Playlistings in Toronto for the week of October 10th

Shows That Caught Our Eye in Toronto the Week of October 10th.

We have some exciting multi-lingual (surtitled) shows on Toronto stages this week, and others featuring secret locations, queer science fiction, and as befitting the approach of halloween… HORROR. This week our editor Lin is here to choose a few shows that caught her eye in red text. Check them out below the cut:

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Review: Late Night (Theatre Brouhaha)

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Meta-production Late Night tackles entertainment industry discrimination on Toronto stages

Kat Sandler’s Late Night began life as the winner of the 2014 Toronto Fringe 24-hour playwriting contest. It’s been given a site-specific production by Theatre Brouhaha at the Zoomer Live Theatre and TV studio, decked out as New York’s Early Late Night talk show, where Marty O’Malley (Alon Nashman) is about to give his final performance of 22 years. Hitting 60, he’s been gently pushed out by the producers in favour of a Millennial, Sarah Goldberg (Kat Letwin), his one-time intern and now a successful edgy-raunchy comic in the vein of Sarah Silverman and Amy Schumer.

With things already resting on a knife edge of tension, a live-broadcast Freudian slip throws things into utter upheaval. The transition proves to be anything but smooth over the course of the evening, which proves extremely topical in its exploration of ageism, sexism, racism, and homophobia in the entertainment world and the intersectionality between them. It’s also sharply observed, brilliantly performed, funny as hell, and it would be nonsensical to miss it.

Continue reading Review: Late Night (Theatre Brouhaha)

Review: Dead End (Theatre Lab)

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Dead End brings a creative take on the Zombie genre to Toronto’s Factory Theatre stage

Theatre Lab‘s production of Jonny Sun’s Dead End — taking over the Factory Studio until October 23rd  — is a funny tale of fear, friendship, and flesh hungry zombies. The show is a creative take on the zombie genre with its inspirational material not far from the surface.

Dead End is one part Waiting For Godot, another part Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, mixed with a dollop of Shaun of the Dead. It is a quick-tongued, philosophical tango between two friends whose lives are being threatened by a zombie not twenty feet away. Continue reading Review: Dead End (Theatre Lab)

Review: SolOthello (RUTAS panamericanas 2016)

Photo of SolOthello provided by the company.One-actor Othello finds humour in tragedy, playing now on the Toronto stage

SolOthello, curated by Native Earth Performing Arts as a part of the 2016 RUTAS panamericanas Festival, is a funny, original one-actor “twist” on the classic Shakespearean tragedy Othello from Maori theatre company Te Rehia Theatre.

Disclaimer: It has been quite a while since I have read Othello and while I am a big fan of Maori filmmakers, I have never seen work from a Maori theatre company before. This is why it’s so important to support theatre festivals like RUTAS that bring artists in from around the world and give us the opportunity to experience great art from beyond our borders.

Continue reading Review: SolOthello (RUTAS panamericanas 2016)