Jesus, Vishnu, Buddha and a French Canadian walk onto a chairlift. They:
a) smoke weed
b) eat poutine
c) chat with an invisible Muhammed
Make that all of the above. Whistler’s fourth annual Chairlift Revue, a locally produced event, ended the TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival on a “high” note.
MC’d by the Pique newspaper’s very own social commentary guru G.D. Maxwell, the Chairlift Revue covered the top 3 hot topics that are bound to offend: religion, sex, drugs. The plays ranged in theme from coming of age to “just because I slept with you doesn’t mean I’ll ski with you” to Olympic-withdrawal to an Olympic mascot who dunnit to dangerous encounters with metal and body parts.
The audience was a lot more local and family-oriented than you’d find at the rest of the rowdy evening events filled with industry people and younger ski/board types. But, I kind of like the authentic, genuine nature of the Chairlift Revue. It’s a community performance, supported by the Whistler Arts Council and written, directed and produced by Whistlerites who are passionate about arts and culture in this community. It’s events like this that are the true backbone of this town.
And I have to say, Ace MacKay-Smith (DJ Foxy Moron) was the best darn Jesus I’ve ever seen!