Reviews of productions based in Toronto – theatre includes traditional definitions of theatre, as well as dance, opera, comedy, performance art, spoken word performances, and more. Productions may be in-person, or remote productions streamed online on the Internet.
Nunsense is a hilarious comedic musical on stage at the Zion Cultural Centre in Toronto
I have a kinda funny relationship with Nunsense. It all started in my last year of high school. I really, really wanted our drama department to put on the musical, Once on this Island so I rounded up a bunch of my fellow musical theatre geek friends and put together a proposal.Our drama teacher looked it over and suggested that we do something a little more “simple” and easy to pull off instead that maybe doesn’t involve a cast of 20+ characters set on the Caribbean Sea. He suggested Nunsense. We were disappointed that we couldn’t do our original plan, so we just dropped the whole thing, but Nunsense always stuck in my mind for some reason.
Now, here I am ten years later finally getting to see what this show is about, courtesy of The Civic Light Opera Company and let me tell you… this company has pulled it off with class, pizzazz and all of the nun-related humor one would expect from a show with a title like Nunsense.
Mockingbird Close is a quick-witted dark comedy playing at the Red Sandcastle Theatre in Toronto
It never matters how much people care or love or even feel about another person, memories are always full of holes that get eaten away by preferred fictions. Eroding memory in the face of tragedy is the core of INpulse Theatre’s Mockingbird Close playing at Red Sandcastle Theatre.
There is no closure to be found in this show, just an uneasy, reflection on the nature of community, family, and what we want to be true.
Immersive seafaring adventure play takes to Toronto waters
At the lawless edge of Toronto, there’s a pirate adventure awaiting young and old in Pippi: The Strongest Girl In The World, an original musical adaptation of a Pippi Longstocking tale of finding adventure on the high seas (in this case, on Lake Ontario). Presented by an energetic young cast of actor/musicians as their boat takes a cheerful cruise of the lake, Pippi: The Strongest Girl In The World is a charming way to spend a breezy hour with the family.
A large, translucent golden sphere lashed between two trees was visible well away from the seating area for Shakespeare in the Ruff’s 2017 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I am always amazed by the level of spectacle this small company is able to produce with minimal props and set. I have been a patron of Withrow Park Shakespeare in both its incarnations. In the late 90s, I attended productions of the original “Shakespeare in the Ruff”, which became defunct in the early 2000s after a 25-year run. Inspired by the original company’s efforts to create a community centred, accessible outdoor theatrical culture in Toronto, Shakespeare in the Ruff re-emerged in 2012. Continue reading Review: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare in the Ruff)→
Singer Athena Reich brings Lady Gaga to life on the Toronto stage in #ARTBIRTH
Lady Gaga: #ARTBIRTH is a cabaret show meets glam-pop concert playing at the Berkeley Street Theatre. Athena Reich, our Gaga for the night, hits all the money notes and if it were a “who can sing like Gaga competition”, she would absolutely win hands down. However, we came to see a “show” and unfortunately…Lady Gaga: #ARTBIRTH didn’t deliver.
Nunsense is a hilarious comedic musical on stage at the Zion Cultural Centre in Toronto
Mockingbird Close is a quick-witted dark comedy playing at the Red Sandcastle Theatre in Toronto
Singer Athena Reich brings Lady Gaga to life on the Toronto stage in #ARTBIRTH