Evolution Takes Its Next Step

May 13th, 2007

By Dean Lisk
Entertainment Reporter
The Daily News

When it comes to repeating things on stage, Ryan Fraser says it must be bigger and better.

"We don't want to be redundant, but we don't want people leaving and thinking 'I wish they would have done this again,'" the Squid member said.

Starting on Tuesday, the four-man precision drumming and piping group will perform an updated version of its high-energy Squid: The Evolution on Neptune Theatre's studio stage. It will include more than an hour of humming-bird-speed drumming, a parade of musical styles and a few visual surprises.

"It was definitely the most fulfilling feeling we had had up to this point in our career," Fraser said about the show, which premiered in February 2006 at Alderney Landing. It was the group's first theatrical production since forming in 2000.

The four members of Squid - Fraser, Mark Jamieson, Ian MacMillan and Daniel St-Pierre - march past the traditional pipe and drum sound into the realm of African rhythms, Celtic and hip-hop - all with an ample amount of drumstick-tossing physicality.

"Alderney was a great starting point," Fraser said.

"It was a great experience and definitely allowed us to learn a little bit more, first hand, about working in theatre."

He said the group was happiest that its original works - written more for music concerts - worked well in the stage show. It helped cement for them that Squid was best suited for the theatre, much like the successful PVC instrument playing Blue Man Group or foot-pounding Stomp they modelled themselves after.

Still, Fraser said some things didn't work, and this run of The Evolution has matured since Alderney Landing. Some of the music has been erased from the show. Other tunes have been updated.

"Last year, in terms of tech, we were really learning," Fraser said. "This year we have been able to get the tech really solid, with some interesting and solid lighting components - the bells-and-whistles type of stuff."

He said they are keeping the beat-box act that had fans clapping last year, but have added a DJ, electric drums and a plugged-in bagpipe. They have also recruited Rawlins Cross's Brian Bourne, who plays the Chapman Stick - a guitar and bass in one.

One part which they've expanded from last year is a glow-in-the-dark routine, in which the guys are dressed in black suits with fluorescent tape attached, to make them look like stick people.

"That was definitely one of the showier parts of the production," Fraser said. "It was something I knew I wanted to build on. We've updated it with fancier technology to make it brighter, a little bit bigger, and more exciting."