All posts by Gian Verano

Gian has been a contributor to MoT since June 2013. Other than a couple of theatre history electives in university, Gian’s main theatre experiences date back to his childhood days when he would accompany his parents to shows at the Elgin Theatre or Princess of Wales Theatre. His fondest memory is seeing Les Mis as a child and being in awe of the larger-than-life costumes and musical numbers. When seeing a show, he loves pieces that come from a sincere place of truth – that tell a heartfelt story. During the day, he’s a Toronto Copywriter and Search Marketing Specialist. You can connect with him on both LinkedIn and Twitter. Twitter: @gian_verano

The Nature of a Bullet (NovelSidewalk Theatre Company) 2013 Toronto Fringe Review

Bullet

Drive. Park. Piss. That’s what life boils down to according to performer/playwright Nick Dipchand in his one-man show entitled The Nature of a Bullet.

This Fringe show, currently playing at the Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace, is a chronicle of one man’s attempt to deal with unexpected misfortunes that seem to all come crashing down at once.

And like a bullet’s inertia – once in motion, the terrible things life throws at us are often impossible to stop.

Continue reading The Nature of a Bullet (NovelSidewalk Theatre Company) 2013 Toronto Fringe Review

Baggage 2 (SAMBO Productions) 2013 Toronto Fringe Review

Baggage2

Four Years Later, He’s Still Carrying Emotional Wounds

Baggage 2 – the long awaited sequel to playwright and performer Shaun McCarthy’s 2009 Fringe Patron’s Pick entitled, “Baggage: A Non-musical Romp through One Catholic Gay Man’s Dating History” is a deeply personal yet facetious account of the lessons we all should learn from our past romances.

“Relationships are a lot like airplane rides,” explains McCarthy, “Most of us simply don’t know how they stay afloat.”

Strap in your seatbelts. It’s going to be a hilarious ride.

Continue reading Baggage 2 (SAMBO Productions) 2013 Toronto Fringe Review

VGL 5’4″ TOP (Lucas Brooks) 2013 Toronto Fringe Review

VGL_Top

Taking Measure of the Gay Dating   Scene

Jock, bear, daddy, twink – the lexicon used by the gay male population to describe each other’s physical attributes is a rich and varied one. But as playwright and performer Lucas Brooks points out in his play, VGL 5’4’’ TOP, these labels often serve to exclude members of the homosexual population rather than attempt to create any sense of community.

“Bitchiness,” notes Brooks in his play which is currently running at The Tarragon Theatre Solo Room, “is an art that gays have cultivated for generations.”

Continue reading VGL 5’4″ TOP (Lucas Brooks) 2013 Toronto Fringe Review

The Effects of Time Travel on Neurotic Homos (Do These Pants Make Me Look Fat?) 2013 Toronto Fringe Review

 Time_Travel_Homos

Kicking off Fringe with an inter-temporal bang!

What do you get when you combine time travel, social commentary and an introspective look at one gay man’s coming of age story? Well, you end up with Do These Pants Make Me Look Fat’s contribution for this year’s Toronto Fringe entitled, The Effects of Time Travel on Neurotic Homos.

Based on the premise of what would happen when a person’s past and present selves are brought together, this play, which runs at the George Ignatieff Theatre, chronicled one gay man’s regrets and triumphs during a 20-year span.

Continue reading The Effects of Time Travel on Neurotic Homos (Do These Pants Make Me Look Fat?) 2013 Toronto Fringe Review