Author Archive
Review: Night (Human Cargo and Factory Theatre)
By Ryan Kerr
By Ryan Kerr
Human Cargo‘s Night at the Factory Theatre until April 24th as part of the Performance Spring Festival 2011.
Being fortunate enough to write for Mooney On Theatre, I see a lot of plays. Sometimes I go as guests of other reviewers, sometimes to review myself. Often, I see more than one show per week. And before Mooney I considered myself an avid theatre-goer, never passing up an opportunity to watch dance, opera, drama or musical.
I have never left a show and felt like I did following the Factory Theatre’s spring headliner Night. I sat on a blue velvet couch just outside the entrance and cried. I was so touched by the story, and more importantly, how elegantly it was told, that I was literally overcome. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: Zero Hour (Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company)
By Ryan Kerr
Zero Hour by Jim Brochu, directed by Piper Laurie, Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company
by Ryan Kerr
I was first introduced to Zero Mostel when I was a wee lad. The Sesame Street Book of Opposites with Zero Mostel both intrigued and terrified me. Here was a grown middle-aged man, on one page elated, and on the facing page agonized. It’s possible I would have better appreciated his work had I retitled it Sesame Street Book of EXTREMES with Zero Mostel. Looking back, I think my little brain was first introduced to the notion of “drama” in those pages. No wonder I grew up to be such a theatre enthusiast!
I was afraid Zero Hour, written and performed by Jim Brochu would be a nostalgic, fictionalized expansion of this book of funny faces and absurdities. I had never seen Zero play Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof nor had I any grasp of his illustrious career.
I knew he was Jewish, so I invited my Mom. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: Tombs of the Vanishing Indian (Native Earth Performing Arts and red diva projects)
By Ryan Kerr
Native Earth Performing Arts and red diva projects presents Tombs of the Vanishing Indian, set in 1970s Los Angeles, following the relocation and separation of three young sisters from their reservation, their mother, and from any cultural ties.
They are raised isolated from one another and develop into very different young women. Sharing only their common sense of displacement and coupled with inherent 70’s era sexism and a few shady medical policies, they have started their journey into adulthood uphill. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: Sweetheart: The Mary Pickford Story (Lunabridge Productions)
By Ryan Kerr
by Ryan Kerr
Sweetheart was performed in historic Spadina House, which is right across from Toronto’s famous Casa Loma, produced by Lunabridge Productions.
Walking towards the illuminated venue from the subway station rivaled the excitement of approaching a dazzling marquee. And while my date and I pride ourselves on being nerdy local history buffs, once inside any visitor would find the lavish decoration of Spadina House intoxicating.
Review: Boston Marriage (Le Salon Secret)
By Ryan Kerr
by Ryan Kerr
I hesistate to describe Le Salon Secret’s production of Boston Marriage as “delightful” for fear that the compliment is taken to mean anything less than “entertaining”, “marvelous”, and “divine.” Given that Boston Marriage was written by playwright David Mamet, it’s important I choose my words as carefully in my review, as he does in his script.
Described as “the secret lives of late 19th century lesbians,” Boston Marriage is a combination of deliciously verbose period prose and an outlandishly funny story of three characters whose shenanigans had both my guest and me in stitches.
Review: Fairy Tale Ending – Roll Your Own Theatre – Next Stage Theatre
By Ryan Kerr
by Ryan Kerr
A Fringe re-mount, “Fairy Tale Ending” is back in the Next Stage Theatre festival. And judging by other reviews it’s as good as ever!
Jack, Jill, The Big Bad Wolf, Goldilocks, and the ubiquitous “Three” (Little Pigs, Bears, Goats Gruff, and Blind Mice) are repurposed in this witty re-telling of several famous fairy tales. What emerges from this surprising porridge is a hearty spoonful of modern morality.
Review: How the Grinch Stole Christmas
By Ryan Kerr
By Ryan Kerr
How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the Musical was wonderful! What a perfect way to celebrate the holiday season with kids of all ages.
The recently re-opened Sony Centre (formerly the Hummingbird Centre, formerly the O’Keefe) is hosting Dancap’s imported tour of the Grinch until Dec 30th, and all I can say is – grab some friends and go!! (Look at all those exclamation marks!!!)
Review: Roshni (Theatre Passe Muraille)
By Ryan Kerr
by Ryan Kerr
Roshni is a charming one-act, two-hander playing at Theatre Passe Muraille until December 11th.
“King Kumar” and “Blindy” are Indian orphans whose invented identities and desperately optimistic hope for the future carry them through the rigors of selling tea and polishing boots in a busy train station to survive. As the story unfolds, the innocence of their deeper motivations make the story surprisingly light and genuinely touching despite its grim conditions.
Review: A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry (Soulpepper)
By Ryan Kerr
by Ryan Kerr
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Alison Sealy-Smith rocks! And she is a perfect anchor as matriarch Lena Younger in Soulpepper’s A Raisin in the Sun. Were the rest of the production stripped bare save a lounge chair, a meek potted plant and Lena, I would have been satisfied.
You can imagine my elation when director Weyni Mengesha’s lavish production combined a period set with a collection of heartfelt performances. I’m pretty sure my mouth hung open the entire night.
Review: Closer (There, There Productions)
By Ryan Kerr
By Ryan Kerr
I feel like the only person alive who missed the “Closer” phenomenon over 10 years ago when it first took London, then NYC, then the Silver Screen by storm. Scene study students have monologues from this hit in their audition binders, and apparently everyone and their dog have seen it produced multiple times already. I guess I can finally say I’ve seen what all the fuss is about myself!