Toronto Theatre Reviews

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.

Toronto Fringe 2009 – Singularity of Being – Tarragon

By Dana Lacey

Fringe crowd

Be sure to check out Singularity of Being, playing at Tarragon Theatre for Fringe. “Loosely” based on the life of Stephen Hawking, the play follows the life of Roland Mathers as he grows from a bored student with big ideas (“Einstein gave us the map…I can’t wait to fill it in.”) to a fully paralyzed and utterly famous shit disturber. It’s a story about man against god, a cosmic chess game neither wants to quit (the tag line: what price would you pay to see the face of god?) Continue reading Toronto Fringe 2009 – Singularity of Being – Tarragon

Bent – Theatre Engine at the Abrams Studio Theatre

By Henry Smith

bent1

I’ll start by saying that I am a huge fan of Martin Sherman’s Bent.  I did not expect the Theatre Engine production of it, playing at the Abrams Studio Theatre, to live up to my expectations.  But I was happily surprised; great performances, from a great script, made for a great evening of theatre.

Set in late 30’s Germany, it tells the story of a gay man’s journey from non-stop party in Berlin to his enduring the Nazi concentration camp at Dachau.

Continue reading Bent – Theatre Engine at the Abrams Studio Theatre

Loot – Soulpepper Theatre Company

By John Bourke
loot

 

For some reason, even though I’m a theatre geek of long standing, have a more than passing interest in British comedy and would like to think of myself as having a certain hedonistic streak,  I had never heard of Joe Orton before this week. This is a shame really, because in Soulpepper’s Loot, he really seems to hit all those things right on the button.

 

Scorched – Tarragon Theatre

By John Bourke

Tarragon Theatre/ Scorched
My ticket for Scorched, now playing at Tarragon theatre, said “Scorched, 2nd remount”, which tells you something of the remarkable run this production has had;  First produced in Montreal in 2005, the play’s english language premeire was at Tarragon in 2007, when it recieved two Dora awards, then brought back in 2008 before touring across the country and landing back in Toronto in time for me to see it last week.