Blog

From the big screen to the stage

INTERVIEW WITH TOM LIGHTBURN

Vancouverites know Tom Lightburn as one of the founders of Festival Cinemas, a local chain recently acquired by Cineplex. But what few people know however, is that this businessman has also been active behind the scenes of the performing for more than ten years as a producer, consultant and promoter. At the moment, he is working with Festival PuSh and Théâtre la Seizième to present Séquence 8 at the Vancouver Playhouse.

After a long career in cinema, what persuaded you to get involved with a theatre company and a circus company?

I’ve always been passionate about the performing arts. In fact I majored in theatre at university. My involvement as a producer really came about when a friend, also a cinema owner in England, asked me to produce the Sing along Sound of Music in North America. The show combined theatre, performance and cinema. The audience was invited to wear costumes, to take part in the show and to sing the songs of the Sound of Music as loudly as they could while the movie was being shown. It was fantastic! After that, I produced the Slava SnowShow in New York, and then a show performed under a circus tent made of wood and mirrors (Spiegeltent). For the last few years, I’ve been working with Les 7 doigts de main as well as with two Russian companies dedicated to the circus arts.

Tell about your work with Les 7 doigts de la main. How did it all begin?

It was during a series of performances in New York, when we installed the Spiegeltent under the Brooklyn Bridge, that I got to know Les 7 doigts de la main. They had come from Montreal to meet me and to ask me to produce their next show, La vie, which I accepted to do. At about the same time, I saw their production of Traces. The piece had had a lot of success in Quebec, Paris and all over Europe, but had never been presented in North America other than in Quebec. As a Canadian, I thought that that was unthinkable! So I undertook to make Les 7 doigts de la main known throughout English Canada and the United States.

I’ve been pursuing that mission ever since. Concretely, I advise the company on matters of promotion and touring. But It also happens that I will support presentations of certain productions, as is the case for Séquence 8 in Vancouver

Why did you specifically choose to work with Les 7 doigts de la main ?

The answer to that question boils down to only a few words : the project and the people. I find that the productions created by Les 7 doigts de la main are profoundly creative and entertaining. Also, their work is based on the language of the body rather than on a language of words, which makes it accessible to the whole world. As for the artists behind the company, they are completely devoted to their art. They all left more profitable careers to develop a style of circus arts that was unknown in the industry. By their manner of working, they push the discipline farther, notably by developing stories and complex characters who we can follow all through the show, like in a theatre piece. I am happy to be able to support them, and at the same time contribute to helping make their fascinating productions better known to Canadian and American audiences.

It was important for you to present Séquence 8 in Vancouver. Why?

I work a lot outside of the city and I wanted to show members of my community an example of the high quality of the shows produced by Les 7 doigts de la main. On top of that, I think that the entertainment market in Vancouver is now sufficiently developed to be able to receive and appreciate big shows that depart from the beaten path, like Séquence 8.

By presenting Séquences 8, my hope is that more international level shows be presented here or elsewhere in Canada on a regular basis. I hope to contribute to stimulate a vibrant cultural life! Séquence 8 is almost already sold out. That demonstrates to Canadian producers that the audience will support us…

According to you, is it important that business people and corporations support the arts?

Yes! I believe that not only business people, but our entire society, must support the arts and get involved. In North America, we have a tendency to want to make arts and culture become a profitable industry. I believe that is a mistake. The goal of art is not to make a profit. Its contribution is on another level. It’s rather what allows us to define ourselves and to evolve as human beings. It’s essential. However, the arts are more and more neglected in our North America societies. In France and in many countries in Europe, tickets for productions are accessible because theatres and artists are generously supported by governments and philanthropists. Art is a public good. We still have a long road to go here to get to that level.

Séquence 8 is presented from January 20 to the 22 at 8:00 PM at the Vancouver Playhouse, with an added performance on January 24 at 2:00 PM. To purchase tickets, please click here.