“What is Hell?” Take Wilde, famously charged with indecency in a time where it was still illegal to be queer who said: “We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell.” Or take Huxley, who was so much more than the dystopian fiction we’re forced to read in school, who said:…
The sound of cicadas singing is one of the hallmarks of summer; that chirring can be heard night and day, sometimes at seemingly unbelievable volumes considering they’re insects. You can especially tell the years where the cycles have linked, and the alien-looking creatures cover the trees...or maybe even swarm your home near Trinity Bellwoods Park.…
The content warnings for Vitals on Factory’s website are: “This play contains explicit descriptions of violence, gore, sexual assault, animal and child abuse and self-harm including suicide. It is not recommended for younger audiences.” As such, my review will also be touching on these topics. If you’re planning to see the show, please heed these…
It’s time for the Paprika Festival! This youth-lead festival has been helping to develop the future of Toronto theatre for over 20 years. Melissa Avalos is part of this year’s Playwrights Unit, and I got to ask her about the experience and what audiences can expect from the reading of her latest play. Melissa Avalos…
“We hide our memories, but never bury them” Adeeb dreams of his homeland: Syria. But when he dreams, the faces are foreign to him, so is the place, and yet he has the undeniable feeling that it’s his home. Aksam Alyousef’s Karma, directed by Pleiades’ artistic executive director Ash Knight, blends past and present to…
Where you do find inspiration? In nature? Other art? Or maybe even in another person? When the muse calls, no matter where you find it, you always feel compelled to answer, even if answering it might take over your life. Christina Anderson’s How to Catch Creation, directed by Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu, examines the lives of…
Are you concerned about the end of the world? Do visions of the undead haunt your darkest dreams? Then fear not! Eldritch Theatre’s Zombocalypse! will walk you through the four steps to surviving a hostile zombie takeover....though survival is not guaranteed for all. Created by Eric Woolfe and directed by Rick Waugh, Zombocalypse! takes your…
We’ve all heard of those reality dance shows which were massive hits in the 2000’s: “Dance Moms” or even “Toddler and Tiaras”, and we know the drama which occurs both on and off the stage. Clare Barron’s Dance Nation, directed by Diana Bentley, brings that drama to life right before your eyes. With a cast…
“Goodnight, sweet Prince, And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.” Horatio’s final words to his best friend hang in the air long after he’s uttered them. As the bodies have piled up around him in that final scene, Horatio is the sole survivor of one of Shakespeare’s more bloody tragedies. This new adaptation,…
Dear Lev, You don’t know me, but I’m lucky to get to see your Uncle Andrew’s work here in Toronto. He’s written a play about your great-grandfather, your pradid in Ukrainian, and he’s written it to you. To help you, and frankly all of us, understand a little bit more about the world as it…
A View from the Box 