Live Theatre in Toronto

[Roy G Biv]

I saw Caryl Churchill's Cloud 9 at the Panosonic last night. Wow! What a great production. Author Anne-Marie McDonald as young Edward, and then old Betty, was fantastic.

There were a few members of the audience who were a bit shocked at the displays of sex, swearing, homosexuality, and pedophilia....

My only critique may lie in the fact that the play doesn't come off as particularly fresh or relevant in 2010.

 

[Benc7]

I saw Caryl Churchill's Cloud 9 at the Panosonic last night. Wow! What a great production. Author Anne-Marie McDonald as young Edward, and then old Betty, was fantastic.

There were a few members of the audience who were a bit shocked at the displays of sex, swearing, homosexuality, and pedophilia....

My only critique may lie in the fact that the play doesn't come off as particularly fresh or relevant in 2010.

I really wanted to see "Cloud Nine"; I loved the production of Churchill's "Top Girls" at Soulpepper a couple of years ago and "Cloud Nine" has a few of the same cast members in it. But , I ain't gonna be able to. Rats!

While you were being entertained and informed by the "displays of swearing, homosexuality, and pedophilia" I was being put to sleep by.....

 

[Benc7]

Little House on the Prarie-Canon Theatre

Little House on the Prairie the (god help us), musical now on at the Canon defied my expectations. I expected to be drowned in treacle, smothered in molasses, buried in sweet, saccharine sentiment. Instead, I was bored in to a coma by the efforts of a really fine cast trying to breath life into a wooden, sawdust musical. It was a pity; such good voices, such tedious lyrics.

There is, I understand, a huge fan base for the series this dry production is based on, Melissa Gilbert the little girl star is back, playing the role of the mother. She provided "name recognition" and little more; wisely, they've given her very little to sing. The star of the show, Kara Lindsay plays the role of Laura Ingalls and does a wonderful job with what she's given. They all do.

So, instead of treacle and molasses, I got slightly sugared, flat soda water. Too bad. The people seated near me were in agreement that it "was better than they thought it would be" and "not as bad as they expected". Damned with faint praise!

Two acts, one intermission
http://174.143.72.81/shows/littlehouseonthepraire

 

[Benc7]

Hush - Tarragon Theatre

There's a lot of creepy stuff in "Hush", the new play by Rosa Laborde. Twelve-year old Lily (Vivien Endicott-Douglas) suffers from nightmares. Her father,Harlem(Graeme Somerville) tries to help, but gets sucked up into them. Maybe, he's the cause. Andre(Conrad Coates) Harlem's friend and colleague, offers advice and shelter to the little girl. Talia (Tara Rosling) plays the role of Lily's mother in flashbacks that are, at times, confusing. This cast, is a mighty fine one and Richard Rose has done a great job of directing them in a seamless, smooth production.

The dialogue gets caught up in the words, a funny thing to say, but sometimes every one is just too glib for the play's own good. There are some riveting scenes ( one in particular was difficult for me to watch) and the play did take me along with it, right up to the end. And the end is the big problem; there's nothing in the play to suggest that everything will be tied up in a neat, hopeful little bow and yet that's what happens. It's a "feel-good" cheat; the play and the cast are worthy of more than that. Even with a starry-night sky as a backdrop (and I'm a sucker for starry-night skies) the last five minutes of the production didn't sell me anything I wanted to buy.

One act, no intermission
http://www.tarragontheatre.com/season/0910/hush/#bb_notes

 

[Benc7]

Mirvish Announces 2010-2011 Season

Not many surprises!

PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT THE MUSICALBy Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott

OCTOBER & NOVEMBER 2010

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM
Book By Burt Shevelove & Larry Gelbart
Music & Lyrics By Stephen Sondheim

The Stratford Shakespeare Festival Production
Directed By Des McAnuff
DECEMBER 2010 & JANUARY 2011

BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL
Music By Elton John
Book & Lyrics by Lee Hall
Directed by Stephen Daldry
Choreographed by Peter Darling
BEGINS FEBRUARY 2011

THE SECRET GARDENBook and Lyrics By Marsha Norman
Music by Lucy Simon
Based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett
MARCH & APRIL 2011

SWEET CHARITYBook By Neil Simon
Music By Cy Coleman
Lyrics By Dorothy Fields
Directed By Matthew White
MARCH & APRIL 2011


CALENDAR GIRLSBy Tim Firth
Directed by Marti Maraden
APRIL & MAY 2001

BONUS SHOWS

MY MOTHER’S LESBIAN JEWISH WICCAN WEDDING
Panasonic Theatre
February 26 – March 21
ROCK OF AGES
Royal Alexandra Theatre
Begins April 20

MAMMA MIA!
Princess of Wales Theatre
April 28 – June 6

A JEW GROWS IN BROOKLYN
Panasonic Theatre
April 28 – May 16

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
Canon Theatre
June 8 - 13

WINGFIELD - LOST AND FOUND
Panasonic Theatre
January 12 – 23

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/769788--mirvish-productions-unveils-new-season?bn=1

http://www.mirvish.com/homepagefeature/anewseason

 

[PinkLucy]

Looking forward to Priscilla!

 

[Benc7]

Tarragon Theatre-Announces 2010-2011 Season

Tarragon Theatre's 40th Anniversary Season for 2010-2011

Stephen Massicotte's The Clockmaker

Joan Didion's shattering The Year of Magical Thinking.

The Harps of God-Kent Stetson's 2001 Governor General's Literary Award-winning tragedy

More Fine Girls, written, directed, and starring the original creative team of Jennifer Brewin, Leah Cherniak, Ann-Marie MacDonald, Alisa Palmer and Martha Ross.

Wajdi Mouawad, Forests

Wide Awake Hearts by Max Gail

After Akhmatova by Kate Cayley

Subscriptions are on sale now from $85 at a "beat the HST" discount. For tickets and information, call 416-531-1827

http://www.thestar.com/entertainmen...atre-s-40th-season-includes-2-world-premieres

 

[Roy G Biv]

THE OVERWHELMING by J.T. Rogers
Studio 180
Berkley Theatre

Studio 180 has a history of tackling the complex and gut-wrenching, using theatre as a tool to deconstruct the human condition, in a no-taboos search for truth. In this play, the search for truth itself is examined.

The Overwhelming takes place in early 90's Kigali, Rawanda, as something ominous and unknown begins encroaching upon the lives of the locals. An American academic couple arrives with innocent (and naive) intentions, but are slowly devoured by a world they know nothing about. The absolutes that act as the glue for their Western psyche begin to crumble, leaving them as equally naked, defenseless and invisible as the locals being slaughtered around them.

This is a very talky play that requires some interest in geo-politics. However, it is masterfully executed by Joel Greenberg and his cast. It is paced carefully, with long context-building scenes in the first act, setting the stage for a faster, John le Carrésque second act.

All-around awesome.

John Coulbourn - Canoe
4.5/5
http://jam.canoe.ca/Theatre/Reviews/O/Overwhelming/2010/03/11/13197371.html

 

[Benc7]

Waiting for the Parade-Soulpepper Theatre

Following "Billy Bishop Goes to War" and the terrific production of "Oh, What a Lovely War" ,Soulpepper continues its examination of war with "Waiting for the Parade" . In this 1977 work, John Murrell takes a look at the lives of five women in Calgary during World War Two. The men (represented by army uniforms) are gone, and the women are left to make a life for themselves in a very new world. Great performances by Fiona Byrne (Marta) the daughter of an interred German national, Deborah Drakeford (Janet), Michelle Monteith (Catherine), Krystin Pellerin (Eve) and Nancy Palk (Margaret). They are a complicated bunch, and their war is not as black and white an affair as it might seem. Eve has two sons; one goes to war and the other goes to prison for objecting to it. Janet's husband avoids war completely by providing an "essential service":the Texaco New flashes that Janet is convinced unifies the country.
The cast is excellent; it was a pleasure to hear a different, Canadian perspective on that period.

Two Acts, one intermission

http://www.soulpepper.ca/performances/10_season/waiting_for_the_parade.aspx

 

[Benc7]

Jitters-Soulpepper Theatre

Jitters, David French's 1979 play about everything that can go wrong with a new theatre production is still funny, and still spot-on in its mordant observations on trying to make it as an actor in Canada. Or a playwright. Or a director. I love Diane D'Aquila in everything I've seen her do, and love her in this as well. What the hell, the cast of Soulpepper stalwarts is great, even when the play seems like a long Carol Burnett sketch (Now, there's a dated alusion!)

After the trauma of the G20, it was refreshing just to sit back and laugh.

Two hours, fifteen minutes, with two intermissions.

http://www.soulpepper.ca/performances/10_season/jitters.aspx#overview

 

[Benc7]

Miss. Saigon-Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts

I’m glad that Aubrey Dan was able to strike a deal with The Four Season’s Centre to keep it open during the summer months; the building is just too good to keep it dark for that long. My sole reason for seeing this production of “Miss. Saigon” was to hear what a non-operatic production sounded like in this theatre. It took a while to get used to the amplified voices; everything sounded harsh and loud for the first ten minutes. But, the voices overcame that, and what voices! There isn’t a weak link in the bunch.

Ma-Anne Dionisio, who opened this show in the then brand- new Princess of Wales Theatre back in 1993, reprises her role as Kim. Stunning pipes! It’s a good thing the cast is so talented; they made me forget about the road-tour scenery and the crowd scenes that just aren’t crowded. Since it’s set in the final years of the Vietnam War, crowds and a sense of panic are important. However, what I found wrong with it back in 1993 is still what’s wrong with it now. It’s yet another adaptation of Madama Butterfly. Really? For all of the dry ice and landing helicopters, this is an unoriginal tale and it bugged me then and it bugs me now. Regardless, it played for eons everywhere and is certainly worth a listen to now just for those spectacular voices.

2 hours, thirty minutes, with one 20 minute intermission.


http://www.dancaptickets.com/pages/miss-saigon

 

[Benc7]

A Month in the Country- Soulpepper Theatre

To make a VERY long story short: the lady of the house, loved by her husband and her husband's best friend, falls in love with a young tutor who is loved by her young ward who is loved by a very much older man... Laszlo Marton directed this play, apparently not sure what country or period it was set in. It's definitely Russian and definitely 19th century, and he does nothing for it by introducing skateboards and modern idioms, trying to force this thing into the 21st century. The set is similar to that of of his "Uncle Vanya" from a couple of seasons ago; ramshackle, unappealing and not worthy of the writing.
The actors do what they can, some more successfully than others:Joseph Ziegler as the doctor give one of the most fascinating marriage proposals I've ever heard on stage. What struck me was how good the writing is, even after being forced through several translations and this unfortunate interpretation. I'd love to see it again, with another director and another cast.

2 hours 20 minutes, with one 20 minute intermission

http://www.soulpepper.ca/performances/10_season/a_month_in_the_country.aspx

 

[Benc7]

Legally Blonde: The Musical -Princess of Wales Theatre

Watching Legally Blonde:The Musical is sort of like being force-fed a big ball of cotton candy...pink cotton candy. Unlike the usual juke box musicals, this one doesn't come with pre-sold top forty songs, just the plot from a very popular movie. The songs they've written for it are as forgettable as the musical itself. The cast is enthusiastic and the set moves frequently and effortlessly. Becky Gulsvig as Elle Woods, is adequate. Everyone is adequate, and frankly, not much more is required. Two dogs that make brief appearances got a round of applause, and the over-the-top stereotype of two gay men got my goat. It was as if they''d put on black-face and a minstrel show. Enough!!!

The theatre was packed, the success of the run assured, and the performance forgotten as soon as it ended.


Two hours, thirty minutes, with one intermission.


http://www.mirvish.com/shows/legallyblonde

 

[Urban Shocker]

Sounds ghastly. I'd have left at intermission - if not sooner.

 

[Benc7]

Sounds ghastly. I'd have left at intermission - if not sooner.

I've rarely left anything at intermission, always hopeful there might be something worthwhile in the second and third acts. Usually there is, but sometimes the only positive thing I find is that the bloody thing ends!