All posts by Wayne Leung

Wayne Leung (1981-2019) Wayne was the Managing Editor of Mooney on Theatre from 2012 - 2019 and will be sorely missed. His death from an apparent heart attack was a loss not just to Mooney on Theatre, but also to the Toronto Theatre Community at large. You can read our publisher Megan Mooney's tribute to him here here. Wayne was a writer, editor and corporate communications professional who was thrilled to be a part of the Mooney on Theatre team. Wayne loved theatre ever since his aunt brought him to a production of Les Misérables at the tender age of ten . . . despite the fact that, at that age, the show’s plot was practically indiscernible and the battle scenes scared the bejeezus out of him. Wayne’s current list of likes ran the gamut from opera, ballet and Shakespeare to Broadway musicals, circus and Fringe theatre. Outside of the theatre Wayne’s interests included travel, technology and food.

Review: HOGTOWN: The Immersive Experience (The Hogtown Collective/The Campbell House Museum)

HOGTOWN, an ambitious immersive theatre experience, explores Toronto’s seedy past

3Before Toronto was the 6ix it was Hogtown. HOGTOWN is also the name a new immersive theatre experience; a period political drama mixed with a boozy party that invites you to take a trip back to the Prohibition era to explore Toronto’s seedy underbelly while drawing many parallels to the city of today.  Continue reading Review: HOGTOWN: The Immersive Experience (The Hogtown Collective/The Campbell House Museum)

Mooney on Theatre’s Most-Read Reviews for the 2016 Toronto Fringe Festival

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Before the start of the Toronto Fringe Festival we told you about some of the shows that were most popular amongst our staff. Then, after reviewing all 148 shows in this year’s festival we shared our list of the shows we recommend.

Now it’s your turn; we reveal the list of our readers’ most buzzed about shows based on the popularity of their Mooney on Theatre reviews. So here’s the list of the top ten (ish) most-read Fringe reviews on Mooney on Theatre this year**: Continue reading Mooney on Theatre’s Most-Read Reviews for the 2016 Toronto Fringe Festival

Mooney on Theatre Recommends – 2016 Toronto Fringe Festival

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This past weekend Mooney on Theatre sent its dedicated team of 30 writers and editors to cover all 148 shows* in this year’s Toronto Fringe Festival! With the sheer number of shows available at the festival, picking the ones you want to see can be a daunting task.

If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by the number of shows and you’re looking for a place to start, we’ve asked our staff to tell us about their favourite shows they’ve seen at this year’s festival. We hope our staff picks can help you navigate the Fringe.

If you’ve seen something you think is amazing that you think others should go see please let us know by leaving a comment.

And don’t forget to check out our complete list of Fringe reviews, Fringe Buzz features and our daily free ticket giveaways.

Happy Fringing!

Mooney on Theatre Staff Picks – 2016 Toronto Fringe Festival Continue reading Mooney on Theatre Recommends – 2016 Toronto Fringe Festival

Weird: The Witches of Macbeth (Theatre Arcturus) 2016 Toronto Fringe Review

Photo of a performer in the air suspended by silks and another performer on stage looking up.Theatre Arcturus’ show Weird: The Witches of Macbeth , presented as part of the Toronto Fringe Festival, combines two things I love: Macbeth, one of my favourite Shakespeare plays because of its dark, occult elements, and Cirque du Soleil-style aerial performances. The result is unexpected, original and thrilling.

Continue reading Weird: The Witches of Macbeth (Theatre Arcturus) 2016 Toronto Fringe Review

Daughters of Feminists (Stonefox) 2016 Toronto Fringe Review

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I’ll preface this review by saying I’m a huge fan of the work of the musical writing team of Barbara Johnston, Anika Johnson, and Suzy Wilde which is why I was interested in seeing them perform in their cabaret Daughters of Feminists, playing at the quirky nautical themed bar, The Boat, in Kensington Market as part of the Toronto Fringe Festival. Unfortunately, I don’t think it was the best showcase for their talents.

Continue reading Daughters of Feminists (Stonefox) 2016 Toronto Fringe Review