Author Archive
Review: Pomme is French for Apple (Bahia Watson and Liza Paul)
By Sam Mooney
Bahia Watson and Liza Paul are a delight in their fantastic show Pomme is French for Apple
I had a wretched afternoon and on my way to the car I fell on some ice. Pomme is French for Apple starts at 9 pm – late in my books. Not really the best way to go to see a show; I wasn’t in the most receptive frame of mind.
Thank you Bahia and Liza for turning my day around. Pomme is for Apple is a fantastic show. Hilariously funny!
Interview: Q and A with Dina Martina
By Sam Mooney
Dina Martina is coming to the Flying Beaver Pubaret in Toronto
Because I haven’t seen Dina perform I’ve been reading about her in order to prepare for this. I’m struck by the contrast of the statements I found while doing my research. On the one hand, people clearly adore her. They call her a living legend. On the other hand, they follow the statement of adoration up with the statement that she has no talent.
An article by David Schmader, published in The Stranger, is a perfect example of what I’m talking about. He says:
DINA MARTINA is a living legend. Singer, dancer, raconteur, she is the quintessential post-postmodern celebrity, a one-woman Circus of the Stars. To those who have experienced the magic of Dina, she is a reason to live. To those who have not, she is nearly impossible to explain. … The primary fact that one must understand about Dina Martina — beyond her stature as a superstar entertainer without peer — is that she is in possession of not one shred of discernible talent or grace.
That brought two questions to my mind, first, ‘How does it make her feel?’ and second, ‘What can this performance possibly look like to have both statements made by the same reviewer?’ Read the rest of this entry »
Review: Rob Ford: the Opera (University of Toronto Faculty of Music)
By Sam Mooney
Rob Ford: the Opera played to a capacity house this afternoon at The MacMillan Theatre. 800 people were there according to the Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Don McLean. (No, not that Don McLean.) I arrived at 1:45pm and the line up snaked its way from the lobby doors of the theatre down a corridor, around a corner, outside, back inside , and then down another corridor. They opened the Balcony so there would be enough seats.
Somehow I doubt that everyone was an opera fan; I suspect the subject matter had something to do with the attendance. Opera fans or not, the audience loved the performance, lots of laughing and lots of applause – and possibly some new opera fans? Read the rest of this entry »
2012 Next Stage Theatre Review: Living With Henry (Beyond Boundaries)
By Sam Mooney
I didn’t know what to expect from Living With Henry. Would it be a drama? A comedy? Probably not a comedy, it’s a musical about living with HIV. Was I going to sob through the whole production? Would I enjoy it?
Yes, I enjoyed it a lot. Living With Henry is a drama but is never heavy handed. There are a lot of funny moments but the script never goes for the cheap laugh. The songs blend seamlessly with the dialogue and are there to move the story forward. It all works together perfectly.
Between The Sheets (The New Groundswell Festival)
By Sam Mooney
Between The Sheets is one of the three workshop productions that are part of The New Groundswell Festival – A National Festival of Contemporary Women’s Theatre. This isn’t really a review because it is a workshop production – basically a work in progress.
Having said that, Between The Sheets – written by Jordi Mand and directed by Kelly Thornton – is terrific. It’s a powerful piece of theatre. The performances by Susan Coyne and Christine Horne were perfect. If you’ve been thinking about seeing a staged reading or a workshop production this is a good place to start. It doesn’t feel like a piece in development. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: The Wizard of Oz (Ross Petty Productions)
By Sam Mooney
OK, I admit it. The reason I went to Ross Petty’s The Wizard of Oz was to see how my almost three-year-old grandson would react to a big theatre production at night. I didn’t like pantomimes when I was a kid and until now had no reason to see Mr. Petty’s annual holiday show.
And? I LOVED IT! I laughed, I cheered, I booed, I clapped, and at the end I hooted and whooped along with the rest of the audience. It was great! An evening of sheer fun! (That’s it for the exclamation points) Read the rest of this entry »
Review: Une Maison Face A Nord (Théâtre français de Toronto)
By Sam Mooney
Thank goodness for English surtitles. without them I wouldn’t have been able to understand this wonderful production of Une Maison Face A Nord (A House Facing North) by Théâtre français de Toronto. The play is funny, sad, touching, intelligent, poignant and engaging. It’s about the characters, not about the plot. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: Macbeth (Shakespeare in Action)
By Sam Mooney
Shakespeare in Action was formed in 1988 to bring Shakespeare to young people across Ontario. Hopefully young people recognize them for the gift that they are. Today I saw their production of Macbeth and enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed their production of Romeo and Juliet earlier this year.
Most of us know the basic story of Macbeth. Scottish lord hears a prophecy from three witches and – with the help of his wife – turns into a murderous dictator and is finally killed by Macduff. Today I realized that it’s the story of a man who is trapped by his bad decisions and can’t see a way out. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: The Rez Sisters (Factory Theatre)
By Sam Mooney
The Rez Sisters is another one of those iconic Canadian plays that I hadn’t seen until last night. It was first produced in Toronto 25 years ago and hasn’t been produced here since apparently because of casting issues. Should the cast all be native actors or is it alright to have a cast that includes non-native performers.
Director Ken Gass has cast both in this production.
The play is about 7 women living on a fictional reserve. Bingo is their passion and they are determined to go to Toronto to the world’s biggest bingo game. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: Buzz Festival (Theatre Passe Muraille)
By Sam Mooney
The Buzz Festival is a work-in-development festival that is presented 3 times a year by Theatre Passe Muraille. It showcases excerpts of new work from Toronto artists. The festival runs for 5 evenings and each evening there are 2 to 4 pieces performed as well as live music by different musicians each night.
The point of the festival is for artists to get feedback from the audience rather than developing the work in isolation. If you haven’t been to see work in development before, you might be wondering how it works.