Last night, thousands of Richmonders crammed into Oregon Hill for the 21st annual Halloween Parade from All The Saints Theater Company, the DIY puppet troupe behind it all. This year’s theme was “Dada Ur Data: A Funeral March for Intelligence,” a requiem for...
Writer's Block is RVA Magazine's series highlighting contemporary writers working in Richmond and across the Commonwealth. We feature original poems, short stories, and essays. Just real voices writing right now. If you'd like to be featured, send your work to hello@rvamag.com with the subject line "Writer's Block." —-----------You’d wander...
Can a toy change the trajectory of a child’s life? Barbie, the good, the glamour, the ugly, and how she has shaped society. As a grown-ass feminist, I did not think I would need to contemplate dolls. But then…there is Barbie. You can’t escape her. Everyone knows Barbie has had over 250 jobs and lets girls know they can grow up to be anything they...
"The Devils is a harsh film but it's a harsh subject. I wish the people who were horrified and appalled by it would have read the book, because the bare facts are far more horrible than anything in the film." - Ken Russell from An Appalling Talent: Ken Russell by John Baxter The Film That Never Found Me Poster from Ken Russell’s The Devils In the...
Editor's Note: This essay includes a personal account of a mental health crisis. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, support is available. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. Richmond-area residents can also contact Richmond Behavioral Health for local mental health services...
Yes, this is a review of the play Grace and Glorie, currently at Hanover Tavern. It is the Hanover Tavern part of that sentence that I want to focus on first. I’m probably going to get some side-eye for this, but I completely forgot Hanover Tavern existed. What in the actual hell? This place is beautiful. It predates the United States of America...
There was a time for me growing up when Frankenstein was just a green guy that chased Scooby-Doo around. He adorned a cereal box of strawberry-flavored sugar that my mother would never buy. He slowly lumbered after my favorite mid-century comedy duos. And that was the entire story of Frankenstein. Literally that. Neck bolts, forehead stitches,...
There are art shows, and then there are art fights. Richmond gets its art fight later this month when Secret Walls rolls into the Richmond Tattoo & Arts Convention October 23rd and 24th, putting tattoo artists and fine artists head-to-head in front of a crowd with a clock running. Eight artists will compete across two nights, with two-on-two...
I often come off like a chihuahua on sugar pills when reviewing plays for this magazine. I am excitable, yes, but never in the service of idle flattery. I also take no joy in being critical of people’s hard work. I’ve said this whole thing before several times, but I feel compelled to do so whenever I have mixed news to give. The news is mixed,...
There are days of doing this when I just get to gush. Today is one of those days. I have had the pleasure this past year of witnessing some of the best theatre of my life. VA Rep’s Primary Trust floored me. Richmond Shakespeare continued their epic run of hits with The Importance of Being Earnest, Macbeth and As You Like It. Richmond...
