Bachelor Man – Renaissance Canadian Theatre On July 1st, 1929, Toronto Chinatown teahouse owner, John, greets an extraordinary day. John left his wife in China. So did Grandad. Six men and the two women who enter their lives, grapple with the 6th anniversary of the Exclusion Act, the immigration act that prevented the wives and…
Imagine walking down Dundas Street and only ever seeing the faces of other men; there’s not a woman in sight, and what few might be living there stay dutifully hidden away. This was the reality of Toronto’s Chinatown, and the country at large, for over twenty years while The Exclusion Act was in effect. Winston…
The sky in Millbrook seems to go on forever, so you wouldn’t be shocked to see it being traversed by flocks of geese. But in the 1820’s the geese weren’t coming over by flight, but by boat; two thousand Irish immigrants searching for a new life and prosperity in Canada. The world premiere of Megan…
Power. Prejudice. Vengance. When a professor takes things too far with a struggling student, how will she retaliate? Will the professor be punished? Who can possibly win in this situation? David Mamet’s Oleanna, directed by Icarus Theatre’s artistic director Anthony Goncharov, is a scathing exploration of the abuse of power within academia. Featuring intriguing design…
Coming home isn’t always easy...especially if you didn’t say goodbye to your friends and family before going. But when Destin suddenly finds himself stranded on his old Rez, he can see how much, and how little, has changed. Rez Gas is a world premiere musical written by Cale Crowe and Genevieve Adams, and directed by…
How to bake an apple pie As told by Miriam in Jennifer Fawcett’s Apples in Winter, directed by Robert Ross Parker Birgitte SolemPhoto by Ann Baggley Step 1: Prep the crust. Requires: Flour, Sugar, Salt, Butter. The lights snap on to a harsh, sterile kitchen. This is clearly not Miriam’s kitchen at home; the steel…
Hear ye, hear ye! Withrow Park is coming alive yet again this year with a new work from Shakespeare in the Ruff. Behold the comedically tragic story of Tiff’ny of Athens: witness this wealthy influencer’s fall from grace right before your eyes. Expertly adapted by Nathaniel Hanula-James and Christine Horne, and deftly directed by Patricia…
What happens when a visit from an old friend turns into more than just reminiscing and sharing a meal? Harold Pinter’s Old Times, directed by Peter Pasyk, takes its cues from absurdist theatre while dialing the (sexual) tension to eleven. Beautiful design and a haunting text make Old Times an intriguing production. Old Times is…
Imagine waking up for the first time. You haven't been asleep, but you haven't been awake either. No one around you notices. What is different? What has changed? Will this society cast you out as defective? Can you return? And even if you do return, will it be what you remembered? Devon Healey’s Rainbow on…
I cried for the majority of my drive home from Pine Farms Orchard last night. Having just witnessed King Theatre Company’s latest main stage show, Tuesdays with Morrie, I was moved beyond expectation. The stage adaptation, written by Jeffry Hatcher and Mitch Albom, beautifully distills Albom’s book into a ninety minute tour-de-force. Directed by King…
A View from the Box 