By: Darryl D’Souza

The RCA Theatre Company’s presentation of Rocking the Cradle at Tarragon Theatre is, overall, a good piece of theatre.  It wasn’t brilliant, but if you check it out, you may very well learn something profound about human existence from it.

Rocking the Cradle is freely adapted from Spanish poet/dramatist Federico Garcia Lorca’s surrealist masterpiece Yerma by Canadian poet/writer Des Walsh.  The story succeeds in part because of it’s universal nature.

Walsh, a Newfounlander, has transposed it from a remote region of Spain to a remote Newfoundland fishing village.  In fact, Rocking the Cradle had its first run in St. Johns earlier this year.  Continue reading Rocking the Cradle – Tarragon Theatre →

By Leif Conti-Groome

BoylesqueTO are out to carve their own niche in the burlesque scene.  ‘Boylesque’ is a lazy combination of words that vaguely defines a sub-genre of burlesque.   The vagueness comes partly from its newness and rarity.  But, last Sunday night at Revival, during Boys Under the Big Top, BoylesqueTO were met by raucous praise from the audience.

As soon as the theatre came into view I knew it wasn’t going to be a usual night.  I  saw two men dressed as old-time carnies hoisting up a cotton candy machine, while another fellow was wearing a giraffe head with a marvelously long neck.

Inside, the bar was dressed with silk ribbons and balloons. The aforementioned carnies walked around selling pasties and candy apples, heightening the theme du jour. A fire performer named PyRomeo lit up the night sky (and almost a tree) during the intermission.

Continue reading Boys Under the Big Top – Boylesque TO →

By John Bourke

Canada has a long history of producing great sketch comedy.  There’s acts like Kids in the Hall, the Frantics, Wayne and Schuster, Codco, Federal political parties.

The difficulty is that there really aren’t that many places outside the comedy club circuit to really practice and develop the sketch comedy craft.  This is where Toronto Sketchfest comes in. Bring artists from across Canada and the rest of the world, and give them a place to really stretch their legs.

Continue reading SketchFest 5th Anniversary Show & Party – Toronto Sketchfest →

There’s a line in Gas Girls (playing at Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace until November 14) that the characters repeat more than once.

“Love for gas, gas for cash, cash for living, living for love.”

It is simple, heartbreaking, and summarizes the play perfectly. So… great! My job is done. Have a nice night!

Continue reading Gas Girls – New Harlem Productions →

By Megan Mooney

Days have been crazy, and I’m not sure where time is going.  In fear of time slipping away completely, I’m going to do a ‘quickie’ review of the Nightwood Theatre and Obsidian Theatre Company production of Yellowman, playing in the upstairs studio theatre at Berkeley Theatre these days.  The really quickie version would be ‘I loved it.  The end.’ but I’ll give you a bit more than that.

Continue reading I recommend you check out Yellowman, the Nightwood / Obsidian co-production →