In a Forest Dark & Deep playing at Toronto’s Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace is a production compellingly acted and exquisitely directed

First off, let me admit that I am a huge fan of Neil LaBute. I have read, seen and even been involved in several of his plays over the years, which was why I was excited to catch his latest play In A Forest Dark & Deep in the Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace.

In A Forest Dark & Deep tells the story of brother and sister Bobby and Betty reuniting in a cabin in the woods. Bobby thinks he’s simply lending his sister a hand with clearing out her cottage for new tenants. But it’s a dark and stormy night, and his sister has a big secret.

Continue reading Review: In A Forest Dark & Deep (Ron Leach & Brian Levy) →

UC Follies’ modern take on the classic Shakespearean play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is playing al fresco at Toronto’s University College Quad

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar (UC Follies) is a production of one of William Shakespeare’s most well known plays. The tragedy is based on the true events of the classical empire of Rome, in which the dictator Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of senators.

I would apologize for the spoiler, but this play has been public for a while and ancient Roman history has been public for longer. I found that knowing the answers ahead of time didn’t ruin the experience of the play. The enjoyment doesn’t begin with knowing how the play ends, but seeing how the play reaches the end. The UC Follies took the same old story and made it new. Continue reading Review: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar (UC Follies) →

The seamlessly executed multimedia trilogy The TenderPits, a theatrical personal story of self-discovery and grief, is playing at Toronto’s VideoFag

This past Thursday I set out to see the opening night of The TenderPits Trilogy, produced by AnimalParts and VideoFag, and I experienced an innovative and risky multimedia show created by Anthony Johnston and Nathan Schwartz.

Johnston performs solo as he takes us through a partially auto-biographical story of self-discovery, fantasy, and unexpected grief. Johnston has nothing short of Herculean energy in this 2 part production of The Tenderpits Trilogy, he is a virtuoso of the comedic moment, and his unwavering commitment to his role is what carries us through the more abstract moments of this story.

Continue reading Review: The Tenderpits Trilogy: Parts 1 and 2 (AnimalParts and VideoFag) Toronto Theatre Review →

Be sure to experience Vital Signs, a dance performance in four parts, at the Winchester Street Theatre, Toronto to escape into an unknown world filled with breathtaking movement

Two of Toronto’s well-known contemporary dancers, Heidi Strauss and Darryl Tracy, perform to four unique dance pieces in Vital Signs at the Winchester Street Theatre last night. To be honest, I wasn’t sure of what to expect from the show but I knew of Strauss’ and Tracy’s commendable work in the city and I was curious to find out more. Continue reading Review: Vital Signs (Winchester Street Theatre) →

Vertical City’s YouTopia is an intellectually stimulating and visually striking theatrical experience playing at Toronto’s Glen Morris Studio Theatre

The set of YouTopia is a stylish and evocative contraption that overwhelmed me as I took my seat in the Glen Morris Studio Theatre.  It towers over the audience, this haphazard grid that serves as a mechanism for the sustained existence—not quite life—of our three characters:  Kiran, The Engineer and AL.

Kiran is trapped in an arduous cycle of repetition.  The structure of her daily routine is sustained by the voice of AL (a computer).  She pulls herself along the steel bars of her world and must balance precariously in various parts of the set.  AL talks to her throughout—a time-keeper, a monitor, a friend. Kiran, eventually growing dissatisfied with her banal existence, begins to challenge AL. Continue reading Review: YouTopia (Vertical City) →