All posts by Sam Mooney

Always a theatre lover Sam realized in middle age that there's more to Toronto theatre than just mainstream and is now in love with one person shows, adores festivals, and quirky venues make her day.

Review: Our Country’s Good (Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts)

Our Country's Good

The Randolph Academy present a double cast for Our Country’s Good at the Annex Theatre in Toronto

Tuesday night was the opening of the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts‘ production of Our Country’s Good at the Annex Theatre. Eight months ago I hadn’t ever heard of the play; since then I’ve seen two productions. One last night and the other in September at The Royal Alex.

I enjoyed last night’s performance more. Continue reading Review: Our Country’s Good (Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts)

Review: 52 Pick-Up (The Howland Company)

Cast members of 52 Pick-Up

The Howland Company uses playing cards to tell a love story on stage at Fraser Studios in Toronto

If you want to see The Howland Company‘s remount of 52 Pick-Up at Fraser Studios get your tickets right now. It sold out at Fringe this summer and this production is selling out too. With good reason, it’s a lovely play.

52 Pick-Up, by TJ Dawe and Rita Bozi, is the story of a relationship from the beginning to the end. It’s not a linear tale. Every performance is different. And it’s wonderful.

Continue reading Review: 52 Pick-Up (The Howland Company)

Review: Cake and Dirt (Tarragon Theatre)

The cast of Cake and Dirt
World Premier of Daniel MacIvor’s latest work takes the stage at Tarragon in Toronto

Daniel MacIvor finishes his time as Playwright-in-Residence at Tarragon Theatre with the play Cake and Dirt, which had its world premier last night.

Given the description on the Tarragon Theatre website calling the piece “A darkly comic look at life in Toronto through a fractured family of privilege.” I was expecting laughs, dark uncomfortable laughs, but laughs nonetheless. Instead, while there were funny moments, mostly what was coming from the stage felt more like anger than humour to me.

Continue reading Review: Cake and Dirt (Tarragon Theatre)

Review: Cannibal! The Musical (Starvox Entertainment)

Cannibal! The Musical

Trey Parker’s Cannibal! The Musical makes its Toronto debut at the Panasonic Theatre

Rambunctious, raunchy, and ridiculous, the world premiere of Cannibal! The Musical hit all the high notes at The Panasonic Theatre on Tuesday evening. I love a show that manages a fart joke in the first three minutes — and a show that sets up a joke but doesn’t deliver the punch line until about 15 minutes later. Continue reading Review: Cannibal! The Musical (Starvox Entertainment)