PAST EVENT
Tim Gosley is a Canadian puppeteer who is primarily known for his work on numerous Muppet productions. He is originally from Victoria, British Columbia.
Gosley earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting from the University of Alberta and studied puppeteering with Richard Hunt from 1981-1983. He began his career portraying several minor characters on the television program Fraggle Rock from 1983-1987. He then began portraying Basil the polar bear on Sesame Park, the Canadian version of Sesame Street, a role he performed regularly for nine seasons.
Examines the heart, material and ethereal, through the eyes of Tim Gosley, the grandfather of Canadian puppetry, a boomer puppeteer. It is an esoteric variety show with a lot of heart and many styles of puppetry: muppet-style, video projected, laser shadowed, object manipulated and there are even puppets made from oyster shells. The show has a musical weave from fellow boomers, Douglas Henley, (sitar, tar, guitar, electric bass and lute) and Niel Golden, (tabla, cajón, and hang.) We are miners for a heart of gold.
Tim Gosley is grateful to Theatre Inconnu for accepting to produce The Heart Coffer: A Puppeteer’s Quest for the Universal Heart. The show, created during Gosley’s artist in residence fellowship at UVic’s The Centre for Studies in Religion and Society, was going to be cancelled due to COVID; as happened to so many others.
The Canada Council Digital Originals initiative stepped in to provide resources to put the performance online, but there still was needed a venue, and hopefully a live audience. Theatre Inconnu saved the day by engaging The Fernwood Community Association’s Paul Phillips Hall and providing all things technical. We are following all COVID regulations, and are allowed a limited audience of 14 patrons for each of our 4 public performances.
JOIN US ONLINE FOR THE WHOLE CONVERSATION!
We’re very excited to share that this event is being made available LIVE online so that you can join us from wherever you may be! These days most of us have big full lives, and are dealing with various commitments around family, time, money and work. Digitally, you’ll have the speakers, conversation & community – all from the comfort of your own home.
LISTEN. ANSWER. ASK. CONNECT!
You’re not watching – you’re PARTICIPATING! Through our easy online webinar system, you can engage with other viewers, participate in polls & discussions, and even ask questions during question periods. You certainly CAN choose to just sit back and watch & listen, if you like – your active participation isn’t an expectation, but it IS an opportunity.
NO FANCY TECHNOLOGY REQUIRED
There’s nothing to install, nothing to download, nothing to figure out. Here’s what you need to participate and have a great viewing experience!
> a modern internet browser (we recommend Chrome or Firefox)
> a reliable internet connection (hardwired is better than wifi)
> earbuds, headphones or good computer speakers
Theatre Inconnu was born in 1978 as a creative venture by Katya Aho-Kern and Clayton Jevne, who together co-created and performed the troupe’s plays. For the first nine years the company – with Katya and Clayton at the helm – toured their unique blend of theatre, puppetry, and clowning in Canada and in Europe. In 1987 The troupe established itself in what is now considered it’s “legendary” 50-seat Market Square cavern theatre space in “Olde Towne” Victoria, BC.
The company gradually shifted to an “acting” approach style of theatre, focusing on plays of an “alternative” nature. In addition to its regular season programming, in 1991 Theatre Inconnu launched an annual summer Shakespeare Festival. Beginning modestly in our Market Square venue, the event quickly grew to become a major tourist attraction in a giant in Victoria’s Inner Harbour. After producing the festival for 11 years (the last four taking place at St. Anne’s Academy Auditorium), Theatre Inconnu handed it over to the newly formed Victoria Shakespeare Society who continue to produce this well-attended annual event on the grounds of Camosun College. Throughout this period, and up to the present day, Theatre Inconnu has continued to present vibrant theatre in an intimate setting. In 2004 the company became the resident theatre company in a new venue: the Paul Phillips Hall in the historic central area of Fernwood in Victoria.
This fully-equipped “black-box” theatre maintains the intimate and informal atmosphere of the troupe’s original home. Over the years Theatre Inconnu has continued to periodically take shows on the road, and has toured productions in every region in Canada, as well as trips to the UK, the USA, and Mexico. Theatre Inconnu remains under Clayton Jevne’s artistic directorship, and to date has produced more than 120 shows in Victoria.
Learn more about Theatre Inconnu HERE