After Tuesday’s performance of Mad Madge at The Theatre Centre, producer (in associaton with VideoCabaret) Nightwood Theatre organized a panel of theatre-makers to discuss the trend of fictionalized history on stage (or, put another way, an examination of coincidental aesthetic consistency in the Rose Napoli extended universe). The texts up for discussion were Kat Sandler‘s […]
Frank’s Closet may not have aspired to be groundbreaking, with its simplistic ‘music hall musical’ concept, but it is a fun, kitschy little show that became a cult classic in 2009 when it opened at Hoxton Hall. Fifteen years later, its revival at the Union Theatre feels less daring – its campness no longer that camp […]
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 […]
The word “ambitious” has become nearly synonymous with Shifting Ground Collective, a small company barely two years into its existence but already more established and productive than a lot of indie companies ever become. Everyone who runs Shifting Ground is young and hopeful, their clear eyes and full hearts guiding them headfirst into the hazardous […]
Don Giovanni (Canadian Opera Company at the Four Seasons Centre) The COC’s new production of Don Giovanni replaces a much more casual, modern version that I loved but few others seemed to. In its place is a more conventional take with period costumes and the hulking cube set from Fidelio repurposed with doors in place […]
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 […]
Holiday! (Bad Dog at The Assembly Theatre) I made it out to Bad Dog Theatre Company’s Comedy on Queen Festival at The Assembly Theatre for one night only, to see an improvised musical based on Sondheim’s Company. With a rotating cast featuring more than a few favourites, I knew it wasn’t one I wanted to […]
Now in its fifth year, Three Ships Collective/Soup Can Theatre’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol has become a tradition so wildly popular that it’s been sold out for weeks. It’s a slam dunk of an idea, an immersive Christmas Carol staged throughout a historic 1822 home, but the company never leans on the concept to […]