Asiansploitation kills with comedy at the George Ignatieff Theatre in Toronto

When you leave Toronto’s  George Ignatieff Theatre after seeing Asiansploitation’s The Text Generation, chances are you will be scratching your head, feeling  lost, like you are halfway through a Sudoku puzzle. You won’t be looking for numbers, though- you’ll be asking yourself “Why the Fukui aren’t the people in this show gigantic stars?”

You might also be considering looking up a good acupuncture therapist on a mobile app, because your jaw will be so sore from an entire evening of laughing out loud.

Continue reading Review: Asiansploitation: The Text Generation →

Explore the surreal with The Dreamer Examines His Pillow, playing at Toronto’s Unit 102 Theatre

The Dreamer Examines His Pillow is currently on stage at Toronto’s cozy Unit 102 Theatre. Column 13 has brought this play to stage. Unit 102 Theatre is a perfect venue for The Dreamer Examines His Pillow. Without a little background, you could easily think that the play was written for the theatre.

The Dreamer Examines His Pillow has three characters: Tommy, Donna and Dad.  The three are far closer to people that we know in real life than the ones we have to put up with on television. The issues they grapple with are universal and important. There is a connection between cast and audience. All this makes for a play that its audience can relate to. I certainly did.

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Pomme Grenade’s Cowboy Mouth is another successful piece in Toronto’s Playwright Project

Cowboy Mouth is a play written by Patti Smith and Sam Shepard. It’s currently onstage as part of The Playwright Project. I was fortunate to see it at one of my favourite places in Toronto, The Cameron House, with one of my favourite people, Mike. All of these ingredients make for quite an enjoyable evening.

The Playwright Project is an extremely ambitious and a fantastic idea. That it has become a reality, and in its second year, is a minor miracle.

Continue reading Review: Cowboy Mouth (Pomme Grenade Productions/The Playwright Project) →

Enter Laughing is a play by Joseph Stein. It is based on the semi-autobiography of entertainment icon Carl Reiner. It is a heartwarming coming of age play, now onstage at The Toronto Centre for the Arts . It’s a great comedy with great acting. It is as universal and relevant as ever.

Set in New York City in the 1930s, Enter Laughing debuted on Broadway in 1963. It certainly adheres to the classic, clean comedy style of a bygone era. It’s hard not to call it “good, clean fun”. It is the story of David Kolowitz, who is trying to break into show business while juggling three girlfriends.

Continue reading Review: Enter Laughing (Encore Entertainment) →

Revisit some unforgettable music history at Toronto’s Randolph Theatre

Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story is a great night you won’t soon forget. It is a celebration of Buddy’s life in particular, and life in general. If you like to smile, dance and clap, call a friend and make plans to head down to The Randolph Theatre in Toronto.

Buddy Holly was an amazing talent who took the world by storm, made it dance, and was killed way before his time. It wasn’t heroin or bullets that killed Buddy. He died in a winter plane crash while on a tour. He went on the tour to provide for his family. The play Buddy really brings this human side of Buddy Holly the person to life. Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story is a celebration of his life.

Eric Bleyendaal, who plays Buddy, certainly seems to understand that mountain of history. He brings the same self-confidence and conviction to his performance that Buddy brought to his music. He’s onstage most of the time acting, singing and playing guitar. His acting is great, as is his singing. His energy and charisma are enviable, even better than a shot of cappuccino! Continue reading Review: Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story (Lower Ossington Theatre) →