Now a hotly anticipated annual event in Toronto, The Musical Stage Company‘s musical tribute sits squarely at the intersection of theatrical production and concert, improving both. This year’s iteration, Uncovered: Stevie Wonder & Prince, celebrating the music of both artists, was an absolute delight. Continue reading Review: Uncovered: Stevie Wonder and Prince (Musical Stage Company)
The ladies take over Bad Dog Theatre Company for a night of stand up magic in YAS KWEENAn ongoing problem in the comedy scene, basically everywhere, is jokes that “punch down”: that is, comedy that gets its laugh by taking shots at people with less cultural power, relying on stereotypes for a lazy punch line. How refreshing, then, to settle in at Bad Dog Comedy Theatre‘s YAS KWEEN, a monthly comedy show curated by Nelu Handa and featuring all women of color comedians and hear a lot of very funny women.
The correct time to see a comedic action-adventure solo show set in a strip club is 10:30 on a Saturday night at the 2019 Toronto Fringe Festival. Becoming Magic Mike: An Action Adventure Comedy gave the fairly full house exactly what it wanted — a playful romp. Continue reading Becoming Magic Mike: An Action Adventure Comedy (DK Reinemer) 2019 Toronto Fringe Review
I’ll be honest: I love a Fringe musical. They’re stripped down little items, and I find the raw edges of them somehow very appealing. BFFs, a new two-hander musical at the 2019 Toronto Fringe Festival from Greg McLeod and David Poon is charming in its concept, though I found it somewhat uneven in the delivery.
Continue reading BFFs (Bad Dress Productions) 2019 Toronto Fringe Review
Despite the melodramatic nonsense title, The Ashes of Forgotten Rain at the 2019 Toronto Fringe is a comedy — a theatrical comedy. As in, it’s a comedy about working in theatre, full of in jokes and meta-references and pleasingly-headshaking “ah, the theatah.” For this kind of show to work at all, it needs actors that can commit fully to a high level of nonsense and then ride it through the grave and back to life. To the benefit of my funny bone, to say nothing of my spirits, this exceptionally well stage-managed play had them.