Heather studied film at Humber College and English and Theatre at UTSC. She works as a stage manager, usually watching from the booth or lurking backstage. She has written for various websites since 2009. Unofficially, she’s also a total nerd with an obsession with sci fi TV series, fantasy novels, Dungeons and Dragons, and and video games. Follow her on Twitter at @bluealbow4eva.
Scotiabank BuskerFest, with its bevy of performers and vendors, is taking place in the St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood for its twelfth year. Street performers from all over the world gather for North America’s largest busker festival, in support of Epilepsy Toronto.
If you have ever been downtown, you have likely seen a busker or two. They are street performers, which can include anything from musicians to clowns to living statues to jugglers to acrobats. There are a wide variety of performances to catch at this year’s festival, and considering the scope there should be something for everybody.
Tweed: A New Canadian Musical is a show about the formation of a small town in Ontario, Tweed, and the lives of the people who live there. The main characters, Sarah – played by Amanda Struthman – and David – played by Nathan Carroll – fall in love, but are torn apart by the escalating war in Germany. Tweed: A New Canadian Musical is playing at The Papermill Theatre until August 27.
Exit, Pursued By A Bear is a multidisciplinary puppet play about Evelyn – played by Adriana Disman – whose dreams are haunted by a grizzly bear. She also has recurring flashbacks of her dead father, all while talking to a prophetic beggar, both of which are played by David Schaap. It will be running at the Theatre Passe Muraille for the duration of the festival.
Little One is an account of the relationship between two adopted siblings. One, Aaron – played by Joe Cobden – is a fairly well-adjusted, if neglected, young man, while the other, Claire – played by Michelle Monteith – is a deeply traumatized and disturbed little girl. It is playing at the Theatre Passe Muraille for the duration of SummerWorks.
Aaron tells his story directly to the audience. His character may take a little bit of warming up to – for instance, my boyfriend didn’t like him until he began interacting with his sister. Joe Cobden’s performance is good and he moves fluently between his adult and child personas. Michelle Monteith as Claire is perfect, playing a believably creepy and disturbing child.
Eurydice By Sarah Ruhl is a modern re-telling of the Orpheus myth focusing on Eurydice, his dead wife. In the classical myth, Orpheus, the greatest musician alive, follows Eurydice into Hades in an attempt to bring her to life. This version remains true to that plot, with a bit of a twist. It is playing at the Theatre Passe Muraille for the duration of the festival.
The play was modernized without placing it in any particular time period. For instance, Orpheus (Justin Rutledge) was a rock star – whose music was fantastic, by the way – and cars and elevators were mentioned, but nothing so topical that you could place a time. I enjoyed this choice, as it brought a timeless myth up-to-date while still keeping it timeless.
Scotiabank BuskerFest, with its bevy of performers and vendors, is taking place in the St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood for its twelfth year. Street performers from all over the world gather for North America’s largest busker festival, in support of Epilepsy Toronto.
