In Travelogue, four contemporary mini operas dazzle Toronto audiences
I personally believe that creating contemporary opera is more risky than other artistic endeavours. The music, style, and imagination required feels staggering with plenty of room for failure.
Toronto’s Canadian Stage presents Lucy Kirkwood’s riveting political thriller Chimerica
Chimerica, a new play by British playwright Lucy Kirkwood, is a densely-packed political thriller set against the backdrop of the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989 and China’s subsequent economic ascent vis-à-vis America’s stagnation in the ensuing decades. Chimerica blends history, intrigue and contemporary geopolitics in a compelling mystery story with an eye-poppingly sleek production. Continue reading Review: Chimerica (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre/Canadian Stage)→
Suspicious by nature, I find myself imagining the conversation that led to mounting The Judas Kiss as something like: “Let’s have a literary hero, an emotional rollercoaster of a script, a movie actor to star in it, and a couple of beautiful boys swanning about naked at intervals!” And indeed, the show had a very successful run in London before stopping by The Ed Mirvish Theatre on the way to Broadway. The truth about the formula, though, is that it works: The Judas Kiss is remarkably satisfying on several levels.
The show’s description talks about exploring the vulnerabilities of people in the most difficult of circumstances. I, unfortunately, had a very difficult time grasping most aspects of the show.
Toronto’s Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts takes on Caryl Churchill’s play The Skriker
The Skriker, by Caryl Churchill is no easy undertaking. In fact, I would suggest anyone who isn’t familiar with the play or playwright do a little research before attending, to get a better grasp of what you are about to see. It’s a dark and magical play that blends themes of love, revenge and loss. It’s surprising that freshly trained actors at The Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts would be given the task of making sense of a very intense, imagery-driven script. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by their grasp of the text. Continue reading Review: The Skriker (Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts)→
In Travelogue, four contemporary mini operas dazzle Toronto audiences
Toronto’s Canadian Stage presents Lucy Kirkwood’s riveting political thriller Chimerica
The Death of the King by Iranian playwright Bhram Beyzaie plays Toronto’s Theatre Centre
Toronto’s Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts takes on Caryl Churchill’s play The Skriker