When I was first moving to Toronto four years ago, I was so thankful to be able to move into my fiancé’s condo; we got to avoid the terror of attempting to find somewhere new to live. After watching Michael Ross Albert’s hilarious new comedy The Bidding War, I’m happier than ever that we didn’t have to face an open house like this one! Expertly directed by Paulo Santalucia, The Bidding War is a shockingly funny comedy about the cut-throat real estate market. Featuring some of the best comedic actors Toronto has to offer, this is a truly unmissable production.

Michael Ross Albert has constructed such a perfect farcical scenario for The Bidding War; there are several sets of potential buyers all vying for “the last good house in Toronto.” Ken Mackenzie and Sim Suzer have designed a beautiful home which has the perfect amount of sterility to look like a show house and not like anyone actually lives there. Act one takes place in the living room/kitchen – the main space of the house. However, there are multiple doors through which the characters can make their entrances and exits, allowing this main room to act as a revolving door for the cast. The pacing is perfect: folks are coming in and out at regular intervals, while also not knowing what some of the other characters are doing, thus creating the perfect “oh no!” moments of dramatic irony.

Sam is running his first open house: he’s in a home he’s known most of his life (his friend June lived there with her parents), he’s got the catering done, and plenty of interested parties. But when June suddenly comes home to find it full of strangers, you can tell things are just starting to get interesting! Veritable chaos ensues as the various house hunters and their “trusted” real estate agents are forced to make this monumental decision within a fraction of the time limit they were initially told they had. Laughs abound as the competition grows stronger and motives are fully revealed.

Crow’s has gathered a cast of uproarious actors to inhabit these zany characters. Peter Fernandes stars as Sam, the host of the open house. His dazzling charm and occasional panic allow the audience to be on his side from the beginning. Veronica Hortiguela plays June, and the combination of her comedic timing with a very vulnerable and emotional performance certainly makes her a stand-out amongst the cast. Gregory Prest and Amy Matysio play Luke and Lara; their chemistry was perfect and watching Prest wield that giant purse in Act Two is legendary. Sophia Walker’s Patricia is feisty, determined, and delivered with heart. Izad Etemadi and Steven Sutcliffe are an adorable couple as Donovan and Ian. However Sutcliffe’s re-entry in Act Two will be stuck in my head for the foreseeable future. Sergio Di Zio plays Greg, another real estate agent and his enthusiasm and vibrancy shines in this role. Fiona Reid’s Miriam is so sweet and kind; it makes the end of Act One all the better! Gregory Waters’ Charlie is such a dude-bro; he represents the corner of the internet we all try to avoid. Aurora Browne gives a fierce, powerful, and side-splitting performance as Blayne. Her character arc is amazing and she plays all of the levels so perfectly.

The Bidding War shows us ourselves in one of our most ugly looks: when we’re battling each other in a made-up arena for a resource we already possess while others have nothing. June, who’s a sculptor like her late father, becomes the voice of reason amongst the rabble of the prospective buyers, as she simply tries to grieve and start a new life for herself. Her distain for what’s occurring, yet the understanding of the necessity of money, makes the character instantly understandable, particularly to the millennials in the audience. The messaging in this play is explored through the actions of the characters rather than through a super left-leaning text like Crow’s previous show Rosmersholm. It’s also a very smart pairing with Big Stuff, which is on at the Studio Theatre, as this home is for sale due to the death of the former owner, and June is left to deal with some of her Father’s “stuff” which has been left behind. Like good comedy, The Bidding War is asking us to laugh at ourselves while also recognizing that most of us, at one point or another, are going to participate in this arbitrary and deeply flawed system.

I could easily see The Bidding War another two or three times; funny and full of heart, you’ll certainly want to come back for more!

The Bidding War runs at the Guloien Theatre at Streetcar Crow’s Nest until December 15. For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.crowstheatre.com/whats-on/view-all/the-bidding-war

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Cover Photo: (from l-r) Gregory Waters as Charlie, a buyer; Sergio di Zio as Greg, an agent; Steven Sutcliffe as Ian and Izad Etemadi as Donovan, buyers. Photo by Dahlia Katz.

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