Public Good, playing at SummerWorks 2019, is a play about ambivalence in a time of impending doom resulting from climate change.

Continue reading Public Good (Philip McKee and Rose Plotek) 2019 SummerWorks Review →

Zuppa Theatre Company’s The Archive of Missing Things is being put on as part of  Summerworks 2019 at The Sanderson Library (327 Bathurst Street). It is an interactive theatre piece taking place in the library with other patrons there. This show an open-concept, it’s performed throughout the library rather than on a stage. It has a digital component as well as live action which all melds together incredibly.

I’ll say here that I think The Archive of Missing Things is one of the most incredible experiences with performance art that I’ve had in recent memory. There’s a great deal of mystery and intrigue woven in and thus, I do think the best experience one can have is going in blind as I did. If you want, stop reading now and just go experience this wonderfully thoughtful show.

Continue reading The Archive of Missing Things (Zuppa Theatre Company) 2019 Summerworks Review →

Sometimes I see shows where, even after reading the SummerWorks 2019 program, I have no real idea what to expect– and they turn out to be among the ones that I love the most.  Footnote Number 12  from  Theatre Replacement / Spreafico Eckly  certainly falls into this category. In the program it says “This monologue for two people asks you to observe a creature — a creature whose voice is being repeatedly modulated through digital means.” A creature? A monologue for two people? A digitally modulated voice? Could it possibly come together into something coherent, something wonderful? Yes!

Continue reading Footnote Number 12 (Theatre Replacement / Spreafico Eckly) 2019 SummerWorks Review →

I Am A Genius Does Anyone Here Know Me is a piece of performance art, melded with storytelling. Created by Lois Brown and composer James O’Callaghan, it’s taking place as part of Summerworks  2019, and you can catch it at the Longboat Hall in The Great Hall.

Though this show isn’t the kind of thing I normally gravitate towards, it was a very satisfying experience. I also think it fulfilled what it set out to do, engage the audience in its sonic improvisations throughout. Continue reading I’m A Genius Does Anyone Here Know Me? (Lois Brown) 2019 SummerWorks Review →

Performer Anand Rajaram was granted permission by author Rohinton Mistry to adapt his short novella The Scream to be performed at this year’s SummerWorks Festival. The results–especially if you are someone unfamiliar with the piece like me–are jarring, disconcerting and yet still charming.

Continue reading Rohinton Mistry’s The Scream (Anand Rajaram) 2019 SummerWorks Review →