“Expect the unexpected.”
According to artistic director Jack Grinhaus, this phrase has become Vertigo Theatre’s unofficial mantra. From the beginning, Vertigo has been defined by its seasons packed with thrilling mysteries.
Originally called the Pleiades Theatre, Vertigo Theatre began in 1976 with a focus on classic mystery shows. Vertigo’s production of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap ran nearly every season from 1978 to 1992. In 2003, the company moved into its new home at the base of the Calgary Tower and adopted the Vertigo Theatre name. From there, it expanded its programming to include other classic capers and icons of the mystery genre, like adaptations of Alfred Hitchcock films and Sherlock Holmes mysteries.
“My first year, I kept asking people, ‘What do you like? What do you want me to do?’ And they would all say, ‘Oh, we don’t care. We’ll come to anything. We love everything,” says Grinhaus, who became Vertigo Theatre’s artistic director in 2022. “They’ve bought into what the theatre represents and the quality that they’ve come to expect from it.”
Along with mystery classics, the company has also bolstered new works. Over the course of Vertigo Theatre’s 50-year history, Grinhaus estimates the theatre has held 30 to 40 world and Canadian premieres of new plays. Celebrating the classics and introducing new works is one of the hallmarks of Vertigo Theatre that Grinhaus took into consideration when programming the 50th anniversary season.
In preparation for the season, Grinhaus looked back through old newspaper records covering the company’s history to see what shows had the greatest impact, while also considering what he wanted Vertigo Theatre to accomplish in the future. This became the theme of the season.
“Every play has a story about a character reflecting upon their past to help them move ahead, which is what we’re doing,” says Grinhaus.
Past Vertigo staples include Sherlock Holmes and Hitchcock film adaptations, which return this season in Sherlock Holmes: The Hunt for Moriarty and The Lodger. For Grinhaus, one of the most exciting shows in the lineup is The Midnight Torch: A Detective Murdoch Mystery, which brings an iconic Canadian character to the stage in what could become a new classic Canadian play.
“It’s not something that will only speak to our Vertigo audiences. I think it’s the opportunity for that play to speak to many audiences all over the world,” says Grinhaus. “That’s a big step forward for Vertigo.”
The season closes out with a show that displays how Vertigo Theatre aims to evolve in the coming years. 8Rojo’s Last Candle is an original work based on the Brothers Grimm tale Godfather Death. This show is the first in a new Vertigo “Second Stage” series, where smaller theatre companies doing genre theatre are supported by Vertigo. By supporting artists, Grinhaus hopes to make Vertigo the go-to place for genre theatre.
“I want us to be the first place they go to when they have a new idea.”
Find the full details about Vertigo Theatre’s 50th anniversary season at vertigotheatre.com.
