Theatre Smith-Gilmour presents a stripped down black box take on the Victor Hugo classic in Toronto
The story of Les Misérables is well known to most as the 1980 musical by Claude-Michele Schöenberg, be it on stage or the movie starring Hugh Jackman. This theatrical adaptation by Dean Gilmour and Michele Smith, co-artistic directors of Theatre Smith-Gilmour, dives into the pathos of the story without relying on any of the big scores and big sets audiences have grown accustomed to. For me, this stripped down retelling of the well-known tale underscores some of the most timeless elements of the story. We do not need as much stuff as we think we need, and adhering to the status quo is not always the right choice. Continue reading Review: Les Misérables (Theatre Smith-Gilmour)→
4.48 Psychosis by Sarah Kane (Native Earth Performing Arts, 2018) is a 75 minute ode to suicidality. The protagonist, her lover, and her psychiatrist rarely engage in dialogue, with most of the narrative unfolding in the form of voluminous poetic monologues. There is no plot per se, but rather a deep exploration of the inner life of someone on the brink of death. Continue reading Review: 4.48 Psychosis (NSK Theatre)→
The COC brings one of Mozart’s masterpieces to the Toronto stage
The Canadian Opera Company’s original production of The Abduction from the Seraglio (Die Entfürung aus dem Serail, W.A. Mozart, 1782), under the direction of Wajdi Mouawad, has made some bold and progressive choices with difficult and racially charged subject matter. There is some deviation from the original 18th century text, which is aided by the fact that this is a Singspiel opera, wherein the dialog is spoken, rather than sung as recitative.
hang is “ingenious” and “shrewdly written”, on stage in Toronto
“What could ‘justice’ look like for the victims of a heinous, life-altering crime?” is an intense question to explore. hang, by debbie tucker green wades right into that intensity and does not back away for a second. The current Obsidian Theatre production teases out every painstakingly uncomfortable beat with unrelenting commitment. Continue reading Review: hang (Obsidian Theatre)→
Theatre Smith-Gilmour presents a stripped down black box take on the Victor Hugo classic in Toronto
Polarizing play takes to the Toronto stage
hang is “ingenious” and “shrewdly written”, on stage in Toronto
The Canadian Opera Company’s remount of Rigoletto in Toronto garners new relevancy in #metoo era