This week, we have everything from magic to the apocalypse on order in Toronto. The outdoor standards are winding down, and in their place we have all sorts of new and exciting shows opening up across the city. This week, it’s my turn to highlight my most anticipated shows in red text. Check them out under the cut.
Continue reading Playlistings in Toronto for the Week of September 5th
Toronto’s Theatre Fix stages an immersive show about refugees inside a shipping containerA year ago the world was collectively stunned by the image of Alan Kurdi, a young Syrian boy whose lifeless body washed up on a beach after he drowned in the Mediterranean sea as his family attempted the perilous crossing to seek asylum in Europe. It took that shocking photo to humanize the millions of refugees worldwide enough for the world to finally take notice.
The Container, a remount of a production presented at the 2014 SummerWorks festival, is a stark, gripping, immersive show staged in an actual 20-foot shipping container. The play sheds light on the stories of the people who risk their lives on these dangerous migration routes. Continue reading Review: The Container (Theatre Fix)
The Figgy Figs stages a play dealing with anxiety and paranoia at The Box in TorontoThe Figgy Figs’ MorbidAbnormalMe manages a tricky thing: it tackles the subjects of anxiety and paranoia without feeling heavy. I admired the performers’ wide variety of stage images and creative use of song, movement, and audioclips. Overall, however, this play wasn’t for me.
I believe that mental health is a very important topic, and I admire the performers’ courage in putting something so personal on stage, but I was simply underwhelmed by the play as a play. I found it amusing at times, but not hilarious; mildly interesting, but not fascinating. In summary, I thought it was okay.
The 17th annual Toronto International BuskerFest for Epilepsy takes place Labour Day Weekend at Woodbine Park. Proceeds support Epilepsy Toronto, an organization that represents the approximately 4000 people in Toronto living with epilepsy. I did know this, but 1 in 100 people has epilepsy.
The festival features a superb musical lineup, including Juno award-winner Adam Solomon. Music is only a fraction of the attractions the festival has to offer. Acrobats, clowns, midway rides, stilt walkers, flaming hula hoops, and mimes will all play a part in the weekends delights. The festival will also include a car show for the first time this year.
I have attended the festival several times, and it is one of the highlights of the end of summer. We asked the folks at BuskerFest a few questions about changes to the festival, and what the weekend has in store. Continue reading Preview: Toronto International BuskerFest (Epilepsy Toronto)
A surprising production of the Tennessee Williams play is now on stage in TorontoThe Howland Company and 73H Productions have offered up an eerie and atypical production of Tennessee Williams’ classic The Glass Menagerie. If you are already in love with this play like I am, you cannot afford to miss this austere, cool, vibrant production. If you’re not familiar with the text, this is a great introduction; it honours the spirits of desperation and hope that haunt this poetic classic. Continue reading Review: The Glass Menagerie (The Howland Company & 73H Productions)