford’s creative and heartfelt script flips from the present to the memories that helped build the couple’s life together. The memories create the building blocks while the cottage, beautifully recreated with fantastic realism by Set Designer Ryan Cormack, serves as the foundation, anchoring the play and reminiscences on the deck of “The Golden’s” cozy lakeside cottage.
The Golden Anniversaries by Mark Crawford runs until February 15, 2026 at The Arts Club Theatre Company Granville Island Stage, 1585 Johnston Street, Granville Island. If you are unfortunately, unable to catch this production, don’t miss it when it goes on tour around the region from February 17 to April 12, 2026. Visit artsclub.com for tour locations, showtimes and tickets.