All posts by Ryan Kerr

Review: From Justin to Kelly (Angelwalk Theatre)

Look no further than Toronto’s own backyard for talent, charisma and quality theatre productions.

One week after seeing From Justin to Kelly presented by Angelwalk Theatre and I’m still humming “It’s all Coming Back to Me Now”. Normally, I endeavour to post reviews more promptly, but the combination of this show being one night only and the opportunistic flu that knocked me flat the next afternoon made me a tich tardy. In the theatre universe, excuses of any kind are simply not tolerated, but I’m wearing my writerly hat currently.

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Pietà (Pietà Productions) 2012 SummerWorks Review

Tonight, the Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace was a sleek Danish hotel room. It had beautiful, clean lines and a monochromatic colour palette. The accessories were tasteful, the light fixtures divine. Before the lights even fell, I felt transported to a life I’ve always wished I had. And then, in under a minute, the characters of Maria and Jorge entered in black and messed the whole thing up. Pietà, playing at SummerWorks 2012 stained the crisp linens with sadness and regret and I was suddenly thankful to be on the unforgiving wooden banquettes.

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Dumbo Squid (Birdtown and Swanville) SummerWorks 2012 Review

Don’t be fooled by the adorable title: Dumbo Squid playing at SummerWorks is far from cute and cuddly.  An hour in the dark depths of Aurora Stewart De Peña’s play and my date and I were emotionally-eating banana pudding and gelato.

It’s a play that requires some sweetness afterwards to compensate for the violence (both implied and actual) and the incredible mounting tension throughout.

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When it Rains (2b Theatre Company) 2012 SummerWorks Review

How apropos, it being a rainy weekend. Another way to spend the time: When it Rains at SummerWorks. We follow the lives of four characters – Sybil, Alan, Anna and Louis as they muddle through the complexities of their day to day lives.  Sure the stories are compelling on their own, but it is more how they are told that makes When it Rains unique.   Continue reading When it Rains (2b Theatre Company) 2012 SummerWorks Review

Big Plans (Free Standing Room) 2012 Summerworks Review

Funny, shocking, thought-provoking, Big Plans, playing as part of the SummerWorks festival is not for the weak-stomached.  It was easily the craziest theatre experience my guest and I had ever shared.  As the lights crashed to black, we, the bewildered audience hesitated to applaud.  But once we started, the results were thunderous.  And that’s after watching what happens when a man responds to an ad looking to be eaten.

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