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fantasylover (A+)
fantasylover was weird and wonderful. The characters presented onstage were so clear and defined, and had the audience in peals of laughter. The show had a good flow throughout, rising and falling in energy, and the amount of thought and work that went into its development was evident. Some moments did get a little lost as spoken word disappeared into the space, and some scenes didn’t land entirely as hoped. The costuming and music were especially dramatic and successful, and the dancers worked so hard and had so much fun, which is always wonderful to see. I applaud the creators, collaborators, and dancers of fantasylover, and thank them for revealing their wonderful, serious, comedic selves.

YES (A)
This show was both incredibly moving and hilarious. As the dancer hoped, it transformed me. YES is a look at the stigma that can surround modern dance, and how it “needs” to be so artistic and developed that it becomes untouchable and not relatable to audiences who often end up feeling alienated. Using a variety of mediums, the audience in YES laughed through the dissection of a dance, and thoughtfully considered what it means to be a modern dancer in this post-post-modern era of art. I loved the honesty, I loved the energy, and thoroughly enjoyed myself at this show.

B-Side (A-)
B-side was a lovely exploration that made me feel peaceful, serene, and fulfilled. As an outdoor piece that winds the audience through an alleyway, it both felt like the audience was one unit, one person, observing and seeing the space around them and at the same time I felt delightfully separated and on my own. The loose direction for the audience was helpful and gave some interesting perspectives to the artful space around us. The dancers’ movements drew our attention to intricacies in the walls around, cracks in the concrete, or towering telephone poles. There was one beautiful impulsive comedic moment that joined dancers, audience, and slightly perplexed neighbours to come together and laugh with our special moment of joy. I enjoyed the journey that B-Side took me on, and am dreaming about more lemon-scented evenings and lemonade.
*B-Side is a “lab” performance and is a work in progress*

A Room to Perform (B+)
A Room to Perform is an exploration, or as the program cites, “a proposal” into how the space that enfolds a dance also helps create it. The dancers worked within and around a structure devised almost as a miniature house, with an empty doorframe, holes for windows, and four walls. The dancers moved in and around the structure, exploring, though I do wish they had formed more of a reactionary bond with the building, listening to it as well. The aspect of this piece I enjoyed most was the voyeuristic aspect. All dance participates in voyeurism, but the experience was new and heightened when you would catch a glimpse of an arm raised above the structure’s wall, a ponytail spinning past a window, or two pairs of feet walking by. A lovely performance and exploration, and I look forward to seeing how the development continues

The MyTheatre Artists Advertising Discount Program
If your SummerWorks show scores an A+ or A, you can cash in on that goodwill with a 50% discount on advertising your show (this one or the next one) on My Entertainment World. If you scored an A- or B+, we’ll knock 25% off the ad price. Discounts also apply to 2018 Fringe grades as well as all 2017 Critics’ Pick Award winners (50% off), and nominees (25% off) and $5+ Patreon donors have a reusable 10% off they can gift to ANY PRODUCER THEY WANT for the duration of the festival. Discounts go as high as 95%; email us for details.

“Play Of The Day” Ad Auction
If you get a good review (B or better), you can bid to become our Play of The Day (prime advertising spot at the top of the homepage AND on our SummerWorks Landing Page). Bidding starts at $5 a day. Whomever is the highest bidder as of midnight each night of the festival gets the spot for the next 24 hours or until their bid is beaten (whichever comes second). To bid, just submit a .jpg of your poster to toronto@myentertainmentworld.ca with the subject line “Play of the Day” and be sure to mention your bid price in the email.