Experimental improv, sketch comedy and stand-up at Toronto’s Comedy Bar’s Festival of New Formats
Over the first week of January the Comedy Bar presented their annual Festival of New Formats; a 5-day event of free theatre where sketch troupes, improv teams and stand-up comics pitched their ideas for new shows to be showcased at what could be argued is one of Toronto’s foremost locations for improvisational and sketch comedy. Sadly, I was only able to see the final night of the festival, but if what I saw was anything to go by the Comedy Bar is sure to have some exciting new shows in the near future.
Well, honestly, it doesn’t. Not exactly, at least. If you’re looking for an in depth analysis of J.K. Rowling’s famous series about the Boy Who Lived, Potted Potter isn’t going to give it to you. On the other hand, if you’re looking for an evening of sheer family friendly fun with Harry Potter trappings, you’re in for a real treat. Originally from the Edinburgh Fringe festival in Scotland, written and performed by Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner, the production has come to Toronto with a new cast and all of the energy that earned it an Olivier award in 2012.
A Ticket on the 4 is a series of vignettes inspired by Charles Bukowski playing at Toronto’s Aluna Theatre
The big selling point of Peacock Productions’A Ticket on the 4 is its inspiration, namely that of Charles Bukowski. Drenched in alcoholism and that gritty desperation that was so representative of his writing, A Ticket on the 4 is enticing for theatre fans and American literature buffs alike, and director Jennifer Lindsay deserves a great deal of credit for facing the sometimes difficult subject matter head on, even if the play occasionally loses its footing in execution.
A Ticket on the 4 is a bare bones production, using the intimacy of the Aluna Theatre with efficiency — utilizing just a few chairs, a bar and a few extraneous props to establish the world of the racetrack that the most of the narrative takes place in.
The humorous styles of Commedia Dell’arte are brought to life in The Glorious Ones at the Zion Cultural Centre in Toronto
There’s something exciting about seeing a play about one of your passions. When I was in university my very first research paper was on an Italian theatrical style called Commedia Dell’arte: an improvisational, sketch based style that catered to the common people with bawdy humour, slapstick and acrobatics that was at that time completely unheard of. The influence of Commedia Dell’arte is still felt in todays comedies with the most notable being the character of Harlequin, a witty servant character who often outsmarted boisterous villains with his athletics and humour, whose personality can still be seen in characters like Bugs Bunny or pretty much every Disney sidekick ever.
When I learned that The Civic Light-Opera Company was putting on a production of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens’ The Glorious Ones I was very excited. Not only is it a play all about the origins of Commedia Dell’arte, but it was also written by the duo responsible for such Broadway hits as Ragtime and Seussical. Such an exciting choice was perfect for The Civic Light-Opera Company’s 100th production, so I had high hopes going into the show.
Three of history’s most notorious names in propaganda gather in Dinner with Goebbels at Toronto’s Red Sandcastle Theatre
Going into act2studio WORKS‘ production of Dinner With Goebbels I can’t deny I was nervous. Watching a play about Karl Rove, Joseph Goebbels and Edward Bernays having dinner together is a challenging and intriguing idea, but also one that requires some very careful navigation on behalf of the playwright to make sure it doesn’t dissolve into an uncomfortable caricature.
The good news is that for the most part the script is well written and fascinating, giving an hour long lesson on the art of propaganda and three of its most infamous practitioners that, on its own, shows that playwright Mark Leith knows his subject matter.
