Hot Ticket: La Marea
We all do it: You're walking down a busy street, and you catch the eye of a passerby. You wonder, "What's her story?" or "What's he thinking?"
Usually, there are no answers; but on Saturday, you can be privy to strangers' innermost thoughts at La Marea ("The Tide"), a series of fleeting performances that tell nine different tales of people on the street - among them a couple having their first kiss, a man who has just crashed his motorbike, and an insomniac desperately seeking sleep.
Conceived by Argentine artist Mariano Pensotti and adapted for Vancouver by Boca del Lupo - best known for their roving summer shows in Stanley Park - the performances take place in the zero-hundred block of Water street in Gastown, in storefronts and on balconies, in cafés and on sidewalks.
So how do you get into the characters' minds? Seemingly unaware that they are being watched, their thoughts are projected as subtitles. Each piece is 10 minutes long, so you can catch all nine; and don't shy away if the weather doesn't co-operate - organizers say that if it's raining or snowing, the drama will be even better.
The final performance of La Marea is Saturday from 7-9 p.m. It is part of the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival, which runs through Feb. 6. For information and a full schedule, visit pushfestival.ca.