With a new year on the horizon, I wanted to take a moment to both reflect on the year gone by, as well as talk about what you can look forward to in the coming year. 2023 has brought some monumental changes in my life, particularly in regards to A View from the Box, and I’m very thankful for the support I have from all of you which makes me able to do so.

Growth

A View from the Box has undergone substantial growth this year, particularly stemming from my ability to solely focus on my writing as of July 1st. Becoming a full time theatre reviewer has allowed me to attend more shows, provide you more interviews, and keep up with social media! It seems like everything has doubled this year, which simply astonishes me!

• Including the productions I took in at both the Fringe Festival and Next Stage Festival, I have been invited to and wrote about (or gave feedback on) 154 performances in 2023 (compared to 75 in 2022).

• A few of those were commissions for Intermission Magazine as well! Five shows at Fringe and two other main stage shows. I was so happy to get to be asked to write for another publication, and I’m hoping there are more to come next year!

• Speaking of the Fringe Festival, I was able to double (and then some) the number of productions I took in from 15 in 2022 to 39 in 2023.

• In terms of views, I’ve gone from eight thousand views in 2022 to sixteen thousand in 2023!

• I started a Patreon and Buy Me A Coffee this year! I’m so thankful for my subscribers! You can become one too! Just follow the link: https://www.patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

I am overjoyed to be able to see this amount of growth in such a short period of time. It’s thanks to all of you and your love of live performance that keeps me going! I’m so happy that so many more of you have discovered me, and my work, and keep on coming back! I hope that you’ll continue to rely on A View from the Box for reviews, interviews, and more.

Other Highlights

Aside from pure statistics, there’s been lots of exciting things happening this year for A View from the Box:

• As previously mentioned, I was asked to write for Intermission Magazine this year, which was an honour. I met some absolutely wonderful people while doing so and I’m so glad I was able to have those opportunities.

• I’ve started spreading my zone of coverage a tad as well, as I was invited to shows in Port Hope this year. It’s such a charming little town and I now excitedly look forward to my visits there.

• This year was my first time attending the Next Stage festival, which is part of the Fringe Festival. It was wonderful to see these works in their new phase of development, and I’m looking forward to attending in future now that I’m very active during Fringe as well.

• I have been able to connect with many of my readers thanks to social media! I started my TikTok just over a year ago, and with putting out videos there and on Instagram/Facebook, folks are able to recognize me even with my mask on!

• Late this year, I also started receiving invitations to Mirvish Productions, and that has certainly been a huge step forward for me. I look forward to continuing to work with them next year and beyond.

Memorable Mentions

I thought it might be fun to take a look at some of the shows that have really stuck with me over the past year. I chose to look at them month by month, with the memorable mentions being in no particular order.

January – While January tends to be a quiet month, there were still plenty of things to see! The stand out for me was certainly Fifteen Dogs at Crow’s Theatre. While this came at an interesting time for me on a personal level, the staging and performances made it a moving and impressive performance.

February – Prodigal from Crow’s Theatre and The Howland Company was certainly a highlight of February. The intensity of this production was incredible, and I definitely can’t wait to hear it on this season of CBC’s PlayMe podcast.

Another memorable production was Between a Wok and a Hot Pot from Cahoots Theatre. Not only was it educational about the deliciousness that is hot pot, but it was a very honest and revealing production about the struggles which are still faced by minorities in our society.

March – Looking back, March was a stellar month for theatre this past year. Behind the Moon (Tarragon Theatre), Rubble (Theatre Passe Muraille), and The First Métis Man of Odesa (Punctuate Theatre) all brought the world to our doorstep in their own unique ways. These stories have actually become more relevant as the year has worn on; their touching stories about the tenacity of humanity in the face of war and injustice have had me thinking about them quite a bit lately.

Another mention goes to the hauntingly beautiful Dressed as People (Perry Riposte Productions), which captivated me more with each new story and showed the true breadth of talent from the incredible performer. And to the incredibly moving Of the Sea (Obsidian Theatre and Tapestry Opera) which felt new and ancient all at the same time.

April – April was busy this past year with 14 shows this month alone! Highlights include the moving The Hooves Belong to the Deer (Tarragon Theatre). The haunting The Seagull (Soulpepper Theatre Company). The honest and funny Love You Wrong Time (Nightwood Theatre and Bad Muse Collective). The stunning and twisty Body So Fluorescent (Buddies in Bad Times Theatre), and the auditory sensation of Trace (Theatre Passe Muraille). Each one had a unique and fresh perspective which I enjoyed the opportunity to learn from and witness.

May – Some of the most reality-challenging plays I have ever seen I saw back to back in May. True Crime (Crow’s Theatre) literally left me questioning everything that was said from the first moment to the last. The Sound Inside (Coal Mine Theatre) similarly left me totally unsure as to the line between reality and fiction within the world of the story. The Rage of Narcissus (Expandidto Theatre Group) had me wondering how much I could even trust my own reflection.

Special mentions also need to go to The Elephant Man (Wren Theatre) and The Chinese Lady (Crow’s Theatre and fuGen Theatre) for some of the best physicality I’ve ever seen on stage. As well as Boom X (Crow’s Theatre) for being super fun while also very grounding. Tunnel at the End of the Light (The Roland Gossage Foundation) was moving, brilliant and unique in all of the best ways.

June – Summer brought on its fair share of excitement! Sizewe Banzi is Dead (Soulpepper Theatre Company) was a breath-taking two harder which had me in its grasp from the first moment to the last. Perceptual Archaeology (Crow’s Theatre) has changed how I see the world and think about travel. I still keep the stone from that production on my bedside table. Armadillos (A Love Story) (Factory Theatre) was an incredible take on mythology as well as a fascinating look at the traditional relationships between med and women. No Save Points (Outside the March) is hands down one of the most inventive and ingenious productions I have EVER seen!

A Lysistrata (Alumnae Theatre) and Access Me (Boys in Chairs Collective) proved that sex and sexuality is an essential part of human nature, no matter the person’s age or physicality.

July – This moth was essentially totally consumed with the Fringe Festival! What a wild two weeks, and I loved every minute. Some favourites include: The Exorcist: An Operetta, Our Little Secret: The 23 and Me Musical, Frankenstein(esque), The Bad Mitzvah, Blake and Clay’s Gay Agenda, Hymns and Hearse, Corporate Finch, and The Man with the Golden Heart. I’m already looking forward to next July for more Fringey goodness!

Also in July was King Gilgamesh & the Man of the Wild (Soulpepper Theatre Company) which introduced me to Arabic Jazz and took us on a most magical journey.

August – Summertime is always full of outdoor theatre! Otîhêw (Shakespeare in Action), and Living with Shakespeare (Driftwood Theatre Group) were delightful outdoor offerings which were each delightfully inspiring in their own ways. Suddenly Last Summer (Riot King) took us to the sunny south in the comfort of a beautiful plant-filled art studio.

September – The Fall presented haw-dropping offerings with the starts of the new season. The Master Plan (Crow’s Theatre) lived up to every bit of hype, with incredible performances and a perfect atmosphere. Canoe (Unsettled Score) was another world-premiere opera that absolutely blew me away. Speaking of Sneaking (Buddies in Bad Times Theatre) brought both magic and reality to beautiful life. While Appropriate (Coal Mine Theatre) left me shaking and awed by their soundscape and jarring storyline.

October – Wildwoman (Soulpepper Theatre Company) had me on my feet in moments; the stunning plot and marvellous acting making it a stand out for sure! Next Stage Festival was fantastic! All 6 shows were absolutely fantastic and I had such a great time attending this festival for the first time! A Poem for Rabia (Tarragon Theatre) was a generational delight and was so beautiful. And then came the spooky season shows, with Doctor Faustus (Dandelion Theatre & Apothecary Theatre) and Doc Wuthergloom: Here There Be Monsters (Eldritch Theatre) to get our spines tingling and hair standing on end!

November – I had one last outdoor excursion with Walk With Me While I Remember You (Mammalian Diving Reflex); a moving experience about grief and loss. The Drowning Girls (Wren Theatre) was a callback to spooky season with a stellar cast bringing this script to (un)life. Rocky Mountain Special (Buddies in Bad Times Theatre) was a unique and magical look at the trans experience which I really enjoyed. Withrow Park (Tarragon Theatre) was a witty and wonderful look at death. Letters from Max, a ritual (Necessary Angel Theatre) was a similarly beautiful and uplifting production. Taking us into the holiday season was Jack: A Beanstalk Panto (Capitol Theatre) which was a delightful and naughty way to start the holidays. The MacIvor double bill of Here Lies Henry and Monster at Factory Theatre was a wild and wonderful way to end the month.

December – SWEETER (Cahoots Theatre) started off the month in the most sweet way; such a stellar cast! Chris, Mrs. (Boldly Production) was a Hallmark Movie come to life with wonderful new songs! Keeping with the Holiday Theme, there is the annual It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (Young People’s Theatre) which was amazing to watch. And I got to see my first two Mirvish shows: Ain’t Too Proud and 42nd Street!

What comes next?

2024 has exciting things in store, and I can’t wait to share even more great productions with you all!

• In 2024 and 2025, I’ll be the Vice President of the Canadian Theatre Critic’s Association! I’m really looking forward to devoting time to this organization and helping to reach out to even more theatre critics around the country. We’re looking to organize some events and whatnot and I’m so excited to be a more active part of this organization!

• I’ll be keeping up my social media presence for sure, and I think I’m going to stick to the weekly round ups for my TikTok and Instagram reels! I’m thinking about getting Threads in the New Year as well! So keep an eye on the social links at the bottom of my Linktree for any new updates:

Once again, I want to thank each and every one of you for your continued support in my career; I couldn’t do this without you! I’m looking forward to another year of exciting theatre, interviews, and thoughtful posts. Have a safe and happy New Year, and we’ll see you in 2024!

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Thank you to my Patrons:

B. Kinnon, D. Moyes, D. Nelson

And to my supporters who’ve bought me a coffee:

Angelica and Paul

Would you like to become a Patron? Check out my Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox