You can feel the history when you walk into the Grand Theatre in downtown Calgary. It truly is a beautiful space blending modern design with the original brickwork and feel of the 94-year-old building. More recent memories include standing in awe at the masks, costumes and theatrical supplies at Don’s Hobby Shop, and regular trips to the movie theatre that the space used to house.

Those memories were in my head when I attended the opening press conference in early March, and when I returned to the theatre to see Theatre Junction’s first new show, Caryl Churchill’s Far Away, I was immediately impressed with the theatre space itself – easily one of the largest and most versatile spaces in Calgary.

The show stars Duncan Ollerenshaw as “Todd,” Karen Johnson-Diamond as “Harper,” Adrienne Smook as “Joan” and Franca Haesler as the younger version of Joan. It starts off well enough with a disturbing scene between young Joan and Harper as Joan confesses to witnessing her uncle commit a brutal crime, which sticks with her into adulthood.

It is then that the show takes a turn for the bizarre, as we meet Todd who works in a hat factory with newcomer Joan. The two discuss the dirty corporation that they work for while designing hats for a parade. We then witness the parade – an unsettling look at a different world. The show then heads back to Harper’s cabin in the woods as war engulfs the world and every living thing participates in the conflict – leading to a bizarre conversation involving allegiances and if the deer and crocodiles are with us or against us. It’s surreal and a bit confusing.

Far Away succeeds in that it has you walk out of the theatre thinking, which is what good theatre is meant to do. While the actors are great and it is a good piece, I found myself wondering why this particular piece was chosen as the comeback after Theatre Junction’s nearly two year hiatus. Clocking in at just fifty minutes, it went in a far different direction then The Optimists and The Edible Woman, Theatre Junction’s awesome final two performances at the old Betty Mitchell Theatre; I am not sure that the piece resonated with them. While I applaud Theatre Junction for putting on a show such as Far Away sometimes it is better to play safe, especially when the spotlight is so focused on something like the first show of the reborn company.

Still to come from Theatre Junction is Compagnie Marie Chouinard’s Body-remix, which runs April 25th to 29th. This month, The Grand will also be the site of the Herland Film Festival.

Also of interest during my first visit to the Grand was checking out the Velvet Restaurant. The drinks were reasonably priced, so feel free to indulge in a cocktail before or after the show. They have an intriguing menu – but be prepared that it is upscale dining, and quite pricey. We decided to sample their dessert menu after the show, both the crème brule and the macadamia nut ice cream were pleasing to both the eye and the palate. Whether attending a show, stopping in for dinner or grabbing a drink Velvet has a lot to offer.

While Far Away may not work for everyone who sees it, it shows that Theatre Junction is back as a major and important player in Calgary’s theatre scene, and many are glad to see them back inside the newly restored Grand theatre.

Theatre Junction presents
”Far Away”
Until April 8th, 2006
“Body Remix”
April 25th – 29th
Tickets: (403) 205-2922
www.atthegrand.ca