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.

Desperately Seeking Something (Borderline Theatre) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review

desperately_seeking_something_3

I’m willing to bet that when Borderline Theatre rented the Chapel at Trinity St Paul’s for their Toronto Fringe production of Desperately Seeking Something  they didn’t know about the very loud tango class happening tonight in the next room at the same time.  UGH! It was definitely a distraction. Kudos to Leah Holder (Artemis) for dealing with it so gracefully.

Nellwyn Lampert has written a lovely play and it deserves to be seen and heard without distractions. Continue reading Desperately Seeking Something (Borderline Theatre) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review →

It’s Kind of a Love Story (Artamiss) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review

It's Kind of a Love Story

It’s Kind of a Love Story – Artamiss production of Naomi Peltz’s play – is at St. Vlad’s Theatre as part of the Toronto Fringe. It’s kind of a boy meets girl, falls in love, girl wants to just be friends story.

Except that the girl is in love with the boy but is afraid that if she tells him then he won’t love her, so she dates someone else. Continue reading It’s Kind of a Love Story (Artamiss) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review →

The Assassination of Robert Ford: Dirty Little Coward (Still Your Friend) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review

The Assassination of Robert Ford

Still Your Friend’s production of The Assassination of Robert Ford: Dirty Little Coward premiered tonight at Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace  as part of the Toronto Fringe. It’s terrific. I predict that it’s going to be one of the hot tickets of this year’s Fringe so don’t delay. Buy your tickets now!

First things first – this isn’t a show about the mayor of Toronto. The Robert Ford in the title is the man who killed Jesse James. You probably recognize “dirty little coward” from the folk song Jesse James. The show is the story of  Ed O’Kelley, the man who killed Ford.

Adam Bailey wrote and directed the show and did both brilliantly. The script is smart, witty, and funny. The pacing of the show was perfect. The show is funny but not really a comedy; there are songs but it isn’t a musical; there are serious moments but sometimes it felt like a melodrama – in a good way. Continue reading The Assassination of Robert Ford: Dirty Little Coward (Still Your Friend) 2014 Toronto Fringe Review →

Review: Dead Metaphor (Mirvish)

Dead Metaphor at the Panasonic Theatre

Dead Metaphor Nails It; Playing Now at Toronto’s Panasonic Theatre

Dead Metaphor, written and directed by George F. Walker, is the final show in the current Off Mirvish series. It opened last night at the Panasonic Theatre.

I’ve been looking forward to seeing it and my anticipation was heightened by a reminder email from Mirvish that contained the best warning about strong language that I’ve ever seen.

“Seriously, folks, this show has some of the filthiest and most wonderful language you will ever hear in a public space. More than just “F” words, there are words beginning with almost every letter of the alphabet, used by the characters in the show, because this is exactly how these characters would speak. But trust us; you’ll love it. It’s quite liberating.”

Continue reading Review: Dead Metaphor (Mirvish) →

Review: Dreaming of Rob Ford (East End Performance Crawl)

Dreaming of Rob Ford, about the follies of Toronto’s mayor, kicks off the East End Performance Crawl

Crows Theatre’s East End Performance Crawl opened last night with the world premier of  Dreaming of Rob Ford, a monologue created and performed by Mike Daisey.

Daisey is a monologist. He’s famous – or infamous – for The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs which led to a scandal that he referred to a couple of times last night.

Local media has had quite a few articles that talk about the scandal but you don’t need to know about it to understand and enjoy Dreaming of Rob Ford. Continue reading Review: Dreaming of Rob Ford (East End Performance Crawl) →