Dee Arr has a point !

Mending Fences in Hudson

2010-06-29T13:50:00.000-07:00

Mending Fences by Norm Foster; Directed by: Andrew Johnston; Featuring: Paul Van Dyck (Drew, Young Drew, Young Harry), Bill Rowat (Harry, Harry's Father) and Melanie Doerr (Gin, Lori, Harry’s Mum); Playing at Hudson Theatre June 24th to July 11th.

Described as a sparkling comedy written and performed with wit and humanity. What happens when a son, estranged for 13 years, returns to his gruff and uncommunicative father. In Foster’s deft hands, histories are revealed, vulnerabilities laid bare, and laughter is always close at hand. This promises to be a refined piece of theatre that tugs at the heartstrings while it tickles the funny bones; rising above sentimentality to tell a genuinely interesting story.

A well cast ensemble is in good form, Van Dyke and Rowat are believable as father and son; Rowat and Melanie Doerr have great chemistry on stage and she delivers a show stopping monolog that garners well deserved applause from the audience. The actors play more than one character and with a minimalist approach using some minor costume and physical adjustments between characters that works well. One simple interior stage design serves the play well as a multiple purpose set for the entire play. Some rather rough yet sufficient lighting design changes also help to move the story from one period to another as this non-linear story unfolds. Seven (7) bean salad will never taste the same. GO C IT!

Theatre Train Events 2010: Three Theatre Train Events will be taking place this summer. Each Theatre Train Event is in conjunction with a separate live theatrical show: June 26th (Mending Fences), July 17th (Celebrity) and August 7th (Snake In The Grass).

Celebrity, by/de Peter Quilter July 15th - August 1st. Train date: July 17th - Show times 2:00pm and 5:30pm.

Snake in the Grass, by/de Alan Ayckbourn August 5th - August 22nd; Train date: August 7th - Show times 2:00pm and 5:30pm.

Experience a private return train ride from Montreal or Beaconsfield to the delightful charming village of Hudson. Relax, shop or dine at one of the many charming boutiques and restaurants. Then top your day off with a first-rate performance at the celebrated Hudson Village Theatre. Tickets are only available through the AMT (Montreal Metropolitan Transport Agency) AMT Office hours: 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday. You must call or email in order to purchase your tickets. There are no online purchasing options. AMT ticket phone line: 514-287-7866 AMT ticket email: escapadesentrain@amt.qc.ca Price: $55.00 per event (including taxes).

Box office: 450-458-5361 www.villagetheatre.ca

The Jazz Singer shimmies into the Segal Center.

2010-06-25T10:32:00.000-07:00

The Segal Centre for Performing Arts presents the musical version of The Jazz Singer, a Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre production. The play that inspired the 1927 Hollywood film starring Al Jolson and that signaled the transition to sound films.

Segal Centre resident composer and lyricist, Elan Kunin, adapted the original 1925 play by Samson Raphaelson. The multi-talented Kunin wrote the music and lyrics and also plays the lead role in this world premiere of the musical version of The Jazz Singer, the story of a cantor’s son whose dream of making it big on Broadway challenges his father’s wishes. “The generational conflict between Old World traditions and American acculturation explored in The Jazz Singer still resonates strongly today....” says Bryna Wasserman, Artistic Director. "...An immensely talented design team brings our Yiddish production of this timeless piece to life, through the creative set design of John C. Dinning, first-rate musical direction by John Gilbert and stunning choreography by Jim White."

Director Bryna Wasserman blends community cultural theatre with a professional cast that includes some of Canada’s finest performers, as well as emerging talent from diverse cultural backgrounds, reflecting the Segal Centre’s mission to build intercultural bridges through the arts. The costumes by James Lavoie are outstanding and the stage design is magnificent with multiple set changes that include a revolving stage. The band of musicians are in great form and the tunes very timely remaining true to the times of the period yet still catchy. A very large cast, at times overcrowding the stage, belt out the songs with compassion as they dance along with great passion. The ensemble is well cast with stand out performances delivered by Elan Kunin, David Bushman, Nadia Verrucci, Lisa Rubin, and Chris Barillaro.

Playing June 6 to 27 to sold out houses this is a gem that you don't want to miss. Presented in Yiddish with translation into English and French. Most of the dialogue in in Yiddish however a lot of the musical lyrics remain in English. GO C IT!

Fringe Fried A Summary of Fringe XX 2010.

2010-06-23T14:51:00.000-07:00

On Arts Notebook CINQ 102.3fm we conducted 12 interviews this season over 4 weeks:
- May 29th, Geoff Agombar Fringe Communications Director - preview and Fringe For All.
- June 5th, Shavirez, Jesus Jello, and Robby Who?
- June 13th, Fruitcake, Misadventures of a Massage Therapist, Third Time Lucky, & Wide Load.
- June 20th, A Trip to Coney Island, How Coyote Was Swallowed by the Sandia Mountains, Blind to Happiness, & Just Us in the Bed Room.

A summary of the 2010 Fringe XX blog reviews. The number of productions covered by the contingent of reviewers on the blog totaled 40, with 60 reviews: Dee Arr 20; Sylvester 15; Scooby Doo 12; Tin Tin 9; RaTaTa 4. Over 70% of the productions reviewed got a favorable rating of 3 cents to 5 cents. A Fingetastic positive average. Overall the comedies favored the highest and dance rated lowest.

1 cents = 3 / 6% 2 cents = 14 / 23% 3 cents = 14 / 23% 4 cents = 14 / 23% 5 cents = 15 / 25%

FUNDERSTORM - Fringe XX

2010-06-22T22:02:00.000-07:00

FUNDERSTORM, Petit Campus, Venue #2. This show is SO GAY! Not in the sense youngsters have been using it these days, but because the play includes a naked guy, another masturbating under a blanket, the 4 guys playfully sharing their fears, with plenty of uncomfortable moments and sex faces! They are 4 cosmopolitans a few inches shy of 'Sex and the City'! They must be part of the new breed of sensitive straight men! The show made me laugh, like the young women beside me, the two of us making up most of the audience, but also uneasy. Was it because it was too intimate or too unrealistic ? 3 cents. TinTin

Just Us In The Bedroom - FRINGE XX

2010-06-21T21:01:00.000-07:00

Just Us In The Bedroom @ Portuguese Association, Venue #7. By Just Us Producing - Canada, Iceland, Germany. Winners of the 2009 Spirit of the Fringe award. Invited to return as guests of the Fringe this season. The audience enters and the performance has already started, or has it. Much of what we see and hear is in a questionable and ambiguous reality. The two characters on stage, David and Beckky, are real people in a very unreal world. With a dream like quality and accompanied by a live musical cello instrument, they deliver a poetic text that is very abstract and absurdest; and much like in a dream, what goes on beneath the covers is unexplainable. It is not a comedy nor a drama but it is very experimental and a brave new work. 3 cents. Dee Arr

Jean et Beatrice - FRINGE XX

2010-06-20T13:24:00.000-07:00

JEAN ET BEATRICE @ Mainline Theatre Venue #6. By Les Cousins Germains - France. This is an highly intense show with a highly beautiful intensity. Happily, the comical bits provided a balance that kept me from choking up. A woman feeling dry wants to find the recipe for love with a man feeling empty, raising the age old question: what's love? For her, it's first being interested, moved and then seduced, and that's exactly what this show does; it seduces the audience into loving it. That must be what love is, of this play anyway. A well balanced mix of excellent acting and seamless direction. 4 cents. TinTin

METEOR - FRINGE XX

2010-06-20T13:14:00.000-07:00

METEOR @ Petit Campus Venue #2. When going to an improv show, I expect a lot of so-so sketches and very few gems. It's just part of 'the game'. METEOR was no exception to this trend, at least the show I attended. I really appreciated that the trio of actors remained dynamic throughout, even smirking, showing that they love what they do. It cannot be too selfindulgent, the audience has to also love and enjoy what they are watching. It makes the difference between an improv show that's fun and one that's really so-so to dull. The most fun was that we were provided with streamers to throw at the stage; My second throw crashed...much like a lot of what I saw at Meteor. 2 cents. TinTin

How Coyote Was Swallowed by the Sandia Mountains - Fringe XX

2010-06-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

How Coyote Was Swallowed by the Sandia Mountains @ Espace 4001 (Geordie). By Crazy Going Slowly Players. Written by Anna Roth Trowbridge. Directed by Nathaniel Bryan. Featuring Nathan Bitton (Leo), and Alex Vincent (Scilla). A reincarnation of the honours thesis in Drama and Cognitive Science "A One Man Show or My Brother" (2009) that was originally mounted at McGill's Players' Theatre (see review earlier on this blog). It is part memory-play and part folk-tale. Scilla, Leo's kid sister, tries to learn about and tries to rationalize why her brother, who suffered from bi-polar disorder, left the cold reality of Montreal to end up killing himself in the mystified wilderness of New Mexico. She writes a play to connect with her memory of her brother and to better understand his untreated mental disorder. A struggle then ensues between sanity and insanity, a sister and a trickster, two playwrights that remember things very differently, and we see a story unfold through two very contrasting points of view.

From strictly a creative dramatic perspective there are still some important elements yet to be discovered and that remain undeveloped in this version. Getting out of the analytical brain and into the theatrical brain is always a challenge when dealing with this type of subject matter and from such technical sources. Taking bigger risks and pushing the envelope farther are what is needed to take this play over the creative precipice. However, a very well written, well staged and very well performed piece of important theatre. The movement and interpretation of Nathan Bitton capturing every nuance of his character Leo/Coyote felt very genuine and was quite intriguing. 4 cents. Dee Arr

The Duck Wife - FRINGE XX

2010-06-20T11:21:00.000-07:00

The Duck Wife / La femme canard @ Tangente Venue #1. By Inertia Productions - Montreal. Brilliant! Manifique! A creative fusion of the elements of performance art melding them into one very moving and highly entertaining piece of bilingual theatre. Based on an Inuit myth as the tale unfolds about a hero in pursuit of his wife is brought vividly to life in an abstract with a touch of the absurd style, and yet with a thread of still subtle realistic fashion. Dance, live new age-rock music: both instruments and vocals, multimedia projections, eclectic colorful costumes, and powerful performances from a talented and agile ensemble make this production a sure fired hit. The 3 piece band on stage from Brooklyn, Grub Animal, known for their "new wave", hard core, rock styling fit right in interacting with the other performers, even getting into the act. Captivating from the first word uttered and the first move made to the last note played. Bravo! 5 cents. Dee Arr

Blind To Happiness - FRINGE XX

2010-06-18T18:59:00.000-07:00

Blind To Happiness @ Espace 4001 (Geordie) Venue #3. By Maple Suroor Productions (Kuwait). Tim C. Murphy is not blind to creating thought provoking and intellectual theatre. A very original and intelligent play that one will enjoy more if you just sit back and trust the performer to make you happy. A solo performance that captivated my attention and that held my interest from the moment he set foot on stage. A creation of three separate very distinct and unique characters; One that is based on a true to life individual, and two that are imaginary. I applaud this type of solo play as opposed to the usual 'It's all about me.' dribble. It demonstrates true talent! 5 cents. Dee Arr

7 (x1) Samurai - FRINGE XX

2010-06-17T11:32:00.000-07:00

7 (x1) Samurai @ MAI Venue #9. Written, directed, and performed by Davis Gaines, Arlington Virginia. David is like WOW! from the world of mime. Comes to us with incredible credentials and great reviews touting his best solo show in DC and Florida. How does one encapsulate a 3 1/2 hour movie into a 60 minute show? Somehow David accomplished this with humour and impeccable mime skill. However, I was just as bored here as I was watching the movie. If you loved the 7 Samurai then surely you'll love this. Scooby took a cat nap and couldn't wait for a fire hydrant break. There were lots and lots of laughs and cheers from the rest of the audience however. 5 cents (for the production) 1 cent (for the dialogue). Scobby Doo

Recess - FRINGE XX

2010-06-16T22:52:00.000-07:00

Recess @ MAI Venue #9. By Keep It Movin' Productions. A high energy solo performance writen and performed by Una Aya Osato. Miss White a Bronx school teacher decides to let her students be taped on video with messages of hope for the Afro-American president Obama. Takes the audience into the hearts and minds of the children. Touching stories from the kids who have not got much to rely on or look forward to in their lives. Una plays all the characters and is amazing when switching from one to another with humor and tragedy, but above all a feel of reality that is deeply touching. 5 cents. Sylvester

Recess By Keep it Movin' Productions. A one woman multimedia show that rocked and moved me in ways that will stay with me for quite awhile. Una Aya Osato is a teacher from New York City and from her years of experience decided to write and perform this piece that is so very touching. She delightfully plays all the boys, girls, and adults that interchange from video to stage very smoothly. How misunderstood children can be and all the details of their precious and complicated lives in the Bronx weave a story that grabs you line after line and pulls you into feeling like your one of them in the playground. Children that are funny, energetic, and sad, each living through the experience of growing up in a world run by adults who end up being more affected by the children then they realize. A subtle yet powerful piece that reflects timelessly on the education system in ways that almost everyone can relate to. 5 cents. Scooby Doo

Heart Strings - FRINGE XX

2010-06-16T21:22:00.000-07:00

Heart Strings @ La Chapelle Venue #10 By Tanya Elchuk & Amy Crnkovic - Thunder Bay. What is it is about clowning?... My heart cringes when I see people doing far to much of it and being much to loud and acting so over the top that I just want to yell back at them: "Take it easy, please!" This "acting" style is not for me and may or may not be for you too? The "story" was very predictable on top of it, with of course a happy ending. A surrealist romantic comedy about hearts in a box without instructions, the pain and the defeat, and oh yeh, the dispair too. In very proper English. 2 cents. Sylvester

La Parade Cachée - FRINGE XX

2010-06-16T20:57:00.000-07:00

La Parade Cachée By La Feintse - Montreal. Hour Stage Venue #4. Written, directed and performed by Maude Bouchard. Music by Yana Ouellet. Leaving the play thinking "I didnt get it"; And apparently, I wasnt the only one; -It took quite a while before the audience started to applaud at the end. Probably because it felt unfinished. Significance of the title? -I don't even get what the title "Parade Cachée" (Hidden Parade) refers to after seeing the play? It would have been a good idea if the author had completed the puzzle for us. Nevertheless, it is still a nice exploration of emotions, well delivered performance, and supported by a good soundtrack. If you're in for a ride without a expecting to end in any specific destination, then it's a show for you. 2 cents. TinTin

Autant s'Emportent les Gens - FRINGE XX

2010-06-16T20:46:00.000-07:00

Autant s'Emportent les Gens By Sur la coche - Montreal. Petit Campus Venue #2. I loved this show! I love most musicals and this one is also hilarious from start to finish. The actors all have great comical talent and good voices to match with the catchy tunes. The direction and choreography contribute to the sustained rhythm of the show. It's also fun that the action takes place here in Montreal; it makes us feel that much closer to the characters. I would like it to be made into a bigger and longer production, but maybe the pacing would suffer from it. Go find out what happens to the guy everyone confides in when he needs to confide in someone. 5 cents. TinTin

Les Quatre Petites Filles - FRINGE XX

2010-06-16T13:47:00.000-07:00

Les Quatre Petites Filles By Pretium Doloris @ MAI Venue #9. At first, upon walking not knowing what to expect, it takes quite a while to realise what is going on?! The text delivered by the four little girls is just a series of words put together as a child would do to express some tall tale that only they can see in it's full extent. As they go deeper into the play and we get familiar with the children's world, we start feeling what their universe is about and what the little girls are going through. Beautiful visually as well. You'll want to leave your brain at the door and open your heart wide to live this oniric journey with them, and then leave with a lightness of foot and heart. 4 cents. RaTaTa

L'@mour2.com - FRINGE XX

2010-06-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

L'@mour2.com @ MAI Venue #10. By Theatre Conversion / Belvedère - Ottawa. Cute show about dating web sites and how to handle or to not handle this phenomena. Although the gang is very young and not that experienced as actors, I appreciated the play a lot; it is well thought out and uses hilarious visuals from any dating site you can imagine (If you ever wanted to date a cowboy? It exists!) and covers all the do's and don'ts if you want to make it in the world of the digital discotheque. I left with a smile on my face. En francais. 3 cents. Sylvester

L'@mour2.com @ MAI Venue #10. By Theatre Conversion / Belvedère - Ottawa. "Dating web sites 101" That's what L'@MOUR2.COM should have been called because it's not really a show, it's an animated lecture, complete with slides of examples, statistics, etc. Problem is trying to fit the author's two years of research into 45 minutes. It results in slides you cant always read if you want to watch the young actors, or should I say, students - acting because they're okay but obvious novice beginners. In other words, not so much entertaining as it is interesting and very informative. 2 cents. TinTin

Afternoon Tea with Jane Austen - FRINGE XX

2010-06-15T21:52:00.000-07:00

Afternoon Tea with Jane Austen @ Association Portuguaise Venue #7. By Orange Wine Productions - Montreal. Fans of Jane Austen, be on the alert! This is your chance to check your knowledge about the spirit behind such beloved stories like: Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Sense and Sensibility. With a promise to gain some insight into the famous author the play started out really well with Jane asking questions and interacting with the audience. Tali Brady has created a great character with an impeccably accurate accent. Unfortunately what brings the play down is the lack of direction; the blocking (staging) is very stiff and does not come any further than some basic minimal pacing including the grabbing of papers and books and sipping a cup of tea. I would like to have seen more movement integrated and would have loved to have seen much more dancing at the ball. Alas, Jane Austin remains a mystery. 2 cents. Sylvester

AFTERNOON TEA WITH JANE AUSTEN, Portuguesse Association Venue #7. Remember when you had to talk in front of the class in high school about your favorite author's life, dressed like him or her and with props? That's what the play feels like, but this student deserves an A+. I didn't read Jane Austen's novels but I've seen the screen adaptations and I was hoping to feel drawn into that universe here, and I got my wish. However, if you're not interested in Jane Austen, then it's not a show that'll win you over, but if you want to learn about her, it's a great way to do so. 3 cents. TinTin

Jesus Jello - FRINGE XX

2010-06-14T21:28:00.000-07:00

Jesus Jello: The Miraculous Confection at the Freestanding Room Off-Venue #B. Written & co-directed by Joanne Sarazen, and co-directed by Lindsay Wilson. A stellar all star local cast in a talented ensemble featuring: Joseph Bembridge, Catherine Lemieux, George Bekiaris, Patrick Charron, Tristan D. Lalla, Joanna Noyes, Thomas Preece, and Emily Quaile. All are great and well cast in their roles; stand outs were Joseph Bembridge, Patrick Charron, and Catherine Lemieux who steals the show from the first note to the final tableau we can't take our eyes and ears off her. A clever very well written text, current yet with just the right measure of retro appeal. Costumes, and in particular the compact original set design are also both noteworthy. Get your 'Jesus Freak' on and giggle your jello over to the Freestanding Church and get a taste of this hilarious laugh out load bowl of delightfully inspirational confections. 4 cents. Dee Arr

Jesus Jello is miraculous. -Miles Wilson wakes up in his hospital bed after a mild concussion to behold the face of Jesus Christ in a bowl of lemon lime jello. This causes his family to embark upon a holy crusade of exploitation that gets the attention of a disenchanted gay couple, a recently widowed woman, and God almighty. "After all, who has a bigger God complex than God?" A wonderful incursion into the life's of men and women, into their despair and loneliness, and a gospel of a love over acceptance for the present we all share with one another. 4 cents. RaTaTa

Miss Sugarpuss Must Die - Fringe XX

2010-06-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

Miss Sugarpuss Must Die! At MAI Venue #9. Lets hope she doesn't! What a wonderful show shootin' straight from the hip! And 'HIP' it is. Cute, curly, staggering all the way to the vaudeville stage, Miss Sugarpuss tells the tale of how she grew up into being the troubled Holly Gautier Frankel. Seems that through some difficulty, out of some life challenges, and coupled with sadness and a desire to empower her creativity, Miss Sugarpuss was born to ignite and set fire to Holly's heart and ass; -wigglin' it onto the Burlesque scene. The problem is, does she take up too much room and garner all the glamour while Holly fights to find her true self? Go see for yourself and find out who lives to tell the tale? Exquisite vocals, sex appeal, powerful dancing and shimmying: Holly's got it all and then some. Directed by Paul Van Dyke. 5 cents. Scooby Doo

Miss Sugarpuss Must Die! @ MAI Venue #9. By Tappyco Inc. -Montreal. Miss Sugarpuss is an amazing show with burlesque, songs, and a lot of humor, great costumes and even some booze. Great lighting design, and a wonderful performance by Holly Gauthier-Frankel. A touching story behind the scenes of the world of burlesque. I loved all of it! I am fan! Forever! 5 cents. Sylvester

Miss Sugarpuss Must Die! @ MAI Venue #9. By Tappyco Inc. -Montreal. Co-Written and performed by Holly Gauthier-Frankel. Co-Written and directed by Paul Van Dyck. Who would want to kill Miss Sugarpuss and why? Motive is always the key to finding the culprit. What do you do as an artist when the persona you create becomes more popular than the creator? Which one do the people who you love, love more? A solo variety performance of dance, song, and spoken word delivered by a larger than life character, or is it the artist that is the star...remains to be seen.
Winner of the Centaur English Theatre award at this season's Frankies, audience member and fans will get to see the show again or discover it for the first time. Great set, lighting, staging, and beautiful costumes. A delightful performance filled with plenty of sights and sounds for the eyes and ears. Burlesque lives on through Miss Sugarpuss, that's her name, what's yours? 4 cents Dee Arr

More DANCE moves from the Hoofers @ FRINGE XX

2010-06-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

Oppo @ Tangente Venue #1. By Imbroglio - Montreal. Two wonderful dance pieces by two great movers, Stu McIntyre and Caroline Rochefort. One piece is quite poetic, the other piece theatrical and very comical. Merging aerials, multimedia projection, dance theatre, and great acting (which is rare for dancers in general) to create a double bill that will appeal to everyone from contemporary art enthusiasts to a general audience. Athletic, vibrant and humorous. I do not want to give to much away as I was pleasantly surprised by both pieces. 4 cents. Sylvester

Oppo @ Tangente Venue #1. By Imbroglio - Montreal. The running time is 50 minutes, not 60 as listed. There are two parts to this production: A solo "Cheyen" by Caroline Rochefort with 20 minutes of aerials from a white sheet suspended from the ceiling; no dancing, or big CdS moves here, just some elaborate stretching. Good sound-music selection and video projection. A 10 minute intermission (we are asked to exit and return) to remove the sheet, the second part starts off as a duet with Rochefort and Stu McIntyre, who is strikingly tall for a male dancer btw. Slow in getting started this part finally get moving and saves the production with it's originality, acrobatics, and theatrics. Good chemistry too. 3 cents. Dee Arr

Aureila and Imago @ Tangente Venue #1. By Brianna Stark - Vancouver. A fast paced high energy music multimedia solo performance. Synchronizing video imagery with expressive movement. Great projections, great soundtrack, and a strong performance. A bit to long and also not challenging enough as a choreography, but Brianna has a great presence which was fascinating to watch. 3 cents. Sylvester

Aurelia and Imago @ Tangente Venue #1. By Brianna Stark. Is just that for my heart: STARK! An intellectual attempt at the questionable evolution of life and although chocked full of many different types of media, I felt very little interest after the first five minutes. I kept hoping something would kick in and rock my world. However, nothing changed by the time I left the theatre other than my thirst for inspiration. To me there's nothing worse than a date without 'Scooby Snacks' and boy was I hungry after this one. I wished she would have kicked off those damn character shoes and felt the Earth's support. She was always searching for her footing and balance and it was extremely distracting. Perhaps it was intentional??? I wanted to see her feet on the ground getting down right gritty for us. 2 cents. Scooby Doo

Three @ La Chapelle Venue #10. By Our Productions - Montreal. The MAP Project is an ongoing theatre research group exploring the mind, action, and personality. Searching for identity by young Mile End type-hipsters who whine about how life sucks. Lots of modern (offensive) language, "fuck" and "shit" all over the place. Reality television scenes, peer group meetings, beer can rituals and some nice narcissistic 'nowadays' scenes combined with a lot of repetition of the text.... Couldn't really get into it enough to hold my attention throughout, but might be a nice mirror for the younger audience. 2 cents. Sylvester

-Cache ce péché que je ne saurais voir... @ La Chapelle Venue #10. By Tarente Théâtre - Laval. Nice concept using 7 keywords to construct scenes about modern every day life. Alas, a bit predictable and in parts somewhat overacted. En Francais. 2 cents. Sylvester

-CREATION @ MAI Venue # 9. By Le Corps Entropique - Lyon, France. An accordionist, an actress, and a light man on a bike to get the lights going that surround the actress and the musician are the principle elements of this performance piece. The light experiment is nice although it does not add any enhancement to the piece itself. The story is about the women's body, and evolves from head to toe about pregnancy and the delivery of life. There were some touching moments but the performance was stuck when it comes to the movement. The visual was impressive at first with a large red drape all over the stage but there was not much more development and exploration there. En francais. 2 cents. Sylvester

A Trip to Coney Island - FRINGE XX

2010-06-14T12:57:00.000-07:00

A Trip to Coney Island @ Geordie Espace 4001 Venue #3. By Zero Boy Productions - N.Y.C. Great show! Humor, nostalgia, history all in one by one performer who made a great soundtrack while taking his nephew to Coney island. Not to miss! I was blown away and felt like I was a kid again and on top of that I learned a lot about the fascinating world of Coney Island. 4 cents. Sylvester

A Trip to Coney Island @ Geordie Espace 4001 Venue #3. By Zero Boy Productions - N.Y.C. Co-written and directed by Armitage Shanks. The 'sights' and 'sounds' of the N.Y.C. buroughs are brought to life at the Fringe by this charismatic solo artist giving all of us a 'taste' of the tradition, the history, the mystery, and the eternal charm of this famous attraction called Coney Island. As we meander our way to our seats in the space we're greeted by vibrant decorative tapestries that are suspended above the stage, and 'carnivalesque' music plays in the background creating a fitting ambiance for the setting of the play. Enter a larger than life man in a quirky outfit with a flare of flamboyance introduced as Uncle Zero. He is taking his nephew (the audience) to visit Coney Island located off Manhattan Island beyond Brooklyn. Ride the roller coaster and other amusement rides, stroll along the beach side, or have some cotton candy and even enjoy an original Nathan's hot dog all while being thoroughly entertained. The only thing disappointing about this show is that it had to end as it will leave you wanting more. 4 cents. Dee Arr

A Trip to Coney Island With Uncle Zero Boy: Certainly had Scooby Doo working up an appetite for hot dogs and cotton candy. Zero boy packed in a non stop ride through his precious Coney Island. Sounded like lots and lots of fond memories were had there for someone! This guy is so precise with his movement and vocal delivery that it took about the first ten minutes to adjust to what I was experiencing. Here I thought George Lucas had cornered the market on special effects? Never ever seen or heard anything quite so extraordinary as Zero Boy. How does he do it? Fastest fullest 45 minutes of my Fringe life! Delightful, skilled and chocked full of fun! 5 cents. Scooby Doo

Shoshinz - FRINGE XX

2010-06-14T11:26:00.000-07:00

Shoshinz presents: A Day in the Life of Miss Hiccup @ The Mission Santa Cruz Venue #8. All the way from Tokyo Japan for the third time in Montreal, Yanomi presents a delightful character that can entertain both children and adults. Miss Hiccup lives alone, but isn't lonely as she is forever accompanied by a raucous cast of sounds and music making her life an absurd adventure. A clown without the nose, Miss Hiccup has simple yet practical applications in her life. For example while she is on the potty (fully clothed, fear not) the toilet paper roll doubles as sheet music while she sings and conducts an operatic creation, complete with flush finally. She hums a baby to sleep with music even Freddy Mercury would be proud of. The music, attitude and antics of Miss Hiccup will make you smile. 3 cents. Scooby Doo

Uncalled For Hypnogogic Logic - FRINGE XX

2010-06-14T11:05:00.000-07:00

Uncalled For Presents: Hypnogogic Logic @ Just For Laughs Studio Venue #5. To the regular Fringe crowd there is no denying the overall appeal of the popular attraction, the Uncalled For boys. Matt, Anders, Mike, and Dan know their audience and once again this season are all in hyper good form in this their latest edition of another elaborate comedy improve/play. Focusing on the world of dreams and all that we experience in them is a good choice at this stage in their carriers as it will appeal to an even broader audience than their staple of Fringe and improve-sketch fans. Not sure if it was just the energy of the late night performance I attended, or if it is consistent with each presentation, but tonight Dan Jeanotte and Mike Hugues were exceptional HOT like five alarm fire chill peppers! 5 cents. Dee Arr

Uncalled For Presents: Hypnogogic Logic @ Just For Laughs Studio Venue #5. Hypnogogic Logic or Illogic? The hallucinatory reasoning found between waking and sleeping. Wacky as usual and extremely well crafted, rehearsed, polished, fun and delightful, Uncalled For (A Fringe & Montreal staple.) are definitely called for and are as delicious as Scooby's bite sized snacks. (And we all know how much Scooby loves snacks.) From sheep counting humans to fall asleep to literally "Kitchen Nightmare's", one can count on staying wide awake through the whole show about the questionable space between the dream world and waking state also known as alpha. A mind bending comedic journey. Much fun! 5 cents. Scobby Doo

Uncalled For Presents: Hypnogogic Logic @ Just For Laughs Studio Venue #5. A full hour of high quality humor and whit from the fabulous four guys from the comedy improve group Uncalled For. The theme is the world of dreams which resulted in a non-linear hallucinating show full of gags and visually strong acting and inter acting. Newspapers, elderly ladies, whine tasting, the Apocalypse, and disco dancing are some of the fast moves of Uncalled For's dreamworld. Strong text all wonderfully paced with the speed of a gazelle. The absurdest transition's between the scenes made it a dream you want to cherish afterwords. In the tradition of Monty Python. 5 cents. Sylvester

How to Survive an Existential Crisis-FRINGE XX

2010-06-13T22:49:00.000-07:00

How to Survive an Existential Crisis @ Geordie Espace 4001 Venue #3. Presented by Nothing Everything Productions (Montreal). A fantastic multimedia extravaganza that dives into the soul and touches on so many layers of the human experience by exceptionally vulnerable and talented actor Jake Freekin Smith from....well he's not exactly sure where to say where he's from but wherever doesn't matter anymore since he's discovered the key to his existential crisis. Live music, video projection, dance, and storytelling make a deeeeeeeeeeelisciously delightful and very moving show that is deserving. Directed by Emily Quaile. 5 cents. Scooby Doo

How to Survive an Existential Crisis @ Geordie Espace 4001 Venue #3. Presented by Nothing Everything Productions (Montreal). Jake Freekin Smith bares more than just his bod on stage, he also bares his soul while delivering an outstanding one person show. What makes it special is the unique innocence and raw emotion of the storytelling; This sets it apart from other solo shows in that it is 'REAL' and not just another "this really happened to me, now sit down and listen to me" type of monologue. Captivating from start to finish with a quality multimedia presentation including projection, live music, seamless blocking of transitions, and a flawless performance. It will definitely appeal to the Mom's in the audience and if it were a film it could risk being labeled as a "chick-flick", but there is definitely something for everybody here. 5 cents. Dee Arr

Dance Animal Freaks of Nature - FRINGE XX

2010-06-13T22:44:00.000-07:00

Dance Animal - Freaks of Nature @ Studio Just For Laughs Venue #5. The world's first ever comedy-dance tribe, Dance Animal (J.F.L. Fringe 2009 winner) returns to the Fringe this season with some of the original animals and a few new ones too. Unsure that choreographer Robin Henderson could top last year's super success tales, which I also saw again at the Wild Side in January @ Centaur, I wasn't expecting much different this time around. However, not only does the program build with each number during the run of the show but it creshendos actually surpassing last year's 'funanimal' success. The production takes the pretension out of the world of dance and makes it accessible and very entertaining for a general audience. A show that is appealing for all but is listed as 16+ probably due to the venue's bar. I'd like to "hear" more from the animals, -this is the biggest issue "the sound". The dialogue is too low (Projection!) and the music is too loud! (Both are unbalanced competing against the background noise of crowd and the space). Next time around however, I'm sure that there will be a next time, I'd like to see some more 'diversity' in the casting of both body and ethnic types. 4 Cents. Dee Arr

Dance Animal presents: Freaks of Nature @ JFL Venue #5. Are they overdoing the humping? Or just appealing to the animal instincts that might lie in everyone in the audience? Judging by the energy flow in the room after their surprise finalé, I say they got the animal out without a doubt! 5 cents. RaTaTa

Poison The Well - FRINGE XX

2010-06-13T22:41:00.000-07:00

Poison The Well @ Espace Geordie 4001 Venue #3.
Already a fan of Elison Zasko ('Sputniks' my pick of Fringe, and one of my top ten of 2008) I was looking really forward to this one; And I wasn't disappointed. Finally a 'Play'! A real piece of solid theatre in a barrage of light Fringe fluff. Written, directed, and co-starring Andrew Conner (Cody Rivers Show). It has all of the elements that are the making of a hit play: an original concept, a very well written text -precise, informative and with a twist, well acted eloquent performances, good direction. I would have liked to see the projection tighten up and focused. Also would have liked to see the direction (staging) more developed and refined. Possibly in a future mount of this production with legs. 4 cents. Dee Arr

Robby Who? - FRINGE XX

2010-06-13T22:26:00.000-07:00

Robby Who? @ Petite Café Campus, Venue # 2. It takes two to tango, and three is a crowd, -here we have three stand-up comics all on stage within under thirty minutes and still the laugh measure up against the stage time ratio doesn't hit the laugh meter button. Robby Hoffman alone would have been far better with some substance material that was better developed. Not that there isn't potential for some serious humour here because there is. It isn't enough to play to the home town family and friends crowd like a 'wedding party roast MC'. We are reminded at the opening that this is a Fringe and not the Just For Laughs stage; but if you want to hit the big time and play with the big leaguers you got'ta pull out all the stops and not hold back. 2 cents. Dee Arr

Bernadette / Lux (Extraits) - FRINGE XX

2010-06-13T22:02:00.000-07:00

Bernadette / Lux (Extraits) @ Tangent Venue #1. Presented by Fiasco Dance this production is not for all; ie: if you're not a dance fan you probably won't relate nor appreciate it. -Not meaning to come across as pretentious, this production, however reluctantly, does. More movement exercises than actual dance moves, this is very experimental work, more of an exercise, and not meant for general entertainment. Not a dance fan-atic, and only an observer, it came across as somewhat self indulgent. Only one of the pieces of the three Lux experiments, the final one, was appealing in it's originality and ability to relate to a general audience. 2 cents. Dee Arr

BREAKDANCE DOUBLE FEATURE - FRINGE XX

2010-06-13T21:42:00.000-07:00

BREAKDANCE DOUBLE FEATURE A Piece of: My Heart (Breaking). @ Tangent Venue #1. A high energy high-jinks dance show with plenty of thrills and chills that are revealed mostly in the first part of the production. Helen Simard and Jennifer Casmir are an amazing duo totally in sink with each other and perfectly coordinated. Very humourous and original creative moves. On the flip side is a very slow and emotional journey demonstrating the power of a young man's crush. Greg Selinger and his raw demonstration of his obsession and heart break through subtle movements is very eclectic. However where the production falters is the transitions, which lacked the respect of a treatment of an equal measure of finesse and creativity. There should have been an announcement and there could have been some music added. Overall easy to relate to, very entertaining, and most importantly accessible to a general audience of all ages. 3 cents. Dee Arr

Third Time Lucky - FRINGE XX

2010-06-13T13:49:00.000-07:00

Third Time Lucky @ The Hour Stage Venue #4. Written & performed by Paul Hutchison from Toronto. This is his third (3rd) solo one man show; A former high school teacher that has previously toured as an artist extensively in Canada and south of the border. This solo comedy is not for the light at heart, all be it more likely for the light of foot. More queer than a three dollar bill, Hutcheson invites his audience to join him and get lucky, as we live vicariously through the tales of his travels to Asia and the South Pacific. He takes us on a jaunt through his sexual exploits and he shares his intimate insights into his own sexual self discovery of becoming a whole and complete sexual being as he reached his mid-thirties. A sex-capade that is more a raw rant than a humourous adventure it is delivered with high physical energy and plenty of enthusiasm. 3 Cents. Dee Arr

THIRD TIME LUCKY, Hour Stage, Venue #4. It is a little too much for me. A little too crude, a little too loud, a little too agitated. Aggressive energy, I'd call it as opposed to high energy. One could say it got 'third part lucky' because, probably a little tired by the end, he seemed to tone it down somewhat, and I found it three times better! I also applaud how he interacted with the audience, even turning an unexpected noise into a punch line. However, I worry that the show reinforces the cliché image of the over-sexuality of gay man by the 'general' population. I thought I'd try to counteract this show with my own sex life and some of gay men that I know. I came up with three of whom all are in very stable partnerships, and two of those are in long-term committed relationships. Question is: how can you turn these statistics into an entertaining show? 3 cents. TinTin

Wide Load - Fringe XX

2010-06-13T13:08:00.000-07:00

Wide Load - full-frontal junk in the trunk @ the Mission Santa Cruz Venue # 8. Presented by Fringe alumni Big Moves from Boston. Written by Marina Wolf Ahmad featuring herself and Fringe veteran Colette Gagnon in a delightful duet, two-person performance. Publicized as a vaudeville show that promises to provide more pounds of pure entertainment per square inch than any other show you'll see. Focusing on the very weighty social issue revolving around the 'F' word, the three letter one that is, 'FAT'. A high energy in you face 'fat-assery' commentary, filled to the brim with dance moves, Broadway songs and sing-a-longs, and snacks. A semi-autobiographical comedic rant that takes some very high risks to make the point. Big Moves is very moving as it broaches an important subject matter about an edgy social topic, and yet manages to remain entertaining with an air of cabaret & carnival throughout. 4 cents. DeeArr

FruitCake - FRINGE XX

2010-06-13T12:45:00.000-07:00

FruitCake -Ten Commandments From The Psysch Ward @ MainLine Venue #6. Written & performed by Rob Gee from Leicester UK. He is a comic, a poet, and a reformed psychiatrist nurse, and he delivers a 'tour-de-force' performance in this one man show. He presents a powerfully energized monologue that charts the night shift on an acute psychiatric ward, as seen through the eyes of a nurse who hears the voice of God, a kindly Jamaican accented woman, -who gives him ten benevolent commandments to get him through his shift and his life. Hilariously filled from top to bottom with clever wit and is very entertaining. 4 cents. Dee Arr

Fruitcake -Ten Commandments From The Psych Ward: is like a wild ride in a revolving door of patients (patience) and the daily life of a Psychiatric Nurse. Rob Gee from the UK shares his experience with wit, music and his own interpretation of the 10 Commandments. Gee has incredible pacing, focus and great sense of poetic rhyme that lightens the load of such a heavy topic. A yummy show! 4 cents. Scooby Doo

Missadventures of a Massage Therapist

2010-06-13T12:17:00.000-07:00

Missadventures of a Massage Therapist @ MainLine Venue #6. A very charismatic and high energy monologue delivered by writer/director Jason Brasher, from Winnipeg. He holds our attention as he regales us with tales from behind the scenes of his experience as a massage therapist. Filled with high jinks and schinanigans, from his first job in a bushy wilderness assignment to his worst client experience, it is all meant to be 'good natured' fun. I would have liked it even more if there had been less 'potty humour', and if he'd added a few darker stories of what would be considered to be more erotic tales. These he has deliberately withheld and they would have made us 'care more' about his misadventures. Also would have liked to see included some audience participation integrated into the act. 3 cents. DeeArr

Misadventures of a Massage Therapist Sounds good! Could even feel good! I was hoping to be an audience volunteer but Jason Brasher of Winnipeg barely touched his table, let alone an audience member as he rapidly described his 7 years of experience as a massage therapist. Energetic and intense with high school humour that surely would be appreciated by teenage boys but not teenage dogs. 2 cents. Scooby Doo

There Will Be Lasers - FRINGE XX

2010-06-13T12:08:00.000-07:00

There Will Be Lasers @ La Chapelle Venue #10. If you love laser lights, smoke machines, and an uncanny soundtrack combined with poetry like text about how the world is coming to an end, this might be for you! I loved the effects and the soundtrack, but I missed the movement and other emotions, except for the despair that was always there. I still found it interesting enough to give this performance my, 2 cents. Sylvester

Paris Berlin scène de cabaret - FRINGE XX

2010-06-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

Paris Berlin scène de cabaret @ MainLine Theatre Venue #6. Oh how promising the title was to me, 'Paris Berlin scènes de cabaret'. The Fringe program listed: Juliette Gréco, Kurt Weil and Cole porter, amongst other big names of the musical treasures of the last century. Alas, although there was a well intended effort to sing a long, a thin but cute story line, and a nice pianist, I was neither in Paris nor in Berlin, and especially not in a cabaret. It felt more like a high school performance, in Montréal. It did not help that one of the actors was reading his lines from his script either. More for friends & family of Alma Viva I'm afraid. En Francais. Sylvester. 1 cent

You & Me and Me & You - FRINGE XX

2010-06-13T11:06:00.000-07:00

You & Me and Me & You @ Theatre Saint Catherine, Off Venue A. Featuring improve duo Dan Jeanotte & Kirsten Marie Rasmussen in a one-act improvised play. Audience members are asked to offer up two suggestions for a scene, a circumstance, and an object, for some preselected characters. The actors then run with it, for almost a full hour of a supposedly unrehearsed short play. Although it was obvious that some elements of the story had been preplanned, over all the direction that they took it in was very creative for the most part. There were moments throughout however when I felt that Dan wasn't getting the 'positive' support from his partner that is so essential to a successful improve like: don't question, don't say no, always yes, and move it forward. I did feel it went on a bit too long and would have preferred a shorter story to get warmed up before settling into one long one, and maybe even adding another short one at the end. There is no denning the talent and charisma of Jeanotte and it is worth going to see if only just to watch him entertain and light up the stage. 3 cents. Dee Arr

You & Me and Me & You @ T.S.C. W/ Dan Jeanotte & Kirsten Marie Rasmussen, an improve duo. They take suggestions from the audience to build their show, however one improve lasts the whole hour. Might have been more interesting with five (5) shorter improvs involving more audience participation. Would have loved to see Dan working with another partner; Kirsten is creative but holds the energy back a too much blocking Dan's great improv offers. 3 Cents. Scooby Doo

Esther Goes Pro - FRINGE XX

2010-06-13T10:38:00.000-07:00

Esther Goes Pro @ the Fringe OFF Venue A Theatre Saint Catherine. The first show I see at the Fringe XX; "Imagine someone so talented you wouldn't even know it if it hit you in the face with a brick." -Felt like I was hit by a brick, only this brink was made of 's**t'. It wasn't half way over when I had to get up to get a drink, a beer just to make it through the second half. There are high and low levels of camp, and there is good and bad camp. Then there are 'cramp' & 'crap'. This 'show' is more of the latter, and is definitely 'OFF' in more ways than one. 1 CENT. DeeArr

Witnessed... "Esther Goes Pro" @ T.S.C. Somehow I felt uncomfortable when the lead, Liz Vigneault told the audience they're going to think her show is amazing. I'd prefer to be the one to decide that. Honestly it was everything but amazing. What was amazing is that I sat through the whole thing. At this point I quote the Fringe blurb "Imagine someone so talented, you wouldn't even know it if it hit you in the face with a brick. Someone so talented it has become invisible to the naked eye." Invisible it was! I'm sure Lise Vigneault does have talent just not in this particular show. 1 Cent. Scooby-Doo

Festival TransAmérique May 27 - June 12, 2010.

2010-06-13T10:28:00.000-07:00

Tragédies Romaines: Coriolanus, Julius Caesar, Antony & Cleopatra; Amsterdam.

The Dragonfly of Chicooutimi; Montréal.
GO C IT!

Domaine Publique; Barcelone.
GO C IT!

Le Très Grand Continental; Montréal.
GO C IT!

...and Counting! (Letter Three); Toronto

The Greatest Cities in the World; Vancouver

Highlights and reviews pending.

BRINGING BACK BROADWAY presents the World Premiere of SING!

2010-05-26T14:43:00.000-07:00

SING! In Your Face entertainment is pleased to bring a groundbreaking new collaboration of cabaret-style theatre to Montreal’s Theatre scene with "SING!" by triple-threat theatre aficionado, Nadia Verrucci, and her ultra-talented cast of local singing, dancing and performing artist sensations. The triple-threat cast includes: Michelle Heisler, Nadia Verrucci, Devon Wilkinson, Chris Barillaro, Maxime Bégin, and Jonathan Patterson.

With a selection of songs sure to tickle any Broadway baby, this show is poised to bring a new wave of talent and audiences alike back to English Montreal’s musical theatre scene. Choosing a medley of obscure, contemporary and some familiar tunes from fan favourites such as: Guys and Dolls, Chicago and You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, the cast of SING! will have you dancing and singing along in the aisles. The audience will be sure to leave the show singing their favourite tunes from Chicago, West Side Story, and Spamalot, just to name a few more!

Overall a very enjoyable production that takes on some brave and bold choices in it's selection of material. Not taking the easy route many of the songs although from very famous musicals the songs selected were not always the most famous hits. I really enjoyed the narration, both the comedic delivery, tone and also the eclectic background information that was delivered between numbers and added in smoothing out the transitions. I didn't care for the three quarter thrust (3 sides) seating, which distorts not only the frontal view of the choreography but also muffles the sound; it was difficult at times to hear the guys which is frustrating in a musical. The piano playing of both Chris Barillaro and Maxime Begin was exceptional however, making up somewhat for not always being able to appreciate their vocals.

Staged and choreographed by Nadia Verrucci. Accompaniment by Chris Barillaro and Maxime Bégin. Recordings orchestrated by Chris Barillaro. Additional choreography by Jonathan Patterson. Stage manager & lighting design by Lucy Segal. Photo by Cedric Leclere.

The Segal Centre for Performing Arts - The Studio at 5170 Cote-Ste-Catherine, Montreal. Performances: May 27 @ 8 pm; May 29 @ 9:30 pm; May 30 @ 2 pm. Tickets: $15/$20 (CASH ONLY) For box office reservation: 514-845-0908

Le Spotlight: Montreal’s Musical Theatre Challenge

2010-05-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

Get ready for the city’s most exciting night of musical theatre at "Le Spotlight: Montreal’s Musical Theatre Challenge" May 21st, 8:30pm @ Centaur. This is the fourth edition of this celebration of local performing excellence, sponsored by the Centre for Education and Theatre in Montreal (CETM).

2010 4th season winners: L - *Tina Mancini "Art is Calling for Me" - The Enchantress, recipient of the Jury prize; R - **Maggie Owen "Nelson" - A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, recipient of the public prize.

INCREASING THE VISIBILITY OF MONTREAL-BASED TALENT -Ten Montreal-area performers were selected during a round of preliminary auditions held recently at CETM. The judging panel included theatre director Corey Castle, choreographer Lorna Wayne, and drama educator Cathy Burns. This year’s Le Spotlight finalists are: Amélie Bélanger, Isabelle Giroux, Arnaud Gloutnez, Stephanie Lessard, Tina Mancini, Caitlyn Milot, Gael O`Shaughnessy (winner of Le Spotlight 2008), Maggie Owen, Emily Skahan and Dane Stewart. Each will have just four minutes alone on stage to demonstrate acting, singing and movement skills before a panel of professional judges and a live audience. The winner will be featured in the Next Wave Festival of New Musicals coming to the Monument National and Espace Libre in August.

GUEST STARS: Numerous special guests will add their own unique lustre to this annual celebration of musical theatre. Last year`s winner Braulio Elicer, the cast of 'SING!', and Stephanie Pitsiladis (Hairspray) will be among the special performers to display their musical theatre artistry.

All performers will appear with a live 11-piece orchestra under the direction of Chris Barillaro. The show will be directed by 'Le Spotlight' creator, Stephen Pietrantoni and hosted by Patrick Olafson. The list of judges for the finals includes* musical director Bob Bachelor, choreographers Lorna Wayne and Jean-Luke Coté, and New York composer-lyricist Matty Selman, Julia Lenardon. Again this year, those present in the audience were given the opportunity to vote for their favourite performer**.

Tickets are $25 (all taxes and facility fees included), Centaur box office (514-288-3161). Student & senior rates are available upon request.

Venue: Centaur Theatre – 453 St-François Xavier Metro: Place d’Armes
Le Spotlight’s official website: www.lespotlight.ca lespotlight@gmail.com
Centre for Education and Theatre in Montreal www.cetm.ca

The 5th annual Montreal Sketch Comedy Festival

2010-05-21T12:25:00.000-07:00

Monday, May 17, 2010 at 8:00pm to Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 8:00pm. @ Theatre Sainte-Catherine, 264 rue Sainte-Catherine E.

A collection of comedy troupes from across Canada and the USA unite for one week of comedy madness! A festival that launched Jon Lajoie's career and now a new crop of troupes will try to follow in his footsteps.

The Official Line-Up:

MONDAY NIGHT (8 PM):
Kick the Pricks (Montreal), The Lusty Mannequins (Toronto), Fries and Coffee (Montreal) & Grade Eight Dance (Toronto)

TUESDAY (8 PM):
Power Force (Montreal), Statutory Jape (Toronto), The Beast (Montreal) & I am Your Mother (Montreal)

WEDNESDAY (8 PM):
Lise Vigneault and Associates (Montreal), Uncalled For (Montreal), Trio of One (Toronto), The Yukon Boys (Yukon)

THURSDAY (8 PM):
*Elephant Empire (Toronto), Ladystache (Toronto), The Sixth Borough (Philadelphia), *Love and Dreams (Montreal).

VENDREDI (8 PM):
Gang de Ginette (Outremont), Sugar Rock St-Pierre (Mont St-Hilaire)
Les Poilues (Hochelaga), Les Pic-Bois (Valberry), Alain Gainsbourg (Paris)

SATURDAY (8 PM):
The Majors (Toronto), City Hall (New York), Elephant Empire (Toronto)
Unrelated (Chicago)

SATURDAY (10:30 PM):
Slow Children Crossing (New York-LA), Kick The Pricks (Montreal)
Uncalled For (Montreal)

SUNDAY NIGHT: All-Star Improv (8 PM)

*Had a chance to check out these two troupes. Both very lively and entertaining. This is like an evening of non-stop SNL comedy skits, some as short as 30 seconds and many recurring characters, all loosely weaved together. -The proprietors were gracious enough to place a TV in the lobby so that the audience could keep up with the Hockey play-off score.

Performances start at 8 PM, Saturday late night show at 10:30 PM. More info and reservations call TSC 514-284-3939.

'TrudeauMania' is contagous at Centaur.

2010-05-07T20:51:00.000-07:00

TRUDEAU STORIES -A Long Black Car Production presented by Centaur Theatre Company. Written and performed by Brooke Johnson. Directed by Allyson McMackon.

Pierre E. Trudeau comes to the Centaur stage, through casual reminiscences, journal entries and correspondence, Brooke is captivating as she brings to life the story of their remarkable relationship. A portrait of a shared friendship, built on a love of the outdoors, of poetry, of theatre and of life itself. In 1985, while she was a student at the National Theatre School in Montreal, Brooke Johnson accidentally became friends with Pierre Elliott Trudeau. It had been a year and a half since he'd stepped down as Prime Minister, and now he was walking to work, putting cereal bowls on cartoon placemats, washing dishes and making peanut-butter on toast. He was no longer doing pirouettes behind the Queen; -He was sometimes hanging around with Brooke, sliding down ice-covered staircases on Mount Royal. This private insight into the man and the times as lived through the passionate eyes of a young artist is no 'fuddle duddle'. The portrait that emerges of Trudeau is of a shy insightful man who loved to debate literature and life. A vital and charming tale, poignant and very funny that is about friendship and loss...and about who the heck do we think we are?

"Trudeau Stories is a sweetly remarkable journey of a young woman and the influence a particular gentlemen has on her as she negotiates her way through life as an artist and an evolving, caring human being.“ Roy Surette, Artisitic Director Centaur Theatre.

A clever vibrant lighting design by Glenn Davidson . A subtle performance with a minimalist set design and some clever movement make for a pleasant walk down memory lane that will jog the souvenirs of a generation of Canadians who will warmly cherish the reminiscing. GO C IT!

Tuesday May 4, 2010 - Sunday June 6, 2010. www.centaurtheatre.com Box office:514 288-3161

Mission Drive parks onto the MainLine stage.

2010-05-05T10:45:00.000-07:00

Mission Drive by Ned Cox, directed by Paul Van Dyck, presented by Rabbit in a Hat Productions.

Though his church is on the verge of financial ruin, life is peaceful in Reverend Thad's little Christ Church parish, until a mysterious billionaire arrives offering to save the church in exchange for saving his soul (which he may have misplaced in Vancouver). Ned Cox’s world premiere offers an irreverent journey into the mordant realms of sex, murder, and religion. A curiously moving pitch black comedy from the author of HELLAVATOR and Duplicity Girls. "I've grown to love these characters. I think they're lost, frightened and wounded, even as they bluff and bluster their ways through their stories. In the end, perhaps the play is about the danger of feeling like you are in control, like you have all the answers, like you actually know WTF is going on." N.C.

A fast paced dialogue between Paul Van Dyck and the other members of the ensemble start the play off like gang busters accentuating the clever repartee and comedic lines. As the tale unfolds the story takes on a darker tone with each twist and turn. At times the characters are slightly off stage and out of their light but still very present, at times drifting in and out of scenes. The costumes are equally clever with a special accented touch. Kent Mcquaid's (has a Oliver Plat persona) interpretation is very macabre and twisted. The play overall is very well written and the production is seamlessly directed. Unfortunately for me what holds it down is that it runs a bit too long and should have ended a couple of scenes earlier.

Starring: Paula Costain, Kent Mcquaid, Emily Skahan, and Paul Van Dyck. Lighting Designer: Jody Burkholder, and Set & Costume Designer: Sabrina Miller.

Mainline Theatre, 3997 St-Laurent 514-849-3378 Tues. - Sun. 8 PM Matinee Sun. 2 PM (2 for 1) Tickets: Regular admission: $20 Students & Seniors: $15 www.mainlinetheatre.ca

Andersen's Inkwell spills onto the stage.

2010-05-03T11:33:00.000-07:00

Andersen's Inkwell favorite and forgotten fairy tales come to life. Story created by Micheline Chevrier and Gina Wilkinson. Written by Gina Wilkinson and directed by Micheline Chevrier. Presented by Geordie Productions at the D.B. Clarke Theatre April 30 to May 9. 60 minutes.

This production is appropriate for all ages six (+6) years and up, and adults and seniors too as it awakens the child in the heart of all of us. With bits and pieces from Hans Christian Anderson's stories that are brilliantly woven together, this play celebrates a writer whose fanciful storytelling gave life and a voice to anything from flowers to storks and homes. Featured are some fairy-tale favorites: The Emperor's New Clothes, and the Little Match Girl, with cameo from characters and stories like: The Ugly Duckling, The Princess and the Pea and The Constant Tim Soldier and more including lesser known stories like The Goblin and the Grocer and The Pen and the Inkwell.

The cast of talented actors includes: Amanda Kellock, Susan Glover and Tristan D. Lalla and Zach Fraser with Daniel Brochu; all of whom provide brilliant performances that range from he outlandish to the subdued. The design team has delivered an amazing visual and a treat for the eye of the beholder: Ana Cappelluto (lights) Pierre-Etienne Locas (set & costume) and Peter Cerone (sound). Both captivating and hypnotic this production is a must see on any avid theatre goer's schedule. GO C IT!

Performances: D.B. Clark Theatre, Concordia University Hall Bldg. 1455 de Maisonneuve W. Tickets 13.5-$ to 16$. Box office: 514 845-9810 www.geordie.ca

Smokescreen delivers a clear message to youth.

2010-05-03T10:57:00.000-07:00

Smokescreen Geordie Productions high-school touring production, presented to the public at Centaur for one night only Wednesday, April 28, 7pm. Writen by contemporary Canadian playwright David S. Craig and directed by Dean Patrick Fleming the artistic director of Geordie.

The play is a riveting and realistic look at the not just adolescent drug culture but also its surrounding issues of obsession, addiction, control and fear. Audiences are left to find the answers.
The touring production has been presented across Quebec since September and this performance marked the end of the road for the production. An innovative and transportable set design and impressive performances by the cast, hold captivate our attention and imaginations. Drug consumption is another one of those sensitive topics that are a part of our everyday lives but that we tend not to speak openly about. This play grants permission to the audience to broach the topic. It is a serious topic treated in a play that is still comic and entertaining.

Trent a 16-year old marijuana smoker who doesn't want to understand the detrimental effects that getting high has on his life. His desperate and frustrated father has turned him in to the police. Having pressured his son into pleading guilty to dealing drugs, and continuing his pattern of keeping in control, the father then bribes a youth-care worker Rayzee into allowing him to eavesdrop on Trent's evaluation session. Rayzee has her own addictions to deal with and her encounter with Trent is full of great debate with many issue beyond that of drug abuse.

Featured great performances by all of the cast including Vanessa Schmit-Craan (Rayzee), Jimmy Blais (father), and Antoine Yared (Trent). Set and costume design by Ana Cappelluto.

Geordie Productions has been touring Quebec, Ontario, the Maritimes and Canada for over twenty-five years. To get more information about Geordie Productions and their English-language theatre for young audiences programming visit www.geordie.ca

Tawillager swims into the Geordie 4001 Space

2010-04-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

Tawillager presented by the Carney Collective is written, performed, and co-directed by Joseph Bembridge, and co-directed with live sound by Alexandra Draghici. Originally produced for the 2008 Concordia SIPA festival. Joseph Bembridge, a Concordia Theatre Program graduate, is founder and artistic director of the company. He has appeared on stage in numerous successful and popular productions like: Dance Animal (JFL 2009 Fringe selection), 7 Stories (MECCA award winner), and David (nominated the top five play of Montreal Mirror poll 2007.)

There are sounds in the darkness: The drip of water in a pipe; The creak of a stair; A far off and unsceen train. In this basement, these sounds are James' music and his audience is his best friend, a fish named Tawillager. This is the story of a young boy named James who we meet in an unknown time and space. He is not of this world, yet completely from it. His is a story untold, not talked about in the everyday. James is a boy who was abducted, stolen from his family and the world that he lived in. He has been captive for many months with very little human contact. He copes, broken down and battered by psychological, physical and sexual abuse, he is very damaged, but not broken.

"The play covers an immense amount of emotional territory in a very short period of time. The production is not gratuitous, it has great sensitivity and humanity, yet is incredibly painful to see and to hear." Kit Brennan, playwright. GO C IT!

Performances: April 24th & 25th @ 8pm & 10pm. Geordie's 4001 Space, 4001 Berri. Tickets 10$ @ 514 933-4736 carneycollective@gmail.com.

HARVEY hops onto the Segal Center stage.

2010-04-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

Harvey by Mary Chase, directed by Diana Leblanc, is presented at The Segal Centre for Performing Arts, April 18 to May 9, 2010. This Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy (1944-45) is one of the longest running shows in Broadway history with 1,775 performances, Nov. 1944 - Jan. 1949.

“I am delighted that the talented Diana Leblanc is directing the Segal production. Diana brings exceptional directorial skills and panache to this timeless piece about the lovable Elwood P. Dowd and his friend Harvey the ‘pooka’, a six-foot-six invisible rabbit, ... Harvey is a powerful tonic for the spirit. Mary Chase wrote this wonderful, imaginative comedy to bring comfort, humour and reassurance to a world that was torn apart by the ravages of World War II.” Artistic Director Bryna Wasserman.

When Elwood (RH Thomson) introduces Harvey at a high-society party, his status-obsessed sister Veta (Nora McLellan) is mortified and decides to have him committed to spare her family further embarrassment. But things do not go according to plan. Elwood and Harvey spark pandemonium and the medical establishment’s definition of ‘normal’ is turned totally upside down. The daughter of Irish immigrants, American author Mary Chase was profoundly influenced by Celtic tradition and folklore. Harvey’s character was inspired by a dream she had about a rabbit chasing a psychiatrist; and the mythical Celtic “pooka”, a shape-shifter that takes the form of a rabbit, or other creature, and appears only to those who believe in them. According to folklore, pookas can be impish, even terrifying, but will be kind if treated nicely.

Set in pre-WWII America, the Segal production of Harvey features stylish period costumes by designer James Lavoie. John Dinning’s stunning full Broadway interior style set includes rich wood floors, an elegant colour scheme and architectural elements of the American neo-Classicism period. A striking choreography of light and sound by lighting designer Sarah Yaffe and composer Keith Thomas further enhance the production.

Harvey was adapted into a film starring Jimmy Stewart and Josephine Hull in 1950. Hull’s performance earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and Stewart received a Best Actor Oscar nomination.

R. H. Thomson – Elwood P. Dowd, Moira Wylie – Betty Chumle, R. H. Thomson – Elwood P. Dowd, R. H. Thomson – Elwood P. Dowd, Gemma James Smith – Miss Ruth Kelly, Mike Paterson – Taxi Driver (E.J. Lofgren) & Orderly (Duane Wilson), Alex McCooeye – Lyman Sanderson M.D. Photo: Nora McLellan and RH Thomson. Photographer Randy Cole. GO C IT!

Box Office: (514) 739-7944 Admission (514) 790-1245 www.admission.com

Traffik Femme

2010-04-14T14:14:00.000-07:00

Traffik Femme: The Trafficking of human flesh for sexual purposes is organized crime's fastest growing business. It is also one of the world's most invisible human rights issues; most people have no idea that these enslaved women even exist, and in Quebec we are no strangers to this issue.

Le Trunk Collectif is a Montreal based theatre company that uses the performing arts as a tool for social development and as a springboard to create dialogue. Their objective is to create high-quality theatre productions that address difficult and topical social issues. We strive to break down any existing language barriers by producing plays that can be understood by both the Anglophone and Francophone communities.

Written by : Emma Haché Translated by : Michael Brunet Directed by : Lynne Cooper Performed by: Nico Lagarde Live music by: Roberto Lopez Costume and set design: Julie Measroch Lighting design: Yan Lee Chan Choregrapher: Lucie-Carmen Grégoire. GO C IT!

Presented in French April 14 to 18 and in English April 21 to 25 at the MAI (Montreal, arts interculturels) 3680, Jeanne-Mance, Montréal. Box office : 514.982.3386 ticket.boxxo.info www.letrunkcollectif.com

Danny and the Deep Blue Sea

2010-04-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

Danny and the Deep Blue Sea by John Patrick Shanley. Directed by Heidi Hawkins. Presented by Nani Tanifa Productions at Players' Theatre.

Danny and the Deep Blue Sea pulls together a number of themes that run through Shanley’s works – violence, sexual exploitation, a search for truth, the power of love – and combines them in a work that is both visceral and sensitive. Danny is a true original from an American literary master.

New York playwright John Patrick Shanley's work was last on stage in during Centaur’s 2009 production of Doubt. This April the Pullitzer Prize winner’s first published work will be presented on McGill's Players' stage. The play is described as a powerful, unflinching look at alienation and the exorcising power of love. The subtitle of this darkly beautiful piece is “An Apache Dance” – the name of a fast, violent and sexually charged street dance between a Parisian gangster and his girl.

The spare stage design transforms the space into a rundown bar in the Bronx. Two of society's rejects, Danny and Roberta, strike up a halting conversation over their beers. He is bruised and hostile; his out-of-control anger may have driven him to murder. She is a self-loathing single mother, unable to escape the memory of an ugly sexual incident involving her father. Wary at first, they unexpectedly, hesitantly, begin to open up to one another. In the end, there are no easy answers for Danny and Roberta, or for the audience. But their funny, frightening and ultimately fascinating interaction offers us insight and compassion for these deeply flawed, and truly human, characters.

Nani Tanifa’s new Montreal production of Danny and the Deep Blue Sea features all local talents, on and off the stage. Shawn Baichoo plays Danny, seething with barely-checked aggression. Roberta is brought to guilt-ridden, angry life by newcomer Christina Filippidis, who also produces. “When I first read the play, I was floored, I knew it was a story I wanted to share with people.” The rhythmic, emotional piece is directed by Heidi Hawkins and features lighting designed by Jody Burkholder. It's my pick of the week. GO C IT!

Players' Theatre, 3480 McTavish, 3rd floor, SSMU Building, McGill University (Peel metro). Performances : April 8, 9, 10 & 15, 16 at 8pm; Matinees: April 10, 11 & 17 at 2pm. Wheel chair accessible. General seating. Tickets: $15. Reg. Students & seniors $12. Reservations: ntprods@gmail.com

Speed The Plow

2010-04-06T20:45:00.000-07:00

Speed The Plow by David Mamet. Directed by Jonathan Marquis. Presented by Jeux de Mots Productions. With: Maya Dhawan, Marc-André Poulin*, Jonathan Marquis.

* "... I was fascinated by the universality of its themes. Are we called to strive for ideals at the expense of our own wellbeing? Where do we draw the line between personal and professional integrity? These are questions we all face on a daily basis and are truly at the core of Bobby’s dilemma. Bobby ultimately does make his decision, but would it be yours?"

Mamet is known for rapid-fire dialogue studded with obscenities and for his preoccupation with power relationships and corporate corruption. Mamet uses the rhythms and rhetoric of everyday speech to delineate character, describe intricate relationships, and drive dramatic development. His plays include: Speed-the-Plow (1987), and Pulitzer Prize winning Glengarry Glen Ross (1983). His screenplays include: The Verdict (1980), The Untouchables (1986) and State and Main (2000).

Jeux de Mot Productions is a newly established theatre company whose aim is to produce stage works covering the world of Musicals, Opera, and Theatre. Our goal is to produce works which have achieved success in North America and abroad for Montreal audiences.

Théâtre de L'Ésquisse, 1650 Marie Anne E. April 8, 9, 10, & 15, 16, 17 @ 20h. April 10, 11, & 17, 18, matinées @ 16h30. Tickets: 15$ reg. Students & seniors 2-4-1. Matinées: Pay what you can. 514 527-5797

Holy Mothers or "Die Presidentinnen"

2010-04-05T13:08:00.000-07:00

Holy Mothers by Werner Schwab (1958-1994); Translation by Meredith Oakes. Directed by Jacqueline Van de Geer. With: Marie-Noelle Dufour, Caroline Fournier, Michaela De Casare. Presented by MiaYaya and Orange Eyes Productions at Théàtre Saint Catherine, April 5th preview @ 19h30, & 6th to 10th @ 20h; matinées April 10th, 11th, 14h.

Three blue collar religious women engage in a sinister show to tell their fantasies and a growing discomfort develops as we watch and listen. We soon recognize the struggle for domination and the insistence that one's fantasy world view must replace and annihilate all the others. Schwab playfully, and with deadpan innocence, invites us into the world of these three, on the surface, seemingly harmless eccentrics. Rapidly we become aware that we've seen this play before in the realities of our own twentieth century history. The power of fantasy is seductive; it can captivate whole peoples and, as we see all to often in the news either about the treatment of prisoners of war or the behavior of trusted religious leaders, it can cause untold suffering in the names of piety, morality and even justice. What begins as a pleasant evening at home among three friends dissolves into horrifying and ludicrous chaos, a devolution that mirrors the process by which rosy ideals become the justification for genocide.

The language of the text is at times awkward, unclear and quite uneven in the translation. Set design although adequate for the play was somewhat over cluttered for this small stage, which should have had the extension added to accommodate all the downstage action. As for the lighting it is a very appropriate well focused design.

The performances were at times over acted and somewhat forced with an almost deliberate camp delivery. Caroline Fournier as Grete the sexually unsatisfied golden ager, who's fantasies are not unlike those of Blanch on Golden Girls, appeared to be pushing herself through the text to get to her character through the scenes. Michaela Di Cesare as Mariedl is cute and comical as the 'look no gloves' toilet-unclogging expert and is the butt of most of the jokes. The performance of Marie-Noëlle Dufour as the mother striving to become a grandmother Ema, has the most consistent performance and most identifiable character.

The production would have benefited by some tightening up of the blocking and transitions and being presented in one act with no intermission. The ending is not one that everyone will get or necessary accept, but then it's art so it's subjective. Tickets : 15$ reg. 12$ student & senior, QDF @ Theatre Ste-Catherine. GO C IT!

The Madonna Painter splashes onto the Centaur canvas.

2010-04-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

"The Madonna Painter or The Birth of a Painting" by Marc Bouchard, translated by Linda Gaboriau, directed by Roy Surette. Centaur Theatre’s artistic director Roy Surette “When I read The Madonna Painter I was immediately captivated by its exotic, almost folkloric quality. There is mystery and superstition interspersed with major historical events and Quebec’s unique religious past.”

In 1918 a handsome young priest settles in a village in Lac Saint-Jean. Determined to inspire the faith he believes will protect the town from the onset of the Spanish flu, he commissions a visiting Italian painter by the name of Alessandro to create a fresco depicting the Blessed Virgin. With the financial backing of a misanthropic doctor, he sets out to recruit a model from among the village women, all of whom are deeply fixed in their own medieval-like mythologies and martyr and saint roles. Just when the perfect model has been picked the plan takes a turn for the worst. Set against a rich imagistic backdrop of iconography, sex and blood, this dark and humorous fable explores the collision of ecstasies, secrets and lies in the face of an impending epidemic.

The Madonna Painter had its World Premiere in Italian in 2002. 'Il pittore di madonne o Nascita di un quadro di un quadro' by Francesca Moccagatta, was first produced in Florence, Italy. The French language première, "Le Peintre des madones, ou la naissance d’un tableau' was presented at l’Espace GO in 2004. It has since been translated into Spanish and Greek. Most recently The Madonna Painter opened at Toronto’s Factory Theatre.

The production stars: Stefanie Buxton, Graham Cuthbertson, Lucinda Davis, Alessandro Juliani, Jean Leclerc, Meg Roe, Amelia Sargisson. GO C IT!

Playing at Centaur Theatre March 30 to May 2. www.centaurtheatre.com

AUTOBAHN races into the Freestanding Room

2010-03-31T22:21:00.000-07:00

Autobahn by Neil Labute* is presented by Freestanding Productions at the Freestanding Room March 31 to April 3. An original production co-directed by Jock MacDonald, Isabel Farias and Nicole Braber. *"The average person spends about an eighth of their lives in cars, being their own car or others. In addition to transpotation, cars are also used as covert love nests, battlegrounds, or a place of refuge. This play is a dark, provolative collection of one-act plays, exploring how claustrophobic and deeply foreboding the inside of your average family car can be." A series of shorts plays: Funny, Bench Seat, All Apologies, Merge, Road Trip, and Autobahn, on a minimalist stage are presented in one act of approximately an hour and a half.

In addition to the clever stylized writing of the six short two handers, the cast of twelve is the featured element of this production with some very special stand out performances. Funny, Isabel Farias Lehoux, a teen in out of rehab vowing to be a repeater, she never shuts up and finds time to smoke a joint as her mother, Lois Dellar, who never utters a word drivers her home. Bench Seat, JoAnn Mailloux (a Avril Lavigne type) as the Walmart employee relationship junkie and Francis Néron as the potential assistant teacher boyfriend are 'parked' at look out point, but are they there to make out or break up? All Apologies, David Bronfman (a Robert Downey Jr. type) as the 'bad boy' husband and Karie Richards (a Kate Winslet type) the scorned wife sits and listens to his rant and rave for forgiveness. Merge, As they meander their way through traffic jams and detours Helena Marie Patté is the alcoholic wife returning from a business trip with a weighty confession to reveal to her concerned and naive husband Craig Thomas. Road Trip, Danielle Doiron and Daniel Giverin, play a young innocent student and an older creepy man, on a get-a-way trip to a secluded country cabin. Autobahn, Nicole Braber (a cross between a Laura Linney and Julianna Moore type) as a wife who berates her husband about accusations of his molesting a foster child, and the husband, David Bushman (a Daniel Craig type), who has nothing to say in his own defense. Although all of the performances are great, stand out moments that were well received by an appreciative audience were delivered by: Jo Ann Mailloux, Helena Marie Patté and David Bronfman.

Opening night was sold out, the intimate space (Freestanding Room - 4324 St. Laurent, 3rd Floor) has a very limited seating capacity so reserve ahead. Tickets 12$-8$ 514 817-6429
freestandingproductions@gmail.com

L'Archange promises to deliver a provocative punch!

2010-03-31T21:23:00.000-07:00

L'Archange presented by Le Défibrillateau in French at Theatre Saint Catherine from March 30 to April 4. Featuring Maude Desbois as L'Archange and Philippe Mangerel (who is also the playwright) as Le Torturé. Directed by Marl Chikhani.

The play is a monologue with two actors on stage, one delivers the dialogue and one is bound and gaged to an office chair. They are both locked away in a sky scraper. The Archangle is enigmatic and furious, sometimes cheerful sometimes childish, sometimes forgiving yet very cruel. She (Maude Desbois) is costumed ambiguously as a male in a white shirt and a black suit. The captive is caked in prosthetics of blood covered oozing wounds and tattered clothes. The stage set is heavily filled, with wooden ladders and planks and a chair, also a chest filled with wires and explosives.

The raw writing style moves forward at a quick pace and never turns back, unforgiving, without trepidation never turning away the contradictions that are opposed, it draws the portrait of a character with multiple personalities who believes in the convictions and founded good of the actions. Imagine it's one of those very uncomfortable moments in a Tarantino film, when you can anticipate the outcome but you still watch and wait for it to happen. However unlike one of those scenes in those films that last only a few minutes, here you'll be sitting and watching this visual unfold for over 45 minutes. How do you like your torture?! Tickets 15$ Admission 514 790-1245.

CAFé CAFé PARIS is bitter...sweet @ TSC.

2010-03-25T20:12:00.000-07:00

CAFé CAFé PARIS Produced by Nouveau International. Playwright and director Alain Mercieca. Presented at Théâtre Saint Catherine March 18 to 27. The sixth chapter in Montreal’s only «cabaret sitcom» is bitter sweet, as CAFé CAFé ‘PARIS’ is the stand-alone final chapter to this bilingual comedy series that put Theatre 314 on the map before its demise.

After a full season of cynicism, revolution, hockey, contemporary dance, gargoyles and all-in-all allongé love, the CAFé CAFé gang is back, this time being transported from Montreal to Paris via a wild dream of poet Vlad MaHoney’s. Vlad’s Paris is a topsy-turvy burlesque, where poets are rich and corporate types struggle to survive. As always, love rains down from the grey skies in this farce about the destiny of society and the ability of humans to persist and follow their dreams, no matter how small, or futile they are.

Enter with an open mind and a light heart and you'll be entertained by this light in plot creative sketch comedy driven production. Layered with a great functional set design, appropriately assigned costumes, and very well produced original video projection, this heavy on the special effects production is pure comedic camp at its best. A well balanced Anglo-Franco text is cleverly written to give all of the characters their equal moments to show off the individual talents of the cast. Stand outs are those of both: Caroline Braun, as the waitress who has big dreams of becoming a pop-star, she pops off the stage with her bravado performance; Massimo Cannistrato as the CAFé owner delivers a consistent performance with a noteworthy moment when he rants off to his daughter.

Like the lyrics from Adam Lambert's controversial AMA début hit song "...I'm here for your entertainment..." These artists are obviously having at least as much fun playing on stage if not more than the audience members in the seats. CAFé CAFé features a motley crew of local rising talents and Montreal improve main stays with/avec: Sandi Armstrong, Jean-Philippe Brassard, Caroline Braun, T.J. Harris , Katie Leggitt , Massimo, Catherine Moreau et Maïté Sinave. Original music by: Joe McLean. Video by: Mark Louch, Glyn Jones & Annie Ouellette. GO C IT!

McGill Drama Festival - Dent

2010-03-25T20:09:00.000-07:00

McGill Drama Festival - Dent Play by Daniel St-Germaine. Directed by Max Zidel. Presented at McGill's Players' Theatre March 16 to 27.

Review pending.

Father Land

2010-03-25T20:05:00.000-07:00

Father Land Produced by Infintheatre. Playwright Arthur Holden. Director Guy Sprung. At the Bain St-Michel March 9 to 28.

Review pending.

Faires des enfants de Éric Noel

2010-03-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

Faires des enfants Piece de Éric Noel. Mise en scène de Pierre Bernard. Présenter par des finissants 2010 de l'École Nationale de Théâtre. Au Monument-National Hydro-Québec du 9 au 13 mars.

Review pending.

Morro and Jasp Do Puberty

2010-03-25T19:58:00.000-07:00

Morro and Jasp Do Puberty Produced by Up Your Nose and in Your Toes. Directed by Brron Pochinko. Created, and performed by Toronto based Amy Lee and Heather Marie Annis.

Review pending.

Old Wicked Songs

2010-03-25T19:56:00.000-07:00

Old Wicked Songs Playwright Jon Marans. Director Martin Faucher. At the Segal Center March 7 to 21.

Review pending.

A Line In The Sand

2010-03-25T19:53:00.000-07:00

A Line In The Sand Produced by Table d'Hôte Theatre. Playwrights Guillermo Verdecchia and Marcus Youssef. Directed by Mike Payette. At the Segal studio March 9 to 21.

Review pending.

The Comedy of Errors

2010-03-25T19:50:00.000-07:00

The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare. Directed by Peter Hinton. At Centaur Theatre March 2 to 28.

Review pending.

The Nutmeg Princess

2010-03-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

The Nutmeg Princess is produced by Black Theatre Workshop. A school touring production, part of Black History Month. Presented at the BTW-MAI space. Saturday afternoons throughout the month of February. Playwright Richardo Keens-Douglas. Directed by Liz Valdez.

Review pending.

Women Beware Women NTS 2010 Graduates

2010-03-25T19:42:00.000-07:00

Women Beware Women by Thomas Middleton. Directed by David Latham. Performed at the Monument-National Ludger-Duvernay Theatre, February 22 to 26.

Review pending.

No More Raisins No More Almonds - YAYA

2010-03-25T19:37:00.000-07:00

No More Raisins No More Almonds The Young Actors for Young Audiences (YAYA) performed a special presentation at the Segal Center for the Performing Arts, Thursday, February 25. Playwright Batia Bettman. Artistic director Bryna Wasserman.

Review pending.

Douleurs Fantômes de Mireielle Maynard-Fiset

2010-03-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

Douleurs Fantômes de Mireille Maynard-Fiset, mise en scène de Christian Lapointe. Présenter par les finissants 2010 de l'École Nationale de Théâtre au Monument-National Hydro-Québec du 16 au 20 février.

Review pending.

The Mid-Life Crisis of Dionysus

2010-02-16T10:03:00.002-08:00

An Epic Musical Tragedy of Olympian Proportions. Book and lyrics by Jeremy Hechtman & Patrick Goddard Directed by Jeremy Hechtman. Music by Nick Carpenter Choreography by Amy Elizabeth Blackmore

Starring (in alphabetic order): George Bekiaris, Nichole Carlone, Vance De Waele, Patrick Goddard, Jade Hassouné, Molly McGivern, Ulka Mohanty, Gabrielle Néron, Joanne Sarazen, Jake Smith, Paul Van Dyck, Eleanor Young, and a special guest star!

A cast of 14 Montreal actors sing, dance, act, and play in MainLine's first original musical since 2006's Johnny Canuck and the Last Burlesque. Hechtman, Goddard and Carpenter reunite for a smorgasborgiastic extraspectaculaganza the likes of which have not been seen in over two thousand years.

Set in the Grotto! In the theatre of Dionysus, every night is a feast of wine, women, and song. But tonight, Dionysus will discover that eternal life doesn't mean eternal youth... How will Dionysus react to his impending middle age? Will he choose to accept his fate with grace and dignity? Or will he decide it is better to burn out then to fade away?

Jeremy Hechtman has been thinking for a long time about creating a show that would star Dionysus, the god of Theatre. Hechtman has always lived the Dionysian lifestyle -but in recent years has taken on the responsibilities of marriage, mortgage, and children. As Hechtman approached age 40, the inspiration of Dionysus turned into introspection. The show must go on, -but how long can the showman?... The Mid-Life Crisis of Dionysus February 17 – March 6, 2010.

MainLine Theatre 3997 St-Laurent Blvd. Tickets: $20 or $15 w/ Four Play card. Reservations: 514.849.3378 www.mainlinetheatre.ca

Metamorphoses: New Standjofski plays draw inspiration from Kafka

2010-02-16T10:03:00.001-08:00

Metamorphoses: Concordia’s University Department of Theatre proudly presents Metamorphoses, three plays written and directed by Harry Standjofski. Students have participated in the creation of the plays from first draft through to production. Metamorphoses, a suite of brand-new one-act plays, centers around the theme of transformation.

• Morph is a contemporary re-imagining of Kafka’s great “The Metamorphosis”: Greg’s sudden transformation equally transforms his family. Running time aprox 70 minutes. A humorous, edge of your seat, thought provoking experience.

• Love Is Like Water is a contemporary fable of love changing the lives of two unlikely lovers. Running time aprox 20 minutes. A romantic and moving two hander.

• Evelyn Lee is the remarkable voyage of Evelyn, from age 5 to 21, from private school in Vancouver to the set of Los Angeles gonzo porn and back. Running time aprox 90 minutes. A non-linear tale, very unexpected twist of a young girls journey.

Metamorphoses plays at the Cazalet Studio from February 11 to 14, and from February 17 to 20, 2010. Admission fees are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors. For box office information call 514-848-2424 ext. 4742. The Cazalet Studio is located at 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, under the Loyola Chapel. For information on the Concordia University Department of Theatre visit http://theatre.concordia.ca.

A jolly good time...with the pirate-packed production: Pirates of Penzance

2010-02-10T21:32:00.000-08:00

"Pirates of Penzance" by Gilbert and Sullivan; Directed by Jonathan Patterson in his 6th season with Savoy; Musical director Michal Novotny.

Robin Alder founded the Savoy Society at McGill in 1963. Forty-six years later it is still strong as a new generation with sails at full mast are hitting the high C's on this new voyage. A bevy of pirates and damsels keep things a-float as they hit a high note with this production of Gilbert and Sullivan's popular classic, Pirates of Penzance .

Featuring a huge ensemble cast of 32 and and equally large orchestra of 32 instruments these talented actors/vocalists dance and sing their way onto the stage and into our hearts. They bringing joy and humor to the story and revive these familiar tunes to life. All are in very good voice, including great performances by both the engaging Michael Loewen as Frederick and the dashing Matthew McKeown as Pirate King; -Rebecca Woodmass is outstanding as the awe-inspiring Mabel. Costumes, set and lighting are all well conceived; direction is seamless and well choreographed. A very entertaining and light hearted with very broad appeal!

Produced by the McGill Savoy Society, playing at the Moyse Hall McGill Campus, February 12 to 20. Tickets 20$ to 12$ www.mcgillsavoy.ca

Michel & ti-Jean

2010-02-10T21:27:00.000-08:00

"Michel & ti-Jean" by George Rideout, directed by Sarah Garton-Stanley, features Vincent Hoss-Desmarais and Alain Goulem.

When Jack was feeling wounded or angry he’d sign his letters ti-Jean. He’d save Jean-Louis for his darkest moments.

What do Jack Kerouac and Michel Tremblay have in common? A lot more than you’d think… In the world premiere of Michel & ti-Jean, a script which was endorsed and brought to Centaur’s attention via Michel Tremblay, this play begs the question, 'What if?' A 27-year-old Michel Tremblay, having just published Les Belles Soeurs, and the "king of the Beatniks"; Jack Kerouac, were to meet at a bar in Florida, in 1969 (about a month before Kerouac’s death). In this evocative and spirited glimpse into the poetic and philosophical world of North American literature, the two prolific writers share their thoughts on the art of writing, inspirations, sports, music, religion and the most innate quality they share: their Quebecois heritage!

Entertaining outstanding performances by both actors. Original and interesting well worked material. Sharp, well paced, and creative direction, with equally well designed minimalist set. These two actors will take you on an unforgettable emotional roller coaster ride, a journey with performances that will be branded in your memory long after you leave the theatre.

Presented at Centaur Theatre February 2 to March 7. www.centaurtheatre.com

Geometry In Venice

2010-02-10T21:19:00.000-08:00

"Geometry In Venice" a play by Michael Mackenzie, directed by Chris Abraham.

Continuing this season's themes of mentorship and education and the important roles thay play in our lives the Segal Center in association with Crow's Theatre present 'Geometry In Venice'. Adapted from The Pupil, a novella by Henry James, the story brings us into the lives of the Moreen family, an impoverished yet aristocratic British family living in Venice at the end of the 19th century. Desperate to keep up appearances, they travel to the fashionable salons of Europe in search of a wealthy suitor to marry their only daughter Amy (Susanna Fournier). In this play, the playwright has included the original author Henry James (Damien Atkins) as a character into the tale who becomes a promising suitor. Although reluctant and unable to pay a salary, the parents: Mr. Moreen (Aiden Devive) and Mrs. Moreen (Allegra Fulton) hire a Canadian tutor and aspiring writer Pemberton (Graham Cuthbertson) to provide their ailing genius son Morgan (Eliotte Larson) with a classical education. The play is a timely examination of a family's obsession with wealth and status, raising questions of ethics and morality.

The set design (Julie Fox) is sufficiently dramatic yet minimalist in basic concept; the costumes are impeccable. The lighting of Luc Prairie and sound of Antoine Bédard are very intregated and very connected to the story telling. The performances are all well presented across the board with stand out moments delived by both Allegra Fulton (Mrs. Moreen) and Susanna Fournier (Amy). There is an expression, quoted from W.C. Fields "Never perform with children and animals...they'll ultimately upstage you." The performance of the revelation that is Eliott Larson proves this to be tried and true. At the ripe old age of 14, as Morgan playing 12, he is one to watch as an up and comer fresh home grown local talent. He is engaging and fearless in his portrayal of this complex and engaging character.

Is presented at the Segal Center for Performing Arts, January 31 to February 14. www.segalcentre.org

The Daily Miracle

2010-02-10T21:17:00.000-08:00

David Sherman's* 'The Daily Miracle", presented by Infinitheatre at Bain Saint Michel, January 26 to February 14 is a topical and current account of where our local daily news paper's fate as it promotes it's own death.

Marty's back at work after suffering a nervous breakdown; Elizabeth's daughter is sick at home with the nanny; Carrie uses al her charmes to impress as she dreams of a job in television; Benjamin is just trying to get the paper out by deadline. All is overseen by the ghosts of an industry that used to be and is no longer relevant. It's another night at the news desk, where a few battle-scarred, overworked copy editors wrestle with fractured syntax and crushed ideals to get the next edition out. Tempers frayed from layoffs, cutbacks and corroded ambitions; it's a miracle they can get the paper out at all. *"Although a play is a work of fiction, as are the characters the true strains and stress of working the desk in today's deteriorating newspaper industry are stranger than fiction."

Featuring a professional ensemble delivering memorable performances are: Jean-Guy Bouchard as Roland the janitor and resident philosopher; Arthur Holden as the nurotic Marty; Howard Rosenstein as the womanising night editor Benjamin; Ellen David plays Elizabeth balancing motherhood and career, and Sheena Gazé-Deslandes the newly hired Carrie. Ellen David's performance is nothing short of brilliant with every fragment of her being she embodies her character completely. Arthur Holden as the quick witted reporter laced with synisism, is so captivating that we hang on every word ("I don't need friends, I'm a newspaper person. ... This is my life, and it is killing me!") from the moment he first appears on stage. Sheena Gazé-Deslandes delivers an energetic and convincing performance in her premier professional stage debut. Directed by Guy Sprung. Set and costume design by James Lavoie. The set design is perfectly designed advantaging the piece, utilizing and taking full advantage of the infinite space.

Tickets: 10$ to 20$ 514 987-1774 www.infinitheatre.com Foto credit: Alexei Anikine.

Our Counrty's Good

2010-02-10T21:13:00.000-08:00

Timberlake Wertenbaker's "Our Country's Good" adapted from the Thomas Keneally novel 'The Playmaker'. Directed by Jacqueline Van de Geer.

Based on real events, this is an inspiring tale of the transforming power of theatre. A boatload of convicts lands in Australia in 1788, and a benevolent governor seizes on the notion of having convicts perform a restoration comedy entitled "The Recruiting Officer" a comedy by George Farquhar. 'A play with-in a play' would be performed by the Convicts of the Penal Settlement in honor of the King's Birthday, June 4th 1789. Themes highlight sexuality, punishment, and the Georgian judicial system. A rousing and boisterous theatrical journey, at times both funny and dark.

Wertenbarer's work often contains this format in which the characters are seen to use theatre to say things they otherwise could not say, or to tell a story or myth for a specific political purpose. The plays are often set in different time periods even though she questions the potency of the arts in contemporary culture. The central characters are often unconventional women who question traditional women's roles.

I had seen this play performed once before, a few years ago at the large D.B. Clark Theatre at Concordia. This production was performed at the Joliette womens prison the Saturday before the official opening. It was presented in the round in a gym, set up like a boxing ring; -This format was carried over to the theatre performance space. This challenge is met and overcome by the actors despite some very highly choreographed physical action scenes. A minimalist set design of a tree stump and a few twigs on the floor serve to create the space. The focus is on the text and the delivery of the performances by the well rounded talented cast. Taking on a variety of accents and multiple characters and genders the ensemble delve into this world taking the audience along with them. The overall direction is seamless and the use of space is very creative. In the over two hour play with intermission the time flies by as we're so focused on the action as the tale unfolds.

Featuring a large ensemble of actors, some playing multiple roles: Jonathan Marquis, Emila Xochitl, Bryn Dewar, Kimberley-Sue Murray, Travis Martin, Kevin Kibbey, Anne-Marie Saheb, Jaa Smith-Johnson, Mikaela Davies, Marc-André Poulin, Sarah Hansen, Shayne Devouges, Sophie Gee. Costume design by Heidi Haering & Laura Nhem. Sound design by Anders Velila; Light design by Jody Burkholder.

Produced by the newly formed Griffin Town Theatre. An ambitious 16 performances scheduled at Theatre Ste-Catherine 26 January - 7 February. Tickets: 15$ - 5$ 514 284-3939.

A View From The Bridge

2010-02-09T19:17:00.000-08:00

Playwright Arthur Miller's classic A View From The Bridge -A glimpse into the lives, customs, passions, and conflicts of a New York Italian-American immigrant community living in the shadows of Brooklyn Bridge in the 1950's, is presented by The Montreal Theatre Ensemble. Directed by company artistic director Terry Donald... "The story is the examination of one mans obsession and what can happen when that obsession takes over."

While Arthur Miller (Death Of A Salesman; All My Sons; The Crucible) was researching the death of Pete Ponto, a longshoremen who was killed by the mob for attempted treason, he learned of story involving another longshoremen who had disappeared after giving up a family member to immigration to prevent the brother from marring his niece. It became a one Act play opening off-Broadway in 1955 with actor Jack Warden as Marco. It played for 149 performances as a double bill with 'A Memory of Two Mondays' and critics panned it as cold and un-engaging. It had been Miller's attempt to distance himself from psycho-realism creating a one act one arch Greek action play. -In a 'Brechtian' sense to reveal abstract ideas about the human condition. Miller reworked the play into a two act version expanding on some of the characters building up the neighborhood. It reopened on Broadway in 1965 to 780 performances. Assistant directed by Dustin Hoffman it featured a cast of 15 including Jon Voight as Rodolpho and Robert Duval as Eddie. It was later made into a film as a domestic melodrama directed by Sidney Lumet staring Maureen Stapleton as Beatrice Carbon. Although set in Brooklyn the filming was done in France.

The play is a tragic tale of family, conflict and betrayal in the true style of a Greek Tragedy. The raw clash of old world and new is brought to life on stage. the play allows the audience to look closely at what it is like to be a human being and how social conformity can challenge raw emotions. It's themes embody responsibility to community and oneself, the sinner versus the saint, and the true nature of humanity. As human beings we are all capable of great acts, weather good or bad, before judging the actions of someone else, think about how you would react if presented with the same set of circumstances. The story is a cautionary tale about Eddie Carbone, a longshoreman who lives in the Red Hook district of Brooklyn and his obsession with his young niece Catherine. He is an ordinary man driven by extraordinary circumstances.

Featuring an ensemble cast of 22 consisting primarily of the theatre company members as well as many John Abbott alumni including: Adam LeBlanc (Eddie), a profoundly riveting pitch perfect performance; Matthew Raudsepp (Rodolpho), a sensitive and sexy portrayal, with great comedic timing, and gets to show off his vocal singing chops; Peter Vrana (Marco), a powerful-masculine persona; Rebecca Croll (Beatrice), a giving submissive yet strong and determined portrayal; Christie Hebert (Catherine), fresh and innocent with a funny naivete; Christopher Moore (Mike), Jade Hassouné (Tony), Bill Fletcher (Alfieri), Leonardo Valente (Louis), Raphael Grosz-Harvey (Immigration Officer #1), and a dozen others in cameo and walk on roles.

This is as good as any production you'll see presented on any of the larger English Theatre stages in Montreal. Every element is treated with excellence and professional flare including Costumes, Set, Lighting and sound were all impeccable. The direction was equally precise with seamless transitions and great staging. My one and only qualm was with the staging of the final ending tableau; somewhat forced and melodramatic when compared to the rest of the choices.

The play is presented at the Casgrain Theatre - John Abbott College, January 14 to 30. Tickets $20. - $18. info@mtlte.com

CABARET : The Musical by Kander and Ebb.

2010-02-08T19:29:00.000-08:00

The Arts Undergraduate Theatre Society presents CABARET at the McGill, Moyse Hall. January 14 to 23. Director Julian Silverman, musical direction Chris Barillaro, producer Meg Annand. A very large ensemble of 19 performers and a production team of 12 bring this equally very large musical to the McGill stage. A daunting task for any production company to pull together on a shoestring budget with equally limited time constraints and was perhaps a somewhat ambitious project for AUTS to undertake.

This was my second time seeing a rendition of this piece in less than two months; The previous was the 'full play version' mounted by the graduating class of NTS, see review below. This is the first time I've seen the 'full musical version' staged. It left me wondering what it would be like to see it done 'professionally'; This is not a good thing. I never got the 'je ne sais quoi' gut 'emotional' feeling that musical theatre fans get when experiencing the joy of musical theatre on stage. Admittedly I'm most familiar with the material of the Oscar winning film version and that sound track; -I was hopeful to be equally entertained, but the 'vilkomen en bienvenue' on this one fell somewhat emotionally if not musically flat.

Some noteworthy performances are: Renee Hodgins (Sally Bowles), who played Little Sally in "Urinetown", is adequate in this role but never quite hits the big notes at the big moments; These characters are some really big shoes to fill. Phae Nowak (Fraulin Schneider) is very convincing and virtually flawless in her portrayal of this popular role. Cayleigh Eckhardt (the tenant) delivers a powerhouse solo number stealing the scene away from the rest of the ensemble. Surprisingly the male leads and chorus were all vocally quite strong, a real relief in a town not noted for it's male triple threats. The only two notable critiques were for: Nicholas Allen (Emcee) who although perfectly cast in the role giving a very courageous performance, there were a few moments where the vocals were somewhat forced and over the top; Although so is this character, sometimes a little constraint and a "less is more" approach are the way to go. And to Anthime Miller (Herr Schultz) who gives us a moving performance, yet vocally there were a few moments that were somewhat muffled and lacking precision on the diction. The ensembles performances were over all quite good with some great moments delivered by the cast of students who herald from a range of departments: music, drama, and literature.

Although most of the flaws can probably be attributed to a lack of rehearsal time and limited resources and overall experience, some elements are still worth noting. Costuming was somewhat inconsistent with elements that fluctuated from a variety of decades. The staging was all too often placed up stage, distancing a lot of the action from the audience rather than creating opportunities for more intimate moments in this very large space. Details to blocking was sometimes awkward to clumsy with some moments in desperate need of cleaning up. And far too many transitions that were overwhelming for the cast and distracting to the audience. Fortunately, thanks to the musical direction of Chris Barillero, the orchestrations of the band were excellent and the music was impeccably pure delight.

Having first discovered this company in 2008 with their production of "Urinetown", which made my top ten list that year, then last year's joyous production of "Hair", this production of Cabaret ranks as my least favorite of the three.CABARET at the McGill, Moyse Hall. January 14 to 23. www.auts-cabaret2010.blogspot.com

Eurydice at McGill's Players' Theatre

2010-02-08T18:54:00.000-08:00

Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl, directed by Rachel Paul. Is the first production presented by Players' Theatre this season. Features: Megan Stewart, Marko Djurdjic, Francois MacDonald, Cory Lipman, Amelia Haskell, Fiona Penny, and Ayla Lefkowitz. Set design Kate Sketchley.

Eurydice is a whimsical re-imagining of the classic Greek myth of Orpheus and his lover, Eurydice. This tale has inspired many other stories, plays and operas. This play focuses on the character, Eurydice, and her journey to the underworld after she dies suddenly on her wedding day and her struggle to remember the love she has lost. Her tale embraces not only the romantic love but also that loving bond between fathers and daughters. The Play is a beautiful exploration of the pleasures and the pain of: love, loss, memory, and the depth of the human connection; A love letter to all as a celebration of our relationships.

Seem-less blocking by director Rachel Paul keep the pacing flowing and natural. Overall the actors deliver very good performances; however stand outs to me were those of: Francois Macdonald as the Father which was admirably constrained and consistent; As well as that of Cory Lipman as the Lord of the Underworld which was both humorus and frightening. Also, I've never been so entertained by 'Stones' before. This movement ensemble added a strong element to the originality of the production. Most noteworthy was the overall set design, not something one normally expects from this level of production, it was overwhelming in a good way. Warning, You'll be requested to remove your outdoor foot wear, so maybe bring your slippers and sit back and enjoy this one act gem.

Performances January 21 to January 30 check directly for days and times. Rates: 6$ to 8$ www.ssmu.mcgill.ca/players 514 398-6813

Simon à Toujours Aimé Danser

2010-02-08T18:30:00.000-08:00

1770: At 14, at the Sistine Chapel, the prodigious Amadeus Mozart succeeded in rewriting without any mistake 'Allegri's Miserere', after hearing it only once.

1974: At 11, at the New Hope Baptist Church, the amazing Whitney Houston succeeded in making people sob by singing in her angelic voice 'Guide Me, O Thou Great Jeovah'.

1994: At 12, Simon, at the church of Saint-Rémi de Napierville, succeeded in achieving the astounding miracle of his voice breaking live, right in the middle of his solo, his voice choked in front of the pious crowd. It was enough for him to stop believing in God, and to turn to his second divine gift, dance.

Recipient of a Raymond Blais grant.
Official Harvest selection of the Fringe 2007.
Recipient of the Cirque du Soleil award for best performance in French, 2007 Fringe.
Recipient of the Cornucopia for Best Solo performance, Harvest 2007.

First presented three years ago this production has since toured the Globe including as far away as in Africa. This critically acclaimed theatrical movement solo performance is created and performed by Simon Boulrice and directed by Sarah Berthiaume. Both poetic and literally moving, it is as humorous as it is emotionally moving. The grand dramatic jestures are well balanced by the nuance of his subtle gestures. Recently playing on the Thèâtre d'Aujourd'hui stage to sold out audiences, January 12-30.

Take a Walk on the Wildside at Centaur.

2010-01-12T20:19:00.000-08:00

Centaur's 13th season of the Wildside Festival features six plays that will warm your hearts. For two weeks each play is perform five times from January 5th to January 17th.

Ties: Odelah Creations production. A collective creation, directed by Arianna Bardesono, with Christine Aubin-Khalifah and Greg Gale. Poetic, fantastical and captivating. The powerful fantastical story carries us through the portrayal whirlwind experience of a young women's memories as she retraces the life of her deceased father and her struggle to cope with the loss. Take a voyage into your own imagination. The journey takes you from the suburbs of Montreal to the mountains of Lebanon. Scored to original live electric guitar. Ties is SPELLBINDING ORIGINAL, EMOTIONALLY MOVING, and UTTERLY BEGUILING! Brilliantly directed, Bardesono takes some risky chances thinking way out of the box. Many surprises followed by even more surprises. Great performances delivered by both actors who support each other in so many ways. A deeply personal and emotionally stirring tour de force! My personal favorite pick from the festival. WARNING: Kleenex-tissue alert! GO C IT!

Dance Animal: Directed and choreographed by Robin Henderson. With: Joseph Bembridge, Stephanie Breton, Sarah Hansen, Robin Henderson, Dan Jeannotte, Vanessa Kneale, Steph McKenna, Marc Rowland, Pascal Morrissette, and Anders Yates. A Montreal Fringe box office record breaker and winner of the 2009 Just For Laughs 'Best of Montreal'. A bilingual comedy movement piece that mixes high camp and musical theatre with sketch comedy. Henderson, who also plays 'Dance Tiger' the heroin who is responsible for recruiting all the other animals, has created a production that will have at least nine lives, if not ninety. Dance Animal is a laugh-out-loud, clap along, hum-along original comedy-movement piece that is laced with solo performances and monologues, some of which are delivered in French, from the ten appealing and sympathetic animals cast in the story. Also some 'improvisationally' influenced sketches and catchy popular interpretive group dance numbers. Expect to see many incarnations of this fresh home grown phenomenon. GO C IT!

Penumbra: Rabbit In A Hat Productions. Play by Katherine Dempsey. Directed by Paul Van Dyke. With: Catherine Bérubé, Michelle Boback, Christopher Moore, and Howard Rosenstein.
In an age of technological development and dependency, the individual has been afforded an unprecedented variety of communicative means. The story examines classical themes of love, lust and betrayal in a modern context, positing that technology has not only perverted the integrity of the modern relationship structure, but damaged the genuine connection felt between two people in love. I reviewed this play in June during the Fringe when it played at the MAI. I preferred seeing it even more the second time around due in part to an obvious tightening in a few areas in the running of the play, as well as better lighting effects which are essential to the production and the nicer more comfortable ambiance of the Centaur stage. GO SEE IT!

My Pregnant Brother: Freestanding Productions, co-production w/ Two Wheeler Productions. Written and performed by Johanna Nutter. Directed and dramaturged by Jeremy Taylor. Thomas Beatie gave birth to his second child on the same day the this play was born. Two years prior, the artists' brother got pregnant. This is that story. I reviewed this production in June, -I saw the final presentation at the Geordie Space during the Fringe. It was the official selection of the Centaur prize for Best English Play that year. I definitely preferred it the second time due in part to a few changes implemented since June and the better performance space at Centaur. The story is very interesting and truly close to home; -It is set on the Plateau Montreal, on and off the Main and B.C. A very touching and personal tale that is a very popular piece with the home base crowd. GO SEE IT!

Someone Between: Apsara Theatre Company. Written and performed by Chantria Tram. Directed by Milena Buziak. Having escaped her birthplace of Cambodia, and finding amnesty in a Thai refugee camp for three years, Chantria and her family are plunged into the Canadian mosaic. As a first generation Khmer-Canadian, she tries to find her place between two very different cultures. A very nice stage design, textured to the themes of the play. As the story unfolds we become involved with the true life story of this young girls families journey from bondage to freedom. Exotic flavors with plenty of color and spice, you'll be entranced by this well woven tale. The night I saw it there were some issues with the text, lines that were stumbled on; Also some blocking - staging issues and finally some very obvious lighting errors.

Dust: Jsquared Theatre. Written and directed by Jason Maghanoy. With Brandon Coffey and Jessica Moss. Abu Ghraib Prison. Jenny works in the office. Jonathan is a prison guard. They meet and fall in love. The story is a chilling and ultimately moving examination of torture, decency and the limits of hope. On a bare stage two actors deliver great characterizations of these two very difficulty to empathize with army prison guards. A short running time of approximately 40 minutes. You'll leave the theatre wondering if you liked what you witnessed? You'll need to allow yourself some down time following this hauntingly raw performance before making that decision.

2010 message to the artists: We Do The Show...We Do The Show"

2010-01-03T11:45:00.000-08:00

You step out from the dark into the light.
What happens when we step out of the dark into the light?
We do the show,
We do the show,
We do the show for the people in the dark.
They need us.
You know life is hard,
It is very cruel.

When you step over the line into the light you have a certain responsibility to the people in the dark.
You've got to be strong.
You've got to take all of your pain and bury it inside your costume.
For twenty-two hours each day you can be just like them.
You can moan and worry and cry, sleep and eat, and drink, and make love, grow old and die like everyone else.

We all live very well.
And we all grow old.
But for two hours every night, you are not allowed to let life in.
You do the show for the people in the dark.
Be strong.
Bury your pain inside your costume.
The show is for them not for you.

It's funny how a simple little love story can change so many lives.
We carry that story on stage every night for fifty years.
Now I leave it with you.
When you step into the light to do your show.
Play your role with everything you've got.
Invest every tear and every laugh.
Everything beautiful and lovely form your lives.
Do your show and live your lives with humanity.
Because whatever you do it changes some one's life forever.

dee arr's 2009 theatre review & Public opinon poll.

2009-12-17T18:47:00.000-08:00

In 2009 dee arr assisted @ : 88 performances; 66 presentations from 65 productions, presented in over +12 houses. This years' official review will have: 1 retro-mention; 1 special mention; 6 honorable mentions; A Top 12; Maybe even a bottom 3. The plays that have been selected were announced on air, Radio Centre-Ville 102.3FM Arts Notebook. You too can participate and vote for you own favorite play from this list, and maybe even win a prize too, see details below.

Dee Arr’s rules of official rules of engagement:
Must be presented in the greater Montreal area.
Produced between Jan. and Dec. 2009.
Have had at least three public presentations to a paying audience.
Dee Arr has been invited as a guest: VIP and/or Media.
Not produced by home base company PVSP, or directed by Davyn Ryall.

What motivates dee arr's decisions : The play; The direction; The overall production quality; Technical elements; The performance (s); Emotional connection; Resonating effects.

Honorable Mentions in no particular order:
The Sputniks - C (Special retro Honorable mention)
Till We Meet Again - OPH (Honorable mention, Touring production.)
Cherry Docs – TSC (Honorable mention, play & performance.)
Hippies & Bolsheviks - FSS (Honorable mention, play & performance.)
Brazil Nuts – Fringe / JFLC (Honorable mention, 2009 pick of the Fringe.)
Suburban Motel series: (Honorable mention, productions.)
Haunted Hillbilly - S (Honorable mention, production.)

2009 TOP 12:
Afterlife - G TOP #12
Pillowman - TSC / TOP #11
Die Roten Punkte – C / TOP #10
The Real Inspector Hound – ML / TOP #9
Haunted – SJ / TOP #8
Paradise Lost – TSC / TOP #7
Haunted House – S / TOP #6
Over the River and Through The Woods – S / TOP #5
Educating Rita – S / TOP #4
Tryst – S / TOP #3
Souvenir – MM / TOP #2
Shirley Valentine – C / TOP #1

Listed in approximate production order:
1. Die Roten Punkte – C TOP #10
2. The Sputniks - C (Honorable retro mention)
3. The Ballad of the Young Offender - C
4. Can You See Me Yet? - P
5. The Real Inspector Hound – ML TOP #9
6. Shirley Valentine – C TOP #1
7. Buried Child - S
8. Alan's Search For The Best Girl In Montreal - S313
9. One Man Show For My Brother - P
10. Gone fishing -with Trout Stanley - TSC
11. Haunted House – S TOP #6
12. Tempest in a Tea Pot - ML
13. Doubt - C
14. Tshepang - LC
15. Blessed Are They - SJ
16. The Assumption of Empire - ML
17. Tryst – S TOP #3
18. Age Of Arousal - C
19. Paradise Lost – TSC TOP #7
20. Over the River and Through The Woods – S TOP #5
21. Cherry Docs – TSC (Honorable mention)
22. Hair - MH
23. With Bated Breath - C
24. My Child - ML
25. Death And The Maiden - ML
26. 3 Ways To Handle A Telemarketer - Fringe venue.
27. Fucking Stephen Harper – Fringe / ML
28. Cobra III – Fringe / JFLC
29. Penumbra – Fringe / MAI
30. The Importance of Being Earnest – Fringe /MAI
31. Afterlife – Fringe / G TOP #12
32. Brazil Nuts – Fringe / JFLC (Honorable mention)
33. Dance Animal – Fringe / JFLS
34. Perverts – Fringe / LC
35. My Pregnant Brother – Fringe / G
36. Westmount Theatre Community Group - Edward Albee play
37. Bunbury: Importance of Being Earnest/L'importance d'être Constant - TSC NE
38. I AM I - P
39. Souvenir – MM TOP #2
40. Speak Truth To Power - GC
41. Suddenly, Last Summer - P NE
42. Rock, Paper, Jackknife - C
43. Till We Meet Again - OPH (Honorable mention)
44. Inherit The Wind - S
45. Haunted – SJ TOP #8
46. Pillowman - TSC TOP #11
47. Mysteriously Yours - TO NE
48. True Love Lies - TO NE
49. In Piazza San Domenico - C
50. Suburban Motel series: RISK EVERYTHING - ML (Honorable mention)
51. CRIMINAL GENIUS - ML
52. THE END OF CIVILIZATION - ML
53. FEATURING LORETTA - ML
54. ADULT ENTERTAINMENT - ML
55. PROBLEM CHILD - ML
56. Transpotting - P
57. In Extremis: The Story of Abelard and Heloise - MH
58. Speed-The-Plow - TSC
59. Death And The Maiden – C
60. Educating Rita – S TOP #4
61. Hippies & Bolsheviks - FSS (Honorable mention)
62. Jimmy - C
63. Haunted Hillbilly - S (Honorable mention)
64. Cabaret - MN
65. My Christmas In New York – TSC

C = Centaur = 10
S = Segal = 7
ML = MainLine = 7
TSC = Theatre Saint-Catherine = 6
P = Players = 5
MY = Moyse Hall = 3
G = Geordie = 3
SJ = St-James = 2
MAI = 2
JFLS = 2
MM = McCord Museum = 1
FS = Freestanding Space = 1
TO = 2 Toronto production.
NE = Not eligible.

YOU CAN VOTE NOW: For your favorite local production from the above list of plays. Listed in an approximate order of their production date from earliest to latest. Write the assigned number and or title of the play from this list that you most preferred in 2009.

Be sure to indicate your name and e-mail address if you want to be eligible to win a prize for participating. With the submission of your vote you will have a chance to win a great prize* (Selected by a draw January 1st, announced January 2nd, after 12pm). *A one year subscription membership (30$ value) as an individual member to QDF. One submission per e-mail address.

TO VOTE: Submit your vote through this blog by leaving your nomination in the comments; or e-mail your vote to info@villagescene.com

CONFIDENTIALITY: All personal information received, including your vote, are all retained with the strictest level of confidentiallity.

VOTE DEADLINE: All submissions to vote for your favorite play must be received no later than Thursday, December 31st @ midnight.

My Christmas In New York, some egg, plenty of nog.

2009-12-10T17:24:00.000-08:00

Every Christmas hundreds of Québecois flock to Manhattan to sell Christmas Trees. Adam Manduski, a fledgling poet, did exactly this with a complete stranger, Charlot Corbeil, in 2007. They immediately realized a methadone clinic nearby caused an endless stream of junkies and thieves to pass by there stand. What followed next can only be described as a Christmas anti-miracle, a junky jaunt, a methadone ballet, a Fraser fir fairy tale, from knife fights to precious jazz, they learned a lot about themselves, and craziest of all is the fact that it’s all true. Based on the experimental literary journal My Duane Reade Cloister by Alain Mercieca, this Christmas play is for all the real poets.

This production is truly a mixed bag from Santa. A potpourri of: English and French dialogue, some improve, some scripted- text, some poetry, some humour, some drama, some intellect, and a lot of heart felt great performances from the talented cast. It is less of a play however, and is more of an over-extended 'sketchy' improve on an SNL holiday season special. It features a parade of 'questionable' yet 'captivating' characters from all walks of life; some of whom will either warm the cockles of your tender little hearts (especially those that are two sizes too small) or freeze your x-mass balls off. The central character, that of gritty New York City, the city that literally never sleeps, is captured to the extent that the sights and sounds are palpable. The stage-space set up is changed, the set design is adequate, and the costuming and the props are all utilized to help create an atmosphere that transports the audience to the world of the volatile Big Apple.

The sound was at times a bit wacky, either too low or too loud, as was the microphone. Some music queues were also rough and sporadically dispersed. The premise of the story is solid, where the production falls short is in the transitions that are too rough and unpolished. What is needed is some 'fiction' interspersed with the 'non-fiction' to smooth out the storytelling 'poetic' segments and a little more scripted text and less improv to turn this into a full play. -That and a workshop with a dramaturge, and then hand it over to a qualified director to re-mount.

Featuring: TJ Harris, Sandi Armstrong, Simon Chavarie, Jacqueline Sawatsky, Joe McLean, Maité Sinave, Catherine Moreau, Vincent Dow, Dayv Luciak, and Alain Mercieca, Production Design: Marie-Josée Houle. Lights & Sound: Dayv Luciak.

My Christmas In New York is presented by le nouveau international. December 9th to 19th at 8pm. @ Nouveau Théâtre Sainte-Catherine Information 514-284-3939 or lenouveauinternational@gmail.com

WILKOMMEN TO THE CABARET @ Monument Nat'l.

2009-12-08T09:29:00.000-08:00

The 2009-2010 season of public performances of the NTS graduating class is an excellent opportunity to catch future artists of the Canadian stage in action just before the beginning of their professional careers. Graduating actors, playwrights, directors, designers and production personnel work year round with professional guest directors to present a varied season that will hone the skills and talents of these new artists.

The 2010 English graduating class of the National Theatre School of Canada (NTS) presents the second production of its 2009-2010 season. Cabaret, directed by Jillian Keiley, Ludger-Duvernay Theatre of the Monument National, 1182 St. Laurent Boulevard, 8pm December 8 - 12, 2009.

One of the most beloved musicals of our time, the original 1966 Broadway production of Cabaret won eight Tony awards of the ten for which it was nominated. Seven years later, Bob Fosse's film adaptation repeated that feat with Oscars at the Academy Awards. Cabaret was revived on Broadway in 1987, then again in 1998, each time garnering more awards, more critical acclaim and greater audience devotion.

Based on John Van Druten's 1951 play I Am a Camera, which in turn was adapted from the novel Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood, Cabaret depicts nightlife at the seedy Kit Kat Klub and revolves around the relationship between 19-year-old English cabaret performer Sally Bowles and Cliff Bradshaw, a young American writer new to Berlin. Their story unfolds against the backdrop of the social upheavals afoot in Germany at the time, the tragic consequences of which audiences are all too aware — unlike the characters they are watching.

About This Production: What A Difference A Decade Makes: Director Jillian Keiley sees Cabaret very differently.

That audience omniscience has always disturbed director Jillian Keiley. "I love this play," she said, "but I’ve always thought it engages the intellect more than the heart, and I think that’s because of the way it has been staged; in every production I’ve ever seen, the audience has that superior vantage point." Her solution to this was simple: set the action a decade later. It’s not 1931, it’s 1941. The Nazis aren’t beginning to gain a following; they’ve been in power for eight years, which makes everyone who worked at the Kit Kat Klub a fugitive from the law. When the Emcee sings the opening number, "Wilkommen," he sings it as an invitation to all the dissidents, deviants and demimondaines of his cabaret to come out of hiding and reunite in song and dance and safety in numbers. Once everyone has gathered in the bombed ruin that used to be their nightclub, the story they agree to perform, to entertain each other, is that of Sally and Cliff.

Keiley promises, despite this radical shift in perspective, to stay true to the text, not a word of which has been altered. As such, Sally Bowles, who never left Germany, is one of the fugitives at large, and plays herself. "The actors create everything," Keiley explains. "Instead of a series of scenes interspersed with cabaret numbers, what audiences witness is performers ‘improvising’ the story they tell each other, but in this production, they DO know how it all ends." That, Keiley believes, ups the poignancy of the story for the audience: "They’ll leave with more than just a sense of historical inevitability."

The production has a great multipurpose stage design that is very functional and well utilized to the hilt by all characters. Costumes and set are also very well designed and multipurpose. A very creative use of the space, which is in the 'big' stage at the Monument. Lighting at times was not clearly illuminating faces however, therefore loosing some expression. For some, but not all, of the play it was difficult to hear some of the dialogue which is surprising since the performers are wearing microphones; This was particularly evident with some of the songs especially those sung during act one.

Of course placing ten performers into the main roles and chorus of a play with an ensemble that is usually produced with double that quantity is always a challenge. Added to that challenge is having to fill those roles with only the students in the class. For the better part these balance out quite well, however some roles cast are a little less convincing unable to surmount this unavoidable challenge. Since we are so familiar with many of the cherished characters, either having seen the production numerous times on stage or on screen in the Oscar winning film, it is challenging to overcome the typical type casting images we hold in our memories. Also, these are actors, not necessarily the triple threats (act, sing, dance) that would normally be up to fill these parts. However most of the songs essential to the play are well performed despite this additional challenge. The music played by the on stage band of actors was very enjoyable and it was very interesting to see how the accompaniment to the piano by many of the performers was cleverly integrated into the action with humor and precision. What was most lacking was in the realm of choreography, with only a minimal amount attempted. I would have like to see more attention to this element.

Where I had the most difficulty with this production of Cabaret was with the attempt to change the period in which the story takes place. In act one this was somewhat more transparent but as act two commenced it became clear that a time change didn't work. You can't change history, even when adapting a text, changing the time period of a story and not changing the text to match is difficult enough, but one can not do that and not directly effect the historical facts too. The Nazi's were in power in Germany, and the war was already in progress, with many countries already occupied by 1941. Much of the dialogue and references that apply to 1931 just do not work when applied ten years later.

CAST: Nathan Barrett, Simon Bracken, Brandon Crone, Leah Doz, Will Greenblatt, Chala Hunter, Ron Klappholz, Meilie Ng, Thomas Antony Olajide, Gia Sandhu.

DESIGN/PRODUCTION TEAM: Nancy Perrin (Set Design), Veronique Boileau (Costume Design), Kate Sandeson (Lighting Design); William Fallon (Sound Design); Kira Maros (Production Manager), Nicole Olson Grant-Suttie (Technical Director), Kai Yueh-Chen (Stage Manager). Photo: Leah Doz; credit Maxime Côté.

Tickets: $9. available at the Monument-National Box Office (1182, St. Laurent Blvd.). Call (514) 871-2224. (A $3.25 handling fee applies to tickets reserved by phone.)

HAUNTED HILLBILLY @ Segal Center Studio to Dec. 20th.

2009-12-06T22:16:00.000-08:00

Sidemart Theatrical Grocery presents the much anticipated musical adaptation of Derek McCormack's novel The Haunted Hillbilly, an episodic and eerie carnivalesque thrill-ride. Play by Graham Cuthbertson, Songs & Music by Matthew Barber, Directed by Andrew Shaver. The supurb cast of 8 actors: Daniel Brochu (Erskine Mole) Patrick Costello (Hyram Woodside) Gemma James-Smith (Audrey Woodside) Greg Karmer (Nudie) Trent Pardy (Pastor Ray) Alexis Taylor (Bobbi) Jackie Torrens (Lil Molly) Kyle Gatehouse (Dr. Wertham); The very enjoyable stage band: Matthew Barber, Joe Grass, Julian Brown. Great light & colorfully creative set design by Sarah Yaffe; Playfully fun costume design by Susana Vera; Sound by Jesse Ash.

The play is a cowboy carnival caper, complete with country music and plenty of Gothic sleaze. Hyram Woodside in his quest to become the greatest star in country music has his life turned into an out of control carnival ride by Nudie a bloodsucking couturier who sees only one thing in Hyram: everlasting fame and fortune. When Hyram finds the successful life on the road too lonely he strays from Nudie's grasp in a desperate attempt to secure his own happiness. The consequences are Nudie's jealousy compels him into an un-holy war against Hyram and all the unfortunate souls that are close to him. The story evolves with magical poetic cadence as Nudie then breaks the career of the country legend Hyram (aka Hank Williams). Like many of the other characters in the play they're based on real people. Nudie 'The Carnival Couturier' characters name is a twist on 'Nudie, the Rodeo Tailor', a real-life figure perhaps best known for dressing Elvis Presley. In this spellbinding world, the gay fashionista also happens to be a vampire. GO C IT!

The Haunted Hillbilly was named a book of the year (2003) by both the Globe & Mail and the Village Voice, and was nominated for a Lambda Award for Best Gay Fiction.

Performances: Dec. 7 - 10, 12 - 17, 19, 8pm. Matinés: Dec. 13 PWYC, 20, 2pm. Tickets $20.

A stairway to heavenly theatre is on the Main, two flights up, @ Freestanding Space.

2009-11-27T19:57:00.000-08:00

Girl Got Lost Productions presents Amiel Gladstone's Hippies & Bolsheviks. Directed by Chelsea McIsaac. With: Miranda Handford (Star), Thomas Preece (Jeff), and Brent Skagford (Allan). Original music performed live by Melissa Trottier. Photographer - Terry Hughes.

Hippies & Bolsheviks, set in 1972 Vancouver, is a dramatic comedy about wining and losing, loving and leaving and making plans. "Do you know how to make God laugh? ... Make a plan." Through the haze of joints, one night stands, and 70's rock-n-roll gods the play examines how to get along in a world at war, with a lifetime supply of plastic and broken ideals. "How do you hold fast to your ideals and dreams when faced with the challenges of the 'real' world?"

Why has 1st time director, aka established casting agent, Chelsea McIsaac switched from handling a roster of actors to producing and directing theatre, a vocation known for its lack of funding and small audiences? She quips: “I needed a creative outlet. ... I figured if I was directing it, being known more as an agent than as a director, who would produce me, so I took on that role as well."

The casting of the ensemble is perfect, naturally, with a stand out pitch perfect comedic performance delivered by new comer and Concordia graduate Thomas Preece. Set design by Holly Simpson is ideally created for the intimate space. The sound design by Tom Mulins is also well conceived adding multiple layers to each scene. The live musical performance of Melisa Trottier and the song selections are well inserted throughout creating a very timely and romantic ambiance. Act one is marvelously well paced, insightful, and entertaining. Act two drags in spots, and is somewhat less interesting, falling prey to being a bit too preachy and predictable. The play runs approximately two hours with a 15 minute intermission. Refreshments are available on site. GO C IT!

Encore performances: December 9, 10, 11 @8pm. Freestanding Space, (two flights of stairs) 4324, boul. St-Laurent; Limited seating, RESERVE @ Box Office (514) 279 - 5219.

Getting a real 'education' in great theatre at Segal? Priceless!

2009-11-26T22:05:00.000-08:00

Educating Rita The hilarious and clever comedy by award-winning playwright Willy Russell ('Shirley Valentine'). Directed by Marcia Kash. With: Carley Street and *Ric Reid. Costume and set design by John C. Dinning. Light design by Spike Lyne. Photo credit: Randy Cole. This play is truly an education for all as we are witnessing a virtually flawless and throughly entertaining and totally enjoyable production. *Ric Reid is away due to a health matter so Ian Deakin is currently replacing him.

Bryna Wasserman, Artistic and Executive Director of the Segal Centre promises: “The special chemistry and briskly-paced comedic repartee between these two extraordinary actors will have you smiling all through the play.” She isn't talking out of her hat here either...not sure she wears actually hats; Though I'm sure that she wears many in order to maintain the high levels of theatre productions promised to the loyal Segal audiences who have become accustomed to 'first class' theatre.

The play is about Frank Bryant, a failed writer (poet) and disillusioned literature professor who views his students as appallingly, boring, and lacking in originality. The cynical middle-age curmudgeon academic would rather spend time drinking scotch than teaching. And it is about Rita, who is a brash, twenty-six year old hairdresser from Liverpool who is determined to get an education and shed her working-class image. Her real name is Susan, but wanting to appear more sophisticated she refers to herself as Rita after feminist writer Rita Mae Brown. Rita thinks Brown is a brilliant writer but Frank has never heard of her. Frank grudgingly accepts to tutor this uneducated and feisty Liverpudlian, but in time her passion for learning intrigues and enchants him.

The performances of both Carley Street (Rita/Susan) and Ric Reid (Frank Bryant) are impeccable. Their chemistry on stage is vibrant and very much alive and completely entertaining. Rita's journey is delivered with pristine clarity bringing the audience along to each of her tutorials. Frank's frustration with life and eventual cathartic experience is pure and heart felt. The set and costume design by thirty year veteran John C. Dinning is amazing, it is so detailed and well conceived to suit every nuance of the play. Lighting by Spike Lyne is equally well designed to suit the mood and set.

The classic Pygmalion story is as winsome and fresh as it ever was in this new slightly updated revised version of this 80's modern classic. Director Marcia Kash is in very familiar territory with the character Rita. In a veritable 'circle of life' scenario, She was the first actress to play the role in Canada and subsequently reprised it four times. "Rita's a women with 'guts' with determination and with an innate curiosity about the world...she wants more out of life and she's willing to risk everything to get it." Rita maintains though her journey in the play that all she really wants is to have a choice. Under Kash's direction the production is like seeing the play again the first time. The play is still very relevant today, and this production is very fresh, creative, with energy anew.

The play is partially autobiographical; British playwright actually Willy Russell grew up in a working class family in Liverpool and became a hairdresser. Eventually he returned to college and started writing drama, which opened up a world of new possibilities and brought him international success. He connects easily with his female characters offering them some very insightful dialogue that isn't condescending always remaining believable and retaining the truthfulness in their lives.

One note that I'd be remiss for not mentioning however; When selecting your seats, choose center or audience stage right sections for a more enjoyable and a better sight line of the stage and of the performances. Seated to far to the left of the stage, I felt at times somewhat disconnected to Rita, missing out on some of her vibrant expressions and delivery. This is mostly due to staging, blocking her too far downstage and or facing all too often up stage and to stage left leaving only her back and rear angled profile.

Playing at Segal Center for the Arts daily except Fridays now until December 13th. GO C IT.

Marie Brassard is BRILLIANT in 'Jimmy' @ Centaur.

2009-11-25T10:02:00.000-08:00

An AMAZING, INNOVATIVE, ORIGINAL, CREATION. Infrarouge presents "Jimmy" Marie Brassard's most masterful creation in English, the evocative solo-show about dreams and desire, Jimmy. She is engaging from the moment we enter the space. Her portrayal of the central character is stunning believable so we immediately empathize with his dilemma and sorrowful plight. She delivers a memorable performance worthy of the three curtain call standing ovation she received on opening night. Performed around the world since its creation in 2001, Jimmy is a beautifully haunting tour-de-force. In it Brassard plays a homosexual hairdresser Jimmy, who came to life in the dream of a homophobic American general in the 1950’s. It is in his salon that Jimmy meets Mitchell, a soldier that he falls deeply in love with. At the exact moment Jimmy is about to kiss the soldier he loves for the first time, the general's heart stops beating and Jimmy remains suspended, frozen in time in that precise moment, filled with an exquisite sensation of pure pleasure.

Fifty years later, time starts ticking again and Jimmy comes back to life, this time, to his despair, imprisoned in the dreams of a Montreal actress who falls in love with him. In the actress's wild, erotic and absurd dreams, his face and body are transformed, metamorphosing him into a strange creature of uncertain gender. His most ardent desire is to escape the logic of the dreams that imprison him so he can finally find his way back to his lost love.

For several years, Marie Brassard’s career was linked with that of the director Robert Lepage. With him she elaborated concepts, wrote and performed in films and stage plays. Initiating her exploration of the use of sound, she created her first solo play Jimmy, créature de Rêve, 2001. With her more recent work: The Darkness (2003), Peepshow (2005) and The Invisible (2008) she continued her technological investigation, interweaving voices and soundtracks, shifting between levels of reality, bringing us face to face with a world where the boundaries between public and private are increasingly fluid and the relationship between individuals and technology is increasingly intimate. Establishing herself as a unique voice in contemporary theatre, her work, has been presented in English and French in several cities all over Americas, Europe and Australia.

My production picky pen notes: I recommend sitting at least in row five or higher from the stage. I would have preferred to see this production much more in an intimate performance space. The piece is so intimate that the staging here only distances the audience from connecting with the artist's performance and the character. I would have enjoyed some more creative lighting design, it was rather simplistic and could have been much more. There should also have been some post-show exit music for the audience. From a production-marketing perspective: Just a one week runs for such a piece doesn't allow for building the audience through reviews and word of mouth. Since it runs only '70 minutes' possibly two productions could have been scheduled to be performed the same evenings, like 7pm and 9pm. Finally, for English theatre goers they may find the ticket price to be a bit too steep $37-$27. for most of the potential audience members during this heavy loaded theatre calendar period; Also when considering it is a one person solo art piece performance of under 75 minutes.

'Jimmy' Written, directed and performed by Marie Brassard @ Centaur, to November 28 8:30pm. GO C IT!

It is too bad that the production wasn't scheduled to be performed alternately with 'The Glass Eye" the 2nd production, that was to be presented next week by the same company and has now been postpone indefinitely.

Death and the Maiden is vibrantly full of life...

2009-11-20T20:22:00.000-08:00

Death and the Maiden by Ariel Dorfman is presented at Centaur's smaller space until Dec. 6th. directed by former AD Gorden McCall with: Neil Napier* (Gerardo Escobar), Tania Kontoyanni* (Pauline Salas), and Wayne Burnett (Roberto Miranda). * In photo; Credit Yanick Macdonald.

Originally written to draw attention to the atrocities that occurred during Chile's Pinochet regime, it is still all too relevant today as we watch CNN and our local news programs learning about the despicable acts of torture and violence and oppression practiced on every day citizens on every continent of our globe. It is a contemporary play that resonates all to well even today.

An amazing set design making the space almost unrecognizable is designed by Russell Jones; It is both impressive and highly functional adding a lot of quality to the production. The lighting, when lit, is equally functional with the set and stunning as well. However, not sure who to blame here, director or designer Spike Lyne, there are too many and too lengthy black outs. Spoiler alert: The scene with Pauline capturing Roberto is way too long and too dark, audience members seated half way and up in the space or seated far to the right miss some important detailed moments, and anyone getting a little dozzy will definately nod off here, as some near me did, the scene is too drawn out, especially when considering the dim lighting. ... The performances by all three actors, who are all very well cast in their respective roles, were also very well performed with particular mention going to Tania Kontayanni who is captivating, commanding the stage throughout the play either on or off the focus.

Many may have read this one before, or seen another production, or at least be familiar with the film; This production is well worth a revisit to the play or for the first time. GO C IT!

TSC's Speed-The-Plow by David Mamet to Nov. 22nd.

2009-11-20T14:49:00.000-08:00

The Parkdale Players present David Mamet's Speed-The-Plow at the New Theatre Ste-Catherine, November 18 to 22. Directed by Conall Pendergast, with: Luis Fernandes (Bobby Gould), Jesse Ryder Huges (Charlie Fox), and Jenny Westoby (Karen).

Pulitzer Prize winner (Glengarry Glenn Ross) and two-time Oscar nominee David Mamet pulls no punches in this vicious ride through the highs and lows of the American film industry. Hollywood power brokers Bobby Gould and Charlie Fox are hungry to impress the Studio Head with their potential next big blockbuster. High on their expectations of success, Bobby bets 500$ that he can seduce Karen, his temp secretary. Bobby gets more than he bargained for as Karen has a few plans of her own that might change Bobby’s life forever. It’s the story of a man ambushed by the warring forces of sex, friendship, and love all under a perpetual greed for money.

The title means 'work...to plow under and start anew'... 'Good luck and swift and profitable ploughing.' The original premiered on Broadway in 1988 with Madonna, Joe Mortagnia, and Jon Silver who took home a Tony for his portrayal of Charlie Fox. A 2008 revival at the Old Vic starred AD Kevin Spacey; The Broadway revival in 2008-2009 featured Jeremy Piven in the role of Bobby; territory no doubt very familiar to the actor as he plays the Hollywood agent Arie on TVs Entourage. He was replaced by William H. Macey half way through the limited run.

Bobby and Charlie have a verbal boxing match of the eternal debate of art versus money. The office temp Karen is the catalyst of the debate, and Bobby finds himself on both sides of the dilemma. Like many of Mamet's plays this one highlights the men and their complicated relationships. The women are over-simple objectified characters, like that of Karen. The two main actors deliver rapid-fire dialogue throughout their performance, almost completing each others sentences. Although in general I enjoyed all of the performances, something was missing in their projection; -it was as if the audience deliberately wasn't being included in the conversation. Even seated mid-row in the space we found ourselves stretching our ears to hear the actors clever reparté. The stage-set design and the lighting and sound also worked well. If you are fans of Entourage and Mad Men you will enjoy this too. GO C IT!

In Extremis: The Storey of Abelard and Heloise

2009-11-18T12:20:00.000-08:00

By Howard Brenton. Directed by Sean Carney. Presented at Moyse Hall - McGill. With a cast of sixteen current and former McGill students including: Bryn Dewar (Abelard), Bea Hutcheson (Heloise), Chirag Nalk (Chamberlain), and Michael Ruderman (Bernard).

Howard Brenton is a secular playwright born in England 1942. He is fascinated by the power of faith and belief, and he has observed that we live in an age without ideals. Using comedy, romance, drama, and tragedy, he tells a sweeping tale about human beings for whom belief and ideals were not a matter of choice, but of necessity. This is a true story, a real life version of the classic tale of Romeo and Juliet, or Tristan and Iseult. The tragic tale of their passion and romance reminds us what is still sacred in this world.

An impressive stage set design by Danny Haeberlin and equally impressive costume design by Catherine Bradley. Questionable music selection however not noting any particular link between the mood of the production and the songs playing. There is an annoying amount of black outs and lengthy transitions that are not really necessary given the end result to the changes made on stage. These could easily have been cut out and or shortened. The play runs long and this is mostly due to some labored staging (forced blocking) like frequent entrances through the audience, and actors finding their positions on the vastly spread out stage. Most notable performances are those of Chirag Nalk as the tenacious Chamberlain, and the strongest and most consistent is the performance delivered by Michael Ruderman as Bernard. There are a few sporadic moments of good acting by some of the rest of the cast but unfortunately not enough to recommend seeing it.

Nov. 18-21, 25-28; 7:30pm.
Tickets: 5$-10$. www.mcgill.ca/english/moyse/

Photo: Bea Hutcheson (Heloise), Bryn Dewar (Abelard), Lee Marshall (Denise). Photo credit: Owen Egan

TRANSPOTTING : Just say 'NO' to drugs, 'NOT' to theatre.

2009-11-16T15:16:00.000-08:00

Trainspotting is based on the book of the same title by Irvine Welsh, the play is by Harry Gibson, the production is directed by Joel Burford and it is presented at Players Theatre 8pm November 18-21, and 25-28. With: Grace Glowicki, Martin Law, David Moote, and Daniel Sorger. Tickets are just 8$-$6. www.ssmu.mcgill.ca/players 514 398-6813.

This play is a perfect selection for the Players' season and the students should show up and support it. It isn't a 'feel good' play by any stretch as it deals with the dark world of drugs in the recesses of Edinburgh's low-life society. For those that have seen and are fans of the Danny Boyle (1996) film will not be disappointed with the play. It is gritty, foul, and obscene. It is not only about addiction but also about the struggle of friendship, and the choices between life and complete self-destruction. "I choose not to choose life: I choose something else." ... "We live waiting for death knowing that we will never get the answers to the really big questions."

The biggest danger with holding a media presentation days before a production is about to open is that more often than not the production just isn't ready. Such is the case with this production of Trainspotting, but with some hard work and last minute adjustments there is hope that this play will attain it's desired level of production quality.

The lighting is the biggest issue, with some levels too dark to see the actors, or with missed queues, lighting the wrong areas of the stage and not lighting the right ones. No preset as the audience enters into the space which is a missed opportunity to create a mood and is just plain too dangerous when the audience enters in the dark. But this can be easily, and hopefully will be, adjusted by showtime.

The set is okay, a bit over kill on some of the debris, we get it without so much distracting clutter, sometimes less is more. It is obvious that more stage hands will be needed to properly 'carry off and on' copious set items; -depending on the cast to do this only works if it is part of the action of the scene, otherwise it delays the pacing and becomes very distracting to the audience. Again, hopefully by showtime, this can and will be corrected with more back stage volunteers.

The sound track and effects were well done, and they add to the mood and the tension of the play. Costumes were also well selected. Makeup design could be used more to advantage the actors, it would help in 'making' them appear more like the 'users' that they are portraying. The special effects are essential to the story telling of this play and they are expected to be delivered, and they are in abunence. This is one area where those who are familiar with the film version will not be disappointed. It is not easy to produce special effects on stage, especially when working with small budgets and limited resources. We get a 'mouth full' and and 'eye full' in this production. There is always room for more elaborate effects but the basic minimum are delivered here. Warning: If you eat before, do so at least two hours prior to seeing the play.

And on that note, it is a long play, running time of approximate two and half hours including intermission. At least 20 minutes could easily be cut back here. This is where the biggest flaw is in the production and is in dire need of immediate improvement before opening night. The pacing is way too slow, the transitions are far too many, and they need to be cut back. Those that are absolutely necessary have to have shorter delays between scenes. Some scenes, particularly the 'drug administering' ones, have to be condensed, we get it after the first round, we don't need to have this action stretched out each and every time it is blocked into a scene.

The choice to stick with Sean Connery's difficult Scottish brogue was well conceived. It is one of the most difficult accents in English to the ear to capture the text but the cast are more often than not very consistent with their vocal prowess. This choice however also slows down the delivery and therefore makes it all the more important to pick up the pacing where and when ever possible.

The casting of the ensemble of four in the production is excellent for the better part. I have to single out Grace Glowicki (Alyson) who delivers a very convincing performance, and David Moote (Franco) who has an innate natural talent giving a performance that is comparable to the talent of that of the one of film's stars, Robert Carlyle. Martin Law (Mark) has very big shoes to fill and a lot of demanding text to deliver, and hopefully he will fill the bill once he has an audience to react to his work and a few performances under his belt. GO C IT!

Suburban Motel a series of 6 short plays presented by Table d'hôte.

2009-11-10T12:22:00.000-08:00

TABLEAU D’HÔTE THEATRE, presents all 6 one-act plays of the George F. Walker suite, Suburban Motel, over 3-weeks Nov. 10 – 29. With two plays per week opening every Tuesday, at 7pm and 9pm Tuesdays through Sundays. 5 different directors, 6 designers, 5 stage managers, and 19 actors participate in this production. “We wanted to do something really special to mark our 5th anniversary, something edgy, something untried, with a definite Canadian flavor.”

For those who missed some of Tableau D'Hôte Theatre's 6-play series Suburban Motel, there will be an encore presentation of each episode: Tue. Dec. 1, Problem Child 7pm; Adult Entertainment 9pm. Wed. Dec. 2, Featuring Loretta 7pm; The End of Civilization 9pm. Thr. Dec. 3, Criminal Genius 7pm, Risk Everything 9pm. Then the 'Motel' permanently closes for business!

Though violence is a constant presence and an aura of hopelessness permeates each play in the suite, there promises to have deeply poignant moments that both surprise the viewer and soften the madness and brutality. The set is adequate and utilized well in both productions. The lighting was less than helpful, while at times ranging from a bit to dull to see the actors well, to a bit too bright to build an contribute to the mood. The second week, not sure if they read my note, but the lighting had improved considerably; no problem seeing any of the action and recaction.

PROBLEM CHILD – Nov. 10 – 15 7pm; Nov. 14 & 15 2pm. Directed by Liz Valdez. With: Joanne Sarazen, Mike Hughes, Catherine Lemieux and George Bekiaris. An ex-prostitute, drug-addict and her significant other, a reality TV-addicted ex-con, try to deal with a by-the-book social worker in order to get back their child from the system. The play's very funny inspite of itself given its' heavy subject matter. The well paced direction captivates our interest throughout; we become more invested in each of the characters as they become more interconnected to each others' plight. The well cast ensemble delivers consistent strong performances under the seamless direction of Valdez. The strong chemistry between Mike Hughes (R.J.) and Joanne Sarazen (Denise) "He is one of us, the scum of the earth, it is so easy to screw us." is palpable and they're both very powerful in their roles. George Bekiaris (Phillie) and Catherine Lemieux (Helen) have a tragic tale yet both have very good comedic timing making their characters both endearing and entertaining. GO C IT!

ADULT ENTERTAINMENT – Nov.10 – 15 9pm; Nov. 14 & 15 4pm. Directed by Rebecca Harper. With: Eric Davis, Liz Valdez, Patrick Charron and Annie Lalonde. A married policeman is making a business deal with a female lawyer using sex as the language of choice. His drunk partner is waiting in the motel's parking lot. The two cops have a somewhat dangerous relationship and it seems unlikely that either will escape without a bloody encounter. A repeating theme from the previous play, of dealing with the 'scum of the earth', is further developed here in the connections between people and their individual sets of circumstances and what motivates them. Written in a dark style reminiscent of Sam Sheppard with the added quick wit and gore of Quentin Tarantino. Liz Valdez (Jayne) does double duty here, returning this time on the stage, showing off her acting chops and giving a captivating command performance. Also notable is the humorous yet subtle take of the performance delivered by Patrick Charron (Donny). However, one downfall is there is smoking in this piece that, as I always state, could do without. Warning: it is hard to avoid at this venue but try by sitting near the entrance upper level if you are sensitive to this. GO C IT!

FEATURING LORETTA – Nov. 17 - 22 7pm; Nov. 21 & 22. Directed by Mathieu Perron. With: Warona Setshwaelo (Loretta), Liz Burns, Joel Fishbane and Tommy Furino. A pregnant waitress is caught between two men, one in love with her and a pornographer who wants to exploit her. However she’s striking up a peculiar friendship with the maid who is not only a physics student but also the daughter of a KGB kingpin. This segment of the series is absolutely hysterically funny! The comedic timing and the quick banter between the characters is fresh and a lot of fun. The casting is spot on, even casting against type works well here, and all the performances are well played out by the ensemble, -completely enjoyable. I have to highlight the performances of both Liz Burns (Sophie) and Joel Fishbane (Michael). Their portrayal of their respective roles is pitch perfect; Liz is an absolute delight with the added plus of a well crafted accent as the Russian maid. Joel Fishbane never misses a beat as the totally charming yet smarmy self-serving pimp. With a distasteful manner he is still convincingly 'sensible' as he ingratiates himself into the life of Loretta. This part of the six part series works well on it's own, independent of the previous two plays; If you are in need of and seeking out some comic relief then... GO C IT!

THE END OF CIVILIZATION – Nov. 17 - 22 9pm; Nov. 21 & 22 4pm. Directed by Olivier Perras. With Eric Hausknost, Denise DePass, Eric Davis, Patrick Charron and Caitie Parsons. This is the darkest of the series, about a man, his wife and a policeman who is investigating the husband for a particularly gruesome crime, a desperate response to unemployment and the financial stresses it puts on him. In complete contrast to the previous segment, this play is pure mind blowing drama and it takes the audience in reverse order (à la Momento) on a journey that hits more close to reality than one might want and or be able to admit. A very current subject matter in these rough economic times that many average folks are being faced with. A true test of values and what is really important to us when we are about to loose it all. This segment features the return of two characters from the 2nd play in the series, Patrick Charron as Donny and Eric Davis as Max. There is some action that has been carried forward from 'Adult Entertainment' and their characters are developed further here as we discover some dark truths that are uncovered about each one as well as in their relationship as partners. Eric Hausknost (Henry) is brilliant as the 'every man' who is at the end of his tightly wound rope and who questionably has nothing left to loose. As he strives to be recognized for what he once was he transmits his internalized pain in a subtle and earnest manner that is very natural and heart-wrenchingly all too real. GO C IT!

CRIMINAL GENIUS – Nov. 24 - 29 7pm; Nov. 28 & 29 2pm Directed by Mathieu Perron. With Dom Pompeo, Mike Payette, George Bekiaris, Tamara Brown and Shiong-En Chan

This tells the story of the strange relationship between a professional criminal father and his son. Both are non-violent yet involved in a complex crime, masterminded by women who have no fear of violence. Dom Pompeo (Rolly) delivers an amazing performance here as the father. He manages to sustain his manic state throughout the entire play never missing a beat and puses the rest of the cast to achieve an almost manic level of interpretation in all of their roles.
George Bekiaris returns as the motel manager Phillie where he achieves some masterful comedic moments, particularly in the finalé. The audience was roaring with laughter from start to finish and definitely were appreciative of the performances of the whole cast. This episode is reminiscent of a Woody Allan scheme gone amiss with a big dose of the wit and gore in the style of Quentin Tarantino. GO C IT!

RISK EVERYTHING - November 24 - 29 at 9pm; Nov. 28 & 29 4pm Directed by Eric Hausknost. With Johanna Nutter, Joanne Sarazen, Mike Hughes and Joel Fishbane.

This last play ties up the series by bringing back the parents of Problem Child as well as the pornographer from Featuring Loretta. In this scenario, the audience meets the young woman's mother, an Olympian drama queen Carol portrayed by Johanna Nutter, who’s been beaten because of gambling debts and who manipulates everyone around her, roping them into her chaotic world. Both Mike Hughes (R.J.) and Joanne Sarazen (Denise) have some great moments here where they both get to shine. Arguably the most 'dramatic' of the six in the series, it was for me the least interesting as well. -Maybe due to 'Sub Motel' overdose, given it is the 6th episode, or just me not being that into it, I had trouble connecting with and feeling any interest or compassion for the central character and her dilemma. Still worth it though for fans of the genre. GO C IT!

Mainline Theatre Box Office (514) 849 –3378 www.tableaudhotethetare.ca

IMAGE&NATION XX11,

2009-10-27T10:21:00.000-07:00

October is LGBT History Month so it is fitting that IMAGE&NATION is holding their 22nd season October 22 to 01 November this year. Back at the familiar venues of: Imperial, Goethe-Institute, and de Seve this season features over 50 films in eleven days and nights. There are options from single tickets to multiple ticket passes for the avid movie goer.

I've seen some good films over the years but never have I seen so many consistently great films as this season. Here are a few coments on those that I've seen to date:

DREAM BOY; Coming out to yourself, boy love story with a sentimental twist. 3.5 chubbies.

REDWOODS; A beautifully photographed production, slow and steady moving story of love, fidelity and loyalty. A real twist ending that will bring a tear to your eye. 4.5 chubbies.

DARE; Originally presented as a short film that won awards, it has had an evolution and is now a full feature. Definitely should be seen by adolescents and is appealing for all. A cast of familiar faces who deliver quality performances. 5 chubbies.

OY VEY! MY SON IS GAY; Filled with star power, kitch and cliché, this is very funny take on coming out to the family. Reminisant of the Italiano culture shocker 'Mambo Italiano' this time fusing Italian with Jewish. 4.5 chubbies.

BEYOND GAY: The politics of Pride; This is why we still need and have pride events. If we don't continue to fight for the equal rights as citizens of the world, we could loose them. 4 chubbies.

EATING OUT #3: All you can eat; An appetizing guilty pleasure... -A high level camp farce that is well cast with great eye candy and performances. Hysterically laugh out loud fun! +5 chubbies.

Planning to take in a few more films this week: SHANK 3 chubbies; PORNOGRAPHY 4 chubbies. There are plenty of choices and numerous foreign language presentations scheduled. Go to image-nation.org for programming information.

Pillowman, will not put you to sleep peacefully...

2009-10-26T11:29:00.000-07:00

The PILLOWMAN by Martin McDonagh, is the latest creation by director Frances Balenzano's Fallen Angle Productions (FAP). If you go to two plays this week, since I've already plugged 'Haunted', or if you've already seen that play and are wanting even more haunting suspenseful drama on stage then get on down to Theatre Ste-Catherine, now under new ownership btw, and check out 'The Pillowman'. This play was first presented in London UK in 2003, and then on Broadway USA in 2005. The company asks: "Are you prone to nightmares?" ... The Pillowman speaks to fears people incorrectly think they have long left behind. In this dark and twisted world, faint lines between reality and fiction force us to face the dangerous power of literature. The Pillowman resurfaces the significant point that in a good story one should never be able to tell what happens next.

Balenzano uses the space to the maximum in the staging of the play; this is made even more evident in the Intricate set and light design of Paul Chambers and Cara de Grandpré respectively. The cast of local talent, and FAP regulars, includes: Shawn Baichoo, Brad Carmichael, Tim Dimond, Rick Bel, and Cristina Vincent. All of the performances are very well 'executed', pardon the pun, (not to give anything away), but at times some do come across as rather one note making it difficult to relate to them or wanting make any connection. Shawn Baichoo's character (Tupolski) on the other hand stands out as having the most interesting journey in the story as well as the most clever lines and he delivers them with impeccable comedic timing as well as presenting us with an equally entertaining monologue. His interpretation of the character is flawless and he captivates our attention throughout, we never tier of him and he leaves us wanting more. When he's asked how he prepared for the role, he replies modestly giving all of the credit to the director. "When I first get the text I see it in my mind one way and question how it will turnout. But Frances has a very clear and creative vision... -she relates it back to the actor very precisely making it easier to interpret and translate back to the audience...."

It's no big secret that I'm a big fan of Balenzano's work, having seen all but one of FAP productions; 'Monster' still being my all time favorite, and she doesn't disappoint here by either bring unexpected special effects, by George Tucci, and plenty of delightful and memorable moments. Spoiler alert: (There is smoking during the play, something I'm not a fan of, but if you sit in the middle or to the rear of the space you won't be bothered by it). It'll be no surprise that I recommend this one, it is not a trick but a real treat, so this Halloween week you should all try to... GO C IT!

HAUNTED @ St-James Church

2009-10-23T12:00:00.001-07:00

The Great Amherst Mystery” Brought to Life - World Premier -

DEATH: “…the undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns”…or do they?

Presented by Rabbit In A Hat, HAUNTED is set in the small town of Amherst, Nova Scotia in 1879, nineteen-year-old Esther Cox hears voices and is the victim of threatening messages written on her bedroom wall after a strange encounter with her beau in the marshes one night. A simple and unassuming life spirals headlong into a macabre nightmare. With the medical experts baffled, the religious community helpless, and Esther imprisoned for crimes committed by the poltergeist, can her soul be saved? As extraordinary as it sounds, it’s all true!

If you see just one play this week, make it 'Haunted'. Perfectly 'spookylishous' for Halloween week. All of the performances are strong and entertaining; Catherine Bérubé's delivres a very powerful performance as Ester Cox and she's totally captivating on stage. Plenty of clever special effects, good use of the space, and some very interesting and informative history revealed in the text add to the enjoyment of the play. Walter Hubbell, the narrator/actor played by Paul Van Dyke, gets in some quick and clever repartee adding just the right measure of sarcastic wit to balance out the dark suspenseful drama in the story. The live music is very enjoyable and adds even more color to this dark priece. Like with much of Van Dyke's work, this play is born from research, the germinal idea "...to write a play based on different cultural interpretations of the afterlife." He then happened upon 'The Great Amherst Mystery' "... It is my hope that I have created a different version of the apparently true story of what happened to Esther Cox in 1879 Amherst N.S.".

Written & directed by Paul Van Dyke. An all-star cast and crew bring the bizarre tale to life, including: Catherine Bérubé, Alexandria Haber, Carlo Mestroni, Eric Davis, Kyle Gatehouse, and Paul Van Dyck.Crew includes: Jeremy Eliosoff FX computer generated graphics; Jody Burkholder lighting; Helen Rainbird costumes; Jesse Ash sound; Daniel Giverin music consultant, and playing violin; Trevor Smith on cello. Photo credit, Jeremy Bobrow.

BOO! GO C IT!
St. James United Church, 463 Ste-Catherine West; Entrance: 1440, St-Alexandre.
Runs October 21 - 31. Tickets $20. Box office: (514) 303 – 7646

Inherit The Wind at Segal Center to November 8.

2009-10-22T13:45:00.000-07:00

Segal Center for the performing arts presents the Pulitzer Prize-nominated play...

Inherit The Wind

Play by Jerome Lawrence & Robert E. Lee. Directed by Greg Kramer.

A thrilling courtroom drama inspired by the famous ‘Scopes Monkey Trial’ of 1925 in Dayton, Tennessee where schoolteacher John Scopes was accused of violating a state law against teaching the theory of human evolution. Lawrence and Lee wrote Inherit the Wind during the 1950s when Senator McCarthy was on the rampage in the United States. The play is a metaphor for the importance of intellectual freedom and the dangers of restricting free speech. "A fight for the right to be wrong." The artistic director promises the production to leave a lasting impression on theatergoers, the actors having added a unique dimension and depth to the play, and that Elli Bunton’s imaginative set will strive to bring the audience into the action.

The production is well paced, and the play a perfect length to hold the interest of most (I found myself counting the empty seats in the audience '35' during act one), and it has an equally well placed intermission. As promised the cast do leave us with a lasting impression in that there are so many of them on stage coming and going from every direction, worst choice being when they are persistently sent up through the audience, it is distracting forcing the audience to play 'where's Waldo' to locate exactly where is the focus of the scene. It's narrowed down to the the performance of Sean McCann as the defense lawyer Henry Drummond who steals the show. Despite a few scattered dropped lines in act two, he definitely holds the interest of the audience in an otherwise very 'busy' staging of an extra large ensemble, he rallies the support of the crowd with his larger than life stage presence giving us a truly memorable performance. And in the supporting cast Tamara Brown as Rachel Brown, the colleague and love interest of Karl Graboshas's character Bertram Cathes, she delivers a strong performance and lights up the stage when she in on it. Which brings me to the question of why are there so few black actors cast in this production set in the heart of the deep south. And why is the obvious 'elephant in the room' question, the issue of an 'interracial relationship', never properly addressed in the play? Huh?!

There are a few questionable staging choices throughout the production for example like when Karl confronts Tamara in Act one, he looks out away from her and moves towards the audience. Also when the prosecutor questions her on the stand in act two. I would have gone with a more intimate moment of tension between the two characters in their confrontation in act one, and I would have preferred it if the prosecutor had delivered his questions from her right side, facing the jury members and not hiding her from their gaze. Again most distracting was the forced staging sending the characters across the stage on the audience first row floor or up into the audience to exit and enter. Sending the prosecutor up the long flight of stairs through the audience at the end was the least logical. The set is at first glance is very impressive, but then it becomes somewhat less relevant and even somewhat confusing at times making it difficult to define the space of the scene of where the actors are in the play, this is more evident in act one. Act two everything becomes much more clear and is more focused and easier to follow. The pacing on the epilogue is a bit stretched out and long winded and could have done with a bit of editing. The lighting, like the set design, although very 'pretty' in looks through most of the play, doesn't always do all it could to help to define space, and there were a few moments where the faces were not as lit as well as they should be. The music is a nice selection and an appreciated addition to the overall production.

Costume concept by Susana Vera and lighting by Robert Thomson. John Gilbert is the musical director. The play stars Sean McCann (as defense lawyer Henry Drummond) and David Francis (as prosecutor Matthew Harrison Brady). Also features a huge cast of 26 including: Tamara Brown (Rachel Brown, Bill Corday (Elijah), Bill Croft (Judge), Graham Cuthbertson (Tom Davenport), Holly Gauthier Frankel (Mrs. Blair), Karl Graboshas (Bertram Cathes), Marcel Jeannin (E.K. Hornbeck), Elan Kunin (Jesse Dunlop), Daniel Lillford (Mr. Meeker), Sean McCann (Henry Drummond), Leni Parker (Mrs. Brady), Glenn Roy (Storekeeper/Sillers).
Photo: Andrée Lanthier.

Overall the play remains very entertaining, humourous, intelligent, and thought provoking even today. GO C IT! October 18 to November 8, 2009.

Segal Centre for Performing Arts
5170 Côte Ste. Catherine Rd.
www.segalcenter.org

2009-10-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

Theatre Panache presents...
Till We Meet Again

By David Langlois

Directed by Heather Markgraf Lowe...
“The play provides an important message of hope and understanding at a time when despair is again on the rise.”

Musical Direction by Marian Siminski

A wartime broadcast. Till We Meet Again revisits the days of WWII by recreating radio newscasts with song and dance numbers.

It is purely and simply delightful; A thoroughly enjoyable experience. A musical review worthy of your attention and support. A great way to escape and enjoy these timeless memorable classic songs. Even the most steadfast curmudgeon “I hate musical theatre!” advocate will enjoy this one. Before you can say ‘…and a one, and a two, and a three’ you’ll be humming and singing along with the charming cast who are persistently egging you on to join in. You’ll be surprised, as I was, at how many of the songs are familiar to the ear. Although the audience was filled with folks from the generation that originally heard these war time hits, and many baby boomers too, even a few of the ‘thirty-something’ audience knew some of them, probably having heard them played or sung by their parents and or grandparents or featured in films paying homage to this era in our history.

With 'Till We Meet Again' you will have the previlage of participating directly in what was the pre-television era of entertainment. A time when the audience were safe in the homes huddled around the radio after supper and actually listened in. The play is carefully mindful of the history of the period it covers (1939-1944) and is respectful to the memory of those who died and to those who survived, gently reminding us of the contribution that they made. You'll leave the theatre uplifted and in joyful good spirits, but you'll also leave the theatre reflecting on the sacrifice made by those who fought for our privileged freedoms that we still enjoy to this day.

October 16, 17, 18; & November 21, 22, 2009, 8pm.
www.tillwemeetagain.ca

Oscar Peterson Concert Hall
Concordia University's Loyola Campus
7141 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest

I saw even more theatre in 2009...some thoughts on other productions that I enjoyed this year.

2009-10-15T23:37:00.000-07:00

There are a few productions that didn't make it onto my blog for pre or review, that I felt I should mention here and now before the year ends. I attended performances of these productions but didn't write about them earlier for a variety of reasons that don't matter now. Posthumously I felt that they still deserved mentioning. For the record...

Suddenly, Last Summer Play by Tennessee Williams, presented by Village Scene Productions at Players Theatre September 22nd to October 4th, directed and adapted by Davyn Ryall. Of course I won't be reviewing the production here, only to say thank you to all those who came out to see the production, your support is noted and appreciated. And of course a huge thank you to the loyal cast and devoted crew of designers who helped make it all happen.

Speak Truth To Power Voices From Beyond the Dark. Play by Ariel Dorfman was presented by Scotch and Cookies Theatre, at St-Georges Church at the end of August. The play deals with highly relevant human rights subject matters in today's current context. It is based on Kerry Kennedy's 2000 book of the same name. Director Bruce Lambie also directed this play at Bishop's University in 2006. In this production an ensemble of 9 local actors present the monologues, that intertwine the stories of 50 human rights activists from around the world, in an elaborate stage reading formate, with the added effect of some visual projection. Not my usual 'cup of tea' entertainment wise, but then theatre can also be used to effect change on society. Well presented and produced for the requirements of the play.

Souvenir by Stephen Temperley was presented in August as part of the 3rd edition of Next Wave Festival of New Musicals at the McCord Museum, 690 Sherbrooke W. According to Stephen Pietrantoni the artistic director the choice is clear: Canadians must support local musical theatre or face the monotonous cycle of Disney-produced Broadway. I tend to agree with him. This is more of a play than a musical, fortunately as the story focuses on the relationship between performer Florence Foster Jenkins (1868-1944) and her accompanist, Cosme McMoon. Jenkins, a philanthropist, pursued a singing career despite the fact she couldn't sing a note. Featured: Nadia Verrucci and Chris Barillaro (This boy can act too.) I was completely enthralled with the production from start to finish. I left wondering why do all English productions get such short runs in Montreal? Especially such great ones like this which should be running for weeks if not months at some local cabaret styled room in a major DT hotel.

Bunbury: The Importance of Being Earnest/L'importance d'être Constant. Play by Oscar Wild. Presented by Village Scene Productions at TSC during the Pride week celebrations in August. Directed and adapted by Davyn Ryall. Presented in French and English by a bilingual cast of nine local brilliant performers. This adaptation, set in 1929 Montreal and North HATley, featured some eclectic music, movement and dance. I had enjoyed it so much when I saw it at McGill last season that I new I had to do it again, my way. I was even lucky enough to be able to cast Jessica Hill as Gwendolyn (she had played the part at McGill) which proved to be a brilliant addition to the ensemble. Thanks to all of them and to the production crew for standing by this project and making it happen.

I AM I, presented by Dancing Monkey Theatre at Players Theatre, McGill University. Play by Mike Czuba, directed by Larry Lamont. A staged conversation between an ordinary guy, his horny alter ego and a young woman who's not into either of them, says a lot about the 21st century scene. Featured the talents of: Patricia McKenzie, Tristan D. Lalla, and George Bekiaris. I particularly loved the musical compliment to the piece, original sound by the very talented Ti Timbers. (I was so impressed that I recruited him for our own production of Suddenly, Last Summer, presented in the same space in September.) The biggest flaw with this piece is it starts off great, with some great subtle humor, but then it drops off the edge and flops at the end. Also the time of year for presenting this piece was very questionable, July, for a play that is really directed to a 20'-30's audience, they missed the mark by producing it on campus when schools out.

My Pregnant Brother by Johanna Nutter, played during the Fringe at Geordie Space. It won this year's Centaur Theatre award for best English Language Production, -so it will be back, at the Wildside Festival in January of 2010. A piece of chalk is used to outline a stage design defining the areas that the story is located at. A few props are used sparingly to assist in the story telling. The story is told from the perspective of an older sister who is presumably the most the stable member of her family. It's about a women who grew up on the Plateau, in and around 'The Main', with a loose free spirited mom, and a rebellious sexually confused sister. The story gravitates to be about how her brother, formerly her sister, who gets pregnant (He, the brother, never had 'the operation' and remained fertile as well as confused about his / her sexual identity and preferences.) and then the resulting burdens that this creates for the older sister? I expected to love, and wanted to like, this production. I didn't, -not at all, for more reasons than I have time or space to list here. Some folks agree with my assessment, others disagree; 2 cents. -Hey, it's art, and everyone has an opinion. Mine is don't bother seeing 'Pregnant Brother', abort the mission! Or to see it, -you decide for yourself; I hope that it will have been greatly improved by then.

Perverts at the Fringe played at Theatre La Chapelle. A very riské piece of movement that pushes all the right bottons. One got more than an eye full of nudity and sexuality of all sorts leaving one to beg ging the question, 'Who were the real perverts?' Is it those who are portrayed debauched on the stage, or those of us that were in the audience enjoying the spectacle of eye candy frolicking and cavorting in the nude on stage? 4 cents.

HAIR, the musical, at Moise Hall, McGill University. Presented in Jan 29-31 and Feb 5-7. Hair was the 3rd annual AUTS, Arts Undergraduate Theatre Society production. It was an amazing experience; seated in our little private booth section, accompanied by my hubby and friends. It was absolutely delightful to return to this musical that once 'shocked' Broadway off its feet. Composed by Montrealer Galt MacDermot, who also worked on the music for McGill’s My Fur Lady in 1955, Hair burst onto Broadway in 1968, defining the rock musical genre and becoming a groovy, far-out, worldwide phenomenon. It is a little known fact that it actually got its start right here in Montreal in the late 60's. Even 'sans nu' the piece is joyful and still all too relevant with the good old USA still at war in far off foreign lands. Attending a musical when you know all the lyrics to all of the songs is always fun too 'À la Mama Mia'.

IN PIAZZA SAN DOMENICO - WORLD PREMIERE

2009-10-07T21:44:00.000-07:00

October 6 - November 1, 2009, extended to 15th. Centaur Theatre Company presents:
The world premier of "IN PIAZZA SAN DOMENICO"
By STEVE GALLUCCIO Directed by ROY SURETTE

Finally got to see this on Friday the 13th, 'lucky me', closing weekend. I had heard very mixed reviews so -mostly that it has a great set design with some good performances, and that what it lacked in plot it was made up for in funny one liners. Well this is all true and then some.

"From the author of Mambo Italiano comes a light-hearted and thoroughly entertaining comedy about love, lust and misunderstandings, inspired by Feydeau, Goldini and Sophia Loren. It’s a burning hot August in Naples, 1952 – “earthquake weather” and the citizens of Piazza San Domenico are all stirred up when Carmelina Benevento suddenly faints upon hearing some bad news about her fiancé, Guido. A series of conspicuous sightings between people provoke gossip. Misinterpretations ensue as the players contrive their own schemes and desperately try to keep face. But love and earth tremors have a way of setting things straight."

The set design of John C. Dinning is fabulous, as is the lighting of Luc Prairie, and the costumes designed by James Lavoie, although somewhat elaborate for the characters in this era and this location, are very nice too. And this is where the compliments end. As for the play itself, there is absolutely no sustaintable plot to speak of, and even less character development. Due to an questionable amount of miss casting and an obvious lack of direction most of the few one liners are dropped, literally on the stage floor, and much of the meager text is lost in 'translation'. The vocal accents selected to be played by the whole cast doesn't help to deliver the much need punch to the little camp humor that there is in the text. The performances seemed very forced overall as there is so little here for the cast to work from, making what could have been good camp into very bad burlesque. The performances of Jocelyne Zucco (Marisa) and that of Carl Alacchi (Severino) contribute the most to the play and they have taken the over the top approach to their comedic delivery and it works for them most of the play, but there i just isn't enough for even them to save this one. A piece more justifiable on a community festival out door summer theatre stage, but not worthy of Centaur.

With: Carl Alacchi, Christina Broccolini, Guido Cocomello, Ellen David, Mara Lalli, Michel Perron, Vittorio Rossi, Jocelyne Zucco.

Set Design by John C. Dinning; Costume Design by James Lavoie; Lighting Design by Luc Prairie; Stage Manager: Luciana Burcheri; Assistant Stage Manager: Sarah-Marie Langlois; Assistant Director: Adam Blanshay.
.

Rock, Paper, Jackknife...

2009-10-07T21:03:00.000-07:00

Centaur Theatre Company - Brave New Works presents Talisman Theatre (Down Dangerous Passes Road) play by Marilyn Perreault: "Rock, Paper, Jackknife" Translation by Nadine Desrochers. Opening October 6, 2009.

As indicated in the program notes, the play is about alienation, isolation, and despair. For all those who know me and my taste, let me preface that this is a play that is without question, 'not me cup of tea', to say the least. Not that this should take anything away from the quality production that has been staged. It is all relative to taste. This just isn't mine. That clarified...

If you like your English text full of diction, and pronunciation with great projection; then this won't be to your taste either. However, if you're into 'post-Appopolistic speak' à la Mad Max then run on down to Centaur and you'll get your fill of Neo-modernist phrasing. But sit close to the stage (general seating), as you may miss some of the text which is at times inaudible and all a little hard to catch from some of the cast.

The set design is well thought out and constructed and functional, and so is the lighting. Maybe it is all a tad over board, for my taste, again, given the space, and the play, but still very well done, and I'm sure will be appreciated. It is also very well directed by Emma Tibaldo and she definitely achieves the goals of getting on stage the harsh messages of the play.

The performance of Stefanie Buxton, Ali, is exceptional and definitely stands out amongst the rest of the performers as flawless. She holds our attention and is captivating every moment she is on stage. Lucinda Davis (Doubt) is unrecognizable as Sola, and delivers a very strong performance also.

Plays to October 18th.