Strangers at a bus stop connect in this Toronto show at Fairview Library Theatre
What would you do if you were stuck in a diner with seven other strangers? Having taken many Greyhound trips, I found myself wondering what I would do as I watched Bus Stop. This quirky play tells the story of eight strangers in Kansas City who are stuck in a diner because of a snow storm. The uncleared roads make it impossible for the bus they were traveling on to continue on its way, forcing them to seek refuge in a small town diner with its owner, waitress and town sheriff. Continue reading Review: Bus Stop (Stage Centre Productions)→
The classic Diary of Anne Frank plays at the Al Green Theatre in Toronto
The number of stories that can be told about the Holocaust are as many and varied as the number of lives the Holocaust – one of the most horrific events in human history – has touched. One of those many stories lies in the diary of a young Jewish girl as she was taken into hiding with her family desperately hoping to wait out the war. This would be the diary of Anne Frank.
Week One of the New Ideas Festival opened tonight at Alumnae Theatre. Toronto has a lot of theatre festivals and the New Ideas Festival is one of my favourites. I look forward to it every year. It runs for three weeks. Each week there are 4 new productions and a staged reading. That’s 12 new productions and 3 staged reading in three weeks. 15 world premieres.
Until tonight it hadn’t really occurred to me what an undertaking this is. This year there were 122 scripts submitted. Imagine having to winnow that down to 15. And then producing them.
This week in Toronto there are five shows we’ve handpicked for you that are $20 or less for admission. Whether it’s an epic adventure, a comedy, a ballet, a drama or a festival that you want to check out – well, you’re in for a treat. There is something for everyone this week, so grab a friend and head out for an evening of affordable theatre!
The Small Room at the Top of the Stairs by critically acclaimed playwright plays at Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre
The beguiling and suspense driven The Small Room at the Top of the Stairs is Tarragon’s latest mainstage offering from critically acclaimed Canadian writer Carole Fréchette. Sometimes there is no better date than a night out at the theatre and the nature of this show makes for a great date night. My date and I marvel as we walk into the theatre. Staged on a completely bare floor that looks as though it is made of glass, the audience creates an L-shape around the action.
The effect of Astrid Janson’s set and Weyni Mengesha’s direction is one of complete intimacy and I can’t imagine a better staging for a show that is built around suspenseful intensity.
