Review: Pomona (ARC)

Pomona

ARC’s Pomona is dark, terrifying, and satisfying theatre, on stage at Toronto’s Geary Lane Theatre

ARC’s North American premiere of Pomona is a dark and exhilarating nightmare that seems tailor-made for me. Everything—every single thing—about this show appeals directly and forcefully to my specific sensibilities.

My experience began as I made my way to the venue: a converted, industrial space called Geary Lane, at the end of a dark and lonely street. (Some of my favourite theatrical experiences have occurred in obscure, out of the way spaces.) Continue reading Review: Pomona (ARC)

Review: Bloodclaat (Watah Theatre)

bloodclaat-fotor-8

d’bi young anitafrika creates an intense experience in Bloodclaat, on stage in Toronto

There were only 14 people in the audience the night I saw Bloodclaat at The Watah Theatre, and that means a great many people are missing out on the power and brilliance of d’bi young anitafrika and this show.

Don’t be one of them. Even (or especially) if you’re not sure you have it in you for a difficult show, even (or especially) if you have no clear sense of what to expect: this is so worth seeing.

Continue reading Review: Bloodclaat (Watah Theatre)

Preview: Reflector (Theatre Gargantua)

Reflector

This Friday and Saturday at Theatre Passe Muraille, Theatre Gargantua presents a workshop presentation of its new piece, Reflector, which was inspired by the power of the image to galvanize human emotion and action. The heavily visual and physical piece is par for the course for Gargantua, which has been presenting multi-disciplinary works in two-year cycles since its founding in 1992. We asked Artistic Director Jacquie P.A. Thomas to paint us a picture of what the audience might see.

Continue reading Preview: Reflector (Theatre Gargantua)

Review: Joyful Noise (East Side Players)

Photo of the castJoyful Noise gives Handel’s Messiah a humourous twist, on Toronto stages

George Frederick Handel’s ‘Messiah’ is considered one of the greatest and most frequently performed choral compositions of all time, most commonly recognized for its ‘Hallelujah Chorus’.

However, the backstory of its naissance was full of scandal, struggle and controversy. Naturally, it lends itself to a dramatic retelling in the theatre, in Tim Slover’s Joyful Noise, currently playing at the Papermill Theatre as part of the East Side Players’ 50th Anniversary Season.

Continue reading Review: Joyful Noise (East Side Players)

Review: The 7 Fingers Cuisine & Confessions (Mirvish)

dl_cuisineconfessions_dsc_2280%e2%94%acalexandre-galliezMirvish brings theatrical circus troupe 7 Fingers’ latest show Cuisine & Confessions to Toronto

Inviting someone to your home for a meal is one of the most personal gestures you can extend to someone. Establishing a deeper connection with someone by sharing a meal together seems to be a universal human experience that cuts across cultures. It just so happens that establishing a human connection by sharing food is exactly what theatrical circus troupe the 7 Fingers attempts to do in their new show Cuisine & ConfessionsContinue reading Review: The 7 Fingers Cuisine & Confessions (Mirvish)