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Live Theatre in Toronto

Saw the touring production of The Book of Mormon at the Princess of Wales Theatre. It outrageously and relentlessly (and blasphemously) mocks God, religion and Mormonism, and does so with an impish smile on its face. Like the well scrubbed youthful Mormon missionaries who ring doorbells and offer a “book that will change your life,†the show offers ebullient innocence and earnestness (even as the characters sing “F -you†to God) rather than mean-spiritedness. Humorous choreography and songs that are pastiche of Broadway show tunes (from Annie to Wicked to The Sound of Music and the King and I) further lighten the mood even as our young American protagonists are sent to an African land rife with murderous warlords and AIDS.

Musical theatre audiences tend to skew old and female, but The Book of Mormon is drawing younger people and men, and that is good to see. It’s not a show for the easily offended, but I did not see anybody walk out. In fact, this is the second appearance of the show in Toronto in two years. For the cash-strapped, $25 lottery tickets are available at the box office 2 ½ hours prior to showtime.
 
I saw it last year and loved it. So much fun! I think you do need to have a basic working knowledge of Mormonism (people I know who don't didn't get some of the jokes) to really appreciate it.
 
PinkLucy said:
I saw it last year and loved it. So much fun! I think you do need to have a basic working knowledge of Mormonism (people I know who don't didn't get some of the jokes) to really appreciate it.
Click to expand...

That may be so. I’ve been listening to the Broadway cast CD since it first came out, so I knew what to expect. Those unfamiliar with Mormonism may find some of their preposterous beliefs wildly exaggerated, when in fact the show is largely factual. Of course the tenants of any organized religion are just as ridiculous. But Mormonism is a uniquely American religion, whose prophet Joseph Smith was supposedly visited by the angel Moroni while living in upstate New York in the 1800s. And why should all the prophets and angels and sacred texts all be tied to the Middle East? Why shouldn’t there be Angels in America… or am I thinking of another show? ;-)

Seriously, though, has anyone visited the Mormon Temple in Brampton?

http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/toronto/

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Edit: tenants = tenets
 
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Sounds good, I should go see this one. I agree it's nice to see musical theatre opened up in a way that appeals to other segments of the population:


[video=youtube;3BHyfYiBt5o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BHyfYiBt5o[/video]
 
Saw the return of Kim’s Convenience to Soulpepper on the weekend. The show was the same as I had seen in its initial run two years ago. What was different, though, was the audience. When I first saw it (on a weekday evening performance) the audience was largely East Asian – presumably Korean – and largely under 40. This time (on a Saturday matinee performance) the audience was largely white, but quite diverse in age – from the older theatre-going types to families with children. The laughs were not as big with the latter audience, but I think they still appreciated the play.
 
Thanks for sharing. I saw the show last year and it was very average. I think it caught an audience because people are dying to see themselves represented on stage. So it was novel for a Korean Toronto story. But the story needs work. If it was about the son's journey, he didn't do anything to merit his return to the store or his dad. He didn't risk anything. I also remember seeing way too much of the sister and she hardly added anything to he main storyline of the son and father. The actor who played the son was good.
 
dame edna

going to see the great Dame edna Saturday. She's awesome! There are discount codes for the show if you seek it on google
 
Indeed. I’ve seen her twice before (at the Royal Alex and the Canon) and I’m sorry I’ll likely miss her on her farewell tour. A hoot.
 
Saw Hamlet in Stratford on Thursday. Really glad I went - it's the best production of Hamlet that I've seen. This review I think captures it well:

http://reviewsbyrobyn.blogspot.ca/2015/05/hamlet-readiness-was-all.html

I'm pretty swamped for the rest of the month - but I'm hoping to catch Trudeau and the FLQ/Trudeau and Levesque at Soulpepper. Also on the agenda for me is The Physicists at Stratford and The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures at Shaw.
 
Thanks for the tip. I also heard good things about Hamlet. I am big fan of Video cabaret but I don't have time to to see the newest show. I saw Trudeau last year and it was terrific, especially the guy who plays the lead. speaking of Soulpepper have you seen of Human Bondage? I know the writer Vern Theissen and I'm curious about it. I'm planning on seeing Peter and the Starcatcher at the Shaw. I've never been to shaw before as I usually go to Stratford but this year Shaw's on my list. Do you do any of the Fringe shows? I saw Sleeping Beauty at ballet onSaturday and it was beautiful.
 
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