Like many other Canadian playwrights, Joan McLeod enjoys writing about Canada. But what sets her apart is her desire to peel back the peaceful veneer of Canadian society and reveal the stark reality of conflict and unease that often goes unacknowledged. This is true of her 2013 play, The Valley, which takes an unflinching look at mental health and, more specifically, the interaction of on-duty police officers with citizens suffering with mental illness.
Read MoreTheatre on the Ridge has recognized the depths of Wilde’s most popular work with its recent preview performance in Port Perry, Ontario. The writing speaks for itself, but it is the acting that elevates this production.
Read More“The Robert E. Lee Statue” was an interesting idea that I look forward to seeing expanded on and how these characters evolve.
Read MoreIn the newest play by Jake Shore, “The Sun Hangs There Between the Buildings and the Trees” tackles ideas of the morality of murder and when it is acceptable to take matters into your own hands.
Read MoreWhile it is easy to draw comparison to today’s political climate, it must be pointed out that the show itself is by no means a political bloodbath against Christianity or religion, but rather it is expertly grounded in strong characters and writing to explore a not-oft discussed time in history that can inform our present on multiple hot button issues from religion in politics to women’s rights.
Read MoreNathan the Wise’ is a play that requires at least two or more viewings for its rich subtext of the exploration of three faiths. If anything, for a twenty first century audience, the play allows us hopefully to open that discussion of trying to find a common humanity and element that exists between all of us.
Read MoreLet’s be honest – I had fun at ‘The Office A Musical Parody’. Yes, I smiled and laughed at some of the double entendres and innuendos that do take place in an office and/or school setting so thanks to the McSmiths for the laughs.
Read MoreUpon the announcement that “Freddie” would join the Joyce Theater’s 2019 season, I was simultaneously overjoyed and apprehensive. How could this bubbly eccentric style translate to the formality of the Joyce Theater? How could Blackstone and a cast of primarily new dancers breathe fresh life into the show three years later? And how would audiences—both old and new—engage with “Freddie” today?
Read MoreWhile the show might not necessarily be to everyone’s tastes or suitable for younger viewers (unless they’ve been raised on glam metal, I suppose!), there’s no denying that ‘Rock of Ages’ makes for a loud and very fun time at the theatre.
Read MoreUnder the direction of Neale Whitmore, the talented cast and crew of Theatre Frisco crafted a vibrant and dynamic performance of Stephen Sondheim’s celebrated work, “A Little Night Music.” Their stunning production sprung to life with a high octane array of rich vocals and sleek choreography wrapped in the deep textures of romance and intrigue.
Read MoreDespite the challenges of the script, the three fine actors transcend the material to offer glimpses into the often-undisclosed problems facing three generations of women caught in restrictive matrices of expectation and oppression. It was wonderful to see Marsha Mason’s craft coalesce the threads of the three women-in-waiting to a settling down to sleep and all that metaphor encompasses.
Read More“In the Penal Colony” is not a play that you can fully absorb minutes after the curtain closes. This is a play that sinks in to your skin and stays there. A play that you feel before you even know why. Twenty-four hours after seeing the show, there are still things that I am working to uncover.
Read MoreCreating Shakespearean productions that are accessible and intriguing entertainment for people of all ages is a true challenge. To do it consistently for a quarter century, well, that’s another thing entirely. Yet, the Driftwood Theatre Group has been doing just that since 1995.
Read More“Winn Dixie” wisely understands that real life is far more complicated and it doesn’t try to deliver easy answers. Its characters are real, flawed humans whose problems can’t be tap-danced away. Their demons won’t be cured tomorrow. It’s a good lesson for kids of all ages to learn, rolled up in a fun and charming package.”
Read MoreTruth be told, this 36-year-old script now appears as if it doesn’t have the same electric punch and jab it once had. That is not to say the performances are lacking because these four actors are top notch.
Read MoreRain could not stop this performance of one of Shakespeare’s most well-known plays. The crowd gathered, umbrellas raised, to see Shakespeare in the Parking Lot’s production of “Romeo and Juliet”. This very enjoyable production took the classic story and gave it an 80s/90s spin, with costumes from those decades bringing the characters even closer to reality and allowing us to relate to them more than we already could.
Read MoreCameron Mackintosh’s Broadway revival of “Miss Saigon” opened on Thursday, July 19 at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. This version is especially poignant as Americans daily read and watch the political refugee crisis, as desperate people flee violence in Central America and other countries under our current administration.
Read MoreIf you feel like learning about the incredible woman who was known as “The Florence Nightingale of Newfoundland,” or you’re in the mood for a solid piece of theatre, head to Port Perry to see Theatre on the Ridge’s production of Tempting Providence.
Read MoreWhat I enjoyed about “The Play That Goes Wrong” by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields of Mischief Theatre Company is that it’s a play within a play. We are sitting in the audience watching “The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society" perform their newest murder mystery “The Murder at Haversham Manor.”
Read MoreGo see this novel interpretation of this classic tale about a man’s struggle to replace vanity, pride, and ignorance with grace, humility and intelligence. It is an ironic anecdote of missed opportunities, it reminds us that, after all, beauty is only skin deep.
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