Author Archive
unADULTeRATED me (Rachelle Fordyce) – 2010 Toronto Fringe Review
by Michelle Barker
Clown striptease: a new genre at the Toronto Fringe
Clowns just want to be loved. Unfortunately for Fizzy Tiff, her nerves make it very difficult to have a successful date, relationship… or sex life. Read the rest of this entry »
Rochdale: Livin’ the Dream (Hey, How Ya Been?) – 2010 Toronto Fringe Review
by Michelle Barker
Reaching a higher state of mind in Rochdale circa 1969
The plot of Rochdale: Livin’ the Dream at Tarragon is established pretty quickly when you walk into the Main Space; the set is made up of a radio station in one corner, some egg crates, and a graffiti wall featuring pictures of all things psychedelic: flowers, poetry, and lots of drugs. Read the rest of this entry »
The Aquarium (Good Egg and Triple Take Productions) 2010 Toronto Fringe Review
by Michelle Barker
The story of an ex-playwright cursed with a farcical life comes to the Toronto Fringe
I really thought that this show was going to be a drama when I went to see it. Something about the definite article The just screams drama to me. The Aquarium is actually a romantic comedy. And it’s making audiences laugh and feel romantic at Factory Theatre right now. Read the rest of this entry »
Big in Germany (Ten Foot Pole Productions) – 2010 Toronto Fringe Review
By Michelle Barker
A band that Canadians have never heard of hits the Toronto Fringe
You’ve probably never heard of the band All Powers, but they’re really big in Germany. Ten Foot Pole Productions, known most recently for their production of Fucking Stephen Harper, has returned to the Toronto Fringe with another show to amuse, entertain, and potentially offend men and women of all ages.
At its heart, Big in Germany is a classic rags-to-riches, coming-of-age, coming out story with subplots about pornography thrown in. The play’s main characters, Alex and Bruce, set out to become international Rockstars in hopes of obtaining loads of cash, loads of women, and fame. Unfortunately for them, their music isn’t appreciated outside of their German-based fanbase.
The Centre of Everything Civilised (Winterbird Arts) – 2010 Toronto Fringe Review
by Michelle Barker
Poetry and prose blend seamlessly to tell the tale of a passionate summer affair.
The heat outside of Theatre Passe Muraille’s Extra Space was pretty unbearable this afternoon, but it was completely worth enduring in order to enter the world that the company of The Centre of Everything Civilised created. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: The World Is Ending… And It’s All Your Fault – The Experts Collective (Toronto Festival of Clowns)
By Michelle Barker
The world may be ending, but The Experts have arrived at the Toronto Festival of Clowns just in time to save us all
Four clowns are trying to avoid death and total world destruction by an unnamed force that seems to be linked to earthquakes, the ‘swan’ flu, and meteors. That’s the premise of The World is Ending… And It’s All Your Fault, an hour-long play created by The Experts Collective as part of the fifth annual Toronto Festival of Clowns. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: Fucking Stephen Harper – Ten Foot Pole Productions
By Michelle Barker
A man’s memories of sexually assaulting the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada return to the stage after a successful run in the 2009 Toronto Fringe
Trust me when I say I do not need to explain the premise of this one-man show. No hidden agenda here; Rob Salerno stands on stage with nothing but a stool beside him and a powerpoint presentation behind him. Exactly as the title suggests, Salerno has stopped by Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in Toronto on his “book tour” for his latest work, Fucking Stephen Harper, the story of how he sexually assaulted Prime Minister Stephen Harper while attempting to secure an interview. Read the rest of this entry »
Hamlet – Necessary Angel Theatre Company
By Michelle Barker
Do you think you know Hamlet? Yeah, so did I until I saw Necessary Angel’s production of Hamlet at the Enwave Theatre. Read the rest of this entry »
No Exit – Electric Company (presented by Nightwood)
By Michelle Barker
What do you get when you combine Sartre, video cameras, and a bellboy? The most confusing good time that you may ever have in a theatre. Read the rest of this entry »
Hard and Able – a jay stewart project
By Michelle Barker
Hard and Able is unlike anything that I have ever seen. I’m pretty sure that’s what Jay Stewart intended when combining the ingredients to make this cabaret, featuring acts performed by those identifying as queer and disabled. Read the rest of this entry »