All posts by Catherine Jan

A former freelance translator in Paris, Catherine Jan now enjoys writing in Toronto and about Toronto. Especially about Toronto theatre. She also blogs about translation, copywriting, editing and other word-related past-times at Catherine Translates. Are you on Twitter? Join @translatetrad‘s 2,000 followers who keep up with her workin’ girl tweets.

Review: Into the Woods (Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts)

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Into the Woods brings fairy tales to life on stage at the Randolph Theatre in Toronto

The fantastic musical Into the Woods, produced by the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts at Toronto’s Randolph Theatre, is a fairy tale extravaganza that shuns happy endings and makes you careful of what you wish for. 

You’ll be recalling a few bedtime stories as you bob your head to Stephen Sondheim‘s music. Based on James Lapine’s book, Into the Woods takes Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel, and has a childless baker and his wife knead those classics into one big mega-tale. Continue reading Review: Into the Woods (Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts) →

Elly’s Emotions (Daley Productions) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review

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At the Toronto Fringe Festival as part of FringeKids!, Elly’s Emotions, playing at the Palmerston Library, is a high-energy must-see musical produced by Daley Productions. It speaks to today’s kids for whom video games replace make-believe games, and being a creative, non-consuming daydreamer can make a child “weird”.

Written by Johnson & Johnston, the play is about how Elly (Torri Webster) struggles to keep her friends who no longer appreciate her lack of “stuff.” Her former pals are drawn to the kid with the Wii. Now who will come to her birthday party when there won’t even be a bouncy castle?
 Continue reading Elly’s Emotions (Daley Productions) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review →

She’s Black, He’s Jewish, They’re Married, Oy Vey! (EpsteinandHassan) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review

Epstein Hassan

Playing at the Annex Theatre as part of the Toronto Fringe Festival, She’s Black, He’s Jewish, They’re Married, Oy Vey! is more than a 27-year-long interracial love story between Epstein and Hassan.

These stand-up comics are marriage counsellors! They share their wisdom on how to keep relationships alive and well and full of action under the sheets.

Their training package for couples, called “Black/Jew/Love technology,” requires homework. But the audience participation involves much more than that. A few willing, good-humoured members of the crowd ended up revealing marital status, sexual orientation, ethnic background and religion. (If you’re shy, no worries, there’s a don’t-bug-me signal.) Continue reading She’s Black, He’s Jewish, They’re Married, Oy Vey! (EpsteinandHassan) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review →