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.

The Flying Avro Arrow Musical Comedy (Fly Avro Arrow from Toronto) 2010 Toronto Fringe Review

By Sam Mooney

In March I saw a staged reading of The Flying Avro Arrow Musical Comedy as part of the New Ideas Festival. I enjoyed it and ‘dibsed’ it then so I could cover it during Fringe.

Doug Warwick wrote and scored The Flying Avro Arrow Musical Comedy and Anne MacMillan directed it. There are 11 people  in the cast – I’m sure that’s the largest cast I’ve seen in a Fringe show.

It seemed appropriate to see something so Canadian on Canada Day.  The cancellation of the Avro Arrow affected thousands of Canadians and was responsible for a huge brain drain of Canadians to the US space program.  It’s been the subject of a movie, books, articles, controversy, and conspiracy theories so why not a musical comedy.

I enjoyed it.  Doug Warwick obviously had fun writing it and didn’t let the facts confine him. I’m pretty sure that William Shatner wasn’t ever a security guard at Avro.

Continue reading The Flying Avro Arrow Musical Comedy (Fly Avro Arrow from Toronto) 2010 Toronto Fringe Review →

Lucky 9 (TJ Dawe) – 2010 Toronto Fringe Review

By Sam Mooney

TJ Dawe The Fringe program says that TJ Dawe is a “Fringe god”.  I don’t know if TJ wrote that or if someone at Fringe wrote it but it doesn’t matter.  TJ Dawe is wonderful. How is it that I’ve never seen him before?  I’ll certainly make sure I see him again.

Lucky 9 is a monologue about life.  It kind of zigs and zags around a bit, sometimes hops from one thing to another, and is lovely.

Dawe’s presentation is low-key for the most part although he was very animated when he was talking about the Olympics – and tax attorneys.

He talked about his childhood, his sister’s knitting and crafting, his mother, his father’s enthusiasm about The Wire, Dr. Gabor Mate’s books (I’m definitely buying two of them),  the Enneagram of personality, addictions and chasing dopamine, and his own personal develop.

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Help My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding win a Dora

By Sam Mooney

My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding is in the running for the “Audience Choice” Dora award

And you can help them win.  Did you love MMLJWW?  I  did!  Mooney on Theatre reviewed it three times – by Sam, Megan and Leanne. I’d be so happy to see it win the Dora for the Audience Choice Award.  We can all help.  The Audience Choice Award is the only Dora that the public can vote for. Let’s all vote!

Go to Now Magazine and scroll down the page to the box where you can enter your choice.  Type in My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding – or just copy it from here and paste it in, fill in your personal info, click Submit.  That’s it.

It’s probably a good idea for me to say that this is a personal endorsement and that Mooney on Theatre has been kind enough to let me post it here.  (Being the mother of the editor has it’s perks…)

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Review: La Sagouine – Pleiades Theatre, Toronto

La Sagouine at Berkley Street in English and then in French is a Canadian Cultural Treasure

By Sam Mooney

Maybe I shouldn’t say that La Sagouine – produced by Pleiades Theatre and playing at Berkeley Street Theatre – is a cultural treasure or a Canadian classic.  I don’t want anyone to think that it’s “serious” or “difficult” theatre.  On the contrary, it’s the most joyful play that I’ve seen in ages.

And funny, sad, insightful, endearing, acerbic, poetic, a bit profane, and above all, a truly enjoyable night at the theatre.

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Eye-catching Toronto live theatre for the week of April 19, 2010

By Sam Mooney

Shows that Caught Our Eye This Week

Leanne’s away so I’m writing about the shows that we think are the best bets for great theatre in Toronto this week.  Not fair really.  I’m not in Toronto and there are so many terrific shows I won’t get to see.

Here they are – hopefully in alphabetical order.

Continue reading Eye-catching Toronto live theatre for the week of April 19, 2010 →