You Can Sleep When You’re Dead is a collection of haunted house-themed vignettes playing at Toronto’s Campbell House
Very little is known about the history of the haunted house as an attraction or Halloween event. It seems clear that they began to take cultural hold in North America in the late 60s and early 70s, and spread quickly as a fundraising idea during a time of year that fell well between car washes and holiday wrapping paper. The typical experience is base and caters mainly to the adrenal glands – it’s dark, things jump out unexpectedly and shriek. You shriek, the people two narrow hallways over hear your shrieking, everyone is excited and scared.
If that’s the haunted house you’re looking for, don’t come see You Can Sleep When You’re Dead, which is a far more subtle pleasure. Combining sensuality, blasphemy, and storytelling in a well-balanced recipe, the vignettes of the You Can Sleep When You’re Dead, site-specific to Campbell House Museum, are mostly a treat and not a trick.
A familial story told through dance, Akram Khan brings DESH to the Canadian Stage
He’s known as one of Britain’s top choreographers receiving numerous awards and commissions from around the world. Whether you recognize his name from the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremonies or you have heard about his spectacular awe-inspiring dance shows, choreographer and dancer Akram Khan has become a household name but his journey as a celebrated artist wasn’t always an easy one.
Khan is bringing a very touching and personal story to the Toronto audiences; a story that transports him back to his own childhood and homeland, Bangladesh. The 80-minute solo dance work, DESH (meaning homeland), showcases his complex relationship with his father as he uses intricate fast unique movements to tell this emotional story. Visually and technologically appealing in every way, DESH, commissioned by Canadian Stage, is being premiered at the Bluma Appel Theatre on October 31st and Toronto, you don’t want to miss this!
Evil Dead: The Musical is everything you want it to be: blood, zombies, horny teens, and more, at Toronto’s Randolph Theatre
Let’s be frank: you already know everything you need to know about Evil Dead: The Musical. (Playing at the Randolph)
If you like the idea of a campy musical about zombies and horny teenagers and chainsaw violence, you’ve probably already bought about six tickets. And you should! This show will deliver on all your expectations, and you’ll have an amazing time.
And if you don’t, you’re already sprinting in the opposite direction. And you should! This show’s every inch as campy and (comically) violent as you’ve been told. If that’s not your cup of tea, stay far, far away from the Randolph.
I think it’s highly unlikely that there’s anyone between these extremes: this is a love-it-or-not sort of show. But if you are on the fence, let me nudge you off.
Wrecking Ball tackled Russia’s anti-gay legislation in For Russia with (Gay) Love at Toronto’s Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
Wrecking Ball #15 presented For Russia With (Gay) Love at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre this past Sunday night. Inspired by Zee Zee Theatre’s “NYET: A Cabaret of Concerned Canadians”— an event that took place in Vancouver on the same night — it was a veritable Who’s Who of Canadian theatre coming together to showcase original works in protest of Russia’s new anti-gay legislation.
Founded ten years ago by director Ross Manson and playwright Jason Sherman, Wrecking Ball is a politically charged event in which esteemed theatre artists tackle relevant political issues. This latest installment featured entries from queer and allied playwrights: Ronnie Burkett, Dave Deveau, Shawn Macdonald, Daniel MacIvor, Sonja Mills and Marcus Youseff. These were directed by: Steven Bush, Esther Jun, Erica Kopyto, Moynan King, Sue Miner and Gein Wong. Wow, right? Continue reading Review: For Russia With (Gay) Love (Wrecking Ball)→
