Challenging Edward Albee play brought to the Toronto stage by Soulpepper

The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?,  Edward Albee‘s 2002 Tony Award winning play currently being presented by Soulpepper, is challenging. It’s about bestiality. That’s not a spoiler. The title gives it away, and we find out that Sylvia really is, in fact, a goat early on. For me, the challenging part wasn’t the goat per se. The hard part was being forced to think about how I react to ideas or behaviours far outside my realm of “normal.” Continue reading Review: The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? (Soulpepper) →

Toronto’s Cahoots and Obsidian theatres co-produce writer Amanda Parris’ debut play

Other Side of the Game, currently being performed at Aki Studio, is the first professionally produced play by Amanda Parris. She is definitely someone to keep an eye on in the future. Her play is a powerfully written piece that gives voice to the often-unheard stories of Black women in Toronto. Continue reading Review: Other Side of the Game (Cahoots Theatre/Obsidian Theatre) →

WWTNS?​ presents The Diana Tapes, a play by James Clements, in Toronto

I’m definitely not a monarchist, but even I admit to being captivated by the story of Diana, Princess of Wales. The beautiful young woman swept away by the prince. The fairy tale wedding. The troubled marriage. The dramatic car crash in Paris.  Who can resist the inherent drama of her life? The Diana Tapes, being performed by What Will The Neighbors Say? Theatre Company at the Red Sandcastle Theatre, focuses on a crucial episode of Diana’s life – the 1992 publication of Andrew Morton’s biography, Diana: Her True Story. Continue reading Review: The Diana Tapes (What Will The Neighbors Say?) →

The Aliens, by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, arrives on the Toronto stage

On the surface, The Aliens (currently on stage at Coal Mine Theatre) doesn’t seem to have a lot going on. There’s not much of a plot, not a lot of action, and not a lot of dialogue. But like a skillful artist can do with just a few lines on paper, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker creates a rich emotional world with seemingly little. Continue reading Review: The Aliens (Coal Mine Theatre) →

Fun and accessible opera takes to the Toronto stage

I have always been a little intimidated by opera. I don’t know a lot about music. It’s often in a language I don’t speak, I have a hard time following the plot, and tickets are often very expensive. But Bandits in the Valley—Tapestry Opera’s new whimsical short opera being performed the Todmorden Mills Historic Site–was a fun, accessible, and free way to experience the art form in a lovely and novel setting. Continue reading Review: Bandits in the Valley (Tapestry Opera) →