All posts by Katharine O'Brien

Review: The Precious Young Ladies (Théâtre Français de Toronto) / Critique: Les Précieuses ridicules (Théâtre Français de Toronto)

Théâtre Français de Toronto’s adaptation of Molière’s The Precious Young Ladies takes to the Berkeley Street Theatre’s stage

Critique en français à suivre. 

Last night I finally got to see Théâtre Français de Toronto’s production of The Precious Young Ladies at The Berkeley Street Theatre, something I had been looking forward to all week. I have always been very impressed with their work so I was more than excited to see their latest Molière adaptation.

The Precious Young Ladies is a one-act comedy by Molière in prose that takes a satirical aim at the extravagant and delicate ladies of the French bourgeoisie. Magdelon and Cathos are two cousins from the country who have come to Paris in search of love and adventure. When they reject and ridicule two eligible suitors, the men vow to take revenge on les précieuses by tricking them into falling in love with their valets–who are disguised as sophisticated men of the world.

Continue reading Review: The Precious Young Ladies (Théâtre Français de Toronto) / Critique: Les Précieuses ridicules (Théâtre Français de Toronto)

Review: Burn This (Sterling Studio Theatre)

Burn This takes a look at personal identity and relationships playing at Toronto’s Sterling Studio Theatre

Wednesday night was my second experience with Sterling Studio Theatre. I enjoyed their production of Specter so much that I was really looking forward to seeing their preview performance of Lanford Wilson’s play Burn This. An interesting space, I wondered what they would do with it this time.

Burn This begins shortly after the funeral of Robby, a gay dancer who drowned in a boating accident with his boyfriend. Set in a Manhattan loft shared by Robby’s roommates Anna; his dance partner and choreographer, and Larry; who works in advertising, Burn This is about reconsidering identity and relationships. Pale, Robby’s older brother, forces everyone to make sense of their lives when he bursts on the scene.

Continue reading Review: Burn This (Sterling Studio Theatre)

Review: Watch her/A Month in the Country (The National Ballet of Canada)

A double bill with contrasting themes is featured in the National Ballet’s Watch her/A Month in the Country

Let me first say, that aside from The Nutcracker, Watch her/A Month in the Country was my first experience with not only The National Ballet of Canada but with ballet in general. Yet, while not knowing what to expect Wednesday night, I arrived at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts with eager anticipation.

Continue reading Review: Watch her/A Month in the Country (The National Ballet of Canada)

Review: Of Mice and Morro and Jasp (U.N.I.T. Productions)

Morro and Jasp bring clowning and comedy to Of Mice and Men at Toronto’s Factory Studio Theatre

Although I had previously heard a lot about the clown duo Morro and Jasp, it wasn’t until Wednesday night that I got to see what they were all about firsthand. As I am not very familiar with clowning and what it involves, my idea of it preceding this performance was very basic and probably misguided. So, in truth, I honestly didn’t think I’d enjoy myself at Factory Studio Theatre that night.

But enjoy myself I did. I’m pretty sure I was expecting to walk into a really bad birthday party for small children. Yet I was pleasantly surprised to discover that clowning can be fun and dynamic, even for adults.

Continue reading Review: Of Mice and Morro and Jasp (U.N.I.T. Productions)