S. Bear Bergman has great faith in the power of theatre to make change, and has been putting his money where his mouth is on that one for some time. A writer, performer, and lecturer, Bear works full time as an artist and cultural worker and loves to see as much live performance as possible – making this a fantastic gig for him.
Suspicious by nature, I find myself imagining the conversation that led to mounting The Judas Kiss as something like: “Let’s have a literary hero, an emotional rollercoaster of a script, a movie actor to star in it, and a couple of beautiful boys swanning about naked at intervals!” And indeed, the show had a very successful run in London before stopping by The Ed Mirvish Theatre on the way to Broadway. The truth about the formula, though, is that it works: The Judas Kiss is remarkably satisfying on several levels.
What do three women mountain climbers at the top of their game, a dysfunctional parent council, three curious housemaids, a group of at-risk kids in a rehab yoga class, a street canvasser, a South American cardinal with a shady past, and Irish poet W.B. Yeats have in common? If your instinct was to say “nothing at all,” then you might want to check out the fascinating lineup in store for you at the New Ideas Festival, running March 9 – 27 at Alumnae Theatre.
The Canadian Opera Company presents Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro in Toronto
There are two reasons that The Canadian Opera Company and I get along so well: fashion and spectacle. I enjoy and appreciate the COC in its daring displays, its peacockery and preening; from the fashion-infused annual gala to the richly appointed productions well-stocked with talent and excitement.
It’s hard to say that this production of The Marriage of Figaro, directed by Claus Guth, was disappointing, that seems unfair – everyone involved was certainly talented and turned in a solid performance. The set was fine, as were the costumes and the lighting. The orchestra sounded pretty good, and so on. But at the opera, I expect to be stirred (especially at 3.5 hours long). I expect to be moved out of thinking “this staging is interesting” and into delight, or despair, or the difficult recognition of universal truth. This Figaro felt like the taupe raincoat that Figaro himself wears in the opening scene of this staging: perfectly serviceable and quite practical.
The Gay Heritage Project engages Toronto audiences, on stage at Buddies in Bad Times
As a gay in my early 40s who has been out for 25 years now, I have begun to notice that my primary affinities are not necessarily with other people of my chronological age, but people who are the same queer age. I came out in the era of ACT UP and Queer Nation, chained myself to buildings and sat in on major thoroughfares; I remember television without a single LGBTQ-identified character and life before Gay/Straight Alliances were a thing.
As a piece, The Gay Heritage Project at Buddies In Bad Times moved me particularly and profoundly in part because I remember – I remember when coming out necessarily meant joining a multi-generational community; I remember when we danced all night and went right to direct actions still smelling like the club and the home fries of afterwards. I am not sure that my memories are what made me love this show so wholeheartedly, though.
Energetic acrobatic show, TRACES, arrives on the Toronto stage
The phenomenon of the acrobatic, thrilling (but non-animal) circus has been enjoying a delightful proliferation in North America of late, as the success of such largely wordless acts as Blue Man Group and the venerable Cirque du Soleil have exploded. In this tradition comes the charming, stylish 7 Fingers’ original production TRACES, playing at the Panasonic Theatre until January. Arriving just in time for you to take your out-of-town relatives, this will give you ninety minutes of something lovely to watch (while not talking) followed by a further chance to talk about whether there’s any universe in which you might be able to accomplish what the acrobats/dancers/generally quite springy humans in TRACES are able to accomplish (no spoilers, but: probably not).
The Canadian Opera Company presents Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro in Toronto
Energetic acrobatic show, TRACES, arrives on the Toronto stage