Portia’s Julius Caesar gives Shakespeare’s women a voice
Portia’s Julius Caesar, written by Kaitlyn Riordan and presented by Hart House Theatre, takes a familiar story from Shakespeare and looks at in a new light. Many recent productions of Shakespeare’s plays have cast women in men’s roles. And a few have done the opposite. This production goes beyond non-traditional gender casting and instead tells the story of Julius Caesar from the perspective of those who are rarely seen and even more rarely heard from – the women. While remaining faithful to the political narrative, Riordan puts the wives, mothers, lovers and even the female slaves at the center and gives them voice. Continue reading Review: Portia’s Julius Caesar (Hart House Theatre)→
Shows that Caught Our Eye in Toronto for the Week of November 18, 2019
It’s beginning to look a lot like… winter theatre season! There are some fabulous shows running at any number of theatre spaces in the city, and sometimes it can be hard to choose which show hits the top of the ‘To-Go-To’ list. I have definitely started planning my Holiday ‘wish list’ because theatre tickets are a stellar gift to get. And to give!
All of us at Mooney are excited about so many of the plays, dance performances, and comedies that are coming out over the next while, and there really is something for everyone! I’m going to let you know what has caught my eye this week. Check out my ‘reds’ to see what of this exciting list has made my ‘Theatre Wish List’ this week.
Opéra Concept MP brings Another Brick in the Wall to Meridian Hall
As a Pink Floyd fan and an opera novice, I wasn’t sure what to expect going into Another Brick in the Wall: The Opera, produced by Opéra Concept MP and playing at Meridian Hall (formerly the Sony Centre). This performance is adapted from the 1979 rock opera “The Wall” (and the movie of the same name), conceived and written by Pink Floyd’s bassist Roger Waters.
Copy That at Tarragon starts strong but loses steam in the second act
Playwright Jason Sherman’s newest offering — Copy That — delves into questions of how the media that we consume is created, and how it shapes the reality of our world.
It tackles other issues as well, like how privilege — or lack thereof — impacts someone’s capacity to have influence. It studies how those who recognize their privilege can choose to wield their influence with purpose, and whether the choice to do so should always be theirs to make. The piece also addresses overt and systemic racism, which people are bound to confront in daily lives as victim, bystander, perpetrator, or a complex combination of those roles.
Girl in the Machine is a dystopian exploration of the not so distant future
Girl in the Machine, Olivier Award-winning playwright Stef Smith’s 2017 one-act, has garnered a lot of comparisons to Black Mirror in its vision of a technological dystopia. Set in the not-too-distant future, it uses a fictional technology to explore our current technological addictions and their impact on our relationships with the here and now. This production, by Seven Siblings Theatre, is a hip, thoughtful, and discomfiting show from a promising young company. Just like in any new technical release, however, there are some bugs to work out.
Opéra Concept MP brings Another Brick in the Wall to Meridian Hall
Girl in the Machine is a dystopian exploration of the not so distant future