The best way for me to describe my experience in watching DABDA is by comparing it to watching a powerful choreographed contemporary dance routine by legends such as Mia Michaels or Sonya Tayeh from the show So You Think You Can Dance. The routines tend to be so captivating that by the end of the routine I catch myself taking a deep breath and tapping into emotions I didn’t even know I had. DABDA did exactly that for me and more.

Generally, I can be fidgety in theatres after sitting down for a long period of time, but not in this show. This Fringe Festival dance drama, choreographed by the outstanding choreographers Alvin Collantes and Hayley Paone, had me sitting still for the entire fifty-five minutes! The only time I did move from my cozy seat at the cool Factory Theatre was right at the end during the well deserved standing ovation.

Continue reading DABDA (alvinhayle) 2013 Toronto Fringe Review →

What would happen if two funny ladies with feminist agendas took over a late night talk show? That is what I went to find out when I saw The Late Night Tonight Show LIVE in the Morning with CHICKA BOOM! at the intimate back room at the Free Times Cafe.  For starters I found out it was not two funny ladies but nine, and they rocked it. Continue reading The Late Night Tonight Show LIVE in the Morning with CHICKA BOOM! (Chicka Boom) 2013 Toronto Fringe Review →

Usually, I think public washrooms are the worst places on Earth. They’re dirty, full of dreadful people and never close enough for when you need them most. But Stalled, a Fringe  comedy playing at the Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace, is one men’s restroom you simply must check out.

Continue reading Stalled (Natural Progression Theatre) 2013 Toronto Fringe Review →

“I’ll choose this circus show for my last Fringe Festival review,” I thought. “I love circus shows; I’ll be sure to end on a high note,” I thought. More fool I.

There were a few bits of Twisted Beats & Circus Freaks that were enjoyable, but I honestly clapped the hardest when it was finally over.

Simone Lazar, the cortortionist and aerialist of the show is marvelous. She’s funny and deftly understated in her stage business, combined with great skill and grace in her tricks. When she was onstage, I was delighted. Riveted. Dreamily satisfied that there exist in the world teensy tiny women of extraordinary strength who can flex or point their teensy tiny feet and make an entire room laugh. I would happily pay real money to watch Simone Lazar perform for sixty minutes. Unfortunately for us, Lazar was performing for, at the most generous estimate, fifteen minutes. This left us forty-five minutes with her partner, Jesse Horne.

I did not love Jesse.

Continue reading Twisted Beats & Circus Feats (Circadelix) 2013 Toronto Fringe Review →

After seeing some heavy character work both in solo and ensemble shows this year at the Fringe, it took me a couple of moments to switch gears for Brad Hart‘s “stand-up monologist” performance style in his show Oh God-The Drums (Olmstead Productions) playing at St. Vladimir’s Theatre in this year’s Toronto Fringe Festival. However, after maybe five of those minutes, I began to get wrapped up in this endearing story.

The stage is set: A wooden stool opposite a drum kit. Brad Hart emerges to play himself, telling the story of his growth into the drummer and the artist he is today: someone who loves what he does, and shares the difficult times that lead him to choose such a life.

Continue reading Oh God-The Drums (Olmstead Productions) 2013 Toronto Fringe Review →