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 […]
Incredibly acted and written in a way that is both engaging and unique, Obsidian Theatre Company and Tarragon Theatre showcase an honest, vulnerable, funny, painful and real look at relationships. Relationships are hard. I know, what a revelation, right? But it is true and that work can make or break people. It can create […]
A Fear And Loathing-esque road trip journey is elevated and driven by powerful and heartfelt performances for a story about friendship, history, love, and regret. D. Halpern’s story starts off with a return to nostalgia through camcorder video tapes. Well edited and shot by designer Seamus Easton, the beginning montage evokes feelings of past […]
Shrek the Musical (Young People’s Theatre) Young People’s Theatre’s production of Shrek the Musical is lean, green, and utterly joyful. It’s one of the biggest productions in the company’s 60-year history and that investment pays off with a strong ensemble, William Layton’s vibrant set design, and an overall high standard of production that could easily […]
Dissonant Species (written by Michel Gordon Spence and Heather Marie Annis) sings a story about trying to understand. Trying to understand music, trying to understand sound, trying to understand people. Like a jumbled up music sheet with various timings and key changes and sounds with no set patterns. It is a piece that drums an […]
When we watch Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice at the Canadian Opera Company, we are offered more than a simple narrative — we’re invited into a space of ritual and reflection. Christophe Gayral’s staging (originally conceived by Robert Carsen in 2011) evokes how I imagine an ancient Greek tragedy performed: stripped of excess, yet […]
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, […]
The narrative road to Bremen Town may be uneven in places but an excellent performance by the ensemble and strong direction with funny dialogue make this a fun and at times emotionally deep road trip. The stage is beautifully framed by images that are reminiscent of a children’s fairy tale book (a thoughtful and […]