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.
Christopher Plummer is magnificent in Barrymore. It’s playing at the Elgin (Yonge and Queen) until March 9th. You owe it to yourself to see it.
It’s like seeing the portfolio of a great painter.
This is a master of his craft demonstrating his art and making it look effortless. Plummer is the draw. As my play pal Wayne said “they’re selling this as Plummer, his name is above the title”. And so it should be. The play itself is thin, in some parts almost a collection of one-liners, but it doesn’t matter. Plummer is so charming, so engaging, so talented that the material is secondary.
Assassins is back until February 13th at The Theatre Centre on Queen West. If you haven’t seen this production from Birdland Theatre and Talk is Free Theatre there’s still time. It’s been playing to sold-out houses so don;t leave it until the last minute, get your tickets and enjoy a fabulous night of theatre.
I loved it. I went because the Megan’s review of Assassins was so terrific. And then I went again because I loved it so much the first time. And loved it just as much the second time. I’d go a third time but I don’t want to hog the tickets. Fabulous cast, fabulous production.
If anyone ever tells you that people don’t choose what shows to see based on reviews tell them about my experience inviting people to see Oh My Irma with me. The first person I invited said that based on a review she had read she didn’t want to see the show. Second person I invited said yes and then on Monday said that she had forgotten that she had a yoga class on Tuesday. Sorry. (Sure, I thought. Yoga. You read the review didn’t you?)
On the other hand Backspace at Theatre Passe Muraille was full on a Tuesday night. Written and performed by Haley McGee, Oh my Irma is a triumph of style over substance (Thanks to George, my play pal for that insight). McGee is a marvellous actor. She’s a good enough writer but I would go see her act before I’d go see something she’s written. Continue reading Review: Oh My Irma – Theatre Passe Muraille→
Parade, presented by Acting Up Stage Company and Studio 180 Theatre, is a musical about rape and murder based on a true story. It is not Sweeney Todd or Little Shop of Horrors. When I read about Parade I thought rape was a strange subject for a musical. Obviously some crimes are more unspeakable than others.
Watching At The Sans Hotel tonight – written and performed by Nicola Gunn – reminded me of the times that I’ve decided to buy a book based on the cover blurb, started to read the book, and felt as if the person who wrote the blurb hadn’t read the book. Doesn’t mean I didn’t like the book, just felt a disconnect.
Here’s the blurb from the Next Stage Theatre Festival site – ” A psychological detective story, told with delicacy and subversive humour, about a woman in a bathtub in a hotel in a desert who plunges into the case of a mysterious, disappearing German Woman. It’s about the terror of loneliness, confusion and indecision. And a French woman called Sophie who works in a community centre.”
