Experimental improv, sketch comedy and stand-up at Toronto’s Comedy Bar’s Festival of New Formats
Over the first week of January the Comedy Bar presented their annual Festival of New Formats; a 5-day event of free theatre where sketch troupes, improv teams and stand-up comics pitched their ideas for new shows to be showcased at what could be argued is one of Toronto’s foremost locations for improvisational and sketch comedy. Sadly, I was only able to see the final night of the festival, but if what I saw was anything to go by the Comedy Bar is sure to have some exciting new shows in the near future.
If you’re a fan of the Toronto Fringe Festival, or small, indie theatre in general, then do yourself a favour, and check out Fringe’s Next Stage Theatre Festival, which kicks off this Thursday! For this week’s Cheap Theatre listing, I’ve highlighted five of the shows that I’m really excited about (particularly Snack Music, created by the same folks behind Kitt and Jane, one of my favourite shows from last year’s Fringe). You can see each show for $15, or get a pass for several shows, and save even more! For ticket purchases, and to see schedules, and all the other shows playing, check out the Toronto Fringe website!
When we post our weekly listings, you’ve probably noticed how we divide them into two sections: Already Covered, and “the rest”. Well, with a new year comes a whole whack of new shows that we’re excited to go see. Hopefully you’ll be excited, too, once you see how much is going on in Toronto this week! Anything highlighted in red with two asterisks specifically caught the eye of Wayne, our Managing Editor.
A couple’s life takes a downward spiral in Lungs playing at the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto
I’m at that age where most of my friends that I’ve known since high school are somewhere in the process of starting family life — they’re engaged or already married; they’re pregnant, have their first and, in a few cases, are expecting their second. At some point in their lives, they had the same whirlwind conversation that is the driving force behind Lungs, presented by Tarragon Theatre, that inevitably starts at the same point: “let’s have a baby”. From that point onward, life gets complicated and awkward, to say the least.
David Ben brings The Conjuror‘s magic back to the Toronto Stage
The Conjuror David Ben showed off some family-friendly hocus pocus at Toronto’s Young Centre for the Performing Arts. Watching The Conjuror in action was a enchanting way to welcome the new year for me and my little companion.
Set in 1909 at London’s St. George’s Hall, the show was a mesmerizing series of magic feats typical of the Golden Age of Magic: we saw a person being sawed in half (ouch!), a handkerchief playing hide and seek, and an egg being thrown around without breaking. Continue reading Review (Kid +1): The Conjuror (Magicana / Soulpepper)→
I’m at that age where most of my friends that I’ve known since high school are somewhere in the process of starting family life — they’re engaged or already married; they’re pregnant, have their first and, in a few cases, are expecting their second. At some point in their lives, they had the same whirlwind conversation that is the driving force behind 