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Shakeela Begum

Originally from Central England and now a Vancouverite for almost 3 decades, Shakeela has intertwined her love for the arts within the community. With a legal background and a volunteer role with the Enneagram Prison Project Canada, she is an advocate for the arts' transformative influence for connection. She is deeply drawn to theatre, film, poetry and world music, crafting a life rich in artistic exploration. Whether hitting the links, practicing yoga, or finding peace in meditation retreats, she seeks to embrace each day with creativity and wonder!

recent reviews The Cultch: Every Day She Rose | Belle Spirale Dance Projects: Universus | Improv Centre: Bachelor-ish | Sunny and The Dudes + Chloe Morgan | DanceHouse: Les jolies choses | The Cultch: East Van Panto: Robin Hood | Bard on the Beach: Measure for Measure | Early Music Vancouver : Bach Untamed : Monteverdi Vespers of 1611 | Early Music Vancouver : Bach Untamed: Bach and the Mandolin


Patricia Cassidy

Born and raised in London, England, Patricia loves film, art, literature and architecture. She has lived and worked in many countries and has completed film and fine art studies in Vancouver. Patricia has narrated documentary films, and interviewed several well known novelists, including crime writer Michael Connelly (The Poet) and Arthur Golden (Memoirs of a Geisha). In a perfect world, she would love to have visited, or better still, been a part of, Gertrudes Stein's Paris salon with Hemingway, Picasso, Marcel Duchamp and F. Scott Fitzgerald dropping by.


Darren Cordeiro

Darren was born in Chilliwack where his parents exposed him to diverse forms of art from a very young age. At the age of 18, he moved to Montreal where he completed a degree in Marketing at Concordia University. Studying the way that people think and behave always intrigued him. He enjoys seeing how artists transpose these thoughts into their own personal forms of expression. Living in Montreal for over 15 years allowed him to be immersed in the rich culture that a bilingual speaking city offered. Back in Vancouver, he enjoys the culture and art that the West Coast brings.

recent reviews The Waterfront Theatre: Stuart Little | The Improv Centre: Camp What’s-It-Called | Broadway Across Canada: Mean Girls | The Improv Centre: Back To The Holidays | Theatre Replacement: (East Van Panto) Beauty and the Beast | The Improv Centre: Stage Fright 2: Murder at the Disco | Broadway Across Canada: Cats


John Anthony Jane

John is originally from Britain but has also lived in South Africa, Thailand, and China and has now been living happily in Vancouver for over thirty years. He has worked as a teacher, an engineering technologist, a technical writer and a soldier. While John's career background is essentially technical, he regards himself as an aspirant musician. His main interests are theatre, music, and of course, soccer.

recent reviews United Players of Vancouver: An Ideal Husband | Pacific Theatre: Meeting | Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra: 95th Anniversary Concert | Metro Theatre: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat | Vancouver Opera: Madama Butterfly | Vancouver Symphony Orchestra: Songs My Mother Taught Me | The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra: J’dore Paris | Broadway Across Canada: TINA – The Tina Turner Musical | DOXA Documentary Film Festival

Photo to come
Alexander M.

Alexander is a self-taught musician and composer. He has a natural talent for harmony and style, particularly when it comes to any type of art and creativity whether it is music, choreography, cinema or painting. Alex is also passionate about specially crafted food and innovative service rendering. Over 30 years of his in-and-out life in Vancouver has provided him with a solid grip on the City’s cultural vibe and trends.

recent reviews VSO: Beethoven’s “Emperor” Piano Concerto | Kellylee Evans concert


Jason Martin

Jason is a West Coast boy at heart, with salt flowing through his veins. Growing up on Vancouver Island, when he wasn't writing short stories and making radio plays as a kid he was skipping rocks at the beach or biking with the bears. A writer and creative at heart, he recently took on a book project highlighting wood architecture and design in British Columbia, a passion project of his decades-long career in marketing and communications. He often forgets that he earned a master’s degree from Syracuse’s Newhouse School of Public Communications that he will one day get around to hanging on his wall. When he’s not working, he dabbles in comedy writing, stand-up, photography and is always keen to take in arts and culture throughout the city. He enjoys bike rides along the sea wall, effortlessly dodging innocent tourists at every turn.

recent reviews The Cultch: My Little Tomato | The Cultch: Little Red Warrior and his Lawyer


Nancie Ottem

Nancie was born in St. Catharines, Ontario but has lived all but 5 years in Vancouver. Growing up she was attracted to the arts, particularly theatre and dance and has continued to enjoy live theatre and dance productions as well as being an avid art gallery goer throughout her life. A degree in Canadian Studies enhanced her love of Canadian culture. Opening and running a gardening gift shop for 10 years in Vancouver was an achievement of a long held dream and allowed her to source and feature Canadian artisans from across Canada and indulge a love of artistic expression. Writing for Review Vancouver since 2011 has brought the love of theatre, dance, artistic expression and Canadian culture together and gives access to the vibrant cultural scene in Vancouver.


Elizabeth Paterson

A retired librarian, Elizabeth developed web-based catalogues for libraries in the Burnaby School District. She has lived and worked in England and in London, Ontario, where she studied Classics and English at the University of Western Ontario (now Western University). She plays recorder with the Pastime Consort, is Librarian for the B.C. Recorder Society, attempts baroque dancing, reads avidly, and attends as many concerts, operas, and plays as possible.

recent reviews Early Music Vancouver Summer Festival: Forgotten Harmonies: Schubert & Friends | Early Music Vancouver Summer Festival: Silk Strings: a Chinese Baroque Dialogue | Bard on the Beach The Dark Lady | Bard on the Beach Much Ado About Nothing | Vital Spark Theatre: The Watsons | Vancouver Opera: Flight | Early Music Vancouver: Bach Ties the Knot | Vancouver Opera: Flight | Salish Sea Early Music Festival: Italian Canzonas | Pacific Theatre: The Hobbit |


Ross Michael Pink

Ross Michael Pink enjoys the artistic adventure, particularly books, ballet, film and symphony. oss has authored two books on the environment and wrote, directed a TV documentary with the NFB that was broadcast in 7 countries.


Shirley Siega

Born and raised in British Columbia Shirley has lived throughout the Province and has always been drawn to the arts and the outdoors. A longtime West Coaster, she has a deep appreciation for music, theatre, and visual art, along with a love for sports—especially tennis and trail riding. Live music and theatre have been a passion of hers for many years, and sheI enjoys a wide range of performances, from intimate acoustic sets to large-scale productions. Whether it’s a concert, festival, or play, she immerses herself in the experience with an open mind and a deep appreciation for the craft. Outside of the arts, she balances her professional career with an active lifestyle, always seeking new ways to engage with creativity and community.

recent reviews Dance Nation


Christian Steckler

Christian's long-time passion has been contact and immersion with various cultures and their artistic traditions. His professional career began as a community development advocate for New Canadians in the 1970s. From there, his interest in arts and culture took him to life in Arctic Canada, where he taught for five years, and became an avid collector of Inuit art. He has also taught in China and Qatar, and has traveled extensively in Africa, South America and various other parts of the world. From his childhood, Christian has been interested in theatre, art and artistic performance, and enjoys the cultural scene wherever his travels take him. He presently teaches college prep English at Capilano University.