The last residential school in Canada closed in 1996; I started first grade that September, with no clue at all that these schools existed. Like most young Canadians, I didn’t learn about the full extent of the atrocities perpetrated against Indigenous peoples until well into my adult life, and plays like Jani Lauzon and Kaitlin…
Michi Barall does it all: playwright, actor, and academic. Though she's been living in NYC for over 30 years, she's still very much in touch with her Canadian roots. Barall's new play, Drawing Lessons, is set to premiere at Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis next month. I got to ask Michi some questions about her…
“I can’t stand theatre. We get fucking bored in the theatre 99% of the time.” The quote from author Bernard-Marie Koltès on its bright yellow background glares up at me from my program. Koltès’ Roberto Zucco could never be defined as boring; the narrative structure, fascinating characters, and pure shock factor don’t allow for boredom.…
The Kingston Grand Theatre is producing the World Premiere of Sophia Fabiilli's latest work, Why it's imPossible. A complex work about parenting, finding yourself, and the delicate relationship between parent and child, Why it's imPossible will bring you laugter and tears in equal meaure. I got to ask Sophia about her inspiration for this play,…
What will your legacy be? For some it’s their children, for some their philanthropy and volunteering, and for others it’s their body of work. Margaret wants nothing more than to be remembered for her illustrious career, however some nasty rumours surrounding her attitude at rehearsal threaten that legacy. Nick Green’s stunning and passionate play Dinner…
The candles are lit, the curtains drawn, it’s time for a ghost story. Duncan MacMillan’s adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s Rosmersholm is a poignant tale which feels like it’s been ripped out of today’s headlines. Full of complex ideas and even more complicated characters, Rosmersholm delves into the ambitions, heartaches, and politics of the Norse nobility.…
Fall for Dance North is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2024, and they’ve prepared a fittingly spectacular lineup for the occasion. Robert Binet and Lily Sutherland have recently been appointed as Co-CEO’s as well as Artistic Director (Binet) and Festival Director (Sutherland) this season. I asked the duo some questions about getting their start in…
Can you remember the worst pain you’ve ever been in? I certainly can, I once had a kidney stone which kept me in the hospital for four days. It was not a good time. The ladies at the wellness retreat in Annie Baker’s Infinite Life also don’t seem like they’re having a good time, at…
Can you hear it? The drum beating as steady as your heart? Can you feel it? The rumbling which starts under your feet and sends chills up your spine? No matter how you can experience live theatre, Qalb, A Journey of the Ego is made for you. Bringing the words of Rumi to life through…
“Again?” The first line of George F. Walker’s unpublished work Fierce fully embodies everything that we’re about to witness in a single word. Moss Theatre Collective’s inaugural production is an intense two-hander which delves into the lives of a recently-released inmate and her psychiatrist as they use some...unconventional methods to open up and gain each…
A View from the Box 