Dance artists Benjamin Kamino and William Yong take Toronto by storm in Dance: made in Canada
Two fierce unabashed dance artists, Benjamin Kamino and William Yong, take the stage at the Betty Oliphant Theatre for the Dance: made in Canada/fait au Canada (d:mic/fac) mini-festival in Contemporary Dance. Kamino takes the stage first showcasing his mastery in physical theatre as he releases all inhibitions in his raw dance piece, Nudity. Desire. Yong followed with his powerful solo piece, Steer, which integrates innovative movement, sound and technology.
What I love about Yong and Kamino’s work is their ability to showcase work that is honest to who they are. Even though an audience member may not always be able to decipher what is happening while watching the performance, their presence on stage is deeply felt and that makes for a great performer.
The sidewalk outside the Royal Alex was an exciting place before the opening of The Rascals: Once Upon A Dream tonight. When I arrived Steven and Maureen Van Zandt were being interviewed for television. As well as the TV camera there was a crush of cell phone wielding fans all determined to catch the moment.
There was a red carpet and other celebrities were interviewed as they arrived. Lots of buzz. It boded well for the evening.
On Tuesday night I attended the third and final production of this year’s Musical Works in Concert series at SummerWorks; the science-fiction opera Paradises Lost by composer Stephen Andrew Taylor and Librettist Marcia Johnson based on a novella of the same title by Ursula K. Le Guin.
Show and Tell Alexander Bell (at the Lower Ossington Theatre) is a theatrical joyride, and the perfect antidote to some of the heavier shows this SummerWorks.
It’s rare to see something this eager, thoughtful and playful on a stage. I cannot overstate how much this show pushed my pleasure buttons from beginning to end.
And I cannot overstate how much you should see it.
The show on August 12th, Miss Shakespeare, placed itself back in the times of the great bard when women were not welcome on stage. Instead, male actors would dress as the female characters in place of having flesh and blood women play those parts. Miss Shakespeare has Shakespeare’s daughter Judith take up the task of bringing a female voice to theatre by having secret meetings with her friends at the Cage Tavern. Together they show women can write, act, and be just as good as anything Mister Shakespeare penned.
