Tucked away in a tiny theatre in Parkdale, No Clowns Allowed is a success. Lighthearted in a macabre way (it definitely worked!), the show has moments of tenderness and seriousness while dealing with some difficult material. I was grateful for the thoughtful announcement before the show from the Stage Manager, informing the audience that the […]
One of the strengths of science fiction is the power it has to tackle ideas and discussions that might otherwise feel too distant for an audience, and make them feel real, visceral and approachable. From The Water is at its best when showcasing that strength, taking the audience into a deep dive into the idea […]
The Philosopher’s Wife, the first part of Paradigm Productions’ epic Empire Trilogy, has a “soft” opening scene in its current staging at the AKI Studio Theatre. Playwright Susanna Fournier introduces the show, taking down the robe of The Philosopher, which has been hanging at the centre of the round stage. She explains that, due to […]
Over the last three months, Spur-of-the-Moment Shakespeare Collective’s ensemble…
What I Call Her is a new play written by Ellie Moon and performed in partnership with Crow’s Theatre. Opening night was a great success, filled with the thrill and jitter of any new performance. Audience members greeted each other, proud parents beamed, and we all admired the wonderfully designed set. I don’t think I’ve […]
That’s right, I’m talking about Mirvish’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical and Tarragon’s Marshall McLuhan one-act in one article. They’re both terrible- dull, simplistic, varying degrees of ridiculous- and they’re playing in Toronto at the same time, but the two have more in common than just ruining my Wednesday nights. In Jason Sherman’s The […]
Writer/director Bobby Del Rio’s ambitious attempt to take on the ever-relevant themes of rape and trauma is an admirable undertaking with an uneven execution. Del Rio points out in the programme that you might assume this piece was written in response to #MeToo. In fact, he wrote the first draft six years ago. The script […]
Secret Life of a Mother at the Theatre Centre is a stunning exploration of the raw, invisible, and gritty realities of two women’s experiences of parenthood. Created by Hannah Moscovitch, Maev Beaty, Ann-Marie Kerr, and Marinda de Beer, the narrative centres on Moscovitch’s early experiences with motherhood, performed as a solo show by Beaty. The […]