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.

Bendy Sign Tavern – Toronto Fringe 2017 Press Release

From press release:
photo of Kaitlin Morrow by Connor Low
Sex T-Rex presents BENDY SIGN TAVERN at the 2017 Toronto Fringe Festival
A musical rom-com. With puppets.
  Veteran comedic theatre company Sex T-Rex returns to at The Toronto Fringe Festival for the fifth year in a row to premiere their first-ever puppet show, Bendy Sign Tavern, from July 5th to the 15th, 2017.
Bendy Sign Tavern is a puppet show unlike any you’ve seen before. Set in Toronto’s third oldest bar, The Paddock Tavern, this is not just a show for kids. It’s more of an animated Cheers where audiences will be able to order pints from a puppet, catch the latest puppet sports on TV and get caught up on puppet politics as they eavesdrop on the bar staff falling in love, breaking up bar fights, serving rude businessmen, and breaking out into song.
Actor and musician Elliott Loran (Morro and Jasp, Snack Music) has co-written the show’s original songs and will make his Sex T-Rex debut as the Human Piano Man, performing live music throughout. Bendy Sign Tavern will also feature appearances by different Fringe artists at every performance. The puppets have all been masterminded by core company member Kaitlin Morrow, recent recipient of My Entertainment World’s 2016 Honourary My Theatre Award for invigorating the art of puppetry.
The story follows bartender and aspiring musician Joan and her love-struck co-worker Bob as they try to prepare Bendy Sign for the opportunity of a lifetime – hosting the after-party of double-platinum pop star Tim Rek! Of course, it won’t be easy. Everything from diabolical health inspectors to drunken bachelorette wolves to giant man-eating spiders stand in their way, but it’s nothing that can’t be fixed by a heartfelt musical montage.
Sex T-Rex is a multi award-winning comedy company (2016 Second City Award for Most Outstanding Comedy, 2015 Just For Laughs Best Comedy) since 2008, with six original plays and hundreds of improv shows under their cretaceous belts. A company in residence at Bad Dog Comedy Theatre, they also regularly perform at such venues as The Second City and Comedy Bar.
The Paddock Tavern 

178 Bathurst St.

Performances
Wednesday, July 5 – 7.30pm 
Thursday, July 6 – 7.30pm
Friday, July 7 – 7:30pm

Saturday, July 8 – 7.30pm

Sunday, July 9 – 8.30pm*

*(special “late-night” show!)

Monday, July 10 – 7.30pm
Tuesday, July 11 – 7.30pm
Wednesday, July 12 – 7.30pm
Thursday, July 13 – 7.30pm
Friday, July 14 – 7.30pm
Saturday, July 15 – 7.30pm

Tickets
$10 + $2 fee
On sale now online or by phone
By phone: 416-966-1062
In person during the festival: Box Office at The Fringe Club
at Scadding Court Community Centre (707 Dundas St. West)
For more information: sextrexcomedy.com
Created and performed by Sex T-Rex
Josef Addleman
Conor Bradbury
Julian Frid
Elliott Loran
Kaitlin Morrow
Seann Murray
Danny Pagett
 
Praise for Sex T-Rex
2016 Canadian Comedy Award finalists for Best Ensemble
Winners of the 2016 Second City Award for Most Outstanding Comedy for Wasteland
Winners of the 2015 Just for Laughs Best Comedy Award for SwordPlay
 
“A stellar cast, imaginative choreography and non-stop laughs” ★★★★★ -CBC
“Comic gold” – NNNN, Critics’ Pick – NOW Magazine
 photo of Kaitlin Morrow by Connor Low

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The Balding – Toronto Fringe 2017 Press Release

From press release

photo of Jeff Gandell by Kiran Ambwani

The Balding

A hilarious race against time, nature, and the terrifying business of becoming a man.

Jeff’s in his early twenties, going bald, and still a virgin. Staring into the abyss of male pattern baldness, he goes on a desperate quest to lose his virginity so he can arrest the terrifying process. Meanwhile, his obsession with finding romance causes him to get into multiple car accidents and to destroy his parents’ house with skunk smell.

The Balding is an uproarious comedy about coming face to face with your own mortality and asking: how does my hair look?

The Balding debuted at the 2013 Montreal Fringe, where it was nominated for Best Comedy award. It has since toured to sold-out houses at Fringe Festivals across Canada. This will be its Toronto debut.

“50 minutes of hilarious truth telling you simply don’t want to miss.” Calgary Sun (2014)

Gandell is an engaging and hysterical storyteller, whose tales always resonate with tenderness and emotional genuineness. This is a show that will leave you laughing and loving your own insecurities a little bit more.

Yarn Productions in association with The Toronto Fringe Festival presents

The Balding
written and performed by Jeff Gandell
directed by Stephen Maclean Rogers
Opens July 5, 2017 and runs to July 16, 2017
The Theatre Centre – BMO Incubator, 1115 Queen Street West

Performances:
Wednesday, July 5, 6:30 PM
Friday, July 7, 8:15 PM
Saturday, July 8, 3:15 PM
Saturday, July 9, 9:45 PM
Tuesday, July 11, 6:45 PM
Thursday, July 13, 1:00 PM
Friday, July 14, 8:45 PM
Sunday, July 16, 12:30 PM

Tickets:
Tickets go on sale June 8, 2017 and can be purchased online: fringetoronto.com, by phone: 416-966-1062 or in person at the box office located at the Fringe Club: Scadding Court – 707 Dundas Street West.

Motherland – Toronto Fringe 2017 Press Release

From press release

Photo of Krys Potapczyk and Erik Mrakovcic by Nicholas Porteous

 

Davit wants to leave his motherland. Then he’s offered a one-way ticket out …
It’s crazily Canadian – a play about an Armenian mother and son, directed by a Slovenian-

Canadian, starring actors with Croatian, Polish and Greek roots.
Motherland tells the story of a battle of wills between a twenty-something Armenian actor musician who wants to leave home and his mother who can’t let him go. It may be set in Armenia, but it’s a story that resonates in the many cultural communities that make up
Toronto, a city of people who have “come from away” and are adjusting – or not – to the loss of traditional family relations.

Writer-producer Kristine Greenaway says Motherland was inspired by an autobiographical story told her by an actor she met while attending a film festival in Armenia. “I knew instantly that it was a story for Toronto,” Greenaway says. “The reaction of the culturally diverse audience members who saw Motherland at Alumnae Theatre’s Fireworks Festival confirmed my instinct. During Q&A sessions following performances, people of Caribbean, South-East Asian and Eastern European origins all had stories to share on a similar theme.”

The play is directed by Andreja Kovač, an award-winning director from Slovenia with more than 15 years of professional experience in Europe. Her directing credits include large-scale productions, contemporary play development, and opera. Kovač directed the Motherland première at Alumnae Theatre’s Fireworks Festival in November 2016.

Motherland was enthusiastically received at Alumnae Theatre’s Big Ideas and Fireworks festivals. A recent benefit performance for the Armenian community played to a sold-out house. Come see what the buzz is all about!

Amber Heart Productions presents Motherland in association with The Toronto Fringe Festival.

Starring: Erik Mrakovcic, Krys Potapczyk, Konstantina Mantelos, and Jeffrey Fennes.
Stage Manager: Amalea Ruffett.
Set design: Marysia Bucholc.
Costumes: Ivana Matuzovic.
Graphics: Suzanne Courtney.
Trailer: Nicholas Porteous.
Original music: Douglas Gibbens.

Photo of Krys Potapczyk and Erik Mrakovcic by Nicholas Porteous

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D&D Yoga – Toronto Fringe 2017 Press Release

From press release:

photo of Christine Desrochers by Amyris Rada

Yoga Gamification Comes to the 2017 Toronto Fringe Festival

D&D Yoga performance fuses yoga with imaginative roleplay gaming
 [Toronto, ON] – The Toronto Fringe Festival showcases numerous performances that are unique and interesting each year. Part of this year’s line-up includes an alternative theatre performance called D&D Yoga that fuses a yoga class with a roleplaying game. This is the first time this type of experimental, interactive theatre experience is being publicly performed in Canada.  The show, being produced by Downward d20, is also the only 2017 Toronto Fringe performance taking place in a yoga class setting.

Yoga and gaming are two of my passions and D&D Yoga is a fun way to combine these seemingly different activities,” said Christine Desrochers, yoga teacher and founder of Downward d20. “The Fringe Festival is a great opportunity to share this kind of experimental theatre with open-minded people,” added Desrochers.

D&D Yoga provides the audience the opportunity to directly experience a fantasy adventure while roleplaying their own character that will be one of three types: warrior, rogue or mage. The adventure story was written to match the flow of a yoga class and participants will use dice rolling and thematic yoga movements to explore an imaginary world, battle monsters, and overcome obstacles.

“When I first volunteered to test the D&D Yoga experience, I had no idea what it entailed,” said Amyris Rada, play tester and yoga teacher. “I never participated in a roleplaying game before and was genuinely surprised at how much fun it was,” added Rada.

The D&D Yoga experience has been designed for all skill levels so no yoga or gaming experience is required. Yogis can experience infusing their practice with imaginative gameplay, while gamers get the chance to explore creative movement in a roleplaying game.

“I have never really done yoga before and I was intrigued when asked to playtest something that combined yoga with roleplaying games,” said Robert Peacock, play tester and Dungeon & Dragons Dungeon Master. “The gaming elements were creatively streamlined and the yoga movements were well-matched to the adventure,” added Peacock.

Performances are being held at Toronto’s Dovercourt House. Eleven shows will be held throughout the Toronto Fringe Festival between July 5 and 16. Date and time details can be found at  https://fringetoronto.com/festivals/fringe/event/dd-yoga

Those planning on attending are encouraged to wear comfortable workout clothes. Yoga mats and dice will be provided.

 

About Downward d20

Downward d20 was founded in 2016 by Christine Desrochers, a certified yoga teacher and gaming enthusiast.  D&D yoga was created to provide people with an immersive experience through fusing a yoga practice with the imaginative elements of tabletop roleplay gaming. For more information about Downward d20 visit – www.facebook.com/Downwardd20

photo of Christine Desrochers by Amyris Rada

RECALL – Toronto Fringe 2017 Press Release

From press release:

Poster for RECALL“Close your eyes and count to three.”

Seven Siblings Theatre
in association with The Toronto Fringe Festival presents:

RECALL
Written by Eliza Clark
Directed by Will King

Starring: Kyla Young, Genevieve Adam, Madryn McCabe, Warren Kang, and Luis Fernandes.

Assistant Directed by Erik Helle – Fight Directed by Nate Bitton
Lighting Design by Parker Nowlan
Stage Managed by Chin Palipane
Produced by Will King, Madryn McCabe, and Nicole Nadeau

RECALL takes us to a grim, sci-fi world in which crimes might be prevented before they occur. Lucy makes people uncomfortable. There’s something about her eyes. There’s something about the way her mother’s boyfriends keep disappearing. And there’s something about the government agents on her trail. Radically imaginative and achingly plain, this contemporary thriller explores our need to feel connected, understood, and loved. No matter the damage, no matter the cost.

WHEN
Friday, July 7th, 2017 @ 1:45pm
Saturday, July 8th, 2017 @ 9:15pm
Monday, July 10th, 2017 @ 3:00pm
Tuesday, July 12th, 2017 @ 12:00pm
Wednesday, July 13th, 2017 @ 7:30pm
Thursday, July 14th, 2017 @ 11:00pm
Saturday July 16th, 2017@ 6:15pm

WHERE
The Theatre Centre – Franco Boni Theatre
1115 Queen Street W
Toronto, ON
M6J 3T4
Tickets are available starting June 8, 2017 @ www.fringetoronto.com or 416-966-1062
Price: $12.00

Please visit for more information on Seven Siblings Theatre @ http://www.sevensiblingstheatre.ca/
https://www.facebook.com/sevensiblingstheatreco
twitter: @SevenSiblingsCo
instagram: @sevensiblingstheatre