A top-notch cast saves the day in the matter of the National Tour of 2014’s mysterious “Best Musical” Tony winner, currently being presented by Mirvish at the Princess of Wales theatre. There isn’t a weak link in the bunch as they trill and swoon and mug and scheme their way through Robert L. Freedman (book […]
The latest production at the Storefront Theatre is a stop-and-go situation. There are long swaths where I struggled to stay engaged; meandering monologues from playwright Jason Maghanoy’s broad characters in a time and place surprisingly ill defined considering the seeming importance of time and place in Maghanoy’s underdeveloped story about an outlaw unsuccessfully hanged. It’s […]
I had heard that Riverdance was coming to the city on a 20th anniversary tour, and I jumped at the opportunity to see the show. Who wouldn’t! Riverdance is such an iconic production, a reference point for all Irish dance, and just plain fun. No one can deny that. The pre-show hubbub was relaxed and […]
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I walked into the Young Centre for a performance of Neil Simon’s the Odd Couple. On the one hand, this is a Soulpepper production, which suggests a high bar of artistic talent. On the other hand, this is a comedy from the 1960s, an era that is rife […]
A Reason to Talk, produced by Why Not Theatre, has already started when you walk into the Theatre Centre mainspace. There creator Sachli Gholamalizad holds old family photos up to her laptop’s camera, which are projected in real time on to the screen above her. In this evocative way, Gholamalizad introduces us to the subtle […]
For anyone seeking reassurance that opera still has a place in the modern world, Maometto II is an excellent place to start. Directed by David Alden, the COC’s current production (onstage until May 14th) blends dramatic tension and modern themes to create an utterly compelling performance that is difficult to tear yourself away from. Luca […]
Kahn (playwright Fabrizio Filippo), a tech genius, has died and his friends and colleagues, both intimate and estranged, are summoned to an unremarkable airport hotel for the reading of the will. Once they are there, Kahn continues to manipulate the strings from beyond the grave. There are baffling levels of bureaucracy, and a man named Quentin […]
Directed by Joel Ivany in his mainstage debut with the Canadian Opera Company and designed by Michael Yeargan (set) and Francois St-Aubin (costumes), the COC’s current production of Carmen (onstage at the Four Seasons Centre until May 15) is very clean. The stage, the blocking and everything else is neat and tidy with precisely delineated […]