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.
Bonjour Hi, a LA SERRE – arts vivants production is playing as part of Summerworks 2019. The interactive show explores the ethics behind asking for audience participation in theatre.
Continue reading Bonjour Hi (LA SERRE – arts vivants) SummerWorks 2019 Review
805-4821, written and performed by Davis Plett and playing at SummerWorks 2019, is a story about life, family, relationships, coming out, and sexual abuse that pushes the definitions of performance. Continue reading 805-4821 (Davis Plett) 2019 SummerWorks Review
Hiraeth, playing at this year’s SummerWorks Festival, is a retrospective look at the painful and awkward times of preteen-hood on the brink of Y2K. Stylized as a sharing session during group therapy, this is a one-woman story by Mandy E. MacLean as she emotionally relives those formative years for your pleasure.
Continue reading Hiraeth (The Hiraeth Collective) 2019 SummerWorks Review
Safe and Sorry by Lester Trips (Theatre) is playing at the 2019 SummerWorks Festival. It’s a surreal descent into the dark, nebulous online communities surrounding pickup artistry, and manages moments of frightening hilarity and quiet reflection.
Continue reading Safe and Sorry (Lester Trips Theatre) 2019 SummerWorks Review
Performed partly in ASL, using both surtitles and spoken word, Deafy, written and performed by Chris Dodd and directed by Ashley Wright, is now on as part of SummerWorks 2019.
Dodd plays Nathan Jesper, a liaison with the National Deaf Association who travels the world giving educational talks on Deaf culture. At the top of the show he is late for a scheduled talk. As his presentation progresses, it derails from his usual content and we eventually learn why. Continue reading Deafy (Why Not Theatre) 2019 SummerWorks Review