Author Archive
Review: besidemyselfworld (Tones Of Voice).
besidemyselfworld, is ‘a multi-disciplinary solo piece based on the autobiographical writings of the German autistic mute teenager, Birger Sellin’ New collective, Tones of Voice have adapted this piece from Sellin’s book Ich will kein Inmich mehr sein (i dont want to be inside me anymore).
Entering into the Wychwood Barn I waited with the rest of the audience, assuming I would be ushered into a theatre space, but actually a man enters into the walkway pushing cardboard boxes on a trolley. We know to follow him as he tapes an arrow on the ground and we learn more about his character as he eventually guides us into a room where he unpacks his boxes and the show really begins. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: The Panel Show (The Hard Luck Bar)
The Panel Show hosted by Ned Petrie at The Hard Luck Bar on Dundas West was the perfect way to spend a Tuesday evening. The concept of the show is, yep you guessed it, a panel show. Similar to CBC’s The Debaters or the UK show ‘Have I Got News For You‘ the show is hosted and created by Ned Petrie & Chris Leveille who ask questions to the panel of three which on Tuesday night consisted of Ron Sparks, Mike Kiss & Rhonda Riche. This was the debut Panel show and it was a great way to start what I hope will become a continually successful show. Read the rest of this entry »
Still Life (lemonTree theatre creations) 2011 SummerWorks Review
Still Life is a story that follows four characters as the incidents of one night unfold. The play jumps all over the place with regards to timelines, adding a nice element to the piece but also felt like many different theatre styles all thrown into one. Some of them worked really well – and some just missed the mark for me. Read the rest of this entry »
Hooked (Hookedinhouse Productions) 2011 SummerWorks Review
As soon as the actress, Nicky Guadagni came on stage I knew I was going to like whatever she did. There was something about her energy and her face which is so expressive and open that even before she spoke, I was Hooked. Read the rest of this entry »
Express Yourself (Events in Real Time) 2011 SummerWorks Review
If nothing else, Express Yourself, is a perfect showcase for the many talents of Liz Peterson. She gets to act, sing, dance, be funny, be sincere and she does all of it really well. Luckily there is something else too. This is a charming show that has some wonderfully inventive moments and definitely something for every musical theatre fan out there. Read the rest of this entry »
Strange Mary Strange (Theatre on the Verge) 2011 SummerWorks Review
The playwright, Evan Tsitsias, said in the programme that he wanted to write a play about a character stuck on a plane with no place to escape all the thoughts in it’s head. He then felt he needed to add subject matter and he added themes of how sex is introduced to children and how that can affect their adulthood.
I believe he achieved this goal, I just didn’t connect with how he went about it. As the lights go down and we hear the sounds of women climaxing and for the following 50 minutes that level of energy and tone of the piece doesn’t really stop. Read the rest of this entry »
Scienceography: dances of physiology, entomology and psychology (Pocket Alchemy) 2011 Toronto Fringe Reviews
Scienceography: dances of physiology, entomology and psychology presented by Pocket Alchemy is a very interesting undertaking. The choreographers have tried to merge together the world of science and dance as well as focusing on the journey of a mayfly. At times it works wonderfully and is beautiful to look at, but I found it to be too slow in pace to keep my attention. Read the rest of this entry »
Excuse Me Would You Like To Buy A Bar? (Don’t Panic Productions) 2011 Toronto Fringe Review
I know everyone keeps talking about how amazing it is that a 20 year old wrote this play but that is because it really is impressive. Wesley J Colford has a writing style that is mature beyond his years and his script is supported by a very talented cast. Read the rest of this entry »
So I Married a Muslim (SanMan Productions) 2011 Toronto Fringe Review
Sandra Pascuzzi says that by doing this show she is trying to combat islamophobia that exists, which I commend her for. Unfortunately that didn’t work for me in her show So I Married A Muslim.
Sandra seems like a lovely woman and I am happy she found true love that crosses cultural boundaries but I am afraid I just didn’t find the story all that interesting; I wanted to get more into the politics and social differences, but it was all a little too personal and not so universal for me. Read the rest of this entry »
reSURGEnce (Kinetic Elements) 2011 Toronto Fringe Reviews
reSURGEnce by Kinetic Elements was like watching an extended episode of So You Think You Can Dance and I mean that as a compliment. I hope that TV shows like SYTYCD encourage people who wouldn’t normally see live dance to go and see shows like reSURGEnce because it is wonderfully entertaining and performed by a very talented bunch of dancers. Read the rest of this entry »