A Daily Dose of Silliness
It’s the 4 p.m. rush hour on SW Marine Drive and on the corner of Balaclava Street, Darth Vader stands watching the world go by.
This isn’t the first time a costumed character has stood watch in this intersection. Commuters have spotted Cersei Lannister or John Snow sitting on the Iron Throne. Last summer, they saw a life-sized Barbie in a box. On previous Christmas Days they've caught sight of Mrs. Claus handing out cookies.
Throughout the year some have seen Darth Vader, The Mandalorian, a Stormtrooper, and even Deadpool casually standing around.
This isn't a rare sight in this intersection. Someone goes out and does this.
The woman behind the mask is Anne Bruinn. Almost every day, for the past four years, she's put on a costume, stood near the corner, and injected the serious business of commuting to UBC with a little dose of silliness.
Bruinn recreated recognizable props from TV shows and decorated her front yard.
Bruinn recreated recognizable props from TV shows and decorated her front yard.
Bruinn likes to source her costumes from thrift stores or a Facebook Buy-Nothing group.
Bruinn likes to source her costumes from thrift stores or a Facebook Buy-Nothing group.
For technical costumes, Bruinn relies on Amazon. This Vader costume is a one-piece jumpsuit with all the accessories attached to the fabric.
For technical costumes, Bruinn relies on Amazon. This Vader costume is a one-piece jumpsuit with all the accessories attached to the fabric.
The inspiration came while she was waiting in the corner for her kids to come home from school.
“I noticed that people were looking at me,” she said. “I was like ‘I can entertain people while I’m standing here.’ And then I just threw on a costume and stayed outside because I was having so much fun.”
Every morning she makes breakfast, sends her kids off to school, then does house work. Once that’s done, she starts thinking of what costume to put on.
"I'll wear something cheeky if I'm feeling funny. It's just totally random --whatever fell into my lap, whatever I found at the thrift store, whatever I thought of might be funny," she said.
Her choice of costume sometimes depends on the season. When it’s October, she’ll choose to wear Halloween costumes. When it gets chilly, she’ll wear something she can layer a thick sweater under --like the robes of Cersei Lannister from Game of Thrones.
Sometimes she'll mark what's trending in show business. Is there a movie premiering? A show celebrating an anniversary? Or a famous person who rumoured to be in Vancouver?
“If Ryan Reynolds is in town, I think I should be Deadpool because people might think it’s him,” she said.
She has many costumes and props but they are inexpensive. She doesn't want to spend a lot of money on costumes so she searches for deals on Facebook and passable look-alikes in thrift shops.
Goblets used in the Game of Thrones were made of metal. Bruinn uses a plastic goblet from her kitchen.
Goblets used in the Game of Thrones were made of metal. Bruinn uses a plastic goblet from her kitchen.
Bruinn's sword is made of plastic -- the kind found in thrift stores packaged as children's toys.
Bruinn's sword is made of plastic -- the kind found in thrift stores packaged as children's toys.
Bruinn doesn't want to recreate an authentic character and get all the details accurately —that seems to be serious business. She wants to look enough like a character to spark a little wonder in the lives of those going to or coming from the UBC campus.
Everyday, Bruinn plants herself in the front yard, and sits facing the intersection. There she'll spend the whole afternoon.
Anne Bruinn can sit for hours. She said one time she spent nine hours just thinking and watching the world go by.
Anne Bruinn can sit for hours. She said one time she spent nine hours just thinking and watching the world go by.
“I see the traffic and I know how crappy it is to be stuck in traffic. I have an opportunity with all these people passing my house, how can I entertain them?” She said.
Bruinn also decorated her yard to support her daily mission of entertaining the community. She first put up a blackboard where she writes silly thoughts for the week. Then she started creating props: the Tardis from Doctor Who, the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones, and a Hobbit house.
People have mistaken her for a mannequin because she sits on her throne or stands in the corner for hours every day and keeps very still.
Bruinn stands still because she doesn’t want to be a distraction to drivers. It's something she's conscious of and thankfully no accidents have happened as she's stood by the intersection.
The other reason Bruinn keeps still is because she wants to. She has a naturally ability to stay in one place, entertain herself with thoughts and keep an almost meditative stance.
"I've always been really good at sitting still. I remember being 26, sitting in our house that I rented with some friends. And just sitting for, like, two hours on a kitchen chair and staring at the wall," Bruinn said.
She keeps a radio nearby to listen to talk shows or sing along to music. But thinking and observing is enough to keep her engaged. She thinks of what she's going to write, who she's going to see, or what she's going to cook for dinner. She thinks about the cars and the stories of the people riding them. Are they happy, sad, singing in the car, having an argument? Are they headed to play golf, attend class, or get groceries?
Most commuters don’t notice her. Somehow, she just blends into the background.
Some who do see her, smile. Some do a double-take. There are regular commuters who turn their heads and expect to see her at the corner.
When anyone honks or waves she waves back, knowing she made someone’s day --or at least gave them a silly sight to think about and look forward to the next time they pass SW Marine Drive.
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