S. Bear Bergman has great faith in the power of theatre to make change, and has been putting his money where his mouth is on that one for some time. A writer, performer, and lecturer, Bear works full time as an artist and cultural worker and loves to see as much live performance as possible – making this a fantastic gig for him.
360 screenings gets interactive yet again with Toronto’s theatre audiences for Valentine’s Day
360 screenings, brainchild of young Torontonians Robert Loach and Ned Gontier, is a brilliant capitalization on several things currently in fashion: “underground” events, fusions of various kinds, and Toronto’s notoriously game theatre audience, who have proved willing in recent years to troop cheerfully through weather, terrain, and fake blood for an interesting experience. I’ve heard marvelous buzz about previous screenings, and the recent 28 Days Later screenings earned a rave from my Mooney colleage. Now, what the dynamic duo need is a professional event planner and… a little less success.
The Amorous Adventures of Anatol not very amorous, at Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre
La Ronde, one of Arthur Schnitzler‘s most well-known (and frequently adapted plays) is a clever, dirty, thoughtful play – so clever it has been the basis of more than a dozen films, so dirty it occasioned an obscenity trial and was first performed twenty-three years after it was written, and so thoughtful that it remains relevant to modern discussions about sex, love, class, and desire. I was terribly enthusiastic for The Amorous Adventures of Anatol, largely because I have long cherished La Ronde.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a real theatre drag, at Toronto’s Drake Underground
When last we saw our hero, Seth Drabinsky, he was preparing to fire up his curling iron and bust out another dozen-and-a-half performances of his signature role, Hedwig. On Wednesday night at The Drake Underground I caught his opening night, sharing the stage with the extraordinary L.A. Lopes, a match which – eventually – sparked the room and burned bright.
Seth Drabinsky, sitting over a coffee at the 519’s Fabarnak, doesn’t strike an especially impressive figure. He seems like any other guy, cheerful and friendly but not really fabulous in any regard – until the subject of Hedwig comes up. After dozens upon dozens of performances over four separate runs as the tragic trans tagalong to Tommy Gnosis’s star, I half suspect Drabinsky of having a crush on Hedwig.
Kid Plus One is Mooney on Theatre’s series reviewing children’s and young adult shows with our actual children. We’ll pay special attention to topics of interest to parents and caregivers: suitability of theme, how engaging the show is, how tolerant of childish commotions, and so on to help you choose the best shows for your young audience members.
It seems that Cinderella, with its themes of family and belonging – plus the original magical storybook ending- is one of the more frequently updated pieces in theatre. After all, what’s more relatable than a diligent, hard-done-by child whose lot is miraculously improved and leads to riches and happiness? It’s a clear and compelling storyline, which accounts for its continuing popularity as the basis for an update. Cinderella In Muddy York is a charming, old-fashioned puppet show – now in its 23rd year – sets the story at the moment just before Toronto was officially renamed and imports the story to 1830s Canada, but the tale is recognizable nevertheless.
