The trouble with adapting most children’s books is that they are very light on plot. Niagara’s Carousel Players’ two-person production of Where the Wild Things Are (originally adapted for the stage by TAG Theatre in Glasgow) suffers from this problem- it’s only 65 minutes long and still feels like they’re filling for time. What felt […]

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 […]

Ensemble, while at times aimless, is a hilarious rallying cry for our cop #3s, angry citizen #2s, guard #4s and other nameless numbered thespians who just want some f****ng respect.   As someone who in university and high school consistently got the ensemble numbered roles, this one felt personal! (And yes the exclamation point is […]

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, […]

During the COVID-19 lockdowns, to deal with isolation and lack of live theatre, we started gathering some of our favourite people every Tuesday & Saturday night to read scripts over Zoom. We read all 38 Shakespeare plays in six months. Then we kept going. We decided to create mini-seasons featuring highlights from the canons of […]

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 […]

Critic Note: The performance reviewed was of the October 1st preview   Content Warning: This review will contain mentions of child sexual abuse. To view more detailed content warnings of Blackbird please check out the show page on Talk Is Free Theatre’s website.   Incredible performances and chemistry between Cyrus Lane (Ray) and Kirstyn Russelle […]

The best things at the Shaw Festival seem to, at least for me, always come as a surprise. So I’m shocked but not shocked to tell you that, in 2025, the Shaw show I can’t stop thinking about is Tons of Money. The farce. Of all things.   I hate farce but I love Mike […]