THIS: a funny, touching—and uneasy—mix of comedy and drama
I laughed. I cried. I was confused. In her 2009 script, This, playwright Melissa James Gibson introduces us to five witty New Yorkers—well, four New Yorkers and a Frenchman—who are desperately trying to negotiate the disappointments and responsibilities of early...
The History of the World (Based on Banalities): theatrically hot, emotionally cool
The History of the World (Based on Banalities) is a monologue for a boy about his failed connection with his mother. And that’s ironic because Phil’s Mom Martine, a physicist, was fascinated by the Higgs boson particle, which physics tells us connects everything—and...
The Explanation: so untethered it’s like kissing in a hot-air balloon
“Feeling the air up my skirt…That was one of the greatest sensations.” So says John, a cross-dressing straight guy in The Explanation. Watching The Explanation, I got a bit of wind up my skirt, too. By loosening the restrictions on gender expression, The...
Me and You is charming, gorgeous, and a little wobbly
Melody Anderson’s new play Me and You is sweetly soulful. And it could be better built. In Me and You, Anderson logs exemplary moments in the lifelong relationship between sisters Liz and Lou. The first time we see them, Liz, who is four years older, is outraged when...
Nine Dragons: a whodunnit in which you care who did it
Much to the credit of playwright Jovanni Sy, Nine Dragons is a rewarding thriller. Riffing on film noir, Sy sets the action in the Kowloon neighbourhood of Hong Kong in the 1920s. A character that the press calls the Kowloon Ripper is murdering women, then chopping...
Misery: more like a bad cold
The Arts Club’s production of Misery is a journey straight to heck and back. It’s not scary, which is a flaw in a thriller. William Goldman, who wrote the play, also penned the screenplay for the1990 movie. Both are based on a book by Stephen King. In the story, a...
Mr. Burns, a post-electric play: surprising, funny, and deep
WTF is one of my favourite responses at the theatre. I had it a lot while watching Mr. Burns, a post-electric play. Part of the pleasure of watching Mr. Burns is that the three acts are so different that you have to re-orient yourself after each of the intermissions....
Once on This Island: Vote that guy off
In Once on This Island, love triumphs—supposedly. It’s really sexism that wins. If you want to be surprised by the story, don’t read any further; to make my point, I’m going to give away the plot. In this musical, which premiered on Broadway in 1990 and which is...
Rent: I didn’t buy it
This Renegade Arts mounting of Rent gets so much so wrong. There are talented people in the cast, and some elements of the show work, but fundamental errors undermine the production. A rock musical, Rent features a group of young-adult friends who are living in New...
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