Author Archive
Review: Dying City (surface/underground theatre and Elisa’s Boy Productions)
Dying City is a play I am still thinking about. There are so many unanswered questions in this piece that it is almost frustrating to watch it. That is because the acting is terrific and the writing does not let up for a second.
Review: Crush (Optic Heart Theatre)
I have to confess that Hume Baugh wrote and performed in one of my favourite pieces of theatre, The Girl in the Picture Tries to Hang up the Phone. I loved that show, so my expectations going into another one of Hume’s plays were very high and although Crush definitely has a lot of potential, it didn’t completely come together for me. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: Hamlet (solo) (The Word Festival)
I have seen and read Hamlet many times but it has never been more succinct and clear as it was in this version, which shouldn’t be surprising, as Raoul Bhaneja plays every single part.
Dressed in black upon a black stage with no sound effects and very little lighting he begins by creating the sound of the wind, and we are immediately transported to the graveyard and the eeriness is palpable. From here we move to countless locations and Bhaneja glides effortlessly around the stage, moving seamlessly from character to character with a subtle change in his body or voice. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: The Two Trees (The Red Sandcastle Theatre Company)
The Two Trees written and performed by Daniel Giverin is a one man show based on the writings of W.B. Yeats and if you are a fan of his poetry then I would recommend you see this show as there are plenty of opportunities to hear his work throughout the play. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: FIREraisers (The Red Light District)
The FIREraisers is an updated version of Max Frisch’s play from 1958 originally subtitled a “morality without a moral.” This version is directed by Lauren Gillis. Frisch’s play centres around an industrialist everyman figure, Biedermann, in a town facing an arson epidemic. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: Those Who Can’t Do (Theatre Passe Muraille)
I love seeing a show that when it is over you have so much to talk about that you have to go and get hot chocolate immediately afterwards. And that is exactly what happened after watching Those Who Can’t Do at Theatre Passe Muraille’s BackSpace. This play has so much content that includes so many points of view, that I firmly believe kids, parents and teachers should watch this show, preferably all together and then go away and TALK! Read the rest of this entry »
Review: The Ugly One (Theatre Smash)
The Ugly One, presented by Theatre Smash at the Tarragon Extra Space, is the second German play I have seen in the last month (last month I saw The Underpants) and I am beginning to have a new found appreciation for the German style since my days of studying theatre at university.
This is a very absurd and quick one act play that focuses on the story of Lette, an unspeakably ugly man, who doesn’t know he is ugly until his boss tells him. His wife is surprised as she thought he knew, so he decides to have plastic surgery and his face is transformed into an Adonis. His new looks afford him a new lifestyle, and so we are taught a lesson of the adage of being careful what you wish for as other people start to ask for the same face. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: Suddenly Mommy (Perfectly Norma Productions & Red Sandcastle Theatre)
It might be that I am not the right demographic for the show Suddenly Mommy, performed and written by Anne Marie Scheffler. I am not an old or new mum, in fact I am not a mum at all – and after watching this show I am not sure I want to be. This speaks more to the fact that for me Scheffler presented a horrifying picture of being a mother, which judging by the laughter in the audience had to be realistic. If she was out to dispel the myth that motherhood is fun and easy and every woman should do it, then her show was spot-on. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: From Thine Eyes (DanceWorks, Signal Theatre and Native Earth Performing Arts)
From Thine Eyes is an ambitious piece of dance theatre and it is the first time I have seen a combination like this. Brought to us by DanceWorks, Signal Theatre and Native Earth Performing Arts and choreographed by Michael Greyeyes. The piece is an examination of several characters that are trying to find meaning in their life as they hover in the state between living and dying,reflecting on certain important ‘scenes’ of their lives. I would strongly recommend that you read the synopsis of the play beforehand, as I found it much easier to understand the piece when I knew what each story was about. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: The Underpants (Coffeehouse Theatre)
The Underpants, adapted by Steve Martin and based on the 1910 German play Die Hose by Carl Sternheim, is a very funny and intelligent play about a woman whose underpants accidentally fall down during the King’s parade. This performance is brought to us by the new-to-Toronto theatre company Coffeehouse Theatre and is a great way for them to make their debut.