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.
Abigail’s Party depicts a small get together of suburban neighbours. It opens with Beverly sitting in her living room waiting on her husband to arrive home from work. Soon after Lawrence gets home, Beverly’s guests arrive and her party gets underway. This sitcom, written by British playwright Mike Leigh, looks at the collapse of two marriages and the stresses of being a single mother.
Sultans of the Street, playing at Toronto’s Young People’s Theatre, is an uplifting story perfect for parents and kids
When walking in for the Young People’s Theatre production of Sultans of the Street, the first offering for a young audience by playwright Anusree Roy, my show partner and I were immediately struck by the beauty of Camillia Koo’s set. Well, that and the buzzing energy that an audience full of school kids brings to a space.
On the surface, Sultans of the Street may seem like rather dark subject matter for a play aimed at kids as young as eight. It deals with a couple of orphaned kids living on the street, working for their “aunty” (Zorana Sadiq) and two other kids who are forced through blackmail to work for the same woman. But director Nina Lee Aquino handles it with grace, and, truthfully, I think kids can often deal with a lot more than we give them credit for.
The Precious Young Ladies is a one-act comedy by Molière in prose that takes a satirical aim at the extravagant and delicate ladies of the French bourgeoisie. Magdelon and Cathos are two cousins from the country who have come to Paris in search of love and adventure. When they reject and ridicule two eligible suitors, the men vow to take revenge on les précieuses by tricking them into falling in love with their valets–who are disguised as sophisticated men of the world.
The Cabaret Company takes a look at gender politics in Hackerlove playing at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in Toronto
Anyone who follows the news will be at least a little familiar with the Wikileaks scandal, which took over the headlines back in 2010. It made a reappearance a few weeks ago, when Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning got permission from the U.S. Military to legally change her name to reflect her gender identity. So it was perfect timing for the saga to make its way to the stage, in the form of Hackerlove, written and directed by Sky Gilbert and put on by The Cabaret Company.
Mirvish presents the return of Disney’s hit Broadway musical The Lion King in Toronto
The Lion King, currently playing a return engagement in Toronto at Mirvish’s Princess of Wales Theatre, begins with what has become one of the most iconic opening numbers on Broadway; The Circle of Life. The lone figure of Rafiki the Baboon incants the famous opening chant from the film; “Nan ts’ngonya ma bakithi baba,” a bright yellow crepe-paper sun slowly rises as performers in a seemingly endless array of full-body animal costumes parade down the aisles of the theatre. It’s a transportive, jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring piece of stagecraft.
The show is not what you would typically expect when you think of Disney; it is so much more than a glorified theme park revue of a popular animated movie. Continue reading Review: The Lion King (Mirvish)→
