Having reviewed for Mooney on Theatre for a number of years now, I must admit that I’ve become a bit of a theatre snob. This is of course contrary to the mandate of MoT, which aims to share opinions that are constructive and accessible for theatre lovers and soon-to-be-converts. After years of biweekly (or more) productions, it’s rare to see a production as clever, well-rehearsed, and completely spot-on as Nictophobia Films’ Night of the Living Dead Live, playing at Theatre Passe Muraille until May 19th.
Thought-provoking theatre in The Seagull in Four Movements, staged at Toronto’s Winchester Kitchen and Bar
Upstart Theatre’s The Seagull in Four Movements takes place in a faded cocktail bar in present day Toronto. Like its late nineteenth-century Chekhovian reference, it’s rife with the passion of a love-pentagon – much more complex than a love-triangle – and balances everyday issues of vanity, insecurity and the pursuit of a mother’s love with modern-day vernacular. Writer/Director Meg Moran included lines like, “Sorry I was late, the College car was backed up” or “God I love Toronto!” to make the piece instantly accessible and applicable to the here and now, despite The Seagull’s antique origin.
A deep look into theatrical great Sky Gilbert’s life, playing at Toronto’s Videofag
Typically, when I choose a show which looks dynamic, interesting and topical to review, I write about it after seeing it. But once I chose To Myself at 28 taking place at videofag for an extremely limited run, I received an email stating that Friday’s To Myself at 28 is more workshop than fully fleshed production, “feedback is welcome but a full review is not appropriate.” Perfect. I can just sit back and relax when I watch this one.
Théâtre français de Toronto stages II (Two Rooms), an evocative French-language theatre production
I don’t know a ton of Anglophones who high-tail it over to see French theatre in Toronto. It’s a shame, because watching something live, in another language, is like taking a different path to a familiar destination or ordering a flakey croissant over a breakfast bagel. It’s a refreshing way to experience theatre because it requires a level of attention beyond the typically passive observer. To understand, you must read the surtitles, sometimes leaning forward to catch both inflection and the written word.
