After the Fire, the latest offering from indigenous playwright Matthew MacKenzie, is a powerfully dramatic yet darkly comedic take on the aftermath of Canada’s costliest natural disaster, the wildfires that tore through Fort MacMurray, Alberta in May 2016. Presented by MacKenzie’s own Punctuate! Theatre and the Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts in association with Native Earth […]
At Mirvish Productions’ The Play That Goes Wrong, only the title is an understatement. Audiences are quickly enveloped in a fully immersive farce that never lets go- not during the curiously long intermission, and not even leaving the show as fears linger that the ‘fuh-caydes’ of the whole world could collapse at any moment. It’s […]
At first glance, magicians would seem to have it rough in the twenty-first century. No matter how much practice and skill goes into mastering a seemingly inexplicable trick, one whose origins may go back centuries, the audience’s wonder is more likely these days to be tempered by a quick google search, where a mercilessly quick […]
Christmas cheer is descending on the city, and nowhere more than at Campbell House. The historic museum is the perfect venue for The Three Ships Collective’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol, a rare example of a site that is from the same era as the story and retains its aesthetic. Most authentic Victorian buildings are […]
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 […]
The 7 Fingers have returned once again to Toronto, and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Pioneers in the contemporary circus movement, the company now based in Montreal travels the world and shows us the truth and honesty of how wonderful and how difficult circus really is. No doubt it is an amazing spectacle to see […]
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 […]