All posts by Winston Soon

Review: The Price (Soulpepper)

Anyone who says there is no good theatre in Canada has never been to a show at Soulpepper. The caliber of show is equivalent to any play you will see on Broadway – from the house itself to the set to the acting. Last night I went to see Arthur Miller’s The Price with my good friend Joe – a writer and huge Miller fan. Honestly, I’m somewhat ashamed to say, I felt more like I was catching a great show in NYC than in the Distillery District. This was a nice reminder as to how good theatre can be in Toronto.

Like my date, I have long appreciated Arthur Miller’s better-known works, like The Crucible and Death of a Salesman that are oft studied and performed. This piece was new to me though and it was written in 1968, much later in his life than his more famous work. Continue reading Review: The Price (Soulpepper)

White Rabbit, Red Rabbit (Necessary Angel and Volcano Theatre Co) 2011 SummerWorks Review

At the heart of Nassim Soleimanpour’s White Rabbit, Red Rabbit is a cry for help. Necessary Angel and Volcano Theatre have brought this ground-breaking show to Toronto as part of this year’s SummerWorks festival. It features a new, completely unrehearsed performance each night by a new actor. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t completely happy to walk into the drippingly hot Theatre Centre and discover that I would watch the phenomenal Eric Peterson play the role. Continue reading White Rabbit, Red Rabbit (Necessary Angel and Volcano Theatre Co) 2011 SummerWorks Review

Waterfront: The Blessing (Les Nouvelles Theatre) 2011 SummerWorks Review

Waterfront: The Blessing may not be a family show but it is definitely a show about family. In particular, it is about the lifelong relationships of siblings. I would recommend anyone who has had to deal with family rivalry and death to see Les Nouvelles Theatre’s Waterfront: The Blessing at this year’s SummerWorks. It is a very relatable show.

Leah Jane Esau has written a two hander and we get to meet brothers Jeremy and Ed directly following the death of their father. Despite a water influenced theatrical device (used for changes of scene and thought) this show is very down to earth. It is impossible not to get drawn into the relationship of these brothers. Myself, I have two siblings and I felt it impossible not to reflect on my relationships with both throughout this piece. Continue reading Waterfront: The Blessing (Les Nouvelles Theatre) 2011 SummerWorks Review

Freda & Jem’s Best of the Week (Fine and Thompson Presents) 2011 SummerWorks Review


When I found out I would be reviewing SummerWorks shows, I raced to make sure I was the first in line to dibs this one.  The program for Freda and Jem’s Best of the Week reads like a list of Canadian theatre All-Stars and it is impossible not to imagine this show as well conceived and beautifully executed play.  I was not disappointed.  It is not one well known theatre company that made this show happen but rather is presented as “Thompson and Fine Presents” (meaning the writer and director).  It’s a show that claims to shine a light on “dyke moms, queer spawn and butch/fem interplay”.  I would say that is pretty accurate. Continue reading Freda & Jem’s Best of the Week (Fine and Thompson Presents) 2011 SummerWorks Review

The Intruder (Alameda Theatre Company) 2011 Summerworks Review

The Intruder is the latest piece from Alameda Theatre Company’s writer in residence, Amaranta Leyva. It is a charming show that feels particularly suited for Theatre for Young Audiences as it deals with issues both political and personal through the eyes of a young girl. It is one of the SummerWorks plays that endures the heat, humidity and, on the night I was there, the insects of the Factory Studio Theatre. Continue reading The Intruder (Alameda Theatre Company) 2011 Summerworks Review