Alexander Franks

There is something special about experimentation. The willingness, the joy in playing with technology to deliver a performance experience and artistic experience that takes a concept done to death but aspire to do something different with it. The concept of identity is both broad and an easy target for artistic exploration. This critic has seen […]

At about the fifteen minute mark of seeing this show, a thought crossed my mind that whined, “Oh (insert expletive) me, is this gonna be art with a capital (insert expletive) A?” But what I found myself instead was a state of deep intimacy, emotional connection and an environmental love. From the theatre performance group […]

Alice in Wonderland in all of its iterations has primarily focused on Wonderland being a mental representation of Alice and her current situations. Whether it was from the original story about Alice embracing the nonsensical and learning to question, or the American McGee games that took Wonderland and Alice to more mature/darker realms of living […]

There is a joke once seen on tumblr that describes different nationalities’ approaches to death in stories. American writers write I WILL DIE FOR LOVE! British writers write I WILL DIE FOR COUNTRY! And Russian writers write I WILL JUST DIE! An overly simplistic take but this critic’s first thought when seeing that joke was […]

  Alexander Franks

Orphans For The Czar, written by George F.Walker, directed by Tanja Jacobs and produced by Crow’s Theatre, is a funny, insightful exploration of class, revolution, and the privilege that exists in both of those things. It is a production that is supported by performances with excellent comedic timing, chemistry and rhythm but also encounters issues […]

  Alexander Franks

(This review will contain reviews for the movie and choose your own adventure version)   Christmas time in Toronto always has several staples, from the Christmas Market in the Distillery District to the utter chaos of Eaton Centre a week before Christmas. One of the long standing traditions has been the Ross Petty Pantomime Christmas […]

  Alexander Franks

So, full disclosure, when it comes to plays that are societal/global issue- focused, from a purely creative standpoint, I find to be hit or miss. It’s either that the artistic platform that they have is not being used enough so I don’t see the difference between the performance and someone speaking at a rally, or […]

  Alexander Franks

It is good to be fringing again! I first want to take this opportunity before I dive into the reviews to express my gratitude, respect and thanks to everyone involved with the Toronto Fringe this year from the artists to admin to box office just everyone. It has been a long and hard road adjusting […]