All posts by Samantha Wu

Samantha is both a writer and a fan of the arts and has been able to find numerous ways to pair the two. Aside from being an editor here at Mooney on Theatre, she's a photojournalist for Been Here Done That, a travel, dining and tourism blog that focuses on Toronto and abroad and previously for  Lithium Magazine, which got her writing and shooting about everything from Dave Matthews Band to Fan Expo. She's passionate about music, theatre, photography, writing, and celebrating sexuality -- not necessarily in that order. She drinks tea more than coffee, prefer ciders over beers, and sings karaoke way too loudly. You can follow her on various social media including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The King’s Castle (NYDC/New York Dance Creators) 2015 Toronto Fringe Review

Photo of Kasei Inoue and Wakako Ishida

I get nervous when it comes time for me to review a dance performance. I’m far from knowledgeable about dance and my past years watching So You Think You Can Dance can only take me so far. So I was apprehensive when it came time for me to take on The King’s Castle during this year’s Toronto Fringe Festival. After watching the performance, I have to say I’m still uneasy.

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Man’s Dominion (Pachyderm Productions) 2015 Toronto Fringe Review

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Photo of Tim Powell

True story: In 1916, the people of Irwin, TN lynch mobbed a circus elephant. Mary was an 18-year-old Indian elephant who spent her life in captivity before she finally lashed out killing an assistant trainer. For this, the town saw it necessary that she be hung by chains until she died. In Man’s Dominion, playing at this year’s Toronto Fringe Festival, veteran actor Tim Powell tells her story through ten eye-witness accounts in interwoven monologues in a rich and stunning performance.

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Becoming Burlesque (Jackie English Productions) 2015 Toronto Fringe Review

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I’ve always been a big fan of the art of burlesque and when I saw that a burlesque performance featuring the ladies from Love Letters Cabaret would grace the Al Green Theatre stage during the Toronto Fringe, I was thrilled. Having seen the performance, I honestly have to say that I’m rather conflicted. The actual burlesque in Becoming Burlesque is smoking hot, however the story itself has me feeling lukewarm.

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Hey! Good Lookin’ (Hey! Good Lookin’ Productions) 2015 Toronto Fringe Review

Photo from Hey! Good Lookin'

Hey! Good Lookin’, playing at the Toronto Fringe, brings two sisters from different walks of life together after their mother suffers a stroke. Their mother has been living with dementia for years and the reality of mortality hits them full force in this eye-opening and poignant production.

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How May I Hate You? (Poorhouse Players) 2015 Toronto Fringe Review

Customer service. I’ve spent far too many years post graduation asking “how can I help you?”. I’ve done clothing retail, technical support, and telesales enough to fully empathize with the struggle of working with the general public. So when I saw that Poorhouse Players would be putting on How May I Hate You? during this year’s Toronto Fringe Festival, I had to see it.

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