Classic absurdist theatre comes to Toronto in The Dumb Waiter
The Dumb Waiter, currently being produced by Wordsmyth Theatre, is a classic piece of absurdist theatre involving two hit men waiting in a small room for their mark to arrive. Suddenly the dumb waiter begins sending orders down – a dumb waiter is a little elevator intended to carry food and other smallish sundry items from one floor to another without the need of human accompaniment. Obviously it is a bit of an archaic device, as is the “speaking tube”, also featured in the play, that allows the men to communicate with the forces that be. Continue reading Review: The Dumb Waiter (Wordsmyth Theatre)→
Toronto’s Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace put to its best use in John and Beatrice
With the show nearing the end of its run, I was glad to see the Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace flush with audience members at the Wednesday night performance of Should Be Theatre’s John and Beatrice. The few other times I’d visited the space, it hadn’t been as full, which is always disheartening to think people are missing out on good theatre. And John and Beatrice is definitely a nifty show.
A translated piece by Montreal-born playwright Carole Fréchette, John and Beatrice throws a spin on the quintessential fairytale quest for love, riffing off the lonely woman waiting for her Prince Charming. In this play however, our lonely “princess” Beatrice supplies her own incentive to attract the lads to her tower –in this case the 33rd floor of an abandoned building. John, the man who shows up, seems to be both exactly and not quite what Beatrice had in mind.
Toronto entertainment at its finest in Soulpepper Theatre’s The Barber of Seville
I’m not sure that I have the words to describe Soulpepper‘s fun-filled production of The Barber of Seville. My jaw muscles are still sore from laughing and smiling so much last night.
It’s billed as a musical but that doesn’t come close to describing the production. Michael O’Brien’s adaptation starts with Beaumarchais’ successful 1775 play and Rossini’s beloved 1816 opera, adds some modern language into the dialogue in the middle of a speech, morphs into a Marx Brothers’ movie, a French farce, throws in a little Gilbert and Sullivan, some pantomime, and a dash of a Road Runner cartoon. Continue reading Review: The Barber of Seville (Soulpepper)→
Inspiring and intelligent Toronto theatre in La Fugue
La Fugue is a powerful piece of theatre presented succinctly in forty-five minutes. I was among an audience of high school drama students and I was enthralled by their level of engagement with the performance.
La Fugue presents Yohann, a teenage boy, who runs away from his restrictive and authoritative father to find a new family among street-involved youth.
While I’m a sucker for the written and spoken word, I can’t ignore the punches La Fugue packs. The dialogue is minimal to non-existent; the production relies almost exclusively on music and puppetry to convey the story. Continue reading Review: La Fugue (SMCQ Jeunesse/Qui Va Là)→
