Dana Ewachow is too shy to order a pizza over the phone, but has no problem writing on the internet. She keeps herself busy and artistically poor by writing news articles, rants, and fiction for the internet. As you may have noticed, she also writes theatre reviews. She enjoys sketch comedies, dark comedies, light comedies, and burlesque. When she isn’t writing, her odd hobbies include: martial arts, throwing hatchets, and trying to cook food that won’t send her to the hospital. Armed with questionable diplomas and a second degree blackbelt, she will surely take over the world.
Don’t Tell My Dad by Nefarious Projects is a musical comedy playing for Toronto Fringe 2014. The star of the show, Chelsea Manders, stands on the stage wearing a pretty summer dress and an acoustic guitar strapped across her front. Looking at her glowing smile, I half-expect her to start a children’s sing-along.
In some ways, I was right. Manders sings a catchy tune she wrote for her princess-loving niece. Manders names real princesses in order to give the young girl some knowledge on her inspirations. The twist is, all these princesses have either been historically beheaded or have died from the “plaguey-plague”.
Mind Map by Fisgard Labs began on a high note. Wes Lord walked on stage and was greeted with a shy round of applause. Lord looked at the dozen odd people in the seats and pointed out how unenthusiastic we sounded. Sheepishly, the audience realized we could muster a bit more noise. Lord demanded a mulligan and walked off stage. He announced his presence once again and was met with loud clapping and cheers. It was an awkwardly charming start, but I found the charm wore off with this Toronto Fringe Festival show. Continue reading Mind Map (Fisgard Labs) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review→
Real Dead Ghosts (by Shelby Company, playing the Toronto Fringe Festival) begins quietly on the stage of the Robert Gill Theatre. A couple sits on stage, describing a surreal moment of terror. Then, the scene morphs and they are in a cabin in the woods. At this moment, I wonder if the play is going to twist into a horror story or possibly an homage to The Sixth Sense. I was prepared to see some real dead ghosts, but I found something better.
The play is less about ghouls and more about a couple trying to sort out their issues the night before their wedding anniversary. The couple Amber and Graham are haunted by certain aspects of their pasts. They fear that they will be doomed to repeat these scenarios for eternity, much like a ghost with “unfinished business”. The two are haunted by their memories, which can seem as scary as any spectre. Continue reading Real Dead Ghosts (Shelby Company) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review→
Non-actor volunteers accepted The Shakespeare Challege with Twelfth Night in a fundraiser for Shakespeare in Action
The cast runs down the aisle shouting and dancing their way to the stage. The song “I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas is blaring on the speakers. The cast members rifle through a box of costumes, loudly declaring what piece is for them. The giddiness of the actors makes the play feel spontaneous. The production of Twelfth Night by Shakespeare In Action at the Arts & Letters Club changes from a long-awaited gala, to an impromptu comedy.
The play’s title refers to the twelfth night after Christmas. This day was previously celebrated as Saturnalia, an ancient Roman festival full of drinking and switching of social order. So, on the twelfth night servants dressed as their masters, men as women, and vice versa. Shakespeare’s comedy toys with the idea of switching roles through switching gender and status. Costumes, twins, and trickery all help in creating chaos. Watching the misunderstandings multiply is the best part of the play, other than Malvolio’s bright yellow stockings. Continue reading Review: Twelfth Night (Shakespeare In Action)→
Contractions, at Toronto’s Storefront, is absurd, oppressive, touching, and very, very important
The Storefront Theatre is packed and the air is prickling with excitement on the opening night of Contractions by Red One Theatre Collective. The audience members chat amongst themselves, filling the room with noise. Then, the lights go out. The sound of high heels click across the floor. A woman appears in a smart business outfit and sits down at a desk. She waits in her office, not saying a word. A ripple goes through the audience. This scenario feels all too familiar. We sit in attentive silence, as if we are in line for our own corporate interview.
Contractions is an adaptation of Mike Bartlett’s radio play “Love Contract” from 2008. The play is the simple story of a hard-working employee named Emma who finds herself being monitored by her company for pursuing a romantic relationship with a coworker. Emma is forced to endure multiple “chats” with her unrelenting manager about company policy with cases of coworker relationships. The interviews escalate in levels of absurdity, showing a manager’s strict concern about Emma placing her life as a priority above her company. Continue reading Review: Contractions (Red One Theatre Collective)→
Don’t Tell My Dad by Nefarious Projects is a musical comedy playing for Toronto Fringe 2014. The star of the show, Chelsea Manders, stands on the stage wearing a pretty summer dress and an acoustic guitar strapped across her front. Looking at her glowing smile, I half-expect her to start a children’s sing-along.
Mind Map
