Critic’s Note: The performance reviewed was the June 12th preview. Experimental writing and the plays that come with it is tough. The art of saying something while sometimes saying nothing. The art of nothing happening but saying a lot in that nothing. Samuel Beckett made a career of it; Seinfeld ran on it. It […]
For even the most dedicated of Shakespeare audiences, Troilus & Cressida is likely the great unknown. A behemoth 3+ hour text with a sprawling cast of characters and an epic, messy story that is literally the stuff of legends- there are lots of reasons why this is one of the canon’s least performed works. Lack […]
Do not stop. Just go to see Laura Piccinin’s production of GO, a hike full of heart, comedy, and charm Full disclosure, I do not hike. As a city boy, my version of hiking is walking from Regent Park to Parkdale. However, even I can understand the appeal of hiking. The nature, the views, […]
There aren’t a lot of companies left like Shakespeare Bash’d in the Toronto theatre scene. They’re indie but they’re experts- a valued production category largely washed away by the pandemic and just starting to be rebuilt by newcomers fresh from theatre school and vets slowly re-emerging after a long hiatus. In this unsteady landscape, Shakespeare […]
Despite the Assembly Theatre’s proscenium setup and the show’s relatively conservative (though definitely present, fair warning) use of audience participation, 13 Plays About ADHD All At the Same Time is an immersive experience. The first work in a long time from one of the city’s most interesting creative minds, 13 Plays is writer/director Alec Toller’s […]
Click Here to read all our reviews from Toronto Fringe 2024. Rooted: A Musical Poem (A) Ambitious, substantive, and memorable, this full-scale musical is one of the most polished pieces at the Fringe and definitely deserves a bigger run in a larger theatre. Jewelle Blackman’s book is a bittersweet and deceptively mature Giving-Tree-esque coming of age […]
Click Here to read all our reviews from Toronto Fringe 2024. Desperate Measures (A) Cameron Kneteman and Hilary Wirachowsky anchor this charming but thoughtful comedy about financial desperation with charisma and chemistry. Rachel Moore & Catherine Teichman’s script is funny but not too goofy and rooted at all turns in believable human behaviour. A fresh […]
Click Here to read all our reviews from Toronto Fringe 2024. Rat Academy (A) Crystal clear dramaturgy, impeccable character work, and impressive technical skill mark this clown duet about endangered Albertan rats as a can’t-miss oddity. Honouring the heart of clown tradition with a classic White/Auguste pairing, Katie Yoner and Dayna Lea Hoffmann’s Fingers […]