AMADEUS
Where: Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St.
When: Friday through Sunday
Tickets: $16-$95.50 from the Royal McPherson box office (250-386-6121) or rmts.bc.ca
Why: The life and work Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart continues to captivate. A composer at the age of five, he was dead a mere 30 years later — but his legend lives on in pieces such as this Ballet Victoria production, with three performances, including a matinee Sunday, on tap this week. The company showcases the range of Mozart’s influence, with pieces that cross the choreopgraphic spectrum, including everything from classical and contemporary ballet to hip-hop and rock. When you’ve seen Mozart set to the music of Freddie Mercury and Queen, you truly have seen it all. Prepare to be wowed.
PHIBES
Where: Capital Ballroom, 858 Yates St.
When: Saturday, 9 p.m.
Tickets: $48.41 from admitone.com
Why: Club shows by top-tier electronic acts have become scarce in recent years, so expect Vancouver Island’s drum and bass community to hit this one hard on Saturday night. Phibes, the UK duo consisting of brothers Ryan and Scott Wild, has been described as everything from glitch hop to ghetto funk, but they are sound designers more than anything else — and they are currently at the top of their game in that regard. A new Victoria project, Psy Ops, featuring Hyperlynx, DJ Anger, and King Benz, is among a handful of opening acts for what could be the show of the year where electronic music is concerned.
NAKED RADIO
Where: Chemainus Theatre, 9737 Chemainus Rd., Chemainus
When: Through April 2
Tickets: $68 from chemainustheatrefestival.ca or 1-800-565-7738
Why: Don’t let the title fool you — there’s no nudity in the Chemainus Theatre Festival’s first show of the 2023 season, a comedy from Wisconsin about a local radio station and two of its on-air DJs who lead a small community through a heavy duty winter storm. A three-hander starring Naomi Costain, Michael Clarke and Kaden Forsberg, Naked Radio tackles everything from the downside of corporate culture to the upside of small towns, perfect fodder for a post-COVID planet now forced to reevaluate its priorities. Though the engagement at the always-excellent Chemainus Theatre is two weeks into its run, there’s still 20 shows left for theatre buffs looking for a light-hearted romp.
