Kelly Bedard

The word “ambitious” has become nearly synonymous with Shifting Ground Collective, a small company barely two years into its existence but already more established and productive than a lot of indie companies ever become. Everyone who runs Shifting Ground is young and hopeful, their clear eyes and full hearts guiding them headfirst into the hazardous […]

Don Giovanni (Canadian Opera Company at the Four Seasons Centre) The COC’s new production of Don Giovanni replaces a much more casual, modern version that I loved but few others seemed to. In its place is a more conventional take with period costumes and the hulking cube set from Fidelio repurposed with doors in place […]

Wintersong: Dances for a Sacred Season is a celebration of both dance and the North’s winter solstice, a time of introspection as the nights grow longer and we prepare for the cold weather ahead. Each individual piece spoke to an aspect of the solstice from the perspective of the choreographer, beautifully performed by the young […]

Slava’s SnowShow (Show One Productions at The Elgin Theatre) There’s something really special about a production that can transcend age, language, and cultural barriers, uniting audiences around the world and even diverse audiences in a single location with a memorable theatrical experience understood completely by everyone in the room. Slava’s SnowShow is absolutely that. A […]

  Kelly Bedard

Holiday! (Bad Dog at The Assembly Theatre) I made it out to Bad Dog Theatre Company’s Comedy on Queen Festival at The Assembly Theatre for one night only, to see an improvised musical based on Sondheim’s Company. With a rotating cast featuring more than a few favourites, I knew it wasn’t one I wanted to […]

Now in its fifth year, Three Ships Collective/Soup Can Theatre’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol has become a tradition so wildly popular that it’s been sold out for weeks. It’s a slam dunk of an idea, an immersive Christmas Carol staged throughout a historic 1822 home, but the company never leans on the concept to […]

  Kelly Bedard

The Nutcracker (National Ballet of Canada) The National Ballet of Canada’s production of The Nutcracker is unlike a lot of other versions in its aesthetic but ultimately suffers the same pitfalls. Santo Loquasto’s Russian-inspired set and costume design is very beautiful though a few visuals, particularly around some of the more culturally specific aspects, are […]

I enjoy the examination of time on stage. Of course, all theatre considers time – in its pacing, and how it weaves certain moments to tell a specific story. It is also intriguing how time and circumstances shape our experience of a production. I should note that for this review, I came in having already […]