Clunky direction and unattainable goals quickly became the central problems of BU Stage Troupe’s recent production of A Streetcar Named Desire. It’s an epic piece, not in the classical sense of scope but in the sense of how famous, how challenging, how iconic the work is. It’s a little beyond college students. This group did […]
The director’s note for BU Stage Troupe’s recent production of Rabbit Hole by David Linsay-Abaire was simple and true. Directors Chris Hamilton and Agatha Babbitt wanted the audience to know that what they were about to watch was not a tragedy. Rather it was a glimpse into the lives of a family who’d suffered a […]
I wish I had gotten this review out earlier for many reasons. Of course it would have been nice if the show was still running and maybe some of you reading this could decide to go see it on my recommendation; it’s also a lot easier to write with the show freshly in mind. But […]
Here’s the thing: the backstage aspects of The Stratford Shakespeare Festival’s production of Kiss Me Kate (you know, the parts where the actors are playing actors, not the parts where the actors are playing actors playing some of Shakespeare’s broadest characters) made for a cute, light and altogether not all bad musical. That stuff, the […]
Dancap Productions announced their new season today. Together with Mirvish Productions, they make up most of the mainstream theatre scene in Toronto. Between the 2 companies, 2011 is already shaking up to be an amazing season. Here’s what’s on tap: Fall 2010, Mirvish: Rock of Ages (Never seen it, I imagine it’s skippable) Love, Loss […]
If you can’t tell from the title of this post, I’m incredibly excited about the new casting announcements out of the Stratford. The 2011 season is shaping up to be pretty darn great. Here’s the latest from awesometown: Josh Young as Judas!!!!! My favourite musical performer of the year is returning to the amazing and […]
At least once a year, my father tells me he’d rather not go see Romeo & Juliet. When I ask why, he always says it’s because he’s seen it before. Personally, I think the great thing about Shakespeare is that it’s always different. No matter how many times you’ve seen Hamlet, the actors and director […]
Easily the most emotional production at the Stratford Festival this year is For The Pleasure of Seeing Her Again. I’m not usually a cryer at the theatre but I was inconsolably moved by this piece. Here the Canadian master playwright Michel Tremblay shares his most intimate story, that of his mother. That’s it; it’s just […]