Oslo’s very existence is remarkable. Staging a full-length work about the most incendiary issue in foreign policy is already a major diplomatic achievement. Turning that into an award-winning Broadway hit? The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded for less. It’s no surprise that playwright JT Rogers embraces that challenge, having already brought a theatrical perspective to […]
Before we announce the winners of the 2018 MyEntWorld Critics’ Pick Awards, we’re proud to present our annual Nominee Interview Series. Richard Young is an actor/screenwriter known for his work in film and television (Taken, Kim’s Convenience, The Strain) but it was his standout performance in a site-specific play at last summer’s Toronto Fringe that […]
Before we announce the winners of the 2018 MyEntWorld Critics’ Pick Awards, we’re proud to present our annual Nominee Interview Series. Known for his lightning-fast dialogue and twisting narratives, celebrated Fringe favourite Martin Dockery earned his second career nomination at last year’s festival- Outstanding New Play for Inescapable, a mind-boggling timeline-jumping two-hander he performed with Jon Paterson. As […]
Mary’s Wedding by Stephen Massicotte is talked about as a staple of Canadian theatre. It’s been produced all over the country in near constant rotation and takes place during the most popular time period for classic Canadiana- the first world war. Despite its popularity, the two-handed one-act has never been produced professionally in Toronto (though […]
Gruesome Playground Injuries is all about variations on themes. Director Chris Bretecher writes that, in following the characters through their unlikely and unlucky journey, “we acknowledge topics of mental health, sexual consent, substance abuse, self harm, and risk taking behaviours”. This is far clearer in the literature than the text: the playbill explains the production’s […]
1979 is a political thriller – but not like that. The (rise and) fall of one of Canada’s most forgotten and forgettable leaders sounds more like a mischievous improv prompt or DVR description for a History show than a recipe for gripping theatre – but it works. It’s easy to see why the production went […]
Be sure to check out our full list of Next Stage reviews. A Bear Awake in Winter Bullying as a topic in theatre, especially for young people, has been ascendent for the past few years. But it’s rarely examined with such nuance and even-handedness (and humour, even) as in Ali Joy Richardson’s script here. Richardson’s […]
Be sure to check out our full list of Next Stage reviews. Dinner with The Duchess Meet Margaret (Allegra Fulton), a celebrated female violinist, who is retiring after decades of an illustrious career. She is being interviewed in her home by young prodigy journalist, Helen (Rosie Simon), who is intent on asking hard, smart questions. […]