Cheap Theatre for the Week of March 3rd, 2015

Live Shows for $25 or Less

Oh, but the theatres are bustling! Every Mirvish house is doing gangbusters business, while Canadian Stage, Tarragon and Theatre Passe Muraille are also on the hop. An all-new show in at The Second City, breathtaking dance down at Harbourfront, and you never know what you’ll find at the Comedy Bar — it’s a great week to love performance in this city, plain and simple.

But in the midst of all this spectacle, don’t forget about the little productions. This week, Mooney on Theatre’s Cheap Theatre listings focus on tight, character-oriented stories which don’t rely on glitz, fog machines or acrobatics to tug you in. These five pieces use individual experiences — stories about one or two people — to draw conclusions about our world, telling a small story to explore the big ones.


52 Pick-Up by TJ Dawe and Rita Bozie (The Howland Company). Improvised and intimate look at relationships told through a game of 52 Pick-up. Opens Mar 5 and runs to Mar 15, Thu-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2 pm. $15-$20. http://howlandcompanytheatre.com

NB: The review of 52 Pick-Up is of the 2014 Fringe production, mounted by the same company.

Elvis’ Toenail by Fionnuala Kenny (Toronto Irish Players). A pregnant teen working at a factory poses moral dilemmas for her colleagues in 1960s Dublin. Opens Feb 19 and runs to Mar 7, Thu-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2 pm. $20, stu/srs $18. Alumnae Theatre 70 Berkeley. http://torontoirishplayers.com/

Beneath the Banyan Tree by Emil Sher (Theatre Direct). A young Indian girl copes with moving to Canada in this fusion of theatre, music and dance. Opens Mar 4 and runs to Mar 28, see website for schedule. $7-$25. http://brownpapertickets.com/event/879977

Bonnie and Clyde by Adrian Yearwood (Echo Productions). This play looks to examine the real people behind the sensationalized crime spree story in a physical theatre production. Opens Mar 5 and runs to Mar 14, Wed-Sat 8 pm, mat Mar 8 and 14 at 2:30 pm. $20-$25. http://echoproductions.ca/

The Vagina Monologues Meets the F Word by Jennifer Phillips (360 Productions). Phillips combines excerpts from Eve Ensler’s Vagina Monologues with excerpts from her play, The F Word, in celebration of International Women’s Day. Opens Mar 5 and runs to Mar 15, Mar 5-7 and 14 at 7:30 pm, mat Sat-Sun 2:30 pm. $16-$26 (proceeds support the Centre for Women’s Studies in Education, U of T and Nellie’s Shelter). http://buddiesinbadtimes.com/

Playlistings are affectionately glommed from NOW Magazine.