by Lucy Allen

On Sunday morning, slightly bleary eyed and wandering the streets of Toronto, I managed to get caught in a torrential downpour of rain on my way to see Faustwork Mask Theatre’s Carnival Knowledge, currently playing at The Theatre Centre as part of the Summerworks festival.  I sat down, damp and cold, cursing my umbrella sitting dry in my apartment and prayed that the show would be worth the shower.  Thanks to some clever and mesmerizing mask work, I had quite forgotten my misery by the end of the hour. Continue reading Summerworks 2009- Carnival Knowledge- Faust Mask Theatre →

By Dana Lacey

I’ve never been to an opera. I have, however,  seen plenty in movies and Bugs Bunny cartoons, so I figured I knew what I was in for when I went to check out La Señorita Mundo – an operatic allegory.

That was my first mistake. The second was sitting in the front row. Continue reading Summerworks 2009 – La Señorita Mundo – an operatic allegory →

by Lucy Allen

I always find it interesting how our expectations affect our enjoyment of a play.  After hearing about Praxis Theatre’s Underneath, currently playing in the Factory Theatre Mainspace as part of the Summerworks Festival, I walked in nervously expecting a brutal, unforgiving look at postwar Kosovo.  The subject matter alone had the potential to leave one feeling disturbed and guilty.  And yet, upon leaving the theatre, I felt oddly detached from what I had just seen.

Continue reading Summerworks 2009: Underneath – Praxis Theatre →

by Lucy Allen

It’s hard to believe that a show would leave me feeling so happy to be sad.  Project Undertow’s Melancholy Play, playing in the Factory Theatre Mainspace as part of the Summerworks Festival, opened tonight to a large, welcoming audience and with good reason.  I left the show feeling anything but melancholy.
Continue reading Summerworks 2009: Melancholy Play – Project Undertow →