The National Ballet of Canada’s 2024/25 season is off to a strong start with a varied and ambitious mixed bill that showcases the strength and diversity of the company’s up and coming talent while honouring the legacy of their iconic leading man as he enters his final season. The evening kicks off with Body […]
Three Sisters (Soulpepper & Obsidian Theatre Company) For Inua Ellams’ adaptation of Three Sisters set during the Nigerian Civil War, two of Toronto’s most prestigious theatre companies and acclaimed director Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu (also the Artistic Director of Obsidian, one of said prestigious companies) have assembled the all-starriest of all-star casts, bringing together an incredibly […]
Slava’s SnowShow (Show One Productions at The Elgin Theatre) There’s something really special about a production that can transcend age, language, and cultural barriers, uniting audiences around the world and even diverse audiences in a single location with a memorable theatrical experience understood completely by everyone in the room. Slava’s SnowShow is absolutely that. A […]
The Nutcracker (National Ballet of Canada) The National Ballet of Canada’s production of The Nutcracker is unlike a lot of other versions in its aesthetic but ultimately suffers the same pitfalls. Santo Loquasto’s Russian-inspired set and costume design is very beautiful though a few visuals, particularly around some of the more culturally specific aspects, are […]
The opening production of The National Ballet of Canada’s 2023/24 season pairs two short ballets about passion. Ironically, it’s Passion that is the least passionate of the pair, feeling disjointed and overly busy. The world premiere of Emma Bovary, on the other hand, is a cohesive triumph that led me and my guest to turn to each other towards […]
After two years of cancellations, a series of tentative theatre-ish offerings, and more than a few false starts, Toronto’s theatre companies are coming back. The journey towards a normal theatrical experience has taken place a little bit then seemingly all at once as my once-bare calendar suddenly doesn’t have a night off for weeks. Of […]
Les Ballets Trockadero has returned once more to Toronto, and we couldn’t be more excited. The crowd was a varied wonder on March 8, ranging from eager children, to professional dancers, to drag artists, and everyone in between. I had been one of those children growing up- ever since I saw my first Ballet Trockadero […]
Celebrated Russian choreographer Boris Eifman brings to life the story of composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), and it is a tale of beauty and tragedy. Eifman, inspired by the composer’s life, utilizes Tchaikovsky’s historic works to draw out evocative imagery of the man’s inner demons and public life. At the start of the ballet we […]