All posts by Michelle Barker

Review: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Lower Ossington Theatre)

Remember when Donny Osmond did the film version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat?  I remember when his performance made my 11-year-old heart flutter when I watched the VHS every day for two months.  Embarrassing.  Regardless, Joseph (sans Donny) is currently playing at the Lower Ossington Theatre.

Joseph is a story from Genesis, the first book of the Bible.  It tells the tale of Joseph, one of Jacob’s 12 sons.  Joseph was his father’s favourite son and, as such, was hated by all of his brothers who opted to sell him to be a slave.  Through a bizarre series of events, Joseph becomes to right-hand man to the Egyptian Pharaoh.  Continue reading Review: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Lower Ossington Theatre)

Review: Rocky Horror Show (Lower Ossington Theatre)

I’m going to start by saying this: do not expect to see toast thrown.  There is a strict no-toast-throwing rule.  I know.  I was disappointed as well.

Rocky Horror Show is currently playing at the Lower Ossington Theatre.  And while you’ve probably seen different versions of this show a million times, this company has managed to breathe new life, new energy, and a new look into the Transylvanian classic. Continue reading Review: Rocky Horror Show (Lower Ossington Theatre)

Review: The Queens (Glasswater Theatre)

It seems to be my lot in life – at least my Mooney on Theatre life – to review all things pertaining to Richard III.  And they are many, very many, as of late.  So many in fact, that I probably don’t need to reiterate the plot of Shakespeare’s history play.

I went into Glasswater Theatre’s opening night of The Queens at the Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse thinking that I was going to see an in-depth look at the women of Shakespeare’s Richard III.  This may have been a mistake on my part.  Continue reading Review: The Queens (Glasswater Theatre)

Review: Crookback: An Adaptation of Richard III (Beacon Theatre Company)

by Michelle Barker

I need to start by saying that Tim Welham, creator and performer of Crookback: An Adaptation of Richard III, is a genius.  Good.  That’s out of my system.  More on this later.

Crookback is a look at the well-known story of murderous King Richard of Gloucester.   Richard, notorious for murdering all those who were blocking his path to the throne of England, is one of Shakespeare’s most vilified characters.  In Welham’s adaptation, we see the action of the play through Richard’s point of view.  And there is no point of view that’s scarier or more disturbing. Continue reading Review: Crookback: An Adaptation of Richard III (Beacon Theatre Company)