Author Archive
Review: Best of Arabesque (Arabesque Dance Company & Orchestra)
Last night, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the black tie gala and show Best of Arabesque at the Fleck Dance Theatre in the Harbourfront Centre. The show was held in celebration of two milestones: the 15th anniversary of the founding of Arabesque Dance Company and Orchestra, and the 30th anniversary of the dance career of the company’s founder, Yasmina Ramzy.
Announcement: Mirvish Productions to bring War Horse with All-Canadian Cast
The National Theatre of Great Britain, National Angels, Bob Boyett and David Mirvish have announced the all-Canadian cast of the Canadian premiere production of the National Theatre of Great Britain’s Olivier and Tony Award-winning production War Horse. War Horse begins performances at the Princess of Wales Theatre on February 10th and opening night is February 28th, 2012.
Review: People4Change (lemonTree creations & TheThem)
There are thousands of names in the phonebook. How many of those people would be willing to donate to a good cause? This is the premise for People4Change, a play that follows three young people – Dale (Colin Edwards), Lisa (Alisha Stranges) and Jaelene (Marissa Zinni) who team up to make a difference in the world after witnessing a death on the subway tracks, and whose efforts to collect money over the phone for charity change all of their lives in drastic ways. People4Change is playing in the Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace until September 24th.
Friends of the Arts address proposed city funding cuts
Toronto mayor Rob Ford has made repeated promises to “stop the gravy train”. Recently, the City Manager has made recommendations that foster the opinion that the arts are, in fact, “gravy” and apparently not a vital part of our city. Today, the Toronto Arts community held a press conference to respond to the recommendations.
Scotiabank BuskerFest 2011
Scotiabank BuskerFest, with its bevy of performers and vendors, is taking place in the St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood for its twelfth year. Street performers from all over the world gather for North America’s largest busker festival, in support of Epilepsy Toronto.
If you have ever been downtown, you have likely seen a busker or two. They are street performers, which can include anything from musicians to clowns to living statues to jugglers to acrobats. There are a wide variety of performances to catch at this year’s festival, and considering the scope there should be something for everybody.
Review: Tweed: A New Canadian Musical (Iana Theatre Company)
Tweed: A New Canadian Musical is a show about the formation of a small town in Ontario, Tweed, and the lives of the people who live there. The main characters, Sarah – played by Amanda Struthman – and David – played by Nathan Carroll – fall in love, but are torn apart by the escalating war in Germany. Tweed: A New Canadian Musical is playing at The Papermill Theatre until August 27.
Exit, Pursued By A Bear (Quality Slippers) 2011 SummerWorks Review
Exit, Pursued By A Bear is a multidisciplinary puppet play about Evelyn – played by Adriana Disman – whose dreams are haunted by a grizzly bear. She also has recurring flashbacks of her dead father, all while talking to a prophetic beggar, both of which are played by David Schaap. It will be running at the Theatre Passe Muraille for the duration of the festival.
Little One (Theatre Crisis) 2011 SummerWorks Review
Little One is an account of the relationship between two adopted siblings. One, Aaron – played by Joe Cobden – is a fairly well-adjusted, if neglected, young man, while the other, Claire – played by Michelle Monteith – is a deeply traumatized and disturbed little girl. It is playing at the Theatre Passe Muraille for the duration of SummerWorks.
Aaron tells his story directly to the audience. His character may take a little bit of warming up to – for instance, my boyfriend didn’t like him until he began interacting with his sister. Joe Cobden’s performance is good and he moves fluently between his adult and child personas. Michelle Monteith as Claire is perfect, playing a believably creepy and disturbing child.
Eurydice By Sarah Ruhl (The Theatre) 2011 SummerWorks Review
Eurydice By Sarah Ruhl is a modern re-telling of the Orpheus myth focusing on Eurydice, his dead wife. In the classical myth, Orpheus, the greatest musician alive, follows Eurydice into Hades in an attempt to bring her to life. This version remains true to that plot, with a bit of a twist. It is playing at the Theatre Passe Muraille for the duration of the festival.
The play was modernized without placing it in any particular time period. For instance, Orpheus (Justin Rutledge) was a rock star – whose music was fantastic, by the way – and cars and elevators were mentioned, but nothing so topical that you could place a time. I enjoyed this choice, as it brought a timeless myth up-to-date while still keeping it timeless.
Malaria Lullaby (Company Blonde Dance Projects) 2011 SummerWorks Review
Malaria Lullaby is an aerial dance play about contracting and suffering through, you guessed it, malaria. The show features robotic stewardesses, an angel of mercy and a chorus of infected mosquitos, performed by Michelle DeBrouwer, Holly Treddenick, Lara Ebata, Natalie Fullerton, Julye Huggins and Allison Bradbury. It’s playing at the Theatre Passe Muraille until August 14.