I’m not going to be able to see Katherine Mansfield at Factory Theatre, but it sounds pretty interesting, so let me pass on the information I got from the publicist:

Reasons to check out Theatre Smith-Gilmour, and specifically the show Katherine Mansfield that is playing at the Factory Studio Theatre March 14 – April 5, 2009:

• Theatre Smith-Gilmour is a pre-eminent Toronto theatre companies that produces original works.
• Along with a new title, Katherine Mansfield includes twenty minutes of new material, a new beginning and ending, and many cuts to the original The Mansfield Project script.
• Katherine Mansfield, not only one of the most talented short story writers of her generation, was also praised for her strong feminist writing. She had deep concern for the status of women and most of her characters were women (as is the case with TSG’s production). She employed a feminist approach in both her life and her literature. Her work demonstrates how male sexual and economic dominance, at the time, denied women an independent role. Often, her female characters reject the possibility of independence or are unable to take advantage of it, for example in "The Colonel’s Daughters" (one of the stories featured in Katherine Mansfield).
• Theatre Smith-Gilmour has a very unique creative process and theatrical style. Their development process is collaborative and they often work with the same actors and creative team. Katherine Mansfield an example of their unique creative style as it is written by Dean Gilmour and Michele Smith in collaboration with Claire Calnan and Adam Paolozza. They work with their actors on the source material in order to create a piece. They believe that when a group of artists who have grown together as the work itself has grown not only is the connection with the audience and the impact upon them richer, but the experience for the artists themselves is richer.
• There work appears, for the most part, on a bare stage with minimal props. TSG believe in a type of theatre that exists in the here and now; simultaneously on a bare stage and in the actors’ and audiences’ imagination. The style depends on minimal costuming, set pieces and few props.
• hey are training the next generation. They teach at various institutions, they offer workshops in their unique style, and they even created a new piece, Grimm with the graduating class at Humber College to great acclaim.
• They work has been featured internationally, including Russia and China.

 Details:
– Katherine Mansfield plays at Factory Theatre Studio (125 Bathurst Street) until April 5
– Showtimes are Tuesdays to Saturdays at 8 PM; Sundays at 2:30 PM
– Tickets are Thursday $20; Friday $25; Saturday $28 ($5 Student/Senior discount on all tickets)
– Tickets are available through Factory Theatre Box Office at 416 504-9971, on-line at www.factorytheatre.ca or at the door

For more information please visit www.theatresmithgilmour.com

by Megan Mooney

I was thrilled when I heard that I would have the opportunity to see Ansuree Roy on stage again in another THEATRE JONES ROY production.  Letters to my Grandma, playing at the Theatre Passe Muraille backspace, is the company’s second production.  The first was Pyaasa, a piece adored by many, myself included.

Continue reading Letters to my Grandma – Theatre Jones Roy →

So, I’m no longer pregnant.  I am now a mum.  It’s bloody cool. 

It does mean that I’m still a bit slower than usual in the posting realm.  I have a review that will be going up shortly, it’s for the East Side Players production of David Auburn’s Proof.

Here’s the really short version…  I really liked it.  There was some great chemistry between the leads, and the directing was nice and tight (and impressive for a director’s debut piece).  Also, it’s a script that I’ve never encountered before, but really enjoyed.  All in all, a very enjoyable evening out. 

I’m doing the quickie version here just in case someone wants to make their way to a matinee on Sunday.  Otherwise you can wait for my longer, and hopefully more enlightening version that I will get up as soon as possible.

By the way, the picture has nothing to do with Proof, it’s me and my partner and our wee one that my sister-in-law, Trina Koster, took of us in our exhausted stupor…

Clearly I have been woefully neglecting Mooney on Theatre of late.

Unfortunately, I can’t say that is likely to change.

I am basically going to be giving birth any day now, and have not been able to go to a show in quite some time, and quite frankly, can’t imagine that having a newborn is going to allow much time for such things either.

However, I do have my trusty band of writers who are going to start going to shows again, so there will in fact be content again.  Rejoice!

And, on that note, if you know of someone who would like to write about theatre, send them my way.  I’m interviewing new writers.  Best bet is to send me an email at megan@mooneyontheatre.com.  I will outline the details of what I expect, and I’ll ask for a writing sample, but they can wait until they figure out if they’d actually enjoy working with me before they figure out what writing to send.

So, hopefully in a couple months I’ll be able to see a few shows and get back into the theatre scene, but in the meantime I hope my writers will keep you entertained and informed.