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 […]

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 […]

  Kelly Bedard

I stole the title of this article from one of the productions I’m reviewing within it. It’s a great title that hits perfectly on the unifying theme of the many plays I’ve seen this week. I hope they don’t mind my stealing it.   Angels in America (That Theatre Company in association with Buddies in […]