Review: Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Mirvish Productions)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory dazzles Toronto audiences of all ages with a musical sweet treat

My 6-year-old son and I had a blast at Mirvish ProductionsRoald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, currently on stage at the Princess of Wales Theatre until January 6, 2019. It was a very late school night for a little kid and sitting still for over two hours isn’t his strong suit at the best of times. There were certainly enough lights, sound, action and stage effects to hold his attention and he was still captivated when the final curtain went down at 10 PM. Continue reading Review: Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Mirvish Productions)

Review: Scorch (Bustle and Beast Theatre Co. and Blarney Productions)

Photo of Julie NIUBOI Ferguson in ScorchScorch dazzles on the Toronto stage with questions about gender and justice

Sometimes a show is just great: the set, the direction, the actor, are amazing. That’s exactly what Bustle & Beast Theatre Company with Blarney Production’s Scorch playing at the Theatre Pass Muraille Backspace is: great. As a result, please allow me to count the ways Scorch is a must-see show for  2018.

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Review: Vitals (Theatre Born Between)

Photo of Lauren Wolanski provided by the companyElectric performance anchors this revival of Vitals, now on stage in Toronto

Vitals, by Outside the March playwright-in-residence Rosamund Small, has received several productions and many accolades since its debut, including the 2014 Dora Awards for Outstanding Production and New Play (Independent Theatre category). New theatre company Theatre Born Between devotes its premiere production to the one-woman show, presented in stripped-down form at The Commons Theatre. Thanks to a strong performer and some unique staging elements, the company proves that this urgent script doesn’t need an elaborate production to remain vital.

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