“Behind the Curtain: Unraveling the Script Changes of a Controversial Vancouver Holiday Panto”

As we transition into the post-festive period, it’s an opportunity to reflect on something that is a highlight of the holiday season for numerous Vancouver residents and marked the beginning for my own. The East Van Panto is a comedic critique of both local and global matters, amusing for children and the adults who accompany them (or not). However, those fortunate enough to possess tickets for the final sold-out performances before it concludes on Sunday will experience a slightly altered rendition compared to what I witnessed on opening evening.

The Panto is a holiday tradition. Year after year since 2013, it has consistently brought joy, featuring humorous songs by Veda Hille, who rivals Weird Al Yankovic in parody; ingenious storylines that merge fairy tales with contemporary issues; and family-oriented comedies.

This year, however, I was somewhat taken aback by how vehemently East Van Panto: Robin Hood targeted Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim. In the script penned by Jivesh Parasram and Christine Quintana, the character of Prince Ken, portrayed flawlessly by Jason Sakaki, aims to privatize Vancouver’s parks, including East Vancouver’s cherished Trout Lake, and impose admission fees for the renamed areas. Prince Ken associates with Lululemon founder Chip Wilson, so one can anticipate where this is headed.

With Prince Ken’s talk of bravado and office-proximate fitness centers, the character evidently parodies Mr. Sim, who has, in reality, pondered the idea of corporate entities compensating the city for naming rights to public areas, including parks (though they were eventually excluded from the policy).

I found enjoyment in the performance. However, at certain moments, I felt uneasy in my seat; it seemed more like a biting tirade than a lighthearted escapade. Apparently, I was not the only one to perceive it that way.

I do not disagree that Vancouver’s current mayor merits considerable criticism, but this panto felt somewhat harsh, particularly in a show aimed at children. I observed that one of Mr. Sim’s ABC Party associates, city councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung, was also part of the audience on opening night. I pondered: what must she be thinking?

By the conclusion of the performance, I reassured myself that I was being overly sensitive. It was enjoyable, the crowd adored it, and our happy holidays were effectively commenced.

Then, in early December, I learned that at some point after opening night, modifications were implemented to the play. A scene involving goose droppings set ablaze and stealthily placed on Prince Ken’s porch was omitted. A voiceover was introduced at the end as (spoiler alert) Prince Ken descends into the mud of Trout Lake. In the version I witnessed, his destiny seemed ambiguous. Did he … perish? With the voiceover, rescue seems near: he calls on his friend Chip for assistance.

It’s perhaps not uncommon to alter a script following an opening performance, yet this struck me as peculiar and worthy of further investigation.

The production is co-produced by The Cultch theatre and the group Theatre Replacement. Neither The Cultch executive director Heather Redfern nor Theatre Replacement artistic director Maiko Yamamoto consented to an interview regarding this matter. Ms. Kirby-Yung did not respond to an email. However, the mayor’s chief of staff did converse with my colleague Frances Bula. Trevor Ford stated that the panto’s “course correction,” as he referred to it, was beneficial.

“We can all jest about ourselves. Ken is the first to make fun of himself,” Mr. Ford relayed to Ms. Bula. “But [in the play] there are discussions about attacking the character’s residence and instigating a fire. In the second act, the character meets his demise. It was the elements of violence and death that were unsettling. The problem arises when there is a celebration of death.”

While Mr. Ford did not specify whether City Hall had intervened, he informed Ms. Bula that there were communications to both City Hall and The Cultch from individuals who believed the play had crossed boundaries. “There were numerous points of contact,” he emphasized multiple times.

He highlighted that the mayor now possesses a personal security detail. “We are living in an era when politicians are being targeted.”

Mr. Sim’s residence was vandalized with what he described as hateful graffiti on Halloween. On November 1, Mr. Sim released a statement indicating his family had faced a series of threatening incidents, including a bomb threat. This was publicized extensively prior to the panto commencing its previews on November 20. The opening night, which I attended, was on November 22.

According to the 2023 financial records, The Cultch secured $365,300 in grants from the city. This council has previously deliberated on linking grant funding to the conduct of recipient organizations, including communicating respectfully about city officials.

I’m not asserting that these two factors are connected; it is impossible to ascertain when no one will respond to this straightforward inquiry. However, for the sake of artistic expression, we should all wish that is not the case. That would convey a rather unfortunate lesson from this story – and some rich irony.