What would happen if you randomly inserted a clown into a Chekhovian-style melodrama? Parlous Theatre’s answer is a brilliant* show full of chaos, laughs, gasps, and fun. Spectacular* from start to finish, Insert Clown Here leans heavily into the melodrama genre while simultaneously subverting everything we think we know about it. Written and directed by…
At times, the darkest situations can yield some of the most true and genuinely funny comedy. Jordi Mand has certainly tapped into that beautiful duality with her latest play In Seven Days. In a co-production with The Grand Theatre, and directed by Philip Akin, In Seven Days will have you laughing and crying in equal…
Waiting for the TTC, particularly in the middle of the night, certainly can make you feel like you’re stuck in one of Samuel Beckett’s plays. Peter N. Bailey’s Tyson’s Song takes this feeling to the next level with his thought-provoking story about two friends on the brink of a new phase of their lives. As…
In the lobby outside of the Franco Boni Theatre there’s a quote projected onto the wall: “What you are about to see is not wholly inaccurate. But close.” Rose Napoli, author and star of Mad Madge, sets up our expectations for her play perfectly in two brief sentences. Mad Madge explores the extraordinary life of…
You might think you know about Louis Riel and his place in Canada’s History, but I can guarantee you’ve never heard it told like this! Frances Končan’s Women of the Fur Trade, which is being presented by the National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre and Great Canadian Theatre Company, looks at this tumultuous time in Canada’s…
Who is Shaniqua Jenkins? The casting directors certainly think they know, but under the “sassy” and “bold” exterior they want, lies a whole other woman ready to show them what’s what. Writer and performer bahia watson brings her unique sense of humour and point of view with her play shaniqua in abstraction. In its World…
Rose Napoli is once again delving into the realm of historical fiction with her new play Mad Madge. Like her stunning performance in WILDWOMAN, Napoli is bringing to life author, poet, and would-be empress Margaret Cavendish to life. I asked Rose about what it’s like to write and star in a play, how Cavendish’s writing…
There are few things as glorious as the smells and tastes of a hot dog cart in a big city. As long as you’re the tourist or passer-by getting to enjoy the aroma; for the person working the cart, every day is an opportunity to be robbed or kicked off of your (technically illegal) corner,…
Women at Play(s) returned with a sixth instalment of works all written, directed, and performed by women. Featuring six short form plays covering a range of subjects and genres, Women at Play(s)6 was an impressive showcase of talent. Tackling the realities of being a woman in today’s society head on, Women at Play(s)6 was a…
Without human intervention, how do elephants die? Good Old Neon’s new play Dead Elephants ponders this and much more while exploring themes of death and grief. Written and directed by Co-Artistic Directors Alexander Offord and Nicole Wilson, Dead Elephants delves into these difficult themes through the lens of these magnificent creatures who mourn and grieve…
A View from the Box 