There’s a lot of theatre packed into the 90 minutes of Metropolitan Operas on stage at Toronto’s Theatre Machine

In the late 1980s, Joseph Pintauro was a darling of New York, writing queerly-inflected bitter/satiric/sardonic plays at an astonishing rate (imagine Daniel MacIvor, but without nearly as much tenderness). After a critically acclaimed book (Cold Hands) and a pair of brilliantly received plays (The Snow Orchid and Men’s Lives) he wrote Metropolitan Operas, a series of 27 short plays meant to be performed in a marathon. They were sharp, mocking and celebratory at the same time, and of-the-moment. Late 80s New York was the time of The Normal Heart juxtaposed against The Wolf of Wall Street, and Metropolitan Operas sent up those familiar characters and more. It was ambitious, uneven, and ultimately quite worthwhile – just like this Witchboy Theatre production.

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Spin, playing at Toronto’s Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, is a multimedia tribute to feminism and cycling

It was certainly worth the effort—braving the first real snowfall of the season—to catch Evalyn Parry’s tribute to cycling and feminism: Spin. Playing at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (where it premiered three years ago before its national tour), Spin is a multimedia performance that had me tapping my feet, dabbing my eyes and yearning for the chance to hop on a bike and change the world. Continue reading Review: Spin (Buddies in Bad Times Theatre & Outspoke Productions) →

You Have to Earn It will have you “shaking in your seats” with laughter, at Toronto’s Alumnae Theatre

There are times when a comedy is too cheesy. The characters can be too loud, the plot too predictable, and the jokes too forced. That kind of play makes your stomach twist with embarrassment after every pause for a laugh. Lucky for me, Alumnae Theatre’s You Have To Earn It is the right kind of cheesy. The show is light-hearted and silly, but my cynical heart wasn’t overwhelmed by the positivity.

You Have To Earn It is a throwback to the screwball comedies of the 1930s and 40s. The homage to the old comedy style means there are hijinks, wacky misunderstandings, and some old fashioned sexism. The show stars Betty Parker who is the best costumer service receptionist her company has ever had, but even with all her hard work she can never seem to get promoted. Betty, played by Amy Swift, is tired of seeing coworkers like Joan, played by Jill Kooymans, get the job she deserves. Betty and her sassy friend Dorothy, Kathleen Jackson Allamby, gang up to see if their boss Mr. Brown, Paul Stafford, is cherry-picking employees because of their looks or if the women have really earned it.

Continue reading Review: You Have To Earn It (Alumnae Theatre) →