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.
Copy That at Tarragon starts strong but loses steam in the second act
Playwright Jason Sherman’s newest offering — Copy That — delves into questions of how the media that we consume is created, and how it shapes the reality of our world.
It tackles other issues as well, like how privilege — or lack thereof — impacts someone’s capacity to have influence. It studies how those who recognize their privilege can choose to wield their influence with purpose, and whether the choice to do so should always be theirs to make. The piece also addresses overt and systemic racism, which people are bound to confront in daily lives as victim, bystander, perpetrator, or a complex combination of those roles.
Girl in the Machine is a dystopian exploration of the not so distant future
Girl in the Machine, Olivier Award-winning playwright Stef Smith’s 2017 one-act, has garnered a lot of comparisons to Black Mirror in its vision of a technological dystopia. Set in the not-too-distant future, it uses a fictional technology to explore our current technological addictions and their impact on our relationships with the here and now. This production, by Seven Siblings Theatre, is a hip, thoughtful, and discomfiting show from a promising young company. Just like in any new technical release, however, there are some bugs to work out.
Bangarra Dance Theatre brought traditional Australian Aboriginal dance to Toronto
Bangarra Dance Theatre, one of Australia’s top dance companies, make their Toronto premiere with Spirit, performing a collection of stories and dances in a celebration of the Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander’s traditions. With mesmerizing movement and captivating physicality, the large seventeen member company take to the Bluma Appel Theatre, co-presented by Canadian Stage and TO Live.
Girl in the Machine is a dystopian exploration of the not so distant future
Besbouss take on Arab Spring lacks commitment
Bangarra Dance Theatre brought traditional Australian Aboriginal dance to Toronto
Riverboat Coffee House is a love letter to Yorkville’s artistic history