If you’ve done any reading on the early history of photography then Eadweard Muybridge is a name that you’ll surely recognize. He began his career as a landscape photographer in the mid 1800s, gaining recognition for his photographs of the American West between 1868 and 1873. The work Muybridge is most well known for are his studies in human and animal locomotion, that dramatically changed long standing perceptions of motion of that time period, and led to the development of the cinema.

I was reminded of Muybridge because “Studies in Motion: The Hauntings of Eadweard Muybridge” is opening this week at the Push International Performing Arts Festival here in Vancouver. The play explores the darker aspects of Muybridge’s character, and the lesser known event of the murder of his wife’s lover, for which he was acquited. The play runs from January 17th to 29th at Frederic Wood Theatre UBC. Tickets are $18 regular, $10 student, or $12 seniors and can be order by phone at 604.822.2678. I’m planning on checking it out because I’m intrigued by the idea of a play about photography.