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.
By Dana Lacey
The first scene of Next Stage Festival‘s gas sets the tone for the rest: a platoon of American soldiers shout in unison as their commander screams insults and inspiration. The response echos in the tiny Factory Theatre space: “No I do not want to fuck your wife, sir!” Continue reading Next Stage Festival: gas- Factory Theatre
by Lucy Allen
The Fringe tent definitely feels different when it’s January and -15 degrees outside, but that didn’t stop the crowds from lining up for the first night of the Next Stage Festival, host to eight new and reworked shows. My first show of the festival this year was Screwed & Clued Theatre Company’s Quite Frankly. To get the obvious joke out of the way: Quite frankly, it’s worth seeing.
Written and performed by Justin Sage-Passant, Quite Frankly is a one-man show telling the story of a socially awkward man, named Frank, unable to ever quite integrate into normal situations of his society. Specifically, it focuses on his relationship with his constantly over-bearing and needy mother, who he cares for.
The moment that Sage-Passant shuffles uncomfortably onto the stage staring uncertainly and wistfully at the audience you’re immediately endeared to him. From his eye twitches to his slow methodical way of speaking, every detail of the character is explored and Sage-Passant does a wonderful job of bringing each and every one to life.
Continue reading Next Stage Festival: Quite Frankly- Screwed & Clued Theatre Company
by Lucy Allen
In 1969 John Lennon and Yoko Ono declared they would stay in their hotel bed in Montreal for one week to promote peace around the world and to stop violent wars. Thirty years later, the world is just as violent, but draft89’s production John/Yoko Bed Piece, currently playing at the Toronto Centre for the Arts, hopes to reintroduce this message of peace by recreating the couple’s famous week. Continue reading John/Yoko Bed Piece- Draft89 Theatre Collective
By: Darryl D’Souza
Watching Mirvish’s production of Fiddler on the Roof, playing at the Canon Theatre, certainly makes for a very entertaining evening. Frankly, I wasn’t sure that it would be, given its length and subject matter (the marrying off of several daughters,) I thought I would be bored to death. Happily, I was proved wrong.
The play flew by for me, despite being approximately 3 hours long, including one intermission. This was the first time I’ve seen the play, and I have never seen Norman Jewison’s 1971 film version. Although I haven’t seen any other versions, if you’re a huge fan, I cannot imagine you being disappointed with this production. Continue reading Fiddler On The Roof – Canon Theatre
If you don’t know Dennis Lee, you need to change that. I have to admit that I didn’t know who Dennis Lee was until this October. Seems my brother-in-law had his original copy of Lee’s Alligator Pie published in 1974. I had vague memories of this beloved children’s book, so my niece and I sat and read it to remind me. That was the extent of my knowledge of Lee’s writings.
SoulPepper‘s Mike Ross and Lorenzo Savoini along with Albert Schultz took Lee’s poetry book Civil Elegies (published by Lee over 40 years ago,) and created a beautiful piece of theatre combining Lee’s poetry with musical pieces.