All posts by Istvan Dugalin

Apart from his (pathological?) obsession with airplane disasters, Istvan is a filmmaker and film enthusiast, but began his creative adventures in theatre. Starting out as an actor, he soon discovered a preference for life behind-the-scenes. He has experience in lighting design, stage management and production management, but his passion is writing and directing. With several short films and an indie feature under his belt, film has been his focus in recent years, but theatre has been calling him back. You see more of his critical writing at his film reflection blog: http://captiveviscera.wordpress.com/

Review: Edmond (Storefront Theatre)

Christel-Desir-Tim-Fitzgerald-WalkerToronto’s Storefront Theatre presents Edmond, David Mamet’s play about straight, middle-class, white men problems

David Mamet is very concerned about straight, middle-class white men and their troubles with modern, North American life. His one-act, Edmond, follows one such man as he contends with women, people of colour, religion, and the law in New York City. Storefront Theatre‘s intense production brings Edmond and his surroundings to vivid life and I enthusiastically applaud each and every artist involved, but I don’t much care for Edmond or most of the people he encounters. Continue reading Review: Edmond (Storefront Theatre)

Review: We The Family (Hart House)

LxudAl0GA2YSb97y5AZEF0W3Uf8H2gYc1FheG5RO35IToronto’s Hart House Theatre opens its season with George F. Walker’s play We The Family

Hart House’s world-premier production of George F. Walker’s We The Family is polished and entertaining. Brandon Kleiman’s minimalist, multi-tiered set is an urban showcase with steel girders set against a cityscape backdrop. Some very colourful characters pop out of this inner-city jungle and their interactions are swift and punchy. This looks and feels like it wants to be a musical, and I may have liked it more had it been. Continue reading Review: We The Family (Hart House)

Deceitful Above All Things (For The Brave Productions) 2015 SummerWorks Review

Deceitful

Deceitful Above All Things was an unexpected treat. Set in Quebec in 1667, it explores the experience of some French settlers as they try to survive a first winter in the harsh environment of New France. It sounds like the sort of thing a proper Canadian should see. Awful reasoning, but it worked out in my favour this SummerWorks! Continue reading Deceitful Above All Things (For The Brave Productions) 2015 SummerWorks Review

An Evening In July (The Templeton Philharmonic) 2015 SummerWorks Review

EveningInJulyI leapt at the chance to see The Templeton Philharmonic’s SummerWorks show, An Evening In July, a site-specific show about two eccentric sisters planning a garden party. I had to! Y’see, I fell head over heals in love with them back in March at the Sketch Comedy Festival. Brianna Templeton and Gwynne Phillips are masters of finding the poignant truth lurking beneath outlandish behaviour. Continue reading An Evening In July (The Templeton Philharmonic) 2015 SummerWorks Review