Part One and Two play in repertory at Canadian Stage's Bluma Appel Theatre, 27 Front Street East, Toronto Back Mahabharata Part One and Two play in repertory at Canadian Stage's Bluma Appel Theatre, 27 Front Street East, Toronto David Cooper Joe Szekeres “A most visually epic magnitude of storytelling. A cultural, spiritual and religious sacred space. Sumptuous and Grand. It will take time to understand the play’s impact.” The Sanskrit epic ‘Mahabharata’ is 4000 years old. Divided into two parts (Part 1 KARMA: The Life We Inherit and Part 2 DHARMA: The Life We Choose), The Canadian Stage production has been divided into two parts with the titles listed above. The running time is nearly five hours and chronicles a family feud marked by revenge, responsibility, and peace. This latter quality is particularly emphasized in the final moments of Part 2. By the end of the five hours, the audience has embarked on a journey that explores profound spirituality and philosophy. It's also exhausting if you don’t take a break for at least one to two days between the two. In his program note, co-writer and production director Ravi Jain stated that it’s rare to experience the play from beginning to end in one day, as it requires time and perspective. I couldn’t agree more with you there, Ravi. I devoted the first Saturday of the show’s run to experiencing the entire five-hour production. I shouldn’t have done that. ‘Mahabharata’ is a massive behemoth, exquisitely staged and occasionally overwhelming to the senses for its occasional opulence in visual and auditory qualities. A word of advice: See it on different days. Allow it to sit with you. I’ve been doing that with other productions. I sit before I begin making any comments. The plot is intricate and complex in both parts. I’ll try to maintain simplicity for understanding. In Part One, King Janamejaya (Ravin J. Ganatra, who plays Dhritarashra) is holding a ritual sacrifice in which he will kill all the snakes in the world to avenge his father’s death. In hopes of ending this cycle of revenge, a storyteller (Fernandes) is summoned to tell King Janamejaya the tale of The Mahabharata. The storyteller tells of the rival Pandava and Kaurava clans and the choices that lead to their infamous Game of Dice. Part Two details the aftermath of war that hangs in the air at the conclusion of Part One. The tale centers on the five Pandava brothers and their cousins, the Kauravas, led by the eldest, Duryodhana (Darren Kuppan). Animosities have been brewing for years within the family. Duryodhana and King Dhritarashtra (Ganatra) sent the Pandavas into exile for twelve years to secure a place on the throne for the Kaurava prince. Yudhishthira (Shawn Ahmed), Bhima (Munish Sharma), and Arjuna (Anaka Maharaj-Sandhu)- plot their revenge. Visually, the production is stellar, most notably in Act One. In Part Two, a series of grand projections hang overhead the performers. There’s a sense of entering a cultural/religious sacred space in Part 1 at the Bluma Appel courtesy of Lorenzo Savoini’s set design. It doesn’t appear grandiose, but what is placed on the stage amply fills it. Performers who play instruments sit upstage. A large circle of red sand is on the floor. There are moments when the performers will walk through the red sand. Open flames become of tremendous importance as the story continues. The same cannot be said for Part 2’s design. Savoini’s approach indicates that modern elements are infiltrating this 4000-year-old epic poem. For instance, Hana S. Kim’s projections hover over the action occurring on stage. There are computers. It subtly juxtaposes linking cultural, religious, and spiritual recognition from the past to the present. Kevin Lamotte’s lighting is a visual delight, and Gillian Gallow’s costumes are awe-inspiring. Throughout Parts One and Two, Brandy Leary’s succinctly choreographed movements certainly capture the eye. John Gzowski and Suba Sankaran’s original music and sound design are extraordinary. Ravi Jain pays close attention to direction when blocking the characters and their entrances and exits. John Gzowski and Suba Sankaran’s original music and sound design are extraordinary. Co-creator Miriam Fernandes acts as the storyteller for both parts. Her performance is mesmerizing, captivating the audience from the moment she speaks. She stands out - clear and concise, carrying herself purposefully and intentionally throughout the five-hour runtime. A final thought: Although it was dark in the auditorium, there was a line from one of the characters that struck me. I had written it down quickly. Yes, it wasn't easy to do, but I think I got it: “War is inevitable when the truth cannot be agreed upon.” I still think about that line even two days after seeing the production. I couldn’t help think about this application today. Of which truth does this line speak – objective? Subjective? My truth? Your truth? Whose truth? Terrifying to think how we cannot seem to answer this question today. ‘Mahabharata’ is worth a visit, but do it in two, not one like I did. I was exhausted at the end. Running time: Part One – two hours and 20 minutes with one intermission Part Two – two hours and 10 minutes with one intermission. The final performance of ‘Mahabharata’ concludes on April 27. All performances take place at the Bluma Appel Theatre, 27 Front Street East, Toronto. For tickets, canadianstage.com or call (416) 368-3110. MAHABHARATA Written and created by Miriam Fernandes and Ravi Jain, using poetry from Carole Satyamurti’s ‘Mahabharata: A Modern Retelling.” Originally commissioned by the Shaw Festival in association with Barbican, London. Directed by Ravi Jain Previous Next

Welcome to Monthly Reviews All monthly reviews will be placed under this tab. Once a show closes, each review will then be placed into its separate thematic category. April Reviews A Public Display of Affection Click Here Cock Click Here Mahabharata Click Here Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical Click Here Feast Click Here

A creative look at presenting theatre. Unique Pieces '12 DINNERS' by Steve Ross WORLD PREMIERE Click Here 'A Public Reading Of An Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney' by Lucas Hnath Click Here 'De Profundis: Oscar Wilde in Jail' The World Premiere Click Here 'First Métis Man of Odesa' by Matthew MacKenzie and Mariya Khomutova Click Here 'In Seven Days' by Jordi Mand. World Premiere of a comedy about death Click Here 'Jack: A Beanstalk Panto' (The Naughty Version) Written and Directed by Rebecca Northan Click Here 'A Case for the Existence of God' by Samuel D. Hunter Click Here 'Constellations' by Nick Payne Click Here 'Fierce' written and directed by George F. Walker Click Here 'Goblin: Macbeth' Created by Rebecca Northan and Bruce Horak Click Here 'Infinite Life' by Annie Baker Click Here 'Life of Pi' based on the novel by Yann Martel. Adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti Click Here

Involved in community theatre outside of the Greater Toronto area for over 30 years as an actor and director, Joe now reviews and comments on professional and Equity based theatres throughout Ontario and Montreal. Joe recently left his role as Chief Toronto Critic for OnStage Blog to set off on his own. @szekeresjoe at Twitter/X @OurTheatreVoice on 'X' Meet the Founder Joe Szekeres Involved in community theatre outside of the Greater Toronto area for over 30 years as an actor and director, Joe now reviews and comments on professional theatres throughout Ontario and Montreal. Qualifications : Ontario College of Teachers (retired), Ontario Ministry of Education Additional Qualifications Dramatic Arts Parts 1 and 2 Bachelor of Education (Queen's University) Certificate of Honours Standing and Bachelor of Arts (King's College/University of Western Ontario) English Language and Literature Major/ French Minor Theatre Ontario Workshop : 'Writing Reviews that Matter" with Lynn Slotkin Theatre Ontario Workshop : "Writing Reviews that Matter" with Lynn Slotkin Our Story At Our Theatre Voice, we strive to be of service to write fair, unbiased and impartial reviews and commentaries. By doing this, we hope to encourage audiences to continue attending live theatre, an essential cultural format in community gatherings. Please send an email to us at ourtheatrevoice@gmail.com and we will get back to you in a timely manner. Meet the Original Web Designer Elodie Hraynyk For her work in building OUR THEATRE VOICE website, Elodie Hraynyk received the "Prix d'excellence academique Education cooperative" at her Grade 12 graduation ceremony. Congratulations, Elodie. She is currently updating our website and continues to do so to build OUR THEATRE VOICE's web presence. Elodie will begin her second year of undergraduate studies in Behavioural Science at Durham College. She will remain part of OUR THEATRE VOICE's team. Along with her interest in the theatre and all things arts-related, Elodie continues to make people aware of mental health issues through her own social media accounts. @el_hraynyk on Instagram Business inquiries: elodie.hraynyk@gmail.com Our Values These are our values. Please respect them. Respect ‘Our Theatre Voice’ includes all voices that will be heard and recognized with dignity and respect. Inherent Dignity ‘Our Theatre Voice’ recognizes the uniqueness of all individuals and will continue to reach out for their voice. Integrity ‘Our Theatre Voice’ believes in due diligence and we stand by what we say. Objective ‘Our Theatre Voice’ recognizes the importance of fair, impartial, and unbiased views of live theatrical performances. Meet the Guest Writers “I’ve known Dave Rabjohn and Geoffrey Coulter for over 30 years. Aaron Kropf was part of the Canadian writing team for OnStage Blog. These gentlemen have promised to be impartial, unbiased, and fair as they continue to work with me in sharing our commitment to you, the reader, what's happening on stage in professional theatre on Canada’s east coast, in Toronto, Stratford, London, Gananoque and Montreal.” Contributing writers to OUR THEATRE VOICE: Peter Mazzucco, Louis Train, Olivia Jon Meet Contributing Writer Aaron Kropf Aaron has been a lover of the performing arts from a young age. He attributes that to growing up in Stratford and attending at least one performance at the festival from grade 4. Aaron has been involved with a number of community theatre groups, and worked for some of the largest theatre companies in the country. When not at theatre Aaron enjoys time with his family and living the east coast life. Meet Contributing Writer Dave Rabjohn As a youngster, I went to see a production of 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf' at the old Colonnade Theatre on Bloor St. There were about five people in the audience - probably some special Tuesday matinee. I sat on a bench in the first row, my knobby knees sticking out into the playing area. Martha was literally on one side of my nose and George was on the other side. They were screaming back and forth over my head like I was the tennis net. Boom - fifty years of loving theatre ensued. Meet Contributing Writer Geoffrey Coulter Award-winning actor, director, singer, arts educator, and adjudicator. He is proud to add theatre reviewer to his credentials. Geoff has performed and directed in Canada and the U.S. for over four decades. He has served as an adjudicator for regional play festivals. He has been the artistic director of many youth theatre programs/productions with the hope of inspiring the next generation of artists. Geoff has appeared in theatre, commercials, TV series and feature films, and his voice can be heard narrating documentaries, video games and educational programs. When he’s not in a theatre or recording studio, he’s teaching TV performance at the community college level.

Where theatre is not only presented on the stage. Back Mahabharata Part One and Two play in repertory at Canadian Stage's Bluma Appel Theatre, 27 Front Street East, Toronto David Cooper Joe Szekeres “A most visually epic magnitude of storytelling. A cultural, spiritual and religious sacred space. Sumptuous and Grand. It will take time to understand the play’s impact.” The Sanskrit epic ‘Mahabharata’ is 4000 years old. Divided into two parts (Part 1 KARMA: The Life We Inherit and Part 2 DHARMA: The Life We Choose), The Canadian Stage production has been divided into two parts with the titles listed above. The running time is nearly five hours and chronicles a family feud marked by revenge, responsibility, and peace. This latter quality is particularly emphasized in the final moments of Part 2. By the end of the five hours, the audience has embarked on a journey that explores profound spirituality and philosophy. It's also exhausting if you don’t take a break for at least one to two days between the two. In his program note, co-writer and production director Ravi Jain stated that it’s rare to experience the play from beginning to end in one day, as it requires time and perspective. I couldn’t agree more with you there, Ravi. I devoted the first Saturday of the show’s run to experiencing the entire five-hour production. I shouldn’t have done that. ‘Mahabharata’ is a massive behemoth, exquisitely staged and occasionally overwhelming to the senses for its occasional opulence in visual and auditory qualities. A word of advice: See it on different days. Allow it to sit with you. I’ve been doing that with other productions. I sit before I begin making any comments. The plot is intricate and complex in both parts. I’ll try to maintain simplicity for understanding. In Part One, King Janamejaya (Ravin J. Ganatra, who plays Dhritarashra) is holding a ritual sacrifice in which he will kill all the snakes in the world to avenge his father’s death. In hopes of ending this cycle of revenge, a storyteller (Fernandes) is summoned to tell King Janamejaya the tale of The Mahabharata. The storyteller tells of the rival Pandava and Kaurava clans and the choices that lead to their infamous Game of Dice. Part Two details the aftermath of war that hangs in the air at the conclusion of Part One. The tale centers on the five Pandava brothers and their cousins, the Kauravas, led by the eldest, Duryodhana (Darren Kuppan). Animosities have been brewing for years within the family. Duryodhana and King Dhritarashtra (Ganatra) sent the Pandavas into exile for twelve years to secure a place on the throne for the Kaurava prince. Yudhishthira (Shawn Ahmed), Bhima (Munish Sharma), and Arjuna (Anaka Maharaj-Sandhu)- plot their revenge. Visually, the production is stellar, most notably in Act One. In Part Two, a series of grand projections hang overhead the performers. There’s a sense of entering a cultural/religious sacred space in Part 1 at the Bluma Appel courtesy of Lorenzo Savoini’s set design. It doesn’t appear grandiose, but what is placed on the stage amply fills it. Performers who play instruments sit upstage. A large circle of red sand is on the floor. There are moments when the performers will walk through the red sand. Open flames become of tremendous importance as the story continues. The same cannot be said for Part 2’s design. Savoini’s approach indicates that modern elements are infiltrating this 4000-year-old epic poem. For instance, Hana S. Kim’s projections hover over the action occurring on stage. There are computers. It subtly juxtaposes linking cultural, religious, and spiritual recognition from the past to the present. Kevin Lamotte’s lighting is a visual delight, and Gillian Gallow’s costumes are awe-inspiring. Throughout Parts One and Two, Brandy Leary’s succinctly choreographed movements certainly capture the eye. John Gzowski and Suba Sankaran’s original music and sound design are extraordinary. Ravi Jain pays close attention to direction when blocking the characters and their entrances and exits. John Gzowski and Suba Sankaran’s original music and sound design are extraordinary. Co-creator Miriam Fernandes acts as the storyteller for both parts. Her performance is mesmerizing, captivating the audience from the moment she speaks. She stands out - clear and concise, carrying herself purposefully and intentionally throughout the five-hour runtime. A final thought: Although it was dark in the auditorium, there was a line from one of the characters that struck me. I had written it down quickly. Yes, it wasn't easy to do, but I think I got it: “War is inevitable when the truth cannot be agreed upon.” I still think about that line even two days after seeing the production. I couldn’t help think about this application today. Of which truth does this line speak – objective? Subjective? My truth? Your truth? Whose truth? Terrifying to think how we cannot seem to answer this question today. ‘Mahabharata’ is worth a visit, but do it in two, not one like I did. I was exhausted at the end. Running time: Part One – two hours and 20 minutes with one intermission Part Two – two hours and 10 minutes with one intermission. The final performance of ‘Mahabharata’ concludes on April 27. All performances take place at the Bluma Appel Theatre, 27 Front Street East, Toronto. For tickets, canadianstage.com or call (416) 368-3110. MAHABHARATA Written and created by Miriam Fernandes and Ravi Jain, using poetry from Carole Satyamurti’s ‘Mahabharata: A Modern Retelling.” Originally commissioned by the Shaw Festival in association with Barbican, London. Directed by Ravi Jain Previous Next

Now on stage at the CAA Theatre, 651 Yonge Street, Toronto Back Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical Now on stage at the CAA Theatre, 651 Yonge Street, Toronto Credit: Jeremy Daniel Dave Rabjohn “Crisp voices and dancing.” Youngsters arriving at a live theatre performance tend to ramp up the energy level. Such was the case at the opening of ‘Cat Kid Club – the Musical’ at the CAA Theatre in Toronto. Produced by Theater Works, the book was written by Kevin Del Aguila with music by Brad Alexander. This adaptation comes from the very popular original children’s books by Dav Pilkey. Some of his most popular series include Captain Underpants, Dog Man and Cat Kid Comic Club. Children seem to love any adaptation of something they are familiar with which makes this production very exciting. Pilkey’s popular comic designs and his stories are unique. As a kid diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, he was often isolated where he withdrew into his own imagination and created stories concerning the problems of young kids such as, well, underpants! After a destructive scene of mayhem on Earth, Cat Kid and Molly Pollywog propose to start a comic club to discipline the wild baby frogs by getting them to reach into their imaginations. Their father Flippy is thrilled with the idea and wants to contribute. But silliness and bickering abound among the frogs and the club goes sideways. Harnessing their creativity and getting to the promised land of the big graduation party takes many twists and turns. Comic highlights come from the ever-present problems of kids: “he’s touching me - ooh” “she called me names” “he’s a liar.” Sibling rivalry is a main theme along with the fanatic obsession with boogers, poopy jokes and butts. The dark realm of kids and their imaginations. Marlo Hunter’s directing and choreography far exceed those bland kid shows you see at amusement parks. The voices and dancing were crisp – professional by any model. A full slate of musical styles gave the young audience a more complete experience – Hip hop, country, ballads and rap intertwined. Schoolhouse rows of colourful cut-out frogs on swivels were blended in with similarly colourful actors playing frogs. This combo seemed to work with credit to Designer Cameron Anderson. The cast, charged of course with making kids laugh, amped up the energy to beyond ridiculous and met their target. Jimmy Henderson as Kip, was particularly animated playing the over-eager kid with his arm wild in the air and bulging eyes begging for attention. The bold primary colours in the general design were effective and paralleled the design of the original Pilkey comics. As the club members created their stories one particular outfit, from Jen Caprio’s design, stood out as a toothbrush with bristles awkwardly askew on his head. Separate from the production itself, it was notable to observe a variety of behaviours from the young audience. Kids, of course, will be kids as I know as a father and grandfather. However, some effort should be made to teach audience protocol of future generations of theatregoers. For the most part, they were well- behaved (sitting beside me) but some were not (sitting behind me.) The lessons of the value of imagination and creativity seemed to resonate with the young ones. As I left the theatre, those I felt most sorry for were the cleaning staff. As much fun there was on stage, a huge drinks and snacks party was happening in the audience and the littered floor was testimony. ‘Cat Kid Comic Club – the Musical’ by Kevin Del Aguila Performers: Leslie Baez, Diamond Destiny, Troi Lennoxx Gaines, Jimmy Henderson, Janna Linae, Bryan G. Smith, Savannah Trotter, David Vandyke Director and choreographer: Marlo Hunter Set Design: Cameron Anderson Costume design: Jen Caprio Production runs through: May 4, 2025. Tickets at: Mirvish.com Previous Next

Where we hope to help young people develop an intrest and a passion for a futrure in theatre. Back Cat Kid Comic Club - The Musical Now on stage until May 4 at the CAA Theatre 651 Yonge Street, Toronto Credit: Jeremy Daniel Dave Rabjohn “Crisp voices and dancing.” Youngsters arriving at a live theatre performance tend to ramp up the energy level. Such was the case at the opening of ‘Cat Kid Club – the Musical’ at the CAA Theatre in Toronto. Produced by Theater Works, the book was written by Kevin Del Aguila with music by Brad Alexander. This adaptation comes from the very popular original children’s books by Dav Pilkey. Some of his most popular series include Captain Underpants, Dog Man and Cat Kid Comic Club. Children seem to love any adaptation of something they are familiar with which makes this production very exciting. Pilkey’s popular comic designs and his stories are unique. As a kid diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, he was often isolated where he withdrew into his own imagination and created stories concerning the problems of young kids such as, well, underpants! After a destructive scene of mayhem on Earth, Cat Kid and Molly Pollywog propose to start a comic club to discipline the wild baby frogs by getting them to reach into their imaginations. Their father Flippy is thrilled with the idea and wants to contribute. But silliness and bickering abound among the frogs and the club goes sideways. Harnessing their creativity and getting to the promised land of the big graduation party takes many twists and turns. Comic highlights come from the ever-present problems of kids: “he’s touching me - ooh” “she called me names” “he’s a liar.” Sibling rivalry is a main theme along with the fanatic obsession with boogers, poopy jokes and butts. The dark realm of kids and their imaginations. Marlo Hunter’s directing and choreography far exceed those bland kid shows you see at amusement parks. The voices and dancing were crisp – professional by any model. A full slate of musical styles gave the young audience a more complete experience – Hip hop, country, ballads and rap intertwined. Schoolhouse rows of colourful cut-out frogs on swivels were blended in with similarly colourful actors playing frogs. This combo seemed to work with credit to Designer Cameron Anderson. The cast, charged of course with making kids laugh, amped up the energy to beyond ridiculous and met their target. Jimmy Henderson as Kip, was particularly animated playing the over-eager kid with his arm wild in the air and bulging eyes begging for attention. The bold primary colours in the general design were effective and paralleled the design of the original Pilkey comics. As the club members created their stories one particular outfit, from Jen Caprio’s design, stood out as a toothbrush with bristles awkwardly askew on his head. Separate from the production itself, it was notable to observe a variety of behaviours from the young audience. Kids, of course, will be kids as I know as a father and grandfather. However, some effort should be made to teach audience protocol of future generations of theatregoers. For the most part, they were well- behaved (sitting beside me) but some were not (sitting behind me.) The lessons of the value of imagination and creativity seemed to resonate with the young ones. As I left the theatre, those I felt most sorry for were the cleaning staff. As much fun there was on stage, a huge drinks and snacks party was happening in the audience and the littered floor was testimony. ‘Cat Kid Comic Club – the Musical’ by Kevin Del Aguila Performers: Leslie Baez, Diamond Destiny, Troi Lennoxx Gaines, Jimmy Henderson, Janna Linae, Bryan G. Smith, Savannah Trotter, David Vandyke Director and choreographer: Marlo Hunter Set Design: Cameron Anderson Costume design: Jen Caprio Production runs through: May 4, 2025. Tickets at: Mirvish.com Previous Next

Where theatre appeals to the 21st century youths. Young People 'Jungle Book', A New Adaptation Click Here 'A Wrinkle in Time' by Madeleine L'Engle with adaptation for the stage by Thomas Morgan Jones Click Here 'Celestial Bodies' by Jacob Margaret Archer Click Here 'Russell's World' written and directed by Herbie Barnes, Artistic Director Click Here 'The Adventures of Pinocchio' Click Here 'The Fixing Girl' by Kevin Dyer Click Here "It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" adapted by Joe Landry Click Here 'A Year with Frog and Toad' by Robert Reale and Willie Reale Click Here 'Frog Song - A New Children's Opera' Book by Taylor Marie Graham; Music by William Rowson A WORLD PREMIERE Click Here 'Snow White' adapted by Greg Banks Click Here 'The Darkest Dark' adapted for the stage by Jim Millan and Ian MacIntyre and based on the book by Chris Hadfield and Kate Fillion Click Here 'The Wolves' by Sarah DeLappe Click Here

Where theatre is not only presented on the stage. Back Feast Now on stage in the Mainspace at Taragon Theatre, 30 Bridgman Avenue Credit: Jae Yang. Pictured: Tamsin Kelsey and Rick Roberts Joe Szekeres “Richly layered performances that linger long after the curtain call. Enlightening, Apocalyptic and Terrifying simultaneously. First rate direction by Soheil Parsa.” Playwright Guillermo Verdecchia’s complexly layered ‘Feast’ remains discussion-worthy. I hope Tarragon has planned some talkbacks for future audiences. There are moments when the narrative unfolds seamlessly as it should. A few minutes later, the fourth wall is broken as each character addresses the audience directly. These elements complement each other beautifully to create a frighteningly real story, especially considering its increasingly evident apocalyptic themes. We meet Mark (Rick Roberts), who travels the world for his job to gather as much authentic cultural experience as possible. Mark’s hunger for a ‘genuine, real life’ experience has become insatiable- in fact, ravenous. He longs for the next opportunity to visit a city and savour the most obscure foods and cuisines. Mark’s wife, Julia (Tamsin Kelsey), recognizes this quality in him and seems to have accepted it. Julia is strong in her own right; she’s an articulate and poised lawyer. Their relationship appears solid at the top of the show. They understand each other’s vibes and interests. However, their relationship with their daughter Isabel (Veronice Hortiguela) is occasionally rocky. She is a university student who has become highly engaged and actively involved in climate change issues. The young woman's conversations with her parents are evidence of selfishness. Isabel is disrespectful in her tone. She does not want children later in life. While Mark and Julia seem confused about why their unseen son has recently left home, Isabel understands her sibling’s reasons. When Mark is on an overseas experience, he meets Chukuemeka (Tawiah M’Carthy), a logistics expert who introduces Mark to bizarre culinary experiences, such as frogs’ legs that have been poisoned - grotesque sounding to a Western cultural appetite. Kaitlin Hickey’s très sleek set design artfully catches the eye for its minimalism. Yet, what lingers in the air feels out of place amid this compact, sterile neatness. Upstage, sliding doors allow the characters to enter and exit, while a walkway facilitates their movement across the stage. Hickey’s sharply defined projections- such as people texting each other and the change in Starbucks’ mermaid logo- strongly contribute to that sense of dislocation. Thomas Ryder Payne’s sound design, featuring musical selections, accentuates the unsettling sensation of what exists beyond our comfort zone. Chris Malkowski’s lighting design features spotlights that delineate the characters as they approach the audience. Soheil Parsa is a marvellous director. His gentle, subtle touches of welcomed humour allow the audience to breathe momentarily in relief before confronting another stark fact about the absurd yet seemingly post-apocalyptic world that Verdecchi has crafted. I find the reference to Dr. Faustus in the script relevant since the play is titled ‘Feast.’ It has been a long time since I last engaged with that story, so I had to do a quick bit of research into Faustus. Briefly, it deals with the protagonist requesting a demon to bring out-of-season fruit to woo a duchess. Hmmm…an interesting contextual parallel. Mark travels around the world to experience various tastes of global cuisine. There are moments when he tells Julia he would prefer to be home with her and Isabel. However, that does not stop Mark from pursuing what he desires - a wonderful life, unfortunately at the cost of his relationship with his wife and daughter. Verdecchia’s script contains some terrific monologues that delve deeply into the psyches of the four characters. What the audience discovers upon digging further is not pretty—it’s a tad horrific when the truth comes out. Rick Roberts commands the stage as Mark. Throughout the surreal elements of the story, including how anyone could develop such a peculiar culinary taste, Roberts remains grounded. I genuinely believed he would eat these dishes without a second thought. A highlight of this opening night is witnessing how Roberts engages with the audience during the various monologues. He convincingly portrays a man becoming disconnected from everything around him as he indulges in these ‘fantasies’ of a good life surrounded by this odd cuisine. His emotions run the gamut, yet Roberts compels the audience to listen to what he says. There’s a palpable sense of tension in the performances of Tasmin Kelsey and Veronica Hortiguela as Julia and Isabel, respectively. Kelsey seems to accept her role as Mark’s wife and what life has dealt her, while Hortiguela’s Isabel adamantly refuses to do so. Why? Isabel recognizes that she will not receive the same treatment from her father as her mother does. This transient existence in the family cannot foster a stable marriage. There is a possible implication that this is why the unseen son left home. Kelsey and Hortiguela are shrewdly matter-of-fact in their portrayals as mother and daughter. There’s a sense that their relationship has run hot and cold. Yet, at one point, Isabel announces she wants to leave the house and move far away with her best friend to begin life anew. The poignant reckoning between mother and daughter strikes at the heart. Solid work in this scene. Tawiah M’Carthy is strikingly authentic in his onstage portrayal of Chukuemeka. His conversation with Roberts during the play's final moments serves as a sombre reminder that if we often wish for something we genuinely desire, it is possible to achieve it. M’Carthy, Kelsey, and Hortiguela also play supporting and secondary roles that add humour and enliven the moment with details that address the play’s fatalistic undertones. The final image emphasizes Mark's shadowy figure. It took my breath away for a few moments. Mark appears to search, perhaps even yearn for something lacking in his life. Will he ‘feast’ on something completely different if he discovers what he’s seeking? Questions upon questions upon questions to discuss. The mark of good theatre. ‘Feast’ is another afternoon or evening of good theatre. Running time: approximately two hours with no interval/intermission. ‘Feast’ runs until April 27 in the Mainspace at Tarragon Theatre, 30 Bridgman Avenue, Toronto. For tickets, call the Box Office (416) 531-1827 FEAST by Guillermo Verdecchia Directed by Soheil Parsa Set and Projection Designer: Kaitlin Hickey Costume Designer: Ting-Huan 挺歡 Christine Urquhart Lighting Designer: Chris Malkowski Sound Designer: Thomas Ryder Payne Stage Manager: Lani Martel Fight Director: Davi Chinchilla Dialect Coach: Dienye Waboso Amajor Apprentice Stage Manager: 樊海怡 Eloise Fan Performers: Veronica Hortiguela, Tamsin Kelsey, Tawiah M’Carthy, Rick Roberts Previous Next

Now on stage in the Mainspace at Tarragon Theatre, 30 Bridgman Avenue Back Feast Now on stage in the Mainspace at Tarragon Theatre, 30 Bridgman Avenue Credit: Jae Yang Pictured: Tamsin Kelsey and Rick Roberts Joe Szekeres “Richly layered performances that linger long after the curtain call. Enlightening, Apocalyptic and Terrifying simultaneously. First rate direction by Soheil Parsa.” Playwright Guillermo Verdecchia’s complexly layered ‘Feast’ remains discussion-worthy. I hope Tarragon has planned some talkbacks for future audiences. There are moments when the narrative unfolds seamlessly as it should. A few minutes later, the fourth wall is broken as each character addresses the audience directly. These elements complement each other beautifully to create a frighteningly real story, especially considering its increasingly evident apocalyptic themes. We meet Mark (Rick Roberts), who travels the world for his job to gather as much authentic cultural experience as possible. Mark’s hunger for a ‘genuine, real life’ experience has become insatiable- in fact, ravenous. He longs for the next opportunity to visit a city and savour the most obscure foods and cuisines. Mark’s wife, Julia (Tamsin Kelsey), recognizes this quality in him and seems to have accepted it. Julia is strong in her own right; she’s an articulate and poised lawyer. Their relationship appears solid at the top of the show. They understand each other’s vibes and interests. However, their relationship with their daughter Isabel (Veronice Hortiguela) is occasionally rocky. She is a university student who has become highly engaged and actively involved in climate change issues. The young woman's conversations with her parents are evidence of selfishness. Isabel is disrespectful in her tone. She does not want children later in life. While Mark and Julia seem confused about why their unseen son has recently left home, Isabel understands her sibling’s reasons. When Mark is on an overseas experience, he meets Chukuemeka (Tawiah M’Carthy), a logistics expert who introduces Mark to bizarre culinary experiences, such as frogs’ legs that have been poisoned - grotesque sounding to a Western cultural appetite. Kaitlin Hickey’s très sleek set design artfully catches the eye for its minimalism. Yet, what lingers in the air feels out of place amid this compact, sterile neatness. Upstage, sliding doors allow the characters to enter and exit, while a walkway facilitates their movement across the stage. Hickey’s sharply defined projections- such as people texting each other and the change in Starbucks’ mermaid logo- strongly contribute to that sense of dislocation. Thomas Ryder Payne’s sound design, featuring musical selections, accentuates the unsettling sensation of what exists beyond our comfort zone. Chris Malkowski’s lighting design features spotlights that delineate the characters as they approach the audience. Soheil Parsa is a marvellous director. His gentle, subtle touches of welcomed humour allow the audience to breathe momentarily in relief before confronting another stark fact about the absurd yet seemingly post-apocalyptic world that Verdecchi has crafted. I find the reference to Dr. Faustus in the script relevant since the play is titled ‘Feast.’ It has been a long time since I last engaged with that story, so I had to do a quick bit of research into Faustus. Briefly, it deals with the protagonist requesting a demon to bring out-of-season fruit to woo a duchess. Hmmm…an interesting contextual parallel. Mark travels around the world to experience various tastes of global cuisine. There are moments when he tells Julia he would prefer to be home with her and Isabel. However, that does not stop Mark from pursuing what he desires - a wonderful life, unfortunately at the cost of his relationship with his wife and daughter. Verdecchia’s script contains some terrific monologues that delve deeply into the psyches of the four characters. What the audience discovers upon digging further is not pretty—it’s a tad horrific when the truth comes out. Rick Roberts commands the stage as Mark. Throughout the surreal elements of the story, including how anyone could develop such a peculiar culinary taste, Roberts remains grounded. I genuinely believed he would eat these dishes without a second thought. A highlight of this opening night is witnessing how Roberts engages with the audience during the various monologues. He convincingly portrays a man becoming disconnected from everything around him as he indulges in these ‘fantasies’ of a good life surrounded by this odd cuisine. His emotions run the gamut, yet Roberts compels the audience to listen to what he says. There’s a palpable sense of tension in the performances of Tasmin Kelsey and Veronica Hortiguela as Julia and Isabel, respectively. Kelsey seems to accept her role as Mark’s wife and what life has dealt her, while Hortiguela’s Isabel adamantly refuses to do so. Why? Isabel recognizes that she will not receive the same treatment from her father as her mother does. This transient existence in the family cannot foster a stable marriage. There is a possible implication that this is why the unseen son left home. Kelsey and Hortiguela are shrewdly matter-of-fact in their portrayals as mother and daughter. There’s a sense that their relationship has run hot and cold. Yet, at one point, Isabel announces she wants to leave the house and move far away with her best friend to begin life anew. The poignant reckoning between mother and daughter strikes at the heart. Solid work in this scene. Tawiah M’Carthy is strikingly authentic in his onstage portrayal of Chukuemeka. His conversation with Roberts during the play's final moments serves as a sombre reminder that if we often wish for something we genuinely desire, it is possible to achieve it. M’Carthy, Kelsey, and Hortiguela also play supporting and secondary roles that add humour and enliven the moment with details that address the play’s fatalistic undertones. The final image emphasizes Mark's shadowy figure. It took my breath away for a few moments. Mark appears to search, perhaps even yearn for something lacking in his life. Will he ‘feast’ on something completely different if he discovers what he’s seeking? Questions upon questions upon questions to discuss. The mark of good theatre. ‘Feast’ is another afternoon or evening of good theatre. Running time: approximately two hours with no interval/intermission. ‘Feast’ runs until April 27 in the Mainspace at Tarragon Theatre, 30 Bridgman Avenue, Toronto. For tickets, call the Box Office (416) 531-1827 FEAST by Guillermo Verdecchia Directed by Soheil Parsa Set and Projection Designer: Kaitlin Hickey Costume Designer: Ting-Huan 挺歡 Christine Urquhart Lighting Designer: Chris Malkowski Sound Designer: Thomas Ryder Payne Stage Manager: Lani Martel Fight Director: Davi Chinchilla Dialect Coach: Dienye Waboso Amajor Apprentice Stage Manager: 樊海怡 Eloise Fan Performers: Veronica Hortiguela, Tamsin Kelsey, Tawiah M’Carthy, Rick Roberts Previous Next

Where theatre is not only presented on the stage. Back Ivona, Princess of Burgundy Now on stage at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane in the Distillery District Credit: Cylla von Tiedemann. Centre: (in red) Hannah Cheetham. To right of Hannah: Diana Eremeeva and to left of Hannah: Parsa Hassanzadeh. Members of the courtiers ensemble surround them Joe Szekeres “The theatre industry is in good hands as the talent from George Brown’s Third Year class demonstrates in ‘Ivona’.” Classified as an absurdist fairy tale, ‘Ivona, Princess of Burgundy’ follows the story of King Ignatius (Parsa Hassanzadeh) and Queen Margaret (Diana Eremeeva) and the royal court's upper-class lives. The story is set in a time of lavish decadence. The King and Queen demand their son, Prince Philip (James Gibson-Bray), find a wife to be his future queen. In a petulant act of rebellion against his parents (as young people often do), the Prince goes on the prowl. He chooses Ivona (Hannah Cheetham), a silent, clumsy and almost catatonic young woman, unlike the kind of woman a princely prince would select. Ivona’s abnormality in how she doesn’t react to things, walks, sits, and stands drives the courtiers and the Prince’s parents bonkers. They ridicule and tease Ivona aggressively at times, but she does not respond in kind to their actions. It’s interesting how Ivona provokes the worst in others by remaining true to herself. Gombrowicz’s script is undeniably challenging, reflecting the undertones of the play's era. Krystyna Griffith-Jones’ translation is dense, and you must pay close attention to the dialogue. It’s easy to get lost if you’re not following along. The first act is full of fun and laughter, while the second does a complete 180 and becomes dark and grim amid the comic element. Absurdist elements abound in both the first and second acts. The playwright completed the script in 1933 and published it in 1938, shortly before German troops invaded Poland. Gombrowicz was critical of the upper class. In director Nicole Wilson’s program note, she wrote that the playwright expressed a sense of a secret flaw within himself, feeling that he was perpetually “outside the human herd.” Wilson’s vision of this absurdist tale is to be applauded. She makes some conscious choices with her creative team to ensure authenticity. This is certainly evident in Maria Kofman’s costume designs. They are beautiful re-creations of a royal court from the 1700s. Little details of each character’s wig and pasty white make-up, right down to the stockings they wore, become a fashionista sight to behold. Jackie Chau’s minimal set design at the top of the first act (underscored by Sound Designer Scott Banks’ selection of appropriate music from the era of the 1700s) certainly catches the eye upon walking into the auditorium. I loved the scrim upstage, from which many characters make their entrances and exits. Chau cleverly has the actors pull out various set pieces in the second scene of Act One with nary a squeak. These pieces magically glide into place and are then returned by the actors with grace, elegance and style. I’m sure there was probably some rehearsal to ensure these pieces slide effortlessly. Emma Presello’s lighting design effectively accentuates the mood of each scene. Nicole Wilson directs the production with a clear understanding of the absurd. With this goal in mind, the actors never veer out of control in their reactions. Just before the performance begins, Iza Rincón’s Beggar woman comes into the audience carrying a sign and looking for handouts, beginning the element of the absurd. This comic bit reveals that we have entered a world of haves and have-nots. (It sounds so much like our current world.) Rincón says very little, but her interplay with the audience as she looks for money is funny. All the while, she remains in character while eyeing each of us. Some gave money to her. The ensemble of courtiers fastidiously represents the world of the court and how it becomes an envious place to be seen. Several ladies develop little mannerisms of coyly giggling to priming themselves to see if a man is around. As the King and Queen Parsa Hassanzadeh and Diana Eremeeva remain continuously explosive when they don’t understand what is happening with their son’s choices. The comical interplay between the two in Act One is fun to watch. They never upstage each other, which is good. Hassanzadeh is quite good at improvisation when it appears his crown does not fit appropriately on his head. He runs with it and makes a joke for the actors and the audience to enjoy without taking us out of the moment. As their son, Philip, James Gibson-Bray is childish and petulant at first in wanting to disobey his parents in the first act. Hannah Cheetham’s Ivona is quite strong in portraying the mute and clumsy Ivona. I must applaud at one point when loud noises are made around Cheetham. She doesn’t flinch at all. She remains focused and in character. Very impressive. There were a couple of times when I thought Cheetham’s work on stage reminded me a great deal of Patty Duke’s work as Helen Keller in ‘The Miracle Worker.’ ValYa Budko and Kate Truong are wonderfully saucy as the two aunts who bring Ivona to meet Prince Philip. Cameron Cope’s Lord Chamberlain is dutiful to King Ignatius. Aaron Ford’s servant Checkers reminds me of the comic relief in Shakespearean tragedies. Like good teachers who continually find ways to learn more about reaching students and young people, actors must continue to challenge themselves and reach out to appeal to audiences' varied tastes. The third-year performance class from George Brown showcases how the theatre industry remains in good hands. Running time: approximately two hours and ten minutes with one intermission. The production runs April 10, 12, 16 and 18 at 7:30 pm with a performance on April 19 at 1:30 pm. All performances take place in the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane, in the Distillery District. For tickets: tickets.youngcentre.ca. George Brown Theatre School, Third Year Class presents ‘Ivona, Princess of Burgundy’ by Witold Gombrowicz, translated by Krystyna Griffith-Jones Directed by Nicole Wilson Stage Manager: Sarah O’Brien Set Design: Jackie Chau Costume Designer: Maria Kofman Sound Designer: Scott Banks Lighting Designer: Emma Presello Assistant Director: Adrian Marchesano Performers: Aliyah Bourgeault, Hannah Cheetham, Madelyn Colantoni, Cameron Cope, ValYa Budko, John Daniel, Diana Eremeeva, Juan-Carlos Figueroa, Aaron Ford, Andi Garcia, James Gibson-Bray, Parsa Hassanzadeh, Charles Hunte, Kieran Jensen, GianPaulo Lattanzio, Emmet Logue, Julia Middleton, Julie Pearson, Iza Rincón, Morgan Roy, Mila Trichilo, Kate Truong, Gaby Villamizar, Alice Wu Previous Next

Where theatre is not only presented on the stage. Back Cock Now on stage at the Artists Play Studio within the Carlaw Industrial Centre, 388 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto. Credit: Dahlia Katz. Seated: Michael Torontow. Floor: Jakob Ehman Joe Szekeres “The rapid-fire barbs in COCK cut even more profoundly. Satirical, Edgy, and Sharp. Worth another visit.” Barrie’s Talk is Free Theatre (TIFT) first produced Mike Bartlett’s ‘Cock’ in early 2024. That was the last time I saw it; I found it exceptionally provocative then. In January of this year, the play sold out in Toronto at the Artists Play Studio within the Carlaw Industrial Centre, where it’s currently playing. Revisiting a play is always beneficial, especially when it enables an audience to appreciate its theatricality. Under Dylan Trowbridge’s skillful direction, there is a reason to see this terrific production again—the 2024 cast returns. Trowbridge’s blocking captures the characters' emotional turmoil. When they feel disconnected, the distance in the blocking conveys that emotion. When intimacy is present, the characters are closely connected. While ‘Cock’ is classified as a comedy. I didn’t fully appreciate it during the 2024 Barrie performance. This time, I get Bartlett’s razor-sharp, edgy humour. It’s cerebral and mature yet still appropriately hilarious and even a bit eyebrow-raising. Giving away some of these moments will spoil the dramatic effect Trowbridge and the actors have created. John (Jakob Ehman), a gay man, has been in a strained relationship with his partner, M (Michael Torontow), for seven years. When John meets and falls in love with W (Tess Benger), he is forced to contemplate the boundaries of his identity and decide what he truly wants for his future. M encourages John to invite W for dinner. A fourth person, M’s widowed father, F (Kevin Bundy), joins them for an enlightening and sometimes uncomfortable communal dinner. Kathleen Black’s production design establishes a theatre-in-the-round setting at the Artists Play Studio, creating an intimate experience for both actors and the audience. Although I’ve never attended a cock fight, I’ve seen videos of this illegal activity taking place online. Black has aptly created that dingy environment in this studio space. Drop sheets (used to cover floors when walls and ceilings are painted) are hung along the back. They are marked with white paint splotches. Backlit lighting illuminates the actors speaking from behind these drop sheets, maintaining a suspenseful and foreboding effect. Occasionally, the actors click a floor switch using their feet to turn on an almost blinding floor lamp. They occasionally sit or stand from the audience's perspective as they converse or listen to one another. At one point, the four sit separately in the north, south, east, and west directions, facing each other. When that occurs, the tension strongly seethes and bubbles. In 2024, Trowbridge spoke to the audience pre-show. At that time, he said that ‘Cock’ concerns the human heart. His vision deals with love’s capacity to make us feel euphoric, joyful, brutal pain, desperate fear, and overwhelming confusion. The universal theme of love is nothing new in the theatre. However, how this theme is treated can make it a discussion-worthy post-show. TIFT’s production does just that. Excluding John, who is given a specific name, the other characters are identified by their initials. A possible understanding might be M (meaning man), W (meaning woman), and F (meaning father). This is clever, but it also leads to a further understanding of one of the play’s themes Trowbridge spoke of back in 2024: “Love transcends sexuality and gender. It ignites primal fear between individuals and within individuals.” Consequently, because individuals understand and experience love in diverse ways, naming the other characters is not essential. For Bartlett and Trowbridge, the characters identified solely by initials are universal. They may represent anyone familiar to us, as we all perceive and experience some form of love with others. Performances remain searing and bold. Bartlett’s rapid-fire dialogue is delivered with crispness, clarity, purpose, and intent. Michael Torontow’s Freddie Mercury-like, swarthy appearance as M is audacious. His sexual prowess is highly apparent. Initially, he looks self-assured in his suavity. With his broad shoulders, fit physique, tight, slightly ripped pants, frayed shirt, and black nail polish, Torontow portrays an M who likes to maintain control. M becomes like a rooster in a cockfight when he loses that control. He occasionally attacks John with some rather terrible remarks. M tries to tear John apart with demeaning language to assert dominance and control. Jakob Ehman’s John asserts dominance by silently inviting others to control him. Ehman opens the garage door at the top of the show to let the audience in. As he eyes the audience entering, the coy look on his face conveys a lot. Ehman’s John is ready to spar with anyone prepared to take him on. Tess Benger’s W is sexy, seductive, down-to-earth, rational, and forthright. She becomes John's perfect foil. She reminds him of the life John can have with her that cannot be had with M. The physical attraction between her and Ehman’s John remains genuinely palpable. Their first sexual encounter is a strong indication. It never crosses the line or borders on the vulgar. While Kevin Bundy appears in the play's final moments, his F becomes a crucial reminder of how parents will always support their children, even when they are adults. Parents may not always agree with their adult children's life choices, yet Bundy’s F embodies the principle, “Once a parent, always a parent.” Watching this performance a year later, I noticed that Bundy plays F with a hint of a weary, exasperated parent in both his voice and physical stance. That choice works. It enhances the understanding of F’s backstory. It appears that the father rushes to his son’s side each time a relationship fails. Yes, that would certainly make a parent weary and tired. ‘Cock’ still raises the question of what it means to love someone truly while transcending sexuality and gender. Do people who genuinely and honestly love someone speak and behave like these characters? Can that question be answered with a YES, or NO? That’s a discussion-worthy topic post-show as well. When M asks John one final question at the end, the distance and void between them amplifies the intensity of wondering if John will respond. Torontow’s repeating of the question over and over remains haunting. It also allows for post show discussion as well. Good theatre, indeed. This ‘Cock’ is good theatre. Go and see it. Running time: approximately 90 minutes with no interval/intermission. ‘Cock’ runs until May 2, 2025, at the Artists Play Studio within the Carlaw Industrial Centre, 388 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto. For tickets: www.tift.ca . TALK IS FREE THEATRE presents COCK by Mike Bartlett Directed by Dylan Trowbridge Assistant Director, Sound Designer: Nolan Moberly Production Manager: Jeff Braunstein Production Design: Kathleen Black Stage Manager: Jeff Soucy Performers: Tess Benger, Kevin Bundy, Jakob Ehman, Michael Torontow Previous Next

Now on stage at Artists Play Studio within the Carlaw Industrial Centre, 388 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto. Back Cock Now on stage at Artists Play Studio within the Carlaw Industrial Centre, 388 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto. Credit: Dahlia Katz Seated: Michael Torontow Floor: Jakob Ehman Joe Szekeres “The rapid-fire barbs in COCK cut even more profoundly. Satirical, Edgy, and Sharp. Worth another visit.” Barrie’s Talk is Free Theatre (TIFT) first produced Mike Bartlett’s ‘Cock’ in early 2024. That was the last time I saw it; I found it exceptionally provocative then. In January of this year, the play sold out in Toronto at the Artists Play Studio within the Carlaw Industrial Centre, where it’s currently playing. Revisiting a play is always beneficial, especially when it enables an audience to appreciate its theatricality. Under Dylan Trowbridge’s skillful direction, there is a reason to see this terrific production again—the 2024 cast returns. Trowbridge’s blocking captures the characters' emotional turmoil. When they feel disconnected, the distance in the blocking conveys that emotion. When intimacy is present, the characters are closely connected. While ‘Cock’ is classified as a comedy. I didn’t fully appreciate it during the 2024 Barrie performance. This time, I get Bartlett’s razor-sharp, edgy humour. It’s cerebral and mature yet still appropriately hilarious and even a bit eyebrow-raising. Giving away some of these moments will spoil the dramatic effect Trowbridge and the actors have created. John (Jakob Ehman), a gay man, has been in a strained relationship with his partner, M (Michael Torontow), for seven years. When John meets and falls in love with W (Tess Benger), he is forced to contemplate the boundaries of his identity and decide what he truly wants for his future. M encourages John to invite W for dinner. A fourth person, M’s widowed father, F (Kevin Bundy), joins them for an enlightening and sometimes uncomfortable communal dinner. Kathleen Black’s production design establishes a theatre-in-the-round setting at the Artists Play Studio, creating an intimate experience for both actors and the audience. Although I’ve never attended a cock fight, I’ve seen videos of this illegal activity taking place online. Black has aptly created that dingy environment in this studio space. Drop sheets (used to cover floors when walls and ceilings are painted) are hung along the back. They are marked with white paint splotches. Backlit lighting illuminates the actors speaking from behind these drop sheets, maintaining a suspenseful and foreboding effect. Occasionally, the actors click a floor switch using their feet to turn on an almost blinding floor lamp. They occasionally sit or stand from the audience's perspective as they converse or listen to one another. At one point, the four sit separately in the north, south, east, and west directions, facing each other. When that occurs, the tension strongly seethes and bubbles. In 2024, Trowbridge spoke to the audience pre-show. At that time, he said that ‘Cock’ concerns the human heart. His vision deals with love’s capacity to make us feel euphoric, joyful, brutal pain, desperate fear, and overwhelming confusion. The universal theme of love is nothing new in the theatre. However, how this theme is treated can make it a discussion-worthy post-show. TIFT’s production does just that. Excluding John, who is given a specific name, the other characters are identified by their initials. A possible understanding might be M (meaning man), W (meaning woman), and F (meaning father). This is clever, but it also leads to a further understanding of one of the play’s themes Trowbridge spoke of back in 2024: “Love transcends sexuality and gender. It ignites primal fear between individuals and within individuals.” Consequently, because individuals understand and experience love in diverse ways, naming the other characters is not essential. For Bartlett and Trowbridge, the characters identified solely by initials are universal. They may represent anyone familiar to us, as we all perceive and experience some form of love with others. Performances remain searing and bold. Bartlett’s rapid-fire dialogue is delivered with crispness, clarity, purpose, and intent. Michael Torontow’s Freddie Mercury-like, swarthy appearance as M is audacious. His sexual prowess is highly apparent. Initially, he looks self-assured in his suavity. With his broad shoulders, fit physique, tight, slightly ripped pants, frayed shirt, and black nail polish, Torontow portrays an M who likes to maintain control. M becomes like a rooster in a cockfight when he loses that control. He occasionally attacks John with some rather terrible remarks. M tries to tear John apart with demeaning language to assert dominance and control. Jakob Ehman’s John asserts dominance by silently inviting others to control him. Ehman opens the garage door at the top of the show to let the audience in. As he eyes the audience entering, the coy look on his face conveys a lot. Ehman’s John is ready to spar with anyone prepared to take him on. Tess Benger’s W is sexy, seductive, down-to-earth, rational, and forthright. She becomes John's perfect foil. She reminds him of the life John can have with her that cannot be had with M. The physical attraction between her and Ehman’s John remains genuinely palpable. Their first sexual encounter is a strong indication. It never crosses the line or borders on the vulgar. While Kevin Bundy appears in the play's final moments, his F becomes a crucial reminder of how parents will always support their children, even when they are adults. Parents may not always agree with their adult children's life choices, yet Bundy’s F embodies the principle, “Once a parent, always a parent.” Watching this performance a year later, I noticed that Bundy plays F with a hint of a weary, exasperated parent in both his voice and physical stance. That choice works. It enhances the understanding of F’s backstory. It appears that the father rushes to his son’s side each time a relationship fails. Yes, that would certainly make a parent weary and tired. ‘Cock’ still raises the question of what it means to love someone truly while transcending sexuality and gender. Do people who genuinely and honestly love someone speak and behave like these characters? Can that question be answered with a YES, or NO? That’s a discussion-worthy topic post-show as well. When M asks John one final question at the end, the distance and void between them amplifies the intensity of wondering if John will respond. Torontow’s repeating of the question over and over remains haunting. It also allows for post show discussion as well. Good theatre, indeed. This ‘Cock’ is good theatre. Go and see it. Running time: approximately 90 minutes with no interval/intermission. ‘Cock’ runs until May 2, 2025, at the Artists Play Studio within the Carlaw Industrial Centre, 388 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto. For tickets: www.tift.ca . TALK IS FREE THEATRE presents COCK by Mike Bartlett Directed by Dylan Trowbridge Assistant Director, Sound Designer: Nolan Moberly Production Manager: Jeff Braunstein Production Design: Kathleen Black Stage Manager: Jeff Soucy Performers: Tess Benger, Kevin Bundy, Jakob Ehman, Michael Torontow Previous Next

Dramas encompass the human response to a created life situation on the stage. Back 'Bad Roads' by Natal'ya Vorozhbit with translation by Sasha Dugdale North American premiere now onstage at Crow's Theatre Credit: Dahlia Katz. Pictured Katherine Gauthier and Andrew Chown Joe Szekeres ‘Daring and compassionate direction by Andrew Kushnir, but the play may not be for everyone because of its sometimes brutal and graphic depictions. ‘Bad Roads’ becomes an explicitly horrific reminder of the gaping wound of war and its vicious aftermath of human atrocities that can never be erased. The breathtaking ensemble remains raw in their performances throughout the intermission-less running time.” The North American premiere of Natal’ya Vorozbhit’s ‘Bad Roads’ at Crow’s left me speechless at the conclusion. It was wise to stage it before, on and after Remembrance Day. Vorozbhit’s play remains a stark reminder that war casualties are not just historical facts and data. Instead, the story graphically brings to life that same terror felt by those from years ago continues to this very day. Thus, it’s crucial to continue to remember and never forget there are no winners in war. This time around, however, I’m at a crossroads. Understandably, ‘Bad Roads’ may not be for everyone. Future audience members who are easily triggered, consider yourselves warned. At times, the language is graphic. Intimacy director Anita Nattoly’s meticulous staging of the implied violence is still a graphic depiction of war on civilians. The play is a staggering, wallop-to-the-guts tale of real people. The horrid, cruel toll of human atrocities remains paramount in my mind as I write this article. There were moments when I closed my eyes because I did not want to see signs of violence, however implied. Nevertheless, when reviewing, it’s essential to keep emotions at bay and examine if the production is worth doing. Is ‘Bad Roads’ worth doing and seeing in the theatre? The six-episode script remains compelling and riveting for the same reasons listed under the triggered warnings. Andrew Kushnir’s daring and compassionate direction shapes the breathtaking ensemble’s work to become acutely raw. The cast skillfully weaves and connects events together, leaving a sense the plot has concluded, even though that apprehension and dread of war still hovers in the air. Another caveat, though. Intimate relationships between people have been severed. The women and men in the play are victims of war. The latter are sometimes seen as callous, heartless, and cold-blooded, either useless in bed or constant need of ‘oral’ stimulation. ‘Bad Roads’ is set in the Donbas region of Ukraine. A war is raging. Civilians are trying to understand why. The play (divided into six episodes) is based on testimonies from the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2014. Within these six episodes, we are introduced to two reporters who have gone to the front lines to research, one who has been kidnapped by an angry Russian entirely out of his mind. A medic mourns the death of her lover killed in action. Three young women prostitute themselves to soldiers to survive. Pre-war, a young woman appears at a farm because she has run over the owners’ chickens. A witty and comical setup of meaning and words first ensues, quickly heightening the moment's dramatic intensity. Sim Suzer’s stark set design immediately sets the action in the Studio Theatre's centre with the audience seated on both sides. A brightly intense and circular white spotlight is sharply focused centre stage. Stage right is a brick wall with a bench and what appears to be a tin can, perhaps used for cigarette butts? It is used to spit out the shells from the seeds three of the actors eat. On stage left is another wall with rickety small brick steps leading up to a playing area. Christian Horoszczak’s harsh and shadowy lighting effectively adds to the building tension. Thomas Ryder Payne’s sound design eerily kept me on guard throughout. There are moments when shelling in the distance can be heard; there are moments with the sound of a bomb detonation that made me jump at least twice in my seat. Snezana Pesic’s costume designs are faithful recreations of war-torn clothing. Seven extraordinary ensemble performances remain the highlight of this edge-of-the-seat story. The one haunting episode involves Katherine Gauthier as the kidnapped young reporter and Andrew Chown as the crazed soldier. The frightening realistic synchronicity of these two in the cat-and-mouse staging has me watching every move either makes. Will she outwit him? There were moments when I felt like I was watching a tennis match. I could feel my eyes moving back and forth. Michelle Monteith’s opening monologue sets the grim tone appropriately for what the audience is about to see. Diego Matamoros and Seana McKenna provide that momentary and necessary bit of humour during pre-war times as Vasya and his wife when the unsuspecting Girl (Shauna Thompson) runs over one of the couple’s chickens. But the motive behind the humour strongly permeates in a matter of seconds. Craig Lauzon as the Soldier and Shauna Thompson as the Girl who mourns her lover’s death are resonant in their performances as two shell-shocked persons destroyed and who can never recover. Final Comments: ‘Bad Roads’ begs to be discussed immediately following. I have no idea if any talkbacks will take place. After the one hour and fifty-five-minute running time with an outstanding and intensely focused cast who is probably emotionally spent, they might not want to talk immediately following the show. By all means, see Crow’s production. Just go in with your eyes open. Kushnir wrote he sees the story as more than a play but as a portal where we can enter the world of war and then exit at the end. Those involved in any war cannot do that. And that’s what makes the play a powerful one, one to remember and an appropriate one to stage during the month of Remembrance. Is ‘Bad Roads’ good theatre? I believe so. Running time: approximately 1 hour and 55 minutes with no intermission. ‘Bad Roads’ runs until December 3 in the Studio Theatre at Crow’s Theatre, 345 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto. For tickets, crowstheatre.com or call the Box Office (647) 341-7390 ex. 1010. A CROW’S THEATRE PRODUCTION The North American Premiere of ‘Bad Roads’ by Natal’ya Vorozhbit with translation by Sasha Dugdale Director: Andrew Kushnir Set and Properties: Sim Suzer Costume Designer: Snezana Pesic Lighting Designer: Christian Horoszczak Sound Designer: Thomas Ryder Payne Stage Manager: Liliane Stilwell Fight and Intimacy Director: Anita Nattoly Performers: Andrew Chown, Katherine Gauthier, Craig Lauzon, Diego Matamoros, Seana McKenna, Michelle Monteith, Shauna Thompson Previous Next

A deconstruction of an individual's story. Back 'Prophecy Fog' by Jani Lauzon A Paper Canoe Projects Production in association with Coal Mine Theatre Dahlia Katz Dave Rabjohn “The strength of this production comes from Lauzon’s efficiently calm narrative.” Central to the production of “Prophecy Fog” is creator Jani Lauzon’s question: ‘can a site still be sacred if it has been desecrated?’ This, and other indigenous and environmental issues are effectively raised in the one woman play recently opened at Coal Mine Theatre in Toronto. The DNA of this production comes from The Theatre Centre’s Tracey Wright Global Archive which encouraged artists to travel to locations and communities around the globe seeking new artistic platforms. Jani Lauzon’s travels took her to the Mojav desert in California to visit the sacred Giant Rock – infamously turned into a graffiti ladened tourist slum. The story of this adventure with her daughter Tara Sky is included with other ancient stories and considerations woven into an immersive evening about family respect, human interaction with the earth and sky, and wistful memory. The catch phrase ‘an intimate space’ does not do this set justice. It begins with a small red circular carpet, then ringed with successions of stones, then ringed with two rows of audience and above ringed with a circular screen. The audience is virtually part of the set. Lauzon moves in and out of the various rings pulling the audience together along with her storytelling. “Stones are Mother Earth’s skin” she relates as she interacts with the various stones from large blocks to tiny pebbles. She introduces some as almost puppet-like with cute shapes or metaphysical stories. The stones are also a part of the rhythm of the play – as Lauzon tumbles the stones on the stage, they bounce with a harsh echoing sound enhancing the drums in the background. Thus, we are introduced to the Great Stone (Giant Rock). Lauzon folds herself into the shape of a rock and overhead images display the desecration of the space and a comical interview with a man who apparently visited a nearby landing of alien creatures. This further indicts man’s indignities to Mother Earth. The strength of this production comes from Lauzon’s efficiently calm narrative. She does not lecture with bravado – she weaves stories with soothing precision. No raging anger here – her voice and demeanour of placid serenity dignifies her messages and gives them more integrity. Interactions with her influential elders and family members, including her daughter, are a part of the fuller circle of her life and her interaction with the physical and spiritual worlds. Overhead images by the design team of Melissa Joakim and Tim Lindsay offer an effective documentary feel to the stories of her relationships. Two pieces of inventive stage craft stand out. Lauzon hands out rocks for different members of the audience to hold and reach up. The pattern of the rocks resembles the outline of Ursa Major. A final scene is created by seemingly innocuous pebbles spread about the stage. As lights dim, they create a sea of stars surrounding our narrator – Earth and sky reaching out to each other. ‘Prophecy Fog’ by Jani Lauzon Performer: Jani Lauzon Director: Franco Boni Design: Melissa Joakim, Tim Lindsay Stage management: A.J. Morra, Jen Newnham Production runs through : December 10, 2023. Tickets : coalminetheatre.com Previous Next BACK TO TOP

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Jennifer Walls Theatre Conversation in a Covid World Graham Isador Joe Szekeres Jennifer is one articulate artist who is most passionate about what she does. After our hour plus long conversation the other day, I got the impression that not even Covid can ever destroy her zeal for the arts. Jennifer is a Toronto based actor, director, producer, and voice actor. She is also the host/co-producer of Singular Sensation Online. A graduate of Sheridan College's Musical Theatre Performance program, Jennifer's diverse career spans almost two decades. She has been featured in the Globe and Mail and the cover of NOW Magazine for her work in Toronto theatre and gained critical acclaim for both her portrayal as Liza Minnelli in her solo show Liza Live! as well as her autobiographical rock cabaret Jagged Little Me, based on the music of Alanis Morissette. Before the pandemic hit she was slated to make her debut as a writer at The Victoria Playhouse Petrolia. As a director, she led the teams behind Hart House Theatre's hit productions of Heathers the Musical and The Rocky Horror Show as well as Mandy Goodhandy's Just Call Me Lady. She was also the Assistant Director with Talk As Free Theatres' production of Into The Woods. As a producer she has worked with many Fringe solo artists including Rebecca Perry and Adam Proulx as well as with Tweed and Co., The Musical Stage Company, The Toronto Fringe, Pride Toronto and Second City Toronto. She was also a producer for the Sunday Cabaret Series at the 120 Diner which was forced to close its doors due to the pandemic. As a voice actor she is the voice of the Family Channel networks. Currently, she is the host and co-producer of Singular Sensation Online, a live monthly musical theatre event (celebrating its tenth year this March) turned online performing arts talk show. Originally a live weekly event at Statler's on Church (now The Well) turned a monthly event at the 120 Diner for just over a year when the pandemic hit, Singular soon went online combining their live and online presence into an online show. Since April 2020, they have produced 20 episodes celebrating the inspiring efforts of the theatre community during the pandemic with conversations, performances and sign-up guests including appearances by TSN's Michael Lansberg, Juno Award nominee Stacey Kay, Broadway choreographer Marc Kimelma and director/choreographer and advocate David Conolly. The show's mission is to continue to offer a safe and supportive platform for marginalized voices and make the world more accessible for the theatre community through new segments dedicated to self-care and world issues. Season 2 will be debuting in February of 2021. We held our conversation via Zoom. Thanks again, Jennifer: In a couple of months, we will be coming up on one year where the doors of live theatre have been shut. It was a year ago the first case was reported. How have you been faring during this time? Your immediate family? It’s crazy. I was at the gym and I was thinking, “Oh, that sounds scary.” And here we are. I guess we didn’t see it coming even though the signs were all there, and we still wonder where it’s going. Like anybody, it’s been up and down and a bit of an existential experience. There’s been a lot of practices in mediating emotions. To give you a succinct answer I’ve been doing okay, a bit of a roller coaster in dealing with an extreme loss in our entire community and world and trying to mediate everything’s that happening. I’m very lucky, fortunate and blessed my health is fine. I’m not special in my experience. My immediate family is fine. They’re healthy. My mom works in long term care. She’s a PSW but there haven’t been any cases where she works luckily. I’m from a small town where I am now so I’m helping her out a bit. My mom’s really tired but doing well, thank goodness, and thank you for asking. How have you been spending your time since the industry has been locked up tight as a drum? I’ve been really lucky to be out of the city for the most part which has been a blessing because it’s tough to social distance in the city when everyone is close together in Toronto. I’m based in Toronto. For the first weeks, it felt like a vacation maybe a couple of weeks, just a bit of hanging out. And then things started to shut down and lock up. As of April, we took my show ‘Singular Sensation’ online so that’s been taking up the majority of our time. My partner and I co-produce the show together and it’s been a really uplifting way to spend our time. I’ve been teaching online. I’m a voice coach and learning. I also do voice work for The Family Channel. I’ve been lucky to have some sense of normalcy which has been good but trying to re-examine what I’m doing with my life, so it’s been part normal and part existential crisis. And listening to the conversation being held on what’s occurring in the world and re-discovering what the show is all about and using our platform wisely in a way that is conducive to working online. I’ve always wanted to be able to combine my interest in journalism along with my degree from Sheridan, so it’s been a gift to bring the journalistic aspect to ‘Singular’ and celebrate the work people are doing or celebrating the community hub of the show. The late Hal Prince described the theatre as an escape for him. Would you say that Covid has been an escape for you or would you describe this near year long absence as something else? I don’t think I’d call this time an escape, more a suspension of reality but we have to move forward. It was a bit of a vacation. I’d been burned out when Covid hit so yes, it was part an escape for a small amount, but it was also tough because my partner and I were on the doorstep of the biggest seasons of theatre in our careers. He’s at Stratford and I was about to direct and make a debut as a writer. You work so hard towards these milestones and then to have it taken away from us….. Wow! I didn’t want to escape from this, but I was happy to escape from a joe job. Okay, it was an escape, but I didn’t want an escape from the milestone my partner and I were about to experience. I love what I do, and I didn’t want the summer off. It’s hard with all this because I don’t know what direction to travel when everything was shutting down and we were thinking two-week shutdown? Three-week shutdown? Do I pursue a new discipline? Do I get a part time job through all of this and weather out what’s coming? How do you invest in your future when you don’t know what it is? It feels like treading water. I’m grateful for the diverse skills set I’ve recognized that I’ve had so that’s been a good thing about Covid. It’s allowed me to work through this time, yes at a limited capacity as I’m not making millions, but I’ve been able to keep a sense of normalcy. I’ve interviewed a few artists several months ago who said that the theatre industry will probably be shut down and not go full head on until at least 2022. There may be pockets of outdoor theatre where safety protocols are in place. What are your comments about this? Do you think you and your colleagues/fellow artists will not return until 2022? Oh, Joe, if I had an answer for that I’d be making millions off it. (Jennifer started laughing and so did I) I wouldn’t need to work at theatre ‘cause I’d be rich. I’m a big believer in manifestation and that makes it hard for me to be realistic. If I say 2022, am I going to manifest that? I struggle between my belief in manifestation and my rational realistic part of my brain. I don’t know, I don’t know. We have this vaccine, and we have this one school of thought that by the fall things may look very different. It’s that suspended and I don’t know how to answer that and I’m afraid to have it placed here in print. I know this sounds ridiculous, but we hold on to whatever hope gets us through the day. I don’t know. I think it’s really complicated as there are a lot of things to take into consideration from actors to audience to technical crew, it’s almost like four different industries in one. Before it’s back traditionally in the way we saw it before, yah, maybe, that could take awhile. Yes, there might be pockets and new ways of performing theatre as you mentioned earlier, but the full experience? I think there might be some realism to that prediction, but God I hope it’s before…. My epidemiology degree is about as imaginative as my Tony that I received. (Jennifer has neither, by the way 😉) I had a discussion recently with an Equity actor who said that yes theatre should not only entertain but, more importantly, it should transform both the actor and the audience. How has Covid transformed you in your understanding of the theatre and where it is headed in a post Covid world? I understand it’s transformed me to needing a bigger pant size. My experience has been up and down. I’m running again so that’s a positive start for me. This is an interesting question. We’ve done 20 episodes of ‘Singular Sensation’ and our goal is to chat with people about what they think will happen in the future and transformation of marginalized voices, inclusion, equity and creating the theatre these theatre companies want to see. I feel privileged to get to see these initiatives from the ground up through Singular Sensation. This pause has given us a time to reflect from where we have come from to where we are going, and to what needs to change. This time is allowing us to look and see what are we doing, what’s the result and how do we move forward. And it’s obvious we need to do something different. The transformation is coming in the way we see traditional theatre – I’m a big fan of non-traditional theatre and this is a positive step forward. ‘Singular Sensation’ has been transformed in the way we see creation and performance. We can’t do open mic online, so we had to figure out how to go from open mic to online performance talk show that morphed into bringing on new theatre companies focused on perhaps marginalized creators, for example. When I graduated from Sheridan many years ago, it was either Mirvish or bust. Now, that has all changed as theatre companies are springing up. At Singular Sensation, we have a platform that is safe and supportive to all artists and for all artists, but our goal is to show how the arts are transformative. We’ve had guests on from Broadway and from Mirvish, but we are also reaching out to the newer companies that did not exist when I graduated from Sheridan but have every right to have their voices heard. To be transformed, we have to listen more to each other and to hear each other’s voice. The late Zoe Caldwell spoke about how actors should feel danger in the work. It’s a solid and swell thing to have if the actor/artist and the audience both feel it. Would you agree with Ms. Caldwell? Have you ever felt danger during this time of Covid and do you believe it will somehow influence your work when you return to the theatre? Danger is a big word here. I wonder when she had said this because words and context can mean so much given what has happened. This is a really tricky question. I would prefer to use the word ‘thrilling’ rather than ‘danger’. I feel danger has a real connotation to it whereas thrilling – movies are called thrillers, they’re not called dangers, but there is danger in thrillers. This is a touchy subject for me to answer as the world we know right now is in danger of all sorts. In my understanding, I wouldn’t agree because we are in a time right now where we are examining verbiage and position. It’s too easily misunderstood right now. Thrilling feels more responsible to me during this time instead of using danger. I’ve felt danger many times during Covid but that danger feels like that I might lose my home or will I be able to afford my home or pay for my taxes. If I claim CERB and yes we have to pay it back but this has real endangering consequences and circumstances for some artists. The time we’re living in now is dangerous, and theatre is supposed to be an escape but now, in Covid, why do I want to be reminded in a theatrical piece about danger if I know I’m living in endangering circumstances. This is a polarizing question because I have felt danger during Covid because we went from seeing empty shelves at Walmart to many of us not taking this time seriously about wearing or not wearing a mask. We live in a world steeped in danger right now. When we understood the world or some of it, then we could be enticed with danger since our world wasn’t in danger. I can see the want for theatre to feel dangerous when the world is not in danger as a general state of being. Right now, people want to feel nostalgia, comfort, and joy rather than be reminded of the danger. Danger has visceral consequences whereas theatre shouldn’t. That’s the polarity of the question for me. When I emerge from this pandemic, my partner and I are leaving for sunnier destinations. (Jennifer laughs). Seriously, we’re focusing on ‘Singular Sensation’ right now as our immediate future. For us, we really want this show to stay past Covid in order to bring the struggle of the artist. If we aren’t able to understand what is happening in our industry, that is dangerous. Hopefully ‘Singular Sensation’ can offer a life raft and place things in a succinct platform to offer insight. The danger in theatre is not evolving and when we come back, hopefully, we will be aware of those issues that might be troublesome or a potential hazard. The danger is being stagnant. The late scenic designer Ming Cho Lee spoke about great art opening doors and making us feel more sensitive. Has this time of Covid made you sensitive to our world and has it made some impact on your life in such a way that you will bring this back with you to the theatre? To be completely honest, it’s what has helped ‘Singular’ in the resonance of our show, in our work, in having these conversations. In the beginning we identified with the fact that yes we wanted artists to come on ‘Singular’, but we’re also cognizant of the fact that an artist will also be reminded of the fact he/she/they have lost work as well. It’s complicated and heavy and we never know where someone is at. At ‘Singular’ we’re trying to be sensitive and cognizant and aware of the loss of the artist when they are invited; however, we understand everyone is at a different place so if the artist only wants to chat and not perform, that’s perfectly fine as well. No pressure. We are being sensitive in the way we conduct our show. That’s a big part of our mandate. In having this sensitivity, we’ve been able to have 20 episodes of the show and not pressure artists not to be anything other than who they are at that moment. In my producing, mentoring and coaching I try to be in tune with other artists. I have anxiety myself so I find that I’m extra sensitive to people’s needs because there are days when I struggle. It’s tricky. We’re going mental health shows right now which comes from a place of sensitivity. It’s important people feel comfortable and not have to present if they don’t have that desire. We can’t be so product driven right now. We have to be sensitive to ourselves and each other. And I hope this brings us to a more compassionate and humane industry when we emerge from Covid. Again, the late Hal Prince spoke of the fact that theatre should trigger curiosity in the actor/artist and the audience. Has Covid sparked any curiosity in you about something during this time? Has this time away from the theatre sparked further curiosity for you when you return to this art form? I’m very curious as to how all of this revolution will be put into practice. I feel we are coming up to this understanding of what is this renaissance going to look like. We’re speaking out about things that don’t work, systems that are in place that do not work, so let’s fix that and how is it going to be applied. I’m really curious to see how this is all going to be done. We’ve had so many glimpses of what that renaissance will look like through ‘Singular’, through conversations with our guests, even pre-conversations before recording. How will this transformation, this pause, this new understanding be practically applied? And what kind of industry will we come back to after all this? I’m really curious about it, and how to implement it. I think it’s needed. It’s going to change the theatre experience. We have the opportunity for more people to see themselves represented on stage which is so important. People are speaking up and are being brave and courageous. What is the ‘Last Supper’ painting of the theatre industry going to look like? We have the potential to change the game and I hope we do. I hope Covid is not for nothing. I hope this pause is for nothing and to allow us to open our minds and hearts a bit more and go in a new direction where people feel safer, valued, included, heard and seen and that the audience feels valued in that. To connect with Jennifer at Instagram: @jeniwallsto and the handle for her show Singular Sensation is @singular_senation. Previous Next

A deconstruction of an individual's story. Back "As I Must Live It' written and performed by Luke Reece A Co-production with Theatre Passe Muraille and Modern Times Stage Company Credit: Cesar Ghisilieri Zoe Marin You can feel the excitement that Luke Reece needs to share his story” “As I Must Live It’ is a new solo-show written and performed by Luke Reece, an award winning poet, playwright, and producer whom you may know as the Associate Artistic Director of Soulpepper Theatre. Using poetry, projections and audience interaction, Reece offers a glimpse into his personal experiences with mental health and growing up in a mixed-race family. The show is all over the place in the best way possible. ‘As I Must Live It’ jumps back and forth between spoken word and prose, comedy and tragedy, or even between deeply personal stories and seemingly random rants about pop culture. At times, Reece is breaking your heart with stories about his father’s OCD, his parents’ divorce, or the racism he experienced as a child. In other moments, he’s reciting a pun-filled poem about dinosaurs while dressed as a T-rex or making the audience sing Bob Marley’s ‘Three Little Birds’ with him. These diverse vignettes successfully capture Reece’s own complicated, and sometimes conflicting feelings about his upbringing. From the top of the show (which begins in the lobby where Reece himself makes the necessary pre-show announcements and then starts the show), you can feel his excitement and need to share his story with the audience. He hands over props to the audience for later in the show and reads a short story from when he was a child. He recounts how only the first paragraph had been published in his school journal, marking the first time someone had ‘edited’ his voice. With ‘As I Must Live It’, Reece proclaims: “I just wanna say what I want to say.” Then he brings the audience into the theatre. The childlike playfulness that Reece embodies in this opening scene permeates the rest of the show and is enhanced by Jackie Chau’s set and costume design. Upon entering, you notice that Chau has transformed Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace into a playground with a merry-go-round covered in colourful paper as the centerpiece. While most of the action happens on the platform, director Daniele Bartolini utilizes the space to its fullest capacity. Reece eventually takes the merry-go-round apart, allowing for more playing space. Eventually, I think he ends up performing on every inch of that theatre. He wears a bright backpack where he stores his various props and sometimes he provides visual examples to his stories by drawing with invisible ink on his T-shirt. Because the show’s aesthetic is so rooted in childhood, it keeps the serious subject matter light enough for the audience to warm up to it. It also makes the various shifts in tone and emotion feel playful rather than jarring. As Reece moves into adulthood later in the show, the tone becomes a lot more serious. Therefore, the production design serves as a visual reminder of the joy and innocence from earlier and makes the emotional contrast a lot more palpable. Bringing on Bartolini, a director who specializes in ‘audience-specific’ immersive work, makes all the difference. Reece’s initial entrance feels very casual and improvised, which gets rid of the awkwardness of interacting with a performer who is very obviously in character. By sitting in the round, you can always see the rest of the audience, which prevents feeling like all the attention is suddenly on you if you’re interacted with. These more casual, almost silly interactions warm up the audience enough to feel comfortable singing along with Reece later in the show, or covering him up entirely with paper as soon as he asks. The projection design (Barrett Hodgson & Thomas Buttery from LIMBIC CINEMA) is also stunning. Although it is consistently used through the show, it is most compelling when showcasing old photographs. Through the use of various small, vertical screens, watching the show feels like flipping through a scrapbook of Reece’s family. “As I Must Live It’ touches on various topics. But at its core it is a love letter to his entire family, especially his father. Early in the show, Reece discusses issues with his father (who is Black) and his love for his mother (who is White), which made me wary that the piece would unintentionally further perpetuate stereotypes about mixed-race families. However, we understand that Reece is recounting his childhood and that includes his sometimes limited understanding and also completely reasonable emotional responses to these events. At one point, he reads an essay he wrote as a child about attending group therapy for children with mentally ill parents. He notices that some of the details conflict with how he had been discussing these moments earlier in the past. This moment encapsulates Reece’s complicated, and frequently evolving views about his childhood and family. In general, I found the mix of spoken word and readings from his past (school assignments, emails, letters) incredibly powerful. They give the audience direct insight into how Reece had reacted to those specific moments in the past, and the use of spoken word poetry allows him to now express how he feels about them. A central piece of text is his father’s writings, which begins with “I simply live my life as I must live it.” In the writing he contemplates what it means to be human and one’s purpose in life. Although the text means little to the audience early in the piece, we know it’s important enough to become the title of the show. We eventually learn about his father’s struggle with OCD and depression, as well as being a Black businessman who is expected to be strong. The writing contradicts with the image Reece has of his father and the image he had painted for the audience - but again points to the complexity of his relationship, as well as the complexity of any one person. The performance runs until March 2 at Theatre Passe Muraille, 16 Ryerson Avenue, Toronto. For tickets, visit passemuraille.ca or call the Box Office at (416) 504-7529. AS I MUST LIVE IT A Theatre Passe Muraille and Modern Times Stage Co-Production Written and Performed by Luke Reece Dramaturge and Director: Daniele Bartolini Assistant Dramaturge: Indrit Kasapi Lighting Designer: Sarah Mansikka Set and Costume Designer: Jackie Chau Sound Designer: Adrian Bent Projection Designers: Barrett Hodgson & Thom Buttery Stage Manager: Ada Aguilar Previous Next BACK TO TOP

What makes a comedy work - plot, characters, setting and theme. Back Orphans for the Czar by George F. Walker Now playing at Toronto's Crow's Theatre Now playing at Toronto's Crow's Theatre Dave Rabjohn This sterling cast combines years of experience and new talent It was a full and excited audience that took in the opening night of the world premiere of George F. Walker’s newest work ‘Orphans for the Czar’ at Crow’s Theatre in Toronto. A prolific playwright for decades in Canada, Mr. Walker chose Maxim Gorky’s ‘The Life of a Useless Man’ to suggest this play centering on the evils of class warfare, duplicity, and hypocrisy. Mr. Walker’s talent for mashing the horrific with the comic elevates this story about 1905 Russia and the seeds of revolution. The strength of this production comes certainly from the writing and from a sterling cast of actors that combines years of experience and new talent. Vasley is an orphaned fool who moves to the city to work in his father’s bookstore. Exceptionally performed by veteran Paolo Santalucia, he is furtive in his movements and indecisive at many turns. He grows impressed with the many shades of both the revolutionaries and czarists to the extent that he becomes a double agent which suggests no future. Eric Peterson, an audience favourite in any venue, plays the crude and foul-mouthed father with comic fervor. Other revolutionaries are Yakov (Christopher Allen) and Maya (Shauna Thompson) whose strong characters are more decisive. Vasley is foolishly playing both sides as he interacts with czarist henchmen such as the well-dressed professional Makarov (Patrick McManus) and his dim wit side kick Sasha played with comic abandon by Kyle Gatehouse. The cast is rounded out by the tragic blind girl, Rayisha, played with subtle strength by young newcomer Shayla Brown and the refined book enthusiast Olga, played with elegance by Michelle Mohammed. These two characters define the interaction between classes that fascinates Vasley and drives the plot. Lorenzo Savoini’s set design is a rustic wood planked stage with a high wall suggesting interiors. A lengthy staircase centres the set and is often the centre of the story as characters, at various times, ascend or descend with difficulty and confusion, reflecting the moods and struggles of the characters. Books are the other clear motif on the set. Mr. Walker cleverly weaves the story around the notion of books as instruments of learning, opportunity and hopeful achievement. The books are slept under, used as mini-stools, and thrown about symbolizing the chaos of events. Ming Wong’s costumes clearly, but subtly define the distinct classes. One highlight is Vasley’s long bedraggled coat thread worn to his ankles – it might once have been stylish but years of poverty have taken a toll. Thomas Ryder Payne’s sound design particularly enhanced the horrors of war with bombs and rifle fire. At times it was difficult to hear Miss Brown’s voice, but to her credit, much of the stage left dialogue for some reason was difficult to hear. Veteran director Tanja Jacobs lived up to the challenge of directing a very forceful play and orchestrating a large cast of limitless talent. In a conversation she has with Mr. Walker, they discuss the idea of blending the horrific with the comic. The director suggests that it comes partly from “the resilience of human beings and their capacity for wit.” Mr. Walker’s wit and an extraordinary cast combine for a powerful story and exceptional production. ‘Orphans for the Czar’ by George F. Walker Produced by Crow’s Theatre – Toronto Players – Christopher Allen, Shayla Brown, Kyle Gatehouse, Patrick McManus, Michelle Mohammed, Eric Peterson, Paolo Santalucia, Shauna Thompson Director – Tanja Jacobs Set Design – Lorenzo Savoini Costume Design – Ming Wong Sound Design – Thomas Ryder Payne Production runs through April 17, 2022. Tickets – crowstheatre.com Previous Next

Dramas encompass the human response to a created life situation on the stage. Back 'The Drowning Girls' by Beth Graham, Charlie Tomlinson and Daniela Vlaskalic Now onstage until August 27 at 201 Guildwood Parkway, Scarborough Raph Nogal Dave Rabjohn A haunting production full of subtle terror. This year’s summer season at The Guild Festival Theatre finishes with a haunting production of ‘The Drowning Girls’ – full of subtle terror. We often hear the phrase ‘dramedy,’ but this play tilts far more towards ‘dram’ than ‘medy.’ A solid ensemble of three actors, playing many more roles than their prime responsibilities, grimly displays the horrors of spousal abuse. Three women in the early 1900s share a common horror – each has married and been murdered by the same man. Each woman tells their story of societal pressure to marry at any cost. The stories vary only slightly as we hear of physical abuse, economic abuse, emotional abuse, and not to be flippant – abuse abuse. All three stories end with the same shock – murder by drowning. That brings us to the frightful image of Kalina Popova’s set. Three filthy bathtubs, pulled from some decrepit motel, face the audience with dread. Miss Havisham - looking wedding dresses hang forlornly above each tub. The audience is already anxious when the three brides enter ghost-like and slip into each death bed. Director Helen Juvonen brilliantly manipulates the tubs into social venues, relaxation spas or court proceedings. Actual water in each tub gives a sense of disturbing reality as the actors are wet throughout the production. Water is an effective motif throughout as we hear tormenting dripping sounds and see the victims with wet clinging dresses, much like Ophelia in the pond. Georgia Findlay plays Alice – her expressions have a great range as she can be demure, wilting one minute, and charged with anger the next. Her eyes are constantly intense, preparing us for the monstrous end. Alicia Barban plays Bessie who displays equal range – at one point, she leaves her character and launches into a brilliant scene as a doctor. Blythe Haynes plays Margaret with frightening, forced smiles. She also leaves her character and dives into a dazzling scene, along with Bessie playing lawyers and insurance agents. Humour offers some relief as the girls play silly giggly maids – imitating their future husbands or struggling with minor details such as uncooperative stockings. Each actor demonstrates a wide range of accents offering caricatures of Scotsmen or unseemly lawyers. Countering the horror of their lives (and their ending) is some brilliant poetic language. As we see their common bond, the three actors do a very sensitive recital of some powerful choral work. As mentioned in the director’s notes, the narrative of these tragedies often circles the perpetrator rather than the victims. To focus on the story of the three women gives the play veracity and strength. A final note: This particular evening in the middle of August was unusually chilly with a cooling breeze from the lake. The audience felt for the actors who, as mentioned, were wet throughout the night. We will save the term ‘heroes’ for our hundreds of firefighters, but the three actors showed great pluck in working with difficult conditions. And I’m sure they appreciated stage manager Lauren Allen and her crew running around with urns of warm water and towels aplenty. ‘The Drowning Girls’ by Beth Graham, Charlie Tomlinson, Daniela Vlaskalic Performers: Alicia Barban, Georgia Findlay, Blythe Hanes Director: Helen Juvonen Production Designer: Kalina Popova Stage Manager: Lauren Allen Production runs through: August 27, 2023. Tickets: guildfestivaltheatre.ca Previous Next

A deconstruction of an individual's story. Back (Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them) Written and Performed by Cliff Cardinal Now onstage at Videocabaret in the Deanne Taylor Theatre, 10 Busy Street, Toronto Michael Cooper Joe Szekeres The pervading bizarreness of ‘A Terrible Fate’ is duly matched by an ironically twisted and candid ‘matter of fact’ haunting performance by Cliff Cardinal. Cliff Cardinal is Robert. Robert tells his story about the various individuals to whom he says those three important words we all like to hear – ‘I love you.’ What becomes incredibly bizarre about the turn of events for these individuals whom Robert says he loves? Each expires suddenly. Be prepared to laugh, at times rather uncomfortably, throughout this solo panoply of varied human reactions about life and death and (what the Crow’s website bills as), the ‘terribleness [that] lives in between.’ I snickered when “It’s the End of World as We Know It’ played just before Cliff entered at the top of the show. Cheeky but appropriate. ‘A Terrible Fate’ remains an existential story at heart. Cardinal’s candid script allows audience members to consider their mortality. The production will probably either trigger or anger some audience members for its frank observations about a final event that will inevitably occur to all of us. Nevertheless, the play also celebrates life periodically. Costume Designer Sage Paul has Robert sharply dressed in a burgundy wine-coloured jacket, pants, matching shirt, and dark shoes. Get it? Amidst the sudden death of each of these loved individuals, Robert celebrates their lives in the ‘burgundy red’ clothing he wears. Cheeky again, but it makes sense to me. Raha Javanfar’s shadowy lighting and JB Nelles’ stark set designs catch the eye at first glance. Three different chairs are equally spaced between them. Three burlap-looking banners hang behind each of the chairs. Stage right has the word ‘Love’ and what appears to be hands cupping a human heart. A simple wooden-looking kitchen chair is in front of the chair. Centre stage has the word ‘Cursed’ and what appears to be a sword plunging through a human heart. In front is a grey, comfortable-looking individual passenger car seat. Stage right has the word ‘Fate’ and a picture of dark-looking clouds with a lightning bolt shooting down and hitting a person. In front is a circular wicker chair with a comfortable cushion. There are moments when Javanfar’s stark lighting hits the banner and lights the heart so that I thought I could see various arteries and the organ pumping blood—a rather clever dramatic technique succinctly captured. Karin Randoja directs with an acute sense of boldness. She demands that the audience confront the sudden and unexpected moments that life can throw at them. Randoja’s vision for the play remains rebellious and subversive. Sometimes, it’s amusing, but often it’s not pretty. It can be terrifying and profound. Where did this latter occur for me? At one point, Cardinal pulls back the banner centre stage and reveals a blazing white object. (I won’t spoil it here) To see it at first is startling. To hear Alex Williams’ sound design of the object’s voice reverberating in the intimate Videocabaret theatre is gripping. It sent shivers down my spine. Again, another clever dramatic technique captured on stage. Cliff Cardinal delivers a haunting and resonating performance of a tortured man teetering on the edge. At times, his Robert is sane and lucid. There are other times when his Robert intimidates and frightens, especially in his relationship with Sarah, the ambulance driver. Along with his performance as Robert, Cardinal becomes other characters in this journey simply by pulling his long hair back or adjusting his clothing. And I bought it ultimately. I haven’t seen much of Cardinal’s work – only his controversial 'Land Acknowledgement’ twice and this opening night performance. From what I've seen, he’s a fine storyteller, and I want to see more of his work onstage. He moves with the most remarkable ease in addressing each side of the audience. There are moments when Cardinal/Robert makes eye contact with audience members, and his piercing ‘I’m looking right at you’ stare is alarming initially and then mesmerizing. Those moments when Cardinal sits in the car seat centre stage are intriguing. It is here where he acknowledges his fears. It is here where the audience begins to witness Robert’s troubled nature. To sit in the passenger seat means one will arrive at the destination; however, said passenger has no other control over the arrival at the destination and must accept what happens along the way. At one point, Robert moves the seat lever to push the backrest back. That action shows he is willing to accept whatever comes his way. Final Comments: I’m still pondering the following question even as I complete this article: ‘What does it mean to be human?’ Can any of us even answer it truthfully? If anything, Cliff Cardinal gets the audience thinking about that final act of death we will face, impacting us whether we’re ready for it or not. He and Randoja remain subversive and daring in approaching this topic of death and whether a terrible fate will befall us at our given moment. It's bizarre to get us to think about this topic, but that’s a good thing. Cliff Cardinal is one sharp fellow. He also makes good theatre. Running time: approximately 80 minutes with no intermission. ‘(Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them)’ runs until November 4 at Videocabaret’s Deanne Taylor Theatre, 10 Busy Street, Toronto. For tickets, crowstheatre.com or call (647) 341-7390 ext. 1010. A Videocabaret Production in Association with Crow’s Theatre presents the World Premiere: (Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them) Playwright and Performer: Cliff Cardinal Dramaturge and Director: Karin Randoja Set and Props Designer: JB Nelles Costume Designer: Sage Paul Lighting Designer: Raha Javanfar Sound Designer: Alex Williams Technical Director: Andrew Dollar Stage Manager: Jennifer Stobart Producer: Layne Coleman Producer & Production Manager: Aaron Rothermund Previous Next BACK TO TOP

What makes a comedy work - plot, characters, setting and theme. Back 'As You Like It' by William Shakespeare Now on stage at the Spriet Stage at London, Ontario's Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond Street. Now on stage at the Spriet Stage at London, Ontario's Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond Street. Joe Szekeres “Innovative and clever. This ‘As You Like It’ takes necessary risks in the theatre. We need more of this.” "As You Like It," now on stage at the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario, takes a bold approach that may not please some academic purists. A significant amount of text has been cut. Set in the Okanagan Valley in the 1960s, the production features themes of peace and love, with characters dressed as bell-bottomed flower children. Will these creative choices upset those who prefer their Shakespeare untouched? Lighten up, will ya? Director and adaptor Daryl Cloran makes a brave and clever choice that enhances the production. He understands the importance of connecting Shakespeare to a twenty-first-century audience, including young people and first-time viewers. To achieve this, Cloran has integrated some iconic Beatles songs into the storyline, wisely choosing to excise certain passages of the text. A prudent choice as it works for me. Hopefully, it will never get to the point where young audiences may have to ask who the Beatles are. ‘As You Like It’ centers on two main love stories, with this theme extending to supporting characters. Cloran loves the Beatles’ music. Why not combine the two, as they truly make a perfect match? There are two cousins: Celia (Naomi Ngebulana) and Rosalind (Daniela Fernandez). Celia eventually develops feelings for Oliver (played by Matthew MacDonald-Bain). Celia’s cousin Rosalind has been banished from the court and disguises herself as a male servant named Ganymede. She escapes into the forest, where she encounters various colourful characters and inhabitants. In true Shakespearean comedic fashion, mistaken identities are common throughout the story. Additionally, the plot features subplots centered around the theme of love. It is in the forest where Rosalind meets her true love, Orlando (Jeff Irving), and she puts his loyalty to the test. The audience is invited into the house earlier to watch the pre-show action, and I strongly encourage future audiences to leave themselves enough time to do that. The pre-show takes place in a wrestling ring, where the audience observes various cast members in different roles. For instance, Jan Alexandra Smith portrays Le Beau, the wrestling referee. The atmosphere is loud and energetic, and this infectious excitement spills over into the audience. It suddenly becomes clear to me why the wrestling ring is a fitting choice for the pre-show. Wrestling has been a money-making art for years. The noise level at a match is deafening. When the story shifts to the forest, it becomes calming and is far removed from the raucous crowds. Pam Johnson skillfully designs a set that functions exceptionally well, keeping practicality in mind. Hina Nishioka’s striking lighting design for the wrestling ring transforms the space, transporting the audience to an idyllic forest atmosphere. Carmen Alatorre’s costumes beautifully evoke a flowery, pastel-coloured past, suitable for both men and women. Under the late Peter McBoyle’s original sound design, Owen Hutchinson ensures that dialogue and song lyrics are clearly audible throughout the auditorium. Music Director Ben Elliott carefully ensures that the lyrics complement the scene's tension and significance. The five-piece band sounds terrific. There were a couple of moments when they overpowered the singers for a few moments, but that was quickly rectified. Two standout vocal moments are "Let It Be" and "The Fool on the Hill," which are delightful to hear. Elliott also takes the stage during the opening night performance, portraying Silvius, a humorous forest pot-head dweller, and he is sound in the role. Jonathan Hawley Purvis effectively captures the iconic dance moves of the sixties. Daryl Cloran purposefully directs the production with a clear vision, plus he’s also poking fun at the script since: “Shakespeare tells actors to do that.” (You’ll get that reference when you see the show) The individual performances in this solid acting ensemble are impressive. Jeff Irving’s Orlando remains a handsome and genuinely good guy who truly falls in love. His impressive dance moves, staged by Hawley Purvis, stand out. Daniela Fernandez is delightful as Rosalind, bringing sweetness and charm to the role. Furthermore, Fernandez ensures that her character remains assertive, making her even more endearing to Irving’s Orlando. Naomi Ngebulana’s Celia is more subdued compared to her cousin Rosalind. However, Ngebulana does not present her silence as a negative trait. Instead, her Celia listens attentively, whether to Rosalind or to everything happening around her. This genuine ability to listen to others is what draws Matthew Macdonald-Bain’s Oliver to fall in love with her. Leon Willey’s Touchstone almost steals the show. Although he doesn't quite manage to do so, he comes very close. Willey’s impeccable sense of comic timing adds just the right amount of humour to maintain a lively pace. His interactions with the forest inhabitant Audrey (Jenny McKillop) are risqué but remain within appropriate boundaries. Jan Alexandra Smith delivers a wise and knowledgeable performance as Jaques. with the soliloquy "All the world's a stage" memorable. A Final Thought: Adapting some of the Bard’s works does not always go over well with academic purists. I know of several high school educators who prefer their Shakespeare unaltered, without any cuts, additives, or preservatives to the text. It’s time to move forward. In her programme welcome note, newly appointed Artistic Director Rachel Peake says that she spends a lot of time thinking about adaptation in general and of Shakespeare in particular. She should be doing that, as all language teachers should. I was all for that when I taught many years ago. Otherwise, there’s always been talk about removing Shakespeare from the high school curriculum if it’s no longer relevant to young people in the twenty-first century. As for this ‘As You Like It?’ I did. Go and see it. Running time: approximately two hours and thirty minutes with one interval/intermission. ‘As You Like It’ runs until November 2 on the Spriet Stage at London’s Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond Street. For tickets: (519) 672-8800 or visit grandtheatre.com. ‘As You Like It’ by William Shakespeare Conceived by Daryl Cloran & Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival Adaptor/Director: Daryl Cloran Music Director/Supervisor: Ben Elliott Choreographer/Fight Director: Jonathan Hawley Purvis Set Designer: Pam Johnson Costume Designer: Carmen Alatorre Lighting Designer: Hina Nishioka Original Sound Designer: Peter McBoyle Sound Designer: Owen Hutchinson Stage Manager: Christine Leroux Creative Consultant: Rick Boynton Performers: Henry Beasley, Tyler Check, Nadien Chu, Jennifer Copping, Daniela Fernandez, Jeff Irving, Alexandra Lainfiesta, Ben Elliott, Anton Lipovetsky, Jenny McKillop, June Mirochnick, Naomi Ngebulana, Troy O’Donnell, Jan Alexandra Smith, Isaiah Terrell-Dobbs, Leon Willey, Jacob Woike. Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Rod Carley Theatre Conversation in a Covid World Ed Regan Joe Szekeres I’ve known of Rod Carley’s work for over twenty-five years. In February 1987, I had seen his performance as Algernon in Whitby Courthouse Theatre’s production of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’. Whitby had also obtained a grant to hire Rod as the director of their Youth Group production ‘The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe’. The Oshawa Little Theatre had also hired Rod to direct its production of a good production of ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’. Rod is an award-winning director, playwright and actor from North Bay, Ontario, having directed and produced over 100 theatrical productions to date including fifteen adaptations of Shakespeare. Rod is the Artistic Director of the Acting for Stage and Screen Program for Canadore College and a part-time English professor with Nipissing University. He was the 2009 winner of TVO’s Big Ideas/Best Lecturer competition. His first novel, A Matter of Will, was a finalist for the 2018 Northern Lit Awards for Fiction. His short story, ‘A Farewell to Stream’ was featured in the non-fiction anthology, 150 Years Up North and More. I’ve just finished his second novel Kinmount and will post a review at the conclusion of Rod’s profile. Thanks to Nora McLellan who encouraged me to read Rod’s book and to Rod for writing it and for taking a few moments to chat with me about the state of the arts going forward from a Covid to a post Covid world: In a couple of months, we will be coming up on one year where the doors of live theatre have been shuttered. How have you been faring during this time? Your immediate family? Health wise, I’m okay. I had to cancel two directing projects and an acting project as well as my fall reading tour for my new novel KINMOUNT. My immediate family is in good health. Fortunately, I’m based in North Bay, ON. This region has a small number of active cases. Teaching, Netflix, (not to be confused with teaching Netflix), family, the arts, books, the cats, Zoom chats with friends, doom scrolling, my writing, and connecting with the theatre and writing community on social media have been helping me get through COVID. Together although alone. When one of us is having a hard day, the rest jump in with words of encouragement and hope. “No one gets left behind,” is our unofficial motto. After ten months in, everyone is weary from daily COVID battle fatigue and uncertainty of the future. Each day feels like trying to herd a different cat. How have you been spending your time since the theatre industry has been locked up tight as a drum? As well as an author and free-lance director, I am the Artistic Director for the Acting for Stage and Screen Program at Canadore College - a training program I created in 2004 due to the lack of actor training north of Toronto. Because of the small number of COVID cases in this region, we have been able to keep 70% of our acting classes in the classroom, practising physical distancing and wearing masks. We are one of the few actor-training programs in the province that hasn’t had to switch entirely to on-line delivery. I’ve been doing a lot of writing. My new novel KINMOUNT was published this past October. Launching a new book smack dab in the middle of a pandemic is not for the faint of literary heart. Using the new COVID lingo, I “pivoted” and did a virtual launch (one positive was the number of friends who were able to attend from across the country and internationally). My publisher and I have relied heavily on social media to market the book. I’m also in the final editing stage of a new collection of interconnected short stories entitled Grin Reaping. I’ve done quite a few Zoom readings at online literary events. Last April, I retaught myself to play the accordion and posted regularly on social media to put a little light and humour into people’s days…or drive them further over the edge. The family tabby cat, Hilton, amuses me to no end. Our other older cat, Zoe, passed away in September. Last summer, I created a series of social media posts featuring Hilton and Zoe called “Respect for Mewing,” a purrfect parody on Uta Hagen’s “Respect for Acting.” Their antics might even lead to a book. I’ve also watched some very resourceful theatre companies move their programming online. Tarragon Theatre’s staged reading of David Young’s Inexpressible Island at the start of the pandemic was particularly well done – the six actors speaking out of the darkness in their respective spaces captured the isolation of the piece. I’m looking forward to watching Rick Roberts’ online mythic adventure Orestes, directed by Richard Rose, this coming February. Still, nothing can replace live theatre. There is a sanctity to what we do as theatre artists. People gather together to experience things that can’t otherwise be experienced – not unlike what happens in a church or synagogue. There’s an elevation, a nobility, and a feeling of sanctuary. Arthur Miller said, “My feeling is that people in a group, en masse, watching something, react differently, and perhaps more profoundly than they do in their living rooms.” The late Hal Prince described the theatre as an escape for him. Would you say that Covid has been an escape for you or would you describe this near year long absence from the theatre as something else? COVID is a restriction rather than an escape. In the theatre, flight-within-restriction is the director’s goal. A director has to know all the resources and limitations they are working with. Only then can they know in which direction freedom lies. Ironically, for me, it’s become a working metaphor for coping during COVID. I’ve interviewed a few artists several months ago who said that the theatre industry will probably be shut down and not go full head on until at least 2022. There may be pockets of outdoor theatre where safety protocols are in place. What are your comments about this? Do you think you and your colleagues/fellow artists will not return until 2022? Dr. Fauci was recently quoted in The New York Times as saying he believed that theatres could be safe to open some time in the fall of 2021 – as long as 70% to 85% of Americans were vaccinated by then. Will those percentages apply to Canadian theatres? The quality of a theatre’s ventilation system and the use of proper air filters will play a vital role. Theatregoers may need to continue wearing masks. Strict hygiene protocols will need to be in place. Reduced capacity of seating has been another roadblock in the financial viability of reopening. Fauci believes theatres will start getting back to almost full capacity of seating. Another possibility is to ask audience members to show proof of a negative virus test –as required by some airlines. I am currently directing an online college production of David Ives’ All in the Timing, scheduled to go up in April 2021. I hope my colleagues and I will be able to direct live productions by the spring of 2022. Even with the vaccine, however, we will have to see if audiences feel comfortable returning to the theatre. Post-COVID, it may take awhile until they feel fully safe. I had a discussion recently with an Equity actor who said that yes theatre should not only entertain but, more importantly, it should transform both the actor and the audience. How has Covid transformed you in your understanding of the theatre and where it is headed in a post Covid world? A quote from my new novel KINMOUNT: “For nearly four thousand years, theatre had survived religious persecution, war, plague, the rise of television, AIDS, CATS, funding cuts, and electronic media.” (KINMOUNT – Part Two: Madness, Chapter 8, p. 173) But can the theatre survive COVID? My response is, “Yes.” We've probably all heard somebody say that come the End of the World, the only survivors will be the cockroaches. Cockroaches have been around for over 300 million years - so they've outlasted the dinosaurs by about 150 million years…and they are tough little creatures. They can survive on cellulose and, in a pinch, each other, and they can even soldier on without a head for a week or two - and they're fiendishly fast as well as many of us have discovered opening an apartment door and turning on a light. They have the reputation for being survivors - living through anything from steaming hot water to nuclear holocaust….and, when they do survive Armageddon, they will probably be performing theatre! There is something of the scrappy cockroach in every actor. Theatre has survived a variety of “end of the world” scenarios since its earliest beginnings. From the stone ages, men and women have been telling stories by enacting them even when no language existed. Ancient Greek theatre still inspires us, and it continues to be staged in all the languages of the world. In Ancient Greece, we had an empire ensconced in domestic barbarism and military adventurism. Yet, it was the theatre that reformulated the debates of that era with humanity and intelligence and put those qualities back in the air we still breathe more than 2,000 years later – and theatre will do that again post-COVID. Starting in the Dark Ages, actors were forbidden the sacraments of the church unless they foreswore their profession, a decree not rescinded in many places until the 18th century. Can you imagine the great French playwright Moliere collapsing on stage to his death and being denied the last rights? King Louis the 14th had to intervene to grant Moliere a Christian burial. Actors were treated as heretics for nearly 1,300 years! They know about tenacity and survival. During the 1950’s the world lived under the threat of an atomic war capable of ending life on earth. It was an age of anxiety and stress. The theatre was heavily influenced by the horrors of World War II and the threats of impending disaster. Serious questions were raised about man’s capacity to act responsibly or even to survive. Anxiety and guilt became major themes. Probably more than any other writer, Samuel Beckett expressed the postwar doubts about man’s capacity to understand and control his world. Now, “the end of the world” really was around the corner but it didn’t stop theatre. The cockroach artists kept holding that cracked and broken mirror up to man’s doubtful nature. We may see post-COVID theatre addressing similar issues – the fall of the American Empire, climate change, reconciliation, and so many other pressing societal ills – coupled with a need for humour and escape. I think there might there be a backlash coming against digital technology. The human soul is screaming for meaning. How much spiritual hunger and alienation can we bear? Theatre is genuine communication and not short form twitters and tweets. An audience is alive in the same space where the actors testify the truth of their characters. Any place where you are in that kind of public forum, breathing the same air, the truth will come out. The late Zoe Caldwell spoke about how actors should feel danger in the work. It’s a solid and swell thing to have if the actor/artist and the audience both feel it. Would you agree with Ms. Caldwell? Have you ever felt danger during this time of Covid and do you believe it will somehow influence your work when you return to the theatre? We live in a dangerous era now where the arts are being seriously questioned. In an uncertain economy, the arts are often among the first things to be eliminated from discretionary spending. The fall of the American Empire is rife with danger. The rise of right-wing fascism is beyond scary. In many articles, the pandemic has been compared to Shakespeare and the plague. In this excerpt from my novel, KINMOUNT, down-and-out-director Dave Middleton talks to his acting company at the First Reading of his production of Romeo and Juliet: “Romeo and Juliet was the first play to be produced in London after the infamous Black Death of 1592 to 1594 wiped out close to a third of the population,” Dave explained. “All the theatres were shut down for three years. Images and references to the plague permeate the play such that the plague itself becomes a character—much the way Caesar’s ghost haunts and dominates Julius Caesar. The plague struck and killed people with terrible speed. Usually by the fourth day you were dead. The time frame of Romeo and Juliet moves with a similar deadly speed, from the lovers’ first meeting to their deaths.” “I can’t imagine waking up on Saturday and being dead by Tuesday,” said Miranda. “The plague underscores all that happens, mirroring the fear and desperation of the characters’ individual worlds,” said Dave, adopting a sombre tone. “I’m pretty sure most of us have lost someone to cancer.” The company nodded uncomfortably. “We can only imagine the dreadful immediacy of Romeo and Juliet when it was first performed for an audience who had each lost family and friends to the plague. Here was a play referencing that very loss and terror.” Dave circled his troops; his director’s passion, despite himself, as infectious as the plague he was referencing. “What a gutsy and attention-getting backdrop for the love story that unfolds in the wake of Ebola, the opioid epidemic, Lyme disease, HIV, not to mention the scourge of cancer, we know what this fear is like.” Dave had hit a nerve. “By using the original setting and its plague components,” Dave explained, “our production will serve as an analogy for today. We will play the humour of the first three acts to its fullest until the “plague” of deaths begins. We will explore the passion and exuberance of youth, the need to live every day as if it was your last, because it very well could be. Your life expectancy is thirty.” “Whoa,” said the taller stoner. “Like I’m already middle-aged. That sucks, dude.” “It does,” said Dave. “You have no idea what will happen when you start your day. You could be killed in a duel, run over by horse-drawn cart, be accidentally hit on the head by a falling chamber pot, or drink water from an outdoor fountain, toxic with bacteria boiling in the summer heat, and catch the plague.” (KINMOUNT- Part One: Meeting, Chapter 7, pp. 48-49) Similar to the plague, COVID has reinforced the transience and fragility of our existence. We really do have to embrace the moment because the future is more uncertain than ever. Post-COVID, this reality will serve as a backdrop for much of the theatre that will be created, whether consciously or unconsciously. The late scenic designer Ming Cho Lee spoke about great art opening doors and making us feel more sensitive. Has this time of Covid made you sensitive to our world and has it made some impact on your life in such a way that you will bring this back with you to the theatre? As a theatre artist, I’ve always been sensitive to the world – it’s in my DNA. Theatre has a responsibility to society – to educate, enlighten, and, hopefully, change. Theatre has been doing that for centuries. The theatre has always been, at least for me, about rekindling the soul and discovering what makes each of us human – it is the touchstone to our humanity. It is the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being. It speaks to something within each of us that is fleeting and intangible. And we feel less alone. Given our present circumstances, we need this more than over. The power of stage is enormous because it is real. We all live in what is, but we find a thousand ways not to face it. Great theatre strengthens our faculty to face it. Theatre provides for the psychic well-being and sanity of a society. We will need it more than ever post-COVID. In Shakespeare’s day, great plays were thought of as mirrors. When you see a play, you are looking into a mirror – a pretty special mirror, one that reflects the world in a way that allows us to see its true nature. We also see that it not only reflects the world around us, but also ourselves. This two-way mirroring means that learning about great theatre and learning about life go hand in hand. And it means that finding beauty and meaning in great theatre is a sort of proving ground for finding beauty and meaning in life. Again, the late Hal Prince spoke of the fact that theatre should trigger curiosity in the actor/artist and the audience. Has Covid sparked any interest in you about something during this time? Has this time away from the theatre sparked further curiosity for you when you return to this art form? The need to tell stories of what it is to be human remains crucial to me – stories about who we are, why we are, where we came from, and what we may become - with curiosity and hope. Stories that challenge the right-wing capitalist patriarchal hegemony. I will continue to revisit relevant older works with a fresh lens, making them accessible to today’s audience. I am committed to developing new works by Northern Ontario voices. For years, I have been working on an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar based on Pierre Elliot Trudeau, the FLQ and events surrounding the October Crisis of the 1970. In my interpretation, Caesar is, of course, based on Trudeau and, in the transported setting, he is assassinated in Ottawa by members of the FLQ as an act of revenge in the wake of his handling of “Black October.” The adaptation would involve both official languages and would employ colour conscious casting. It might never to see the light of day. I am also looking into creating podcasts for my new short story collection. I am in the early outlining stages of a new novel that will be a comic tale of writer’s block, the chopping block, ghosts, and ghostwriters. Rod Carley’s headshot by Ed Regan. Follow Rod on Twitter: @carley_rod and/or visit his website: www.rodcarley.ca . My review of Kinmount: KINMOUNT REMINDS US OF THE IMPORTANCE OF AND FOR THE ARTS NOW MORE THAN EVER While reading Rod Carley’s Kinmount, I couldn’t help but make a comparison of it to Miguel Cervantes’ Don Quixote for the literary term I remember from my second year undergraduate course at the University of Western Ontario - picaresque. I loved the sound of that word then and It still like the sound of it today. Just to review this term – A picaresque hero is a charming fellow who battles sometimes humorous or satiric moments and episodes that often depict in real life the daily life of the common person. Much like Don Quixote’s fight with windmills, Carley’s protagonist (Dave Middleton) is a professional theatre director who has been hired by oddly eccentric producer Lola White to direct a community theatre production of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet in Kinmount, Ontario. Dave ends up battling with oddball characters, censorship issues, stifling summer weather and shortage of monetary funds in his quest to ensure the production is staged the way he believes Shakespeare had wanted it to be staged. I reluctantly admit I had no clue where the town was as I’ve no reason to attend so I had to look it up on a map. Okay, once I saw where it was located, I will also be honest and state I didn’t know if I even wanted to visit the town as Middleton describes it as “Canada’s capital of unwed mothers under the age of twenty…kids having kids. And the rest are grammatically challenged and wear spandex. And that’s just the men.” I do sincerely hope Middleton’s description of the real town is tongue in cheek. Thankfully Carley tells us at the end of his book that he “chose the name simply because of the comic noun and verb combination. For no other reason” as “The real-life Kinmount is a lovely spot nestled in the beautiful Ontario Highlands and home to a population of five hundred friendly highlanders and summer cottagers.” Since I am a theatre and Shakespearean lover of language Kinmount, for me, became a touchstone of the crucial importance the arts provide us especially now in this time of shutdown, lockdown, and a provincial stay at home order of the worldwide pandemic. If we have been involved in community theatre productions, Kinmount becomes a hilarious remembrance of those moments when we all stoically wondered if the show would ever come together given the ‘behind the scenes’ world of egos, divas and divos, and oddballs just to name a few. Carley’s style never becomes pedantic but instead a playful reminder of those who select to participate in theatre, whether professional or community, just why we keep returning to this dramatic format. It is for the love of the spoken word. Rod and I spoke briefly via FaceTime about the ending of Kinmount and how touched I was at the final actions of protagonist Dave Middleton. Given the veritable struggles Dave must endure throughout the story, sometimes comical, sometimes frightening, he reveals a compassionate, human side that we must all never forget that we too can be like Dave in stressful times. It’s worth a visit to Kinmount. Kinmount now available at Latitude 46 Publishing (www.latitude46publishing.com ), Indigo, Amazon and your favourite bookseller. I picked mine up at Blue Heron Books in Uxbridge, Ontario. Previous Next

A Canadian look at an important part of our culture and history. Back La Bulle/The Bubble Toronto's Corpus Dance Projects Muriel Cavanhac Joe Szekeres La magie de ‘La Bulle’, c’est merveilleuse / The marvellous magic of ‘The Bubble’ (This review is based on the first preview performance of ‘La Bulle’/ ‘The Bubble’.) My word, artist David Danzon offers a remarkably charismatic solo performance of complete and focused concentration. During my undergraduate years at Western, I had minored in French language, culture and literature and had studied some elements of the art of mime. I remembered seeing various interpretive photos in print of Pierrot, the iconic dreamer, dressed in black and white and with the thick white pasted looking facial makeup. I often wondered how an artist might reveal how he/she/they would bring Pierrot to life, and how might I respond in seeing an artist present such a quirky spectral of this sad stock character of a clown especially in the twenty first century world. David Danzon moves beyond just a mere representation. His ethereally fascinating Pierrot remained enchantingly haunting for me during the hour-long production. To watch someone showcase the intricately challenging artistry form of mime with such poetic grace and fixed attention was enthralling. Mr. Danzon is a gifted performer, and the elegant silence in his sleek movements hooked me immediately and I allowed him to take me on a metaphysical journey of lights, colour, and sound. The press release stated ‘La Bulle’ was conceived before Covid-19 and it was “already meant to explore themes of social distancing and solitude before it became a concern for all. This new original work also speaks of an equally contemporary paradox: achieving privacy in an increasingly exposed and monitored world.” I smiled when I read this statement because the production uniquely emphasized for me the social distancing and solitude I’ve felt during this time personally and how to reconnect again in a world that has been so heavily influenced from the results of all this privacy we’ve experienced. Upon entering the courtyard of the Berkeley Castle, a huge balloon like see through bubble appears in which Mr. Danzon, dressed as Pierrot, sits in the middle. There are objects inside the bubble which contain some of the props to be used. Additionally, there are chairs physically distant around the bubble for the audience to sit. We are encouraged if we wish to do so to get up from our seats and move around to watch the action. I remain in my chair as my visual vantage point was perfect for me. Danzon is focused on a game in trying to make a ball move on the top of a large wooden peg. He spends a few minutes moving himself around in his seat to the various sightlines so that each vantage point watches and waits with bated breath (at least I was) to see if he would be successful in lodging the ball on top of the peg. I won’t spoil the surprise and tell you if he is successful or not. And then the pièce de resistance: to follow how Danzon (as Pierrot) utilizes his craft to invite some members of the audience to step forward and become part of his bubble for a few moments. Through their laughter, the young children adored the connection he was making to them and to others. At one point, Mr. Danzon beckons one audience member forward to outstretch her arms and appear as if she is inviting him for a hug on the outside of the bubble. On the inside, Danzon uses a white marker and then traces the outline of the person for a few moments. He then admires the work he’s completed on the inside and then steps toward that outline and stretches out his arms to receive the other person’s hug. Loved this connection Mr. Danzon made with someone. I hesitate to spoil the other charming elements in the performance, so all I’m going to say is I found myself thinking about the movements I make when I swim somewhere. Pay careful attention to the moment where Pierrot swims. So rather fetching. And I didn’t want his Christmas celebration to conclude at all as I was having so much fun watching him and watching the kids in the audience respond so believably to him. Absolutely magical, but underneath all this is a tad bit of ‘tristesse’ since we celebrated Christmas and our summer vacations solo during the pandemic. Danzon at one point wrote on the bubble, ‘C’est un peu triste, non?’ which reflected what we all experienced during the holidays. FINAL COMMENTS: La magie de ‘La Bulle’, c’est merveilleuse pour toute la famille. Allez-y à voir un bon spectacle. Vraiment remarquable! Recherchez vos billets gratuits en ligne maintenant avant qu'ils ne disparaissent. Théâtre français de Toronto et Jami present ‘LA BULLE’ by Corpus A Silent Solo Outdoor Performance Conceived, directed, and designed by David Danzon & Carolin Lindner (CORPUS) Presented by Théâtre français de Toronto and Jamii. Performed by David Danzon Costume Design by Francoise Autran No Spoken Word: From September 2 – 5, 2021 (Thursday to Sunday) at The Berkeley Castle Courtyard, 2 Berkeley Street, Toronto (The Esplanade) Running Time: 60 minutes FREE TICKETS. For reservations, please call 416-534-6604 or visit www.theatrefrancais.com . Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Norm Foster The Self Isolated Artist Self portrait Joe Szekeres Thank you to the theatre gods who have looked down upon me with grace and have blessed me with the opportunity to converse either online, via telephone or by email with some of Canada’s finest members of the professional performing arts community. These ‘self-isolated artists’ have been tremendously kind and receptive in speaking about how they are holding up during this Covid crisis while sharing some personal and poignant memories and thoughts. I cannot recall of any theatre company off the top of my head, either amateur or professional, who hasn’t produced at least one play by Norm Foster, another of Canada’s finest playwrights. I remember the first time I saw ‘The Melville Boys’ and was struck by how funny the story was at one point while several minutes later I was wiping a tear from my eye. I’ve always found Norm’s plays, characters, and dialogue true to life, sometimes daring, sometimes witty, sometimes harsh and most often humane. The story of how Norm came to a love of theatre always makes me smile each time I read about it. He went with a friend to an audition of a community theatre production of ‘Harvey’ because Norm wanted to see what this ‘theatre thing’ was all about. He ended up with the role of ‘Elwood P. Dowd’, the central character who has an invisible six-foot rabbit friend. Norm had never seen a play in his life up to this point. He seems like the kind of guy with whom you could sit in a pub for hours, have some beers, and just ask him questions and discuss everything and anything. I certainly hope I get that chance one day. And I just found out today that one of Norm’s hobbies is photography. His headshot is only just one example of his work. We conducted our interview via email right after he had recovered from surgery. Thank you so much, Norm, for your kindness to be interviewed: 1. It has been just over two months right now that we have been under this lockdown. I just found out you got out of the hospital. First off, Norm, a very speedy recovery to you. Before your surgery how have you been doing during this period of isolation and quarantine? How is your immediate family doing? Oddly enough before THIS surgery, I was recovering from another surgery for a ruptured aneurysm that occurred on a flight from Costa Rica to Toronto. So, it has been an eventful couple of months. I have actually been recovering from some surgery for the entire Covid adventure. If there is such a thing as good time for it to happen, this is it. The rest of the family seems to be doing okay. My wife Helena is doing a lot of gardening and online studying. 2. Before I started reviewing for On Stage Blog, I had just missed you by that much (as Maxwell Smart used to say) when you performed at The Capitol Theatre in Port Hope, Ontario several years ago. Were you involved in any projects before the pandemic was declared and everything was shut down? I was set to do a tour of my play ‘Jonas and Barry in the Home’ in several theatres in Southern Ontario starting in June. Plus, I was scheduled to go into rehearsals for two new plays of mine at the Foster Festival in St. Catharines this summer. All of that was wiped out of course when the theatres shut down. 3. What has been the most difficult and/or challenging element of this period of isolation? Not being inspired to write. I’ve talked to other artists about this and many of them feel the same way. You would think that with all of this down time available to us that we would be writing furiously. Not so. Ordinarily I have no problem sitting down first thing in the morning and writing. That is no longer the case, and I’m not sure why. I still have the ideas. I just don’t have the urgency to get them down on paper. 4. Now, along with your recovery from surgery at home, what have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time of lockdown? I watch tv. I practice my guitar. I face time with my children and grandchildren. I argue with my wife about nothing. I check my pulse. I sit in my beautiful yard like an old man and hope against hope that the NFL season won’t be canceled. 5. Any words of wisdom or sage advice you would give to other performing artists or emerging playwrights who are concerned about the impact of COVID-19? What about to the new theatre graduates who are just out of school and may have been hit hard? Why is it important for them not to lose sight of their dreams? I would just tell them to hang in there. This is just a speed bump. Mind you, it’s a pretty big speed bump, but this too shall pass and your dreams can still be achieved, given time. 6. Do you see anything positive stemming from this pandemic? At first, I thought that this would lead people down a less selfish path. The old ‘we’re in this together’ idea, but the more I see what’s going on in the world, the more I realize that I was just being naïve. For the most part, people are looking out for themselves. Positives? Yeah. I haven’t put gas in my car since March 3 and my last credit card statement was $32. 7. In your estimation and informed opinion, will the Canadian performing arts scene somehow be changed or impacted as a result of COVID – 19? It will be changed but I’m not sure how exactly. It will take some time for it to return to the way it was, if it does at all. We are all going to be cautious. I don’t think it will be nearly as enjoyable or fulfilling for the artists or the audience for quite some time. I fear it will seem more like work, something which I avoid at all costs. 8. Many artists are turning to streaming/online performances to showcase/highlight/share their work. What are your thoughts about this format presentation? Any advantages to doing this? Disadvantages? Are you participating or will you be participating in this presentation format soon? I think it’s great if the artists want to do that. Personally, I’m not interested in online performances right now, because they haven’t made the technology watchable in my opinion. It is just a stop gap measure for now. A way for artists to stay active, and that’s good. But it doesn’t interest me at this time. 9. Once you’re back on your feet and feeling better, will you do any live performances soon? What is it about the arts you still love given all the change, the confusion and the drama surrounding our world now? Oh yes, I plan to get back out on the road next year or whenever they say we can. I love performing and being a part of getting a play up and running. In fact, that’s why I do what I do. I love telling a good story to an audience. That won’t change. But I will not be writing any plays about COVID-19. People seem to think that we writers are all going to be telling our stories about it. Not me. I’ve got plenty of other stories to tell. With a respectful acknowledgement to ‘Inside the Actors’ Studio’ and the late James Lipton, here are the 10 questions he asked his guests at the conclusion of his interviews: a. What is your favourite word? Funny. b. What is your least favourite word? Laborious c. What turns you on? Quality writing. d. What turns you off? Opinions. e. What sound or noise do you love? Waves coming ashore f. What sound or noise bothers you? Arguing. g. What is your favourite curse word? Fuck h. What profession, other than your own, would you have liked to attempt? Piano player in a smoky bar. i. What profession would you not like to do? Law enforcement j. If Heaven exists, what do you hope God will say to you as you approach the Pearly Gates? “Nice job.” To learn more about Norm, visit his website www.normfoster.com . Previous Next

Where we deconstruct a piece step by step. Back Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre Onstage at Toronto's Meridian Hall February 3-4 Credit: Paul Kolnik. Company still from Kyle Abraham's 'Are You In Your Feelings' Guest writer Geoffrey Coulter, actor, director, arts educator Breathtaking! The iconic Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre has been delighting Toronto audiences at Meridian Hall (formerly Sony Centre, Hummingbird Centre and, when I grew up, the O’Keefe Centre) since 1979. I can’t believe I hadn’t seen this troupe live until last Friday evening! Since its humble beginnings as a single performance in a New York YMCA in 1958, Ailey and his trailblazing group of African American modern dancers have since created a Company of artists like no other with the U.S. Congress proclaiming in 2008 the Company, “a vital American cultural ambassador to the world”. The current 32-member strong Company took to the stage with an exhilarating selection of some of Ailey’s classic pieces from the 1960s to the early 2000s, some with updated staging but all with the heart of Ailey’s inspired choreography to jazzy soul music. Artistic Director Robert Battle’s company of athletic and graceful dancers poured themselves into provocative storytelling with dazzling physical displays of strength, grace, technique and beautiful lines. Breathtaking! The curtain rose to reveal 14 members performing all three movements of the playful and jazzily jaunty 1974 classic “Night Creature”. With Duke Ellington’s unforgettable soundtrack, this boy-chases-girl, girl-chases boy piece featured a sultry and flirtatious Sarah Daley-Perdomo leading Jermaine Terry and company in a dazzling and seamless integration of modern dance and ballet. Flowing tied-dyed costumes by Jane Greenwood and Elissa Tatigikis Iberti added colour to the piece as did solid lighting by Chenault Spence (although I did find it a little too shadowy and underlit for much of the piece). After a brief pause to reset the stage, soloist Vernard J. Gilmore stunned in Judith Jamison’s brilliantly re-staged “Reflections in D”. Dancing from centre stage within a spotlight from above, Gilmore’s athleticism and technique held transfixed and enthralled me at the height of his jumps and intensity of his floor work. After a 15-minute intermission, Act 2 started with Robert Battle’s incredible newer work, “For Four”, which let loose the distinctive styles of four of the company’s most vibrant individuals. Decked out in Corin Wright’s sequined tuxedo tails with fast-flying ponytails, homegrown (and only Canadian company member), Hannah Alyssa Richardson along with Kanji Segawa, Ashley Kaylynn Green and Kahlia Campbell made kicking and into-the-floor seem beautifully effortless. With music provided by Wynton Marsalis, the star of this piece was Ashley Kaylynn Green whose joy and energy along with stunning upstage cabriole jumps made this fast-paced swing-style staccato blur with electricity. More stunning displays of technique, styles and artistry in perfect marriage. Next was the stellar modern duet, 2007s “Unfold”, with intense physical performances by Jeroboam Bozeman and Ashley Mayeux. This duo recounted a tale of anguish, denial, and support, with Mayeux spending much of the piece in unbelievable backbends and lying contorted on the stage, conveying equal parts vulnerability and physical strength. Her long hair and flowing dress, courtesy of Jon Taylor, added an almost feral desperation to her outstretched arms. Bozeman’s fluidity while standing and prone provided a perfect connection and moving example of powerful partner work. I was emotionally affected by this piece. My gasp was one of many when the piece ended. Act 3 rounded out the 2-hour production with an audience favourite, Ailey’s legendary and indestructible 1960 favourite, “Revelations”. Most Ailey programs are capped with this inspirational and astounding compilation of short dances, intricately choregraphed to traditional spiritual music of the deep south. This 30-minute showcase of Ailey’s own religious upbringing in rural Texas is a genius work combining spirituality, history and even comedy. Such dazzling beauty and power of young dancers in what seemed like superhuman physical condition with finely-honed technique. I hope they wear kneepads in rehearsals. Jeroboam Bozeman, Chalvar Monteiro and Kanji Sagawa raced like whirlwinds through, “Sinner Man” (kudos to Sagawa who masterfully adapted after almost losing his trousers) and “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham” had the audience grooving to the soulful beats and intricate feats of this fabulous company. The crowd was finally satiated with a jubilant encore, swiftly bringing them to their feet for the final curtain call. I would easily herald this as one of the greatest dance performances. Even with its disappointingly short run in Toronto, its three performances were packed. This is the dance company not to miss when it visits us again next year. Alvin Ailey’s American Dance Theatre is rousing, resilient and repeatedly remarkable! Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Jacob James Theatre Conversation in a Covid World Selfie Joe Szekeres Jacob James is one extremely passionate fellow in sharing how this pandemic has ultimately transformed his life. I wasn’t able to include every single bit of information he shared with me during our hour-long conversation as one topic sometimes dove into another completely different question or topic that I hadn’t even considered. But that’s okay. At one point, Jacob poked fun at himself by telling me that I would glean from our conversation that he loves to speak with others who are just as passionate as he is about the arts and about the state of live theatre as we all move forward post pandemic. He is an actor, director, drama professor currently at Queen’s University in Kingston, and creator of the YouTube channel Theatre Curation Project. He has spent seven seasons with The Stratford Festival, five seasons with Drayton Entertainment, five seasons with Videocabaret (Dora awards), five seasons with The Thousand Islands Playhouse, and has worked with Theatre Kingston, Soulpepper, Neptune, Globe Theatre Regina, Charlottetown Festival, New York Shakespeare Exchange, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cleveland Playhouse...and more. As a teaching artist, Jacob has taught at arts institutions across North America for over 20 years including Michigan State University, St. Lawrence College, and Queen's University. Please visit Theatre Curation Project on YouTube and subscribe, follow him on Instagram at @jacoboneilljames. Jacob is a graduate of The National Theatre School, Birmingham Conservatory (Stratford Festival), Second City Conservatory, and York University's Teaching Artist program. Jacob adores his six year old son, Henry, and still finds time to consider new and exciting ways to keep interest in the arts going. I plan to check out many of his passion projects with the links included at the conclusion of his profile. We conducted our conversation via Zoom. Thanks again for the lively discussion, Jacob: The doors to Toronto live theatre have been shut for over a year now with no possible date of re-opening soon. How have you and your immediately family been faring during this time? I must say that many people are talking about the waves that it goes in. Sometimes I feel positive, inspired and motivated, then the next day I’ll sit the entire day in my pajamas at the computer checking social media. I was set to do my third of ‘Billy Bishop Goes to War’ this time with Drayton Entertainment. We were supposed to start rehearsals March 26. I was in New York at the time. I’ve been splitting my time between Kingston teaching at Queen’s and in New York where my son’s mother was based. It was a harrowing lifestyle for the going on two years I’ve been doing it. The numbers in Stratford are low right now, but we’ll see what happens in the summer. Henry, my son, is 6 and he’s doing alright. All to say, yes, there was such a downfall from theatre becoming disenfranchised and yet, at the same time, it meant that I got my son safely back to Canada. My son’s mother and I, we co-parent relatively well and decided to locate to Stratford. I spent my 20s as an actor and she owns a house here. On the one level, I have felt totally disenfranchised but on the life level really grateful not having to split my week between Kingston and New York City and all that travelling. Having my son back in Canada and in one place is good. I’ve had ups and downs, but it has forced me to get innovative and thinking about ways about what can I do to help. Theatre is being diminished through this pandemic and there is a real danger of it being impacted permanently. How have you been spending your time since the theatre industry has been locked up tight as a drum? That sense of stewardship started to rise within me as a result of this worldwide epidemic. I’m not the kid anymore and it’s my generation to make the initiative to preserve and to curate what past mentors had shared with me. I wish they were here because I would really like to talk to them now as I reflect back and wish I could ask them things now, but obviously I can’t. That gave birth to something I created on the You Tube channel called ‘The Theatre Curation Project.’ It started twofold. I got thinking about all the mentors whom I’ve had in this business who have now passed away. My original mentor, Valerie Robertson, was in Theatre Five. She is one of the mothers of Canadian Theatre. Here at Stratford, Richard Monette was my major mentor and influence. Well, there are a lot of people who are still alive and have these stories and lessons. Why not reach out to those who were influenced by those who may not be here? Why not reach out to those who are still here and are leaving their mark on the theatre scene? Kenneth Welsh is a veteran of our time, but who was his mentor for example. To my surprise, this avalanched into 40 + episodes of ‘The Mentor Series’ I’ve curated. I’ve about 20 in the bank ready to go. The idea here is to preserve these stories for future generations and from being lost forever when I’m gone. I got to thinking about the conversations we would be having in the rehearsal hall, and I’m a big ghost nerd. I get into these conversations of did anyone ever work in a haunted theatre and what was their experience. I discovered a lot of people share that same curiosity and interest, so I created a second series for the You Tube Channel ‘Haunted Theatre Stories’. The basic format is similar to the Mentor Series channel. The next phase of the Theatre Curation Project is the beginning of an online theatre school. Right now, we’re beginning with an online component. Eventually, I’d like to buy a building when we can be physically back together with that theatre school graduating into a theatre company, an apprenticeship school where there is an opportunity of doing. So, preserving the tradition and maintaining community are important. The late Hal Prince described the theatre as an escape for him. Would you say that Covid has been an escape for you, or would you describe this near year long absence from the theatre as something else? Yes, it has been an escape for me in good ways and in bad ways. Being in Covid has been an escape from hopping on a plane and going to New York to see my son or only seeing my son for half the time. It’s also been deprivation. I’ve been fortunate to have done a bit of tv and film over the interim since that has kept rolling. It doesn’t fill the void. I love editing and I wonder I might have become an editor for film and tv if I had gone a different path. I’ve interviewed a few artists several months ago who said that the theatre industry will probably be shut down and not go full head on until at least 2022. There may be pockets of outdoor theatre where safety protocols are in place. What are your comments about this? Do you think you and your colleagues/fellow artists will not return full throttle and full tilt until 2022? I’d say that’s a very safe bet. Again, there are a lot of variables that could take us further ahead that could accelerate the process but there are a lot of factors that could set us back. Of late, what I’ve been coming to terms with is the struggle. Certainly, in Canada and Ontario specifically, the colour coded roles and the numbers, these two things are not working together in tandem. My mom is still in Kingston and I talk to her regularly. When Kingston was opened up, even though Toronto was in lockdown, people in Toronto are going to Kingston to the restaurants. I shudder to say it: If we created a uniform set of rules for the province, we’d be in better shape. If we stayed in lockdown since Christmas, we wouldn’t be where we’re at right now. There’s always that tendency of “Well, if I visit this person, it’s just me not everybody.” When Trudeau said at the beginning last year, “It’s time to come home”, we still need to be in that tone, or nothing is going to be done. I get the fatigue of it all but… In the end, what is it worth if we can’t see our family next Christmas? My forecast for all this? There will be smatterings of outdoor theatre going on this summer. My thinking if rules are set that 100 or more can be in a theatre to watch a show, masked and social distanced, we could start seeing those small, distanced audience numbers in the fall, okay that’s a start. But back to where we were before with full houses and sitting next to people shoulder to shoulder? That won’t happen until at least 2022. I had a discussion recently with an Equity actor who said that yes theatre should not only entertain but, more importantly, it should transform both the actor and the audience. How has Covid transformed you in your understanding of the theatre and where it is headed in a post Covid world? It's transformed me because empathy has been at the forefront of my mind because this is what is needed right now to help control this worldwide pandemic. If we’re not empathetic and care for each other and put ourselves in each other’s shoes, wear the masks, do the social distancing then it’s going to continue to be bad news. I’ve been transformed because I used to be quite romantically optimistic about everything and had a lot of faith in humanity. I have to admit that the empathy is still there, but the faith in humanity has been dampened a little bit for me because it’s pretty simple. We’ve got a simple set of rules to follow to protect ourselves and each other, and yet there are people who are actively out to go against the grain. Here in Stratford, I’m seeing signs of NO MORE LOCKDOWNS. I can’t wrap my head around it. Where have I been transformed concerning live theatre? I’m all about theatre that engages as opposed to pacifies. Theatre needs to come from the inside out, not the outside in if it wants to be authentic and achieve any kind of vacuum quality acting level. The audience should feel like voyeurs, according to the late William Hutt. The late Zoe Caldwell spoke about how actors should feel danger in the work. It’s a solid and swell thing to have if the actor/artist and the audience both feel it. Would you agree with Ms. Caldwell? Have you ever felt danger during this time of Covid and do you believe it will somehow influence your work when you return to the theatre? I agree with Ms. Caldwell. We need to see a character begin somewhere and end up somewhere else. In order to do that, there must be conflict. The conflict is where the danger comes from. It makes me think about an experience I had. I originated the role of Clown 1 in the Canadian premiere of ‘The 39 Steps’. I had a strange kismet with that play where I later played Hannay at Neptune in Halifax. When I got to New York, there was an off-Broadway production running and I was asked to understudy all three male roles. But then the show closed. I assistant directed a Canadian production oddly enough with the guy who assistant directed the off-Broadway production and who I had been auditioning for in New York for the understudy job. Dayna Tekatch directed the Canadian premiere. She reminded us, excluding the role of Hannay, the characters can be as big and buffoonish as you want them to be, but they have to be rooted in playing a real objective to come from the inside out. They have to be real people and start as real people and not inauthentic lunatics. If these people are not real, there can’t be any danger. If there’s no danger, then there can’t be any stakes. If there are no stakes, then it becomes a bunch of silly gags and actors playing different characters. It needs to be that thriller. If there is no danger in this particular play, it’s over before it starts. I did a short film in Toronto over the last summer. It was the weird period of being in limbo between the first phase of the pandemic and not quite into the second phase. I remember thinking we are in this little window where we can do this. Productions have learned a lot since then; companies have learned a lot about how to do the protocols. We all had our tests on this film, but I was the stickler during the film ensuring that we would all be safe. There are these stories about Douglas Rain, one of the original company members at Stratford. He got a bit reclusive in his last days. Apparently, he set up a little tent corner area when he wasn’t working. He didn’t want to talk to anybody. I was close to pulling a Douglas Rain on the short film I shot last summer. I didn’t want anyone to come near me because I did feel the danger in my being a stickler about safety on set. I was grateful to do a job but felt petrified the entire time. I went to length of during that whole shoot and the two weeks after, I isolated from my son. The late scenic designer Ming Cho Lee spoke about great art opening doors and making us feel more sensitive. How has this time of Covid made you sensitive to our world and has it made some impact on your life in such a way that you will bring this back with you to the theatre? The thing I’m most keenly sensitive about from all this is we’ve all been experiencing some degree of trauma on the spectrum of trauma. I recognize that and have seen it manifested in myself and in others. It manifests in unexpected ways and it has heightened our reactions to so many things. Being a parent of a six-year-old, there are so many undiscovered epiphanies. I’ve been keenly aware of the other two kids who are in Henry’s learning pod through school. For those kids who can’t articulate the trauma they’re experiencing or recognizing it, I’ve learned how to be more sensitive especially towards Henry. He’s happy here in Canada, his socialization is fine with a good balance of work and play. There was a moment where something wasn’t right and just a moment out of the blue. Henry is a good kid. He’s funny, got a good sense of humour and is sensitive, there was a moment where he came up and sat on my lap, and cuddled up on me and hugged me and squeezed me. I asked him if he was alright, and he just started crying. He said he just felt sad. For ten minutes he went through that. It was hard, heart wrenching but it was good because he was having an emotional release. That led to a conversation of saying it’s a good thing if you’re feeling sad to cry because you’re letting it out of your system. He doesn’t understand fully what is happening to him. And it suddenly dawned on me that what I was telling Henry, I should have been telling myself as well. Sometimes you forget that if you need to take a day to be in pajamas and watch mindless movies or play video games, it’s okay to not feel the shame and to take the time to not do anything. How will this translate into my work? With my students I was working on a couple of different Shakespeare monologues. I gave them something dense and challenging from Richard III. In working with them, we looked at the two different Richards. We saw the adult and the child Richard. How did Richard get to this point? It started me thinking what this would have been for him? That level of trauma would probably have created some arrested development and to lead to insane behaviour and the shutting off of emotions. Again, the late Hal Prince spoke of the fact that theatre should trigger curiosity in the actor/artist and the audience. Has Covid sparked any curiosity in you about something during this time? Has this time away from the theatre sparked further curiosity for you when you return to this art form? The Theatre Curation Project and Channel have made me even more curious. I’m a big theatre nerd. Long before I studied at the Stratford Festival, I had the books about William Hutt and renowned at Stratford and I was a big theatre history buff. But looking at the journey and legacy of how we got from where it started to where we are now is at the forefront. What I’ve been recognizing as we’re 40 episodes in with more to follow, the similarities, the patterns and the story forming from hearing the accounts of these mentors, I’m realizing and now starting to map together the foundations of Canadian theatre and the commonalities. It’s prompted me to perhaps have these stories come out as special presentations. Ultimately, I want to transpose a lot of these stories into books and volumes so they can be in libraries of theatre schools long after I’ve left this world. I got thinking about this idea of the architects of Canadian theatre. At this point, I can count on two hands specific people who started it all. Almost in a Bible format, I’d like to write the ‘Genesis’ history of the architecture of Canadian theatre, the creation of Canadian theatre. One volume for example might be called THE BOOK OF HUTT (with great respect to William Hutt) and the impact they had then and now. My drama students at Queen’s don’t know who are Val and Gord Robertson. This has to change. They have to know these names of the greats of Canadian theatre some who came from Kingston. Just in terms of life as well has made me curious. There is re-inventing going on because of the pandemic. Rather than being defeated by all this, what can we do in spite of all this. Not only to keep it going and preserve the stories, but I’ve said in some of the faculty meetings with the drama department at Queen’s to look at online learning as an opportunity and silver lining that perhaps what we are doing online now will augment the learning of the students when they return in person. To learn more about Jacob’s passion projects, please visit: YouTube Theatre Curation Project: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLhEdMQ-NVs_WC61tHYw7yQ?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook Group: Theatre Curation Project https://www.facebook.com/groups/645544769451393/ Patreon: www.patreon.com/theatrecurationproject Follow Jacob James on his Insta: @jacobonielljames Previous Next

Dramas encompass the human response to a created life situation on the stage. Back 'Sizwe Banzi Is Dead' by Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona Presented by Soulpepper and now onstage in the Young Centre for the Performing Arts in the Distillery District Dahlia Katz. Tawiah M'Carthy (kneeling) and Amaka Umeh (standing on chair) Joe Szekeres An emotionally gut-wrenching production that hits the core of my being. The beauty of Amaka Umeh and Tawiah M’Carthy’s gifted performances shamefully reminds me I still have a long way to go in learning more. ‘Sizwe Banzi Is Dead’ opens in Styles’ (Amaka Umeh) photography studio in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He reads a newspaper and has finished an article about an automobile plant and then, in a fascinating monologue delivery, begins to tell the audience a funny story about the time he worked at the Ford Motor Company. The audience also learns that Styles had a former job before becoming a photographer. Sizwe Banzi (Tawiah M’Carthy) enters and would like to have his picture taken. When Styles asks his customer’s name, Sizwe hesitates momentarily and then uses the fictitious name of Robert Zwelinzima. Sizwe confidently addresses the audience, delivering a monologue in the form of a letter to his wife. He reveals that he will inform her of his death upon arriving in King William’s Town, where he plans to search for employment with the assistance of his friend, Zola. Despite facing difficulty finding work, Sizwe persists and stays with Buntu (Amaka Umeh), a friend of Zola’s, in order to continue his job search. One evening, Sizwe and Buntu visit a local bar, during which Sizwe steps outside to relieve himself and discovers the deceased body of Robert Zwelinzima. Upon noticing the man's passbook, which grants permission to work, both Sizwe and Buntu decide to take it, with Sizwe now assuming the identity of the deceased man. At this part of the play, an intriguing question is raised: What motivates someone to take on the identity of a deceased individual? According to Assistant Director Tsholo Khalema's I never thought about “the proverbial deaths of Black persons who were forced to modify their behaviour in order to avoid being perceived as aggressive or threatening.” I never knew they were required to carry a passbook dictated by the Dutch colonial government indicating the individual’s right to work or reside in a specific town. To assume the identity of a deceased individual with the proper passbook would be the only option for safety. And that’s exactly what happens when Buntu removes the photo on Robert's passbook and replaces it with Sizwe's. Buntu convinces Sizwe to burn his passbook and adopt Robert Zwelinzima's identity. He assures Sizwe that he can always remarry his wife. Do I blame either of these individuals for doing what they did? Absolutely not. That’s why the play resonates with me emotionally as I was not fully and compassionately aware of what was transpiring overseas. Seeing ‘Sizwe Banzi’ makes me deeply regret my lack of knowledge about this dark period in history and wish I had taken more initiative to educate myself. Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu clearly focuses her inspired direction on the value of all black human lives. A story like this requires two gifted performers who tell with the utmost grace, keen humour, frank observation, and candid reactions. Amaka Umeh and Tawiah M’Carthy magnificently do just this. As Styles, Umeh’s recounting of the photos she has taken of individuals over the years is riveting to watch. There is such happiness and confidence in the way she speaks about those whom Styles has photographed. As Sizwe, M’Carthy is the exact opposite of Umeh’s Styles. Sizwe appears initially hesitant and nervous when he enters the shop. Much-needed humour occurs as Styles poses Sizwe in some unnatural stances for the camera. But Amaka and Tawiah also do more for me. Their impactful performances continue to remind me I still have a long way to go in learning more about “how we can learn from our past to move forward” as Director Tindyebwa Otu writes in her programme note. Ken Mackenzie's set design effectively immerses the audience in a different era and location. Raha Javanfar's enigmatic lighting design establishes a foreboding tone. Richard Feren's sound design serves as a stark reminder that we are not in North America. I particularly admired Ming Wong's costume design for Tawiah M'Carthy, as his suit's pinstripes and pristine appearance conceal the true identity of Sizwe from the audience initially. Final Comments: Although I remember during high school and completing my undergraduate degree that the situation in South Africa was bad, I never fully understood the immense human suffering caused by apartheid. Tindyebwa Otu’s Director Notes reveal South Africa’s apartheid laws were inspired by Canada’s own policies towards Indigenous people. I felt tremendous anger at this realization and sadness in recognition I didn’t learn more. ‘Sizwe Banzi is Dead’ is one very important theatrical work to see. I hope there might be some audience talkbacks before the show concludes its run. Continued work and guidance need to be evident after the performance. Running time: approximately one hour and 45 minutes with no intermission. ‘Sizwe Banzi is Dead’ runs until June 18 in the Michael Young Theatre at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane in Toronto’s Distillery District. To purchase tickets: visit soulpepper.ca, youngcentre.ca or call 1-416-866-6666. Soulpepper Presents: ‘Sizwe Banzi Is Dead’ by Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona Director: Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu Set Designer: Ken Mackenzie Costume Designer: Ming Wong Lighting Designer: Raha Javanfar Sound Design and Composition: Richard Feren Stage Manager: Sarah Miller Performers: Tawiah M’Carthy, Amaka Umeh Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Zorana Sadiq Canadian Chat Aleksandar Antonijevic Joe Szekeres Toronto’s Crow’s Theatre has produced some provocative and some rather controversial productions since I’ve begun reviewing. And that’s the beauty of attending live productions as sometimes we don’t know what we’re getting. There have been some titles that just, for some reason, appeal to me and I want to find out more about them. ‘Mixtape’, the next production at Crow’s running November 9 – 28, is one of them. What appealed to me about this upcoming production is the picture of the cassette tape that I would have purchased many moons ago which contained the popular songs of the day. I remember those tapes made some of the greatest musical sounds to my ears. I even remember pulling together rather crudely songs from other sources to put on the one cassette tape. Crow’s bills this production of ‘Mixtape’ as part memoir, part scientific inquiry and part love song to listening. Okay, you’ve got me hooked and I want to learn more. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to profile writer and performer of the piece, Zorana Sadiq. A multidisciplinary artist of Pakistani descent, Sadiq’s work is wide-ranging and spans different types of performance including theatre, television, chamber music, contemporary music, and opera. Sadiq has performed extensively in Canada and the Unites States alongside many of classical music’s leading conductors and vocalists including Bramwell Tovey, Robert Spano, Alex Pauk, Dawn Upshaw, baritone Daniel Okilitch, and tenor Colin Ainsworth, as well as appearances with Music Toronto at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, Vancouver Symphony, L.A. Philharmonic, Calgary Symphony, Indian River Festival in Prince Edward Island, Boston Musica Viva, Vancouver’s Turning Point Ensemble and New York’s Da Capo Ensemble. Zorana has received training at Montreal’s McGill University and at the University of Toronto with specializations in Music History and Music Performance – Voice. We conducted our interview via Zoom. Thank you so much, Zorana, for taking the time and for the smiles and laughter as I know you are busy with rehearsals right now: Name one teacher and one mentor in your life for whom you are thankful that brought you to this point in your career as a performing artist. Oh my gosh! This is a great question, actually, because I think we all have these kinds of people in our lives. In as much we can run into chaos and turmoil with people, there are those beacons that have a longer impression on you. When I was a young singer, I went to the Aspen Music Festival and School and did their program there, and I got to study with the mezzo soprano Suzanne Mentzer. She was really important for me to run into at that point in my life. You can have teachers who say, “I’ve always sung like this, and now I’m going to show you how I do it without any impediment; it was never any trouble for me. It was very natural for me and I’m going to show you how”, and that’s lovely. You can also have teachers and mentors who have had obstacles and have had to traverse the reality of something vulnerable and ‘tight ropey’ as classical singing. Suzanne had had something that lots of singers have while she’s singing at the Met. She had some kind of vocal thing and had to stop for awhile, and she rebuilt her voice to the gorgeous instrument that it is today. She taught me something both technically and emotionally about the cost of holding back to protect yourself. If you have something in your past that you worried about technically, if your way of solving that is to hold back and close yourself, there’s a cost. And so, there’s a thing you have to do, this beautiful ‘jump out’ risk that is actually better, and healthier and more safe for you than holding back, both technically but also just as philosophy as an artist. Suzanne is so gracious, and she is just such a superb singer and artist. I loved that she levelled with me and got into the trenches with me. This is far more useful for me than someone on a pedestal and telling you how they do it. That’s a very different kind of teacher. I was so lucky to have her as a teacher and mentor. I’m trying to think positively that we have, fingers crossed, moved forward in dealing with Covid. How have you been able to move forward from these last 18 eighteen months on a personal level? How have you been changed or transformed on a personal level? I think we all were tolerating a level of busyness before the pandemic that was really not good for us; multitasking and sort of saying “If I have the actual time, then I can do it”. It’s not about minutes, it’s about whether you actually have the space in your mind to do something. I was about to go into the craziest balance of rehearsing something in the day, doing a show at night and teaching at the same time. All this crazy stuff that came completely to a halt with the pandemic. It made me go, “That’s not good just because you can do it all”. We’re all multitaskers and it’s a true feature of the profession that work doesn’t always come, and sometimes you have to do more than one thing. But I feel somewhat, and I hope it lasts that things are starting to feel like it’s time to do this again. But I think that thing about having space around the tasks that you do means you can really get down into the centre of them. Of course, you have a certain level of professional acumen so you can kind of do that, but I don’t know. There’s something right in the centre you might miss if you overschedule. There’s something about time, and my relationship to time has shifted in the pandemic, and I hope that it lasts. How have these last eighteen months of the pandemic changed or transformed you as an artist professionally? Well, I had this unusual situation, a kind of KISMET around the timing of 18 months off while I was writing “Mixtape’. I don’t know how I could have done it otherwise or blocked out my performance, my teaching stuff. I’m a parent so I had to have time there. It was actually kind of lovely artistically for me in some ways, but I’ll tell you something. I’ve just seen some live theatre recently in the last two weeks, and I feel like I spend the first 10 minutes in this low gratitude weep, just silent sobbing. Because what we realize after we watch all the Netflix shows and eaten too much and drank too many cocktails is that art is like vitamins. I started to feel like I had a vitamin deficiency. We need to see ourselves reflected in art. And so, professionally, I came to realize we’re not an add on. The provincial government can make us feel that way, but we’re not. We’re an essential part of all of us seeing ourselves, not in a highbrow way, but what is the function of art? To reflect us, to make us feel a spaciousness, to make us feel understood, and when you don’t have that… Yes there’s good stuff on Netflix, and there’s great television and film, true. But that witnessing process of live art, or even being in a gallery in front of that painting, it’s the way our mind goes with art…this is like oxygen. In your opinion, do you see the global landscape of the professional Canadian live theatre scene changing as a result of these last 18 months? I was piecing what you might have thought of that question, and I’ll answer it this way and I think it’s the whole industry whether film, tv, theatre. Because we were all glued to our screens and because COVID was an equal opportunity virus that affected people of privilege and disproportionately BIPOC people in the States particularly, I think we all felt what it was like to be in peril with the virus that we had this real tight lens on racial inequity, in a way that our busy lives had made it so that very big problem which has always been big, people were not paying it enough mind. And so, I hope that it is not a fad that we are really asking who gets to tell the story. What stories are we not hearing? What should we think when we go to a show and we see a cast of entirely white people which formerly we just took as nothing. That’s a choice, we need to see that as a choice not as a representation of who we are certainly in Canada, certainly in Toronto. That’s what I think has changed. I think it’s hysterical the amount of self tapes, we’re just doing it all. The shows are hustling. In the theatre too, there’s been some beautiful and mindful stuff going on in the re-jigging of seasons. CANSTAGE is doing some beautiful, Crow’s certainly with Cliff Cardinal’s recent presentation of ‘As You Like It’. Beautiful stuff going on of who gets to tell the story, and what story is that, and what do we mean by universal stories because they’re not all really universal. How are rehearsals going for MIXTAPE? How has this experience transformed you as an artist? What do you hope audiences will take away from MIXTAPE? Rehearsals are going SOOO WELLL they’re a delight. I wake up every day excited before I’m even awake enough to know what I’m excited about. It’s wildly exciting and very stimulating. Chris (Abraham) is an excellent, excellent wingman to have as a dramaturg and as director. Then we have this beautiful team assembled: Thomas Ryder Payne is doing sound, Julie Fox is doing the set, Arun (Srinivasan) is doing the lighting. It’s just beautiful. The rehearsals are a delight. I’ve never written a show myself. I’ve always been in someone else’s creation. I’ve sung recitals myself, but I’ve haven’t written a narrative play so that expression as writer has been a revelation to me. I’ve always been a person who loved and parsed and was a wordsmith, but never applied it in this way. That’s a very delicious thing to be writing because it’s really amazing and you can control it in a way that the spoken word is affected in a certain way and reactive. It’s beautiful. Without giving away too much for audiences, I want them to come in with ‘open ears’ to this show. I don’t want to stack it with too much assumption and expectation. I would love it if the audience became aware of their own instrumentality. I actually think we are little instruments walking around making sounds, hearing sounds and learning language. I would love it if audiences have this in their mind plus the universal journey, in my case, to make the sound of who we are, and more universally be who we are and how to express who we are. What fascinates/intrigues/energizes Zorana Sadiq post Covid? This is the same kind of question as I said before about the landscape of theatre. What’s intriguing me is the possibilities that have been opened up, again in regards of who gets to speak. We’ve had to become creative again post Covid like ‘do it yourself’ creative and ‘scrappy little things’ with theatres figuring out how to do online stuff, how to do in person stuff that is still distanced. What that means is that is not the only way it can go, it can go a number of ways when chaos strikes and we have to be resourceful and scrappy. Then the red tape falls to the floor and it’s like ‘It’s okay. We have an opportunity to do it a different way’, and I find that really exciting all over the place. Scrappy, less institutional kind of policy, I find that amazing. I have to say that Crows is the first theatre to be doing this in person thing this fall, and Chris and Crows in particular are very good at re-imagining the paradigm and building in comfort and safety. What disappoints/unnerves/upsets Zorana Sadiq post Covid? Well, you know, some of the theatres aren’t going to make it. Some of the artists are not going to keep going. I’m really worried about who left and can’t come back. Is it just going to be the big dogs that have government funding that will survive, and what’s going to happen because it’s really hard. Anybody who is doing theatre now is going to do it at a loss. I’m worried who will not survive as it is still a perilous condition. We continue to have a provincial government that is not particularly supportive of the arts, and our federal government is doing an okay job. I’m worried about the financial shakedown of the theatre community for me. Think of the young people, Joe, who have just graduated from theatre school and wondering if they’re going to be able to get a job in all of this. I worry about these young emerging artists because we need them. RAPID ROUND Try to answer these in a single sentence. If you need more than one sentence, that’s not a problem. I credit the late James Lipton and “Inside the Actors’ Studio’ for this idea: If you could say one thing to one of your mentors or favourite teachers who encouraged you to get to this point as an artist, what would it be? “Thank you for the map of the journey.” If you could say something to any of the naysayers who didn’t think you would make it as an artist, what would that be? So this would be for teachers: “Thank you for helping me to be a really good arts educator and teacher by showing me what not to do.” I don’t mean this in a spiteful way as I really mean that because I teach too. I ‘m a good teacher and part of it is going, “I remember how that felt. I remember what that did to me” and that is something I am not going to do. What’s your favourite swear word? Absolutely for sure - “Fuck” – without a doubt. What is a word you love to hear yourself say? This is a great question as it is a perfect question for ‘Mixtape’ actually. The word I love to hear myself say is ‘wild’. What is a word you don’t like to hear yourself say? This might surprise you. ‘Always.’ I say that word when I’m thinking black and white and then I know I’m in trouble when I hear “It always turns out like this” or “I always think that it’s…” It’s never ‘always’…it’s just ‘sometimes’. What would you tell your younger personal self with the knowledge and wisdom life experience has now given you? “Don’t forget to laugh.” With the professional life experience you’ve gained over the years, what would you now tell the upcoming Zorana Sadiq from years ago who was just in the throes of beginning a career as a performing artist? “Don’t wait for someone to tell you what you’re good at.” What is one thing you still wish to accomplish both personally and professionally? Like a million and one things…how can I even begin to say just one thing????? (and we have a good laugh) Who answers this question with just one thing???? Well, I guess personally, fearlessness. I would love to decrease the amount of hesitancy that is an initial filter for me. Professionally, (and this is also funny in relation to ‘Mixtape’), “consistent listening”. It’s not easy as we often aren’t listening even when it’s your profession as often other things might be clouding what’s going on. The best thing would be just to be listening. Name one moment in your professional career as an artist that you wish you could re-visit again for a short while. You know what…I would actually like to re-visit the first time I performed in front of a live audience because that addiction to communication and that first feeling of a circle of energy, from the performer to the audience and back. I would love to see if I was picking that up even then. What is one thing Zorana Sadiq will never take for granted again post Covid? Small talk with strangers. I miss talking to strangers, kibitzing with people, talking with people on the bus, taking the bus. It’s almost like speaking English as a second language because EVERYTHING IS LOUD!!!!!!! AND YOU DON’T WANT TO CONFUSE PEOPLE!!!!! so you can’t make a little joke. Humour is a big thing in my life. I talk to people I don’t know all the time. It was very hard when Covid hit, and that’s the human race. I want small talk with strangers. As a professional artist, would Zorana Sadiq do it all again if given the same opportunities? I would do it all again in a heartbeat. Follow Zorana on Twitter: @zoranasadiq and on Facebook: @zoranasadiq Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Pamela Mala Sinha “It’s challenging as a playwright, but I love acting so much. I think the hard part is done and now I have to step into the harder part which is the role and surrender to the story..." Joe Szekeres It has been a busy few weeks speaking with a number of artists who have show openings in the next several weeks. I’m rigorously trying to get caught up and post their articles but will always remain grateful and thankful for every opportunity to speak with them. Recently, I received a press release detailing background information about Pamela Mala Sinha and her play ‘NEW’ which is now playing at Canadian Stage's Berkeley Street Theatre. She is an award-winning Canadian actress and writer working internationally in theatre, television, and film. She was Necessary Angel’s inaugural Playwright in Residence. Pamela was the recipient of Dora Awards for Outstanding New Play (playwright) and Outstanding Lead Actress for her solo debut play, CRASH. Her second play, Happy Place, premiered in Toronto in 2015 at Soulpepper. CRASH’s US debut was at New York’s Signature Theatre in 2017. The film version of CRASH is currently in development with Necessary Angel and Riddle Films. She completed her training at Montréal’s National Theatre School in the 1990s. Does she miss the city: “I love Montréal. If I could have made a living as an English-speaking actor in the city I would have stayed. I have close friends who live in the city, so when I can I’m on a train.” Pamela slightly paused and then sighed when I asked her how she was feeling even though we are still in Covid’s throes. She felt it was ‘touch and go’ there as ‘NEW’ was supposed to premiere at Winnipeg’s Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre in 2020. There was hope the production would open in 2021, but alas we know what occurred. 2022 was two years waiting for the premiere and it was a huge relief and privilege when the production was finally mounted at RMTC. Winnipeg is Pamela’s original hometown and 'NEW' is set here, so this is another inspiration of sentimental reason to premiere the play here. Now that Toronto is her home, the opening of ‘NEW’ is equally as significant as the Western premiere. For Sinha, this week’s Toronto opening still feels like the premiere of the play yet again. Sinha is ecstatic to be back in the theatre again telling stories that all theatre artists have been longing to do. It is their centre, purpose, and desire in their actor’s training to do so. On its website, Necessary Angel describes the plot: “The year is 1970 and the arrival of a Bengali bride to a small university town shakes up a tight-knit group of Indian immigrants, including the husband she's never met. Tradition and counterculture collide for three women and their husbands as their perceptions of identity, sexuality, and the meaning of freedom are challenged by the spirit - and actions - of this fearless young woman.” With this plot focus, Sinha tries to capture the things that were important in the story and that needed to be told in a deep and complex way. Pamela was one of the few artists selected nationally to receive a prestigious Project Imagination commission from Soulpepper Theatre Company to write a play of any choice. Thus, the genesis and germination of ‘NEW’ began. What she wanted to do was tell the story of her parent’s generation as young people. There is a whole world of her parents and their chosen extended family as young people, and a huge gap in the popular culture in terms of South Asian immigrants and their stories: “I remember looking at photographs in preparation for a funeral of a very close member of my family and seeing all these people young, vibrant, and sexy as hell, without children and figuring it all out and looking like a million bucks while they’re doing it.” Sinha wanted to know the truth of the situation, so she returned to Winnipeg to research and speak to extended members of her family. She asked a lot of questions. In all her research, she wanted to get to the truth about these individuals who were part of her years growing up. She established such trust and respect with these extended family members and the stories just came forward. As an actor, Sinha sometimes gets frustrated about the roles she is often offered. These roles are sometimes of those who are intimidated, vulnerable and afraid, and not the bold, brave, and adventurous people whom she saw in the photographs at the funeral. This drives Pamela bananas and why she often doesn’t work. Why not write what Pamela knows to be true as opposed to waiting for someone else to write it and being frustrated by it? She wanted to just tell the story not necessarily about the joys and triumphs. What were some of the struggles these extended family members felt? Did they feel lost? alone? Did they fight as a married couple? How were these conflicts resolved? These ‘new’ individuals to Canada/Winnipeg were young here. They came of age here. Pamela and her extended chosen family of aunts, uncles and cousins were all beneficiaries of the gifts of love and knowledge from those who came to Canada to build a life. This understanding makes the messages of ‘NEW’ so universal. Pamela also adds the play is based on fictional characters. No one from her extended family would recognize themselves on stage. How does she feel about being an actor this time and being directed by Necessary Angel’s Artistic Director Alan Dilworth? This is her fourth collaboration with Alan, and she agrees he is a gifted director. She’s learned that it’s important to write the play first and then hopefully not have to do any re-writes during rehearsal. With ‘New’, Sinha wrote the play and then made adjustments but, hopefully, they’re not cataclysmic so she can focus on her actor performance and journey in the play instead of the third eye point of view of the playwright: “It’s challenging as a playwright, but I love acting so much. I think the hard part is done and now I have to step into the harder part which is the role and surrender to the story as opposed to hearing the story while I’m in a scene and trying not to judge the writing.” As we concluded, I asked Pamela where she sees the future of Canadian theatre headed as an artist. She’s really worried about the theatre because people’s attention spans have shrunk with streaming. We both agreed that we are guilty of fast-forwarding a lot. She adds further: “Art will always be relevant and I think theatre is essential to our humanity. The convenience of everything being at our fingertips is going to threaten the sacredness of what we do. There’s great potential in these new plays new playwrights and new approaches, but we’re up against a lot. We have to get people to come to the theatre and experience that group and audience energy of receiving story in community. You don’t get that on your couch watching a streaming network.” Sinha’s final words: “Theatre keeps all of us connected in an important way that we were so robbed of during Covid.” Necessary Angel in association with Canadian Stage and the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre presents the Toronto premiere of ‘New’ running to May 14, 2023 at Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley Street. For tickets, visit www.canadianstage.com or call the Box Office at (416) 368-3110. To learn more about Necessary Angel Theatre Company, visit www.necessaryangel.com . Previous Next

Dramas encompass the human response to a created life situation on the stage. Back The Rez Sisters The Stratford Festival David Hou David Rabjohn Congratulations to The Stratford Festival for insightful creativity in developing live theatre for a covid world. A soaring brilliant white tent was only a part of the unique outdoor experience that subtlety embraced social restrictions. The Festival could have found simple vehicles that would easily adapt to required new measures. They went the other way. With courage and boldness the festival produced Tomson Highway’s 1986 searing story of ‘The Rez Sisters’, a complex and weighty play concerning the lives of seven sisters on a Manitoulin reserve. Highway’s already distinguished writing is further elevated by an ensemble cast of diverse talent, energy and unremitting power. We first meet Nanabush who stumbles on stage, unkempt and ill, crawling under a tarpaulin and sits, eyes furtive and suspicious with birdlike movement, skillfully played by Zach Running Coyote. Going through wild throes as a sickly patient, he sets the stage for tragedy and suspicion throughout the story. Nanabush develops into a kind of muse or indigenous Greek chorus symbolically reflecting many of the more horrific moments of the sisters’ lives. Running Coyote’s brilliant physicality offers the choreography that punctuates the many struggles on the reserve. Pelajia is the first of the slow train of sisters on stage – some actual sisters, others half sisters or sisters-in-law reflecting the close-knit community. Played with crackling energy by Jani Lauzon, she is a contractor equally comfortable with both hammer and knitting needles. Like many of the sisters, she hates the reserve and longs for a better life, perhaps in Toronto. Her sister, Philomena (Tracey Nepinak) can be both dark and brooding (she longs to know anything about the child she gave up) and equally hilarious as she also longs for the gleaming porcelain toilet bowl that is her holy grail. Annie Cook, played joyfully by Nicole Joy-Fraser enters frantically and is teased for non-stop energy as she yearns for a singing career. The complexities of relationships start to form as we meet Marie-Adele, perhaps the most tragic figure, played by Lisa Comarty, who has fourteen children and is clearly dying of cancer. She stole her sister Annie’s boyfriend and the wounds are still raw. Scenes begin to break down into raucous battles as various tensions are exposed and fight director Anita Nittoly’s remarkable choreography mirrors the many conflicts. The cacophony of anger rises, while lights flash until it is halted by Zhabooningan. Played subtlety and sympathetically by Brefny Cariboo, Zha is intellectually disabled and has been horribly raped by two white men. She is embraced by her sisters and is adopted by the unpopular Veronique (Christine Frederick) who portrays her dark character with both meaness and hope for more understanding. Bingo becomes the epicentre of dreams, hopes, and delusion. Never far from their minds, bingo is not a social occasion. It is the vehicle for moving forward in big or small ways – that shining toilet, a huge new stove, or an entire island of life. Learning of “the biggest bingo in the world” the sisters put their conflicts aside and plan a masterful odyssey to Toronto. A leitmotif of marching, they make their way to Toronto, experiencing obstacles and pain reminiscent of their reservation lives. The bingo day climax ends with an audience participation surprise, the hollowness of smashed dreams and ultimate death. The circle returns to Manitoulin. Some part of this tragedy slightly softens anger and hate. Sophie Tang’s set design offered a thrust stage with multiple surprises. Each of the many chairs was unique – sometimes representing the fourteen children, other times cleverly manifesting a symbolic prison. The translucent tarp diversly served as hospital bedding, a babe in arms, or a funereal shroud. Wayne Kelso’s sound design was delicate and haunting – rash only when it had to be. Director Jessica Carmichael wielded a heroic baton. She found a delicate balance between letting her dynamic ensemble spin and create at will and finding a focus that roots the story. Ms. Carmichael’s own recent pain gives authority and intimacy to this production. Using all the tools offered by Tomson Highway – Cree or Ojibway language and indigenous dance – she made us understand the circles of living. As mentioned in the program, this production properly gives a nod to recent tragic discoveries and young people who now yearn for a better future as the sisters do. Some circles should remain and some circles should be broken. Upon discovering Emily’s pregnancy, Zha creates slivers of mirth as she sneaks up on her friend and says hello to the little unknown. What an honest way to peer into this world – with both unrelenting sadness and with mirthful silliness. ‘The Rez Sisters’ by Tomson Highway Produced by The Stratford Festival Players – Brefny Caribou, Lisa Cromarty, Nicole Joy-Fraser, Irene Poole, Jani Lauzon, Kathleen MacLean, Tracey Nepinak, Zach Running Coyote Director – Jessica Carmichael Sound Director – Wayne Kelso Set and lighting design – Sophie Tang Fight director – Anita Nittoly Stage manager – Bona Duncan Tickets at stratfordfestival.ca Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back John Ng Ng's honesty and candour are stark reminders we're still not out of Covid. Joe Szekeres John Ng appears next month in the Canadian premiere of ‘The Chinese Lady’ by American playwright Lloyd Suh. It was one of those rare occasions when I was running late to interview John as traffic was terrible and I felt awful about my tardiness. An actor’s time is precious especially if he or she has had a full day of rehearsal and then has other responsibilities. What a most accommodating individual. John was more concerned about me because I ran into the room huffing after running from the taxi to get to the rehearsal room where we would speak. After I composed myself, we got into John’s love of performance and why he wanted to be an actor. He has appeared in CBC’s ‘Kim's Convenience’ (2016), ‘Rising Suns’ (2020) and ‘The Swan’ (2020). Ng completed his training in the Honours Programme in Directing at the University of Ottawa. He laughed and told me it was a five-year plan for him in theatre studies. His goal was not to go to New York City but to come to Toronto and do a show at Theatre Passe Muraille, at Factory and Tarragon Theatres. He has done all that. In that respect, John feels he has fulfilled a goal upon graduation. Coming out of university, he was getting roles in acting. He wrote plays, one of which was performed at the Toronto Fringe in 2001. The production did quite well, and John proudly stated the Fringe play was his launching pad into the Toronto scene which was the start of the golden era of Chinese Canadian theatre in the city. Marjorie Chan who will direct John in ‘The Chinese Lady’ appeared in Ng’s Toronto Fringe play. ‘The Chinese Lady’ (a two-hander) is his first show in three years. This time around, he is working with Rosie Simon and director Marjorie Chan (Artistic Director of Theatre Passe Muraille) at the helm. He’s worked with Rosie before and describes her as fearless. She fights for things and she always comes out ‘rosy’. He has so much confidence in Simon and Ng draws on that. John describes Marjorie Chan as ‘a great people person’. She gives an actor lots of room and is very perceptive. Because she has worn every hat in the theatre, Marjorie has such a vast toolkit for the actor. An actor can trust Marjorie when she speaks because she knows what she is talking about. After a three-year absence from the theatre, (his last show in the fall of 2019), John smiled when he said he thought he still knew what was involved in the theatre rehearsal process. He also joked he hasn’t performed in a two-hander since his undergraduate years, so he has been quite attentive. For him, there has been a seismic change in the theatre at the top post-Covid. Many theatre companies and artistic directors have stepped aside and opened up to be more inclusive. These changes in the theatre are for the next generation of theatre artists and theatregoers. John then shared a personal story about how he felt with the return to the theatre even though we are still in Covid’s embrace: “I have to be honest. I was ready to give it up. I was ready to just pack it in. I didn’t think I would return. I didn’t think theatre would return even to the extent that we’re in now. Those were dark days. How would we ever get back to theatre especially when I had heard of actors getting sick when theatres were allowed to return? So many shows were lost over these past few years.” Ng’s honesty and candour are startling but a stark reminder we’re still not out of Covid. He still muses ‘The Chinese Lady’ might very well be his last show. Or, if he does another show, that could be his last one. That’s how he’s looking at it. The rehearsal room has been exciting and fun. John praises director Marjorie Chan for keeping rehearsals light in the room. Everyone is comfortable with each other and there is no pressure to perform. There’s a sense of creation and exploration. According to John and Crow’s website, ‘The Chinese Lady’ is the first documented Chinese female, Afong May, to arrive in the United States from Guangzhou Province in 1834. She is 14 years of age. She has been hired to promote merchandise. Purportedly the first Chinese woman to set foot on U.S. soil, Afong May has been put on display for the American public as “The Chinese Lady.” As the decades wear on, her celebrated sideshow comes to define and challenge her very sense of identity. Alternatingly dark, poetic, and whimsical, the play is a searing portrait of Western culture seen through the eyes of a young Chinese woman. John compares ‘The Chinese Lady’ to being an absurdist play. Periodically, the fourth wall is broken and the characters speak to the audience. What message does John hope audiences will take away after seeing ‘The Chinese Lady’: “That’s a metaphysical question for discourse and, for me, that’s what the play’s about. I hope audiences will leave and think about in terms of how they perceive things in reality and question how much they have been influenced by advertising by propaganda and social influencing.” What’s next for John once ‘The Chinese Lady’ has completed its run? Nothing has been confirmed, but a couple of projects will hopefully get the green light. The one thing John will confirm - he will go home and tend to his cat. Produced by Studio 180 Theatre in association with fu-GEN Asian Canadian Theatre Company in association with Crow’s Theatre. ‘The Chinese Lady’ runs May 2-21 in the Studio Theatre at Crow’s Theatre, 345 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto. For tickets, visit crowstheatre.com or call (647) 341-7390 ex. 1010. To learn more about Studio 180 Theatre, visit studio180theatre.com. To learn more about fu-GEN Asian Canadian Theatre Company, visit fu-gen.org. Previous Next

Where we deconstruct a piece step by step. Back 'Message In A Bottle' Choreographed and Directed by Kate Prince. Based on the Songs of Sting A Sadler Wells and Universal Music UK production presented by TO Live Lyne Thiesen Geoffrey Coulter, actor, director, adjudicator, arts educator VOICE CHOICE Electrifying and Intense. A stunning and breath-taking new dance production. “Message in A Bottle” is a breath-taking new dance production. It’s equal parts genius choreography and visionary storytelling put to Sting’s timeless and intelligent lyrics of love, war, and everything in between. It’s one of the most magnificent performances I’ve ever seen. It’s beautiful, shocking, inspirational, innovative, and jaw-droppingly creative! This is a show that comes around but once in a lifetime. You absolutely cannot miss this spellbinding work of art! The UK’s five-time Olivier-Award nominee Kate Prince treats Toronto audiences to her latest magnificent new dance show, “Message in A Bottle”, and, boy, is it a feast for the senses! She’s pulled out all the stops. Her skills and unparalleled talent bring us an original show inspired by Sting’s iconic hits and poetic lyrics. Her creative team and unbelievably talented company of 14 dancers tell us a poignant and relevant story of hope triumphing out of human suffering and displacement in a war-torn, anonymous country. Art imitating life in our modern world of strife and discord. It moved me in ways that I can’t fully describe in this review. I’m still processing the experience and thinking about its beauty days later. This is the first time I’d seen a dance show based around the music of one artist’s work and, while not a die-hard Sting fan, I found myself revelling in the new arrangements of his iconic hits like “Every Breath You Take”, “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” and “Spirits in the Material World”, here given new meaning with revised tempo and pace. The stunning production, costume and lighting design is among the finest I’ve ever witnessed in a dance performance, and I’ve seen quite a few. But it’s the keen storytelling by director/choreographer Prince and her dancers that charts new ground. I heard many refer to this as a jukebox dance show. It so much more than that! The music is brilliantly integrated into an imagined story about one family: a father, mother and their three teenaged children – Leto, Mati and Tana - living an idyllic, tribal existence in a faraway country. They live in harmony with their land, their people and each other. When a civil war erupts, the family’s world is devastated, their homes destroyed, their lives forever changed as they face this brutal reality together. They need to make impossible choices to ensure their survival. They attempt to flee their homeland and become refugees in a strange land where they are separated and imprisoned. But love and hope sustain them. With Sting’s new arrangements, the cast brilliantly flies through the two-hour masterpiece with a stunning fusion of styles – mostly hip hop, breaking and contemporary with popping, locking, lyrical and some ballet thrown in. This mash up of styles is almost a new style in itself. The hard-hitting street hip hop here melds with the fluidity of lyrical and precision of ballet technique. The flips, tricks and head spins are all there, but the influence of the other dance styles is extraordinarily evident and breathtakingly beautiful. The incredible 14-member cast pour their hearts, souls and bodies into their characters and dance with an aliveness of empathy. Their group and solo works are stunning, poetic, astounding. Prince communicates through dance masterfully. Her ability to tell a story with such clarity through movement alone is remarkable and no small feat for any choreographer. There was something about this performance. The feeling we were in for a special experience was palpable as the audience held its collective breath from the first dancer’s movement until their much-deserved, unanimous standing ovation. There isn’t a single step that doesn’t have a purpose. Prince also brilliantly weaves the best design elements to augment her narrative. Video projections by award-winning designer Andrej Goulding provide moving greyscale backdrops of ocean, sky, rain, and sand with the most gorgeous and ominous silhouette work. Natasha Chivers’ exquisite lighting is spectacular, enhances the emotional intensity in every scene with banks of side lights and carefully places spotlights above that allowed performers to seemingly appear and disappear into shadows. Her use of shapes to denote confinement and isolation was claustrophobic. Her integration of lights into Goulding’s video projections was seamless. I often couldn’t discern where one ended and the other began. It was intense, dark, ominous and seconds later warm, placid, and inviting. A cast member unto itself. Stunning! Costumes by multi award-winning designer Anna Fleischle were functional and fluid - billowy leggings, sleeveless vests, flowing skirts in muted tie-dyed colours put the dancers at the forefront. Her addition of subtle tribal patterns, futuristic grey suits with half-moon headwear, even black hoodies and overalls perfectly transported us to worlds of beauty and danger. Continuing the vision of subtly enhancing the dancers, set designer Ben Stones places the action in a simple “black box” with walls at right angles and openings magically appearing and disappearing upstage. Again, it’s minimal design for maximum impact – a few boxes that look like vegetable crates, a rotating square room framed with no walls and moveable bare flats provide lots of room for choreography. “Message in a Bottle” is electrifying and intense, with stunning individual production elements expertly entwined to create a something much larger than the sum of its parts. New arrangements of some of Sting’s iconic and poetical hits along with newly composed interstitials perfectly fit Kate Prince’s inspired vision of war-torn countries, refugees, displacement, and human resilience. It’s relatable, visceral, and important. While her direction and choreography are impeccable, there’s nothing that compares to watching a dancer making something live in the moment. The strength, agility and versatility of the troupe is extraordinary. This alchemy of storytelling, dance, Sting’s music, and impeccable production design elevates this theatre going experience to something transcendent. I’m still on cloud nine. Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Beatriz Pizano Looking Ahead Tanja Tiziana Joe Szekeres Near the conclusion of our conversation, Beatriz Pizano talked about the passion she recognizes in emerging artists and how important it is to nurture it, especially as we look ahead and move forward out of this pandemic. I must say that Beatriz herself is one deeply passionate lady about her work and craft. I highly respect learning more about her and the work she has accomplished over the past twenty years through Aluna Theatre. Beatriz Pizano (Actor/ Director/Playwright) is the founder and Artistic Director of Aluna Theatre. Over the last twenty years, she has built Aluna into an international company recognized for its unique approach to creation, its daring political work, and its experimentation with multiple language productions. Her bold performances, in English and Spanish, are marked by a distinct theatrical language drawing from the heritages, cultures, and languages from across the Americas. Aluna’s original productions have earned them 29 Dora Mavor Moore nominations and 11 wins. She has received a number of prestigious awards including the John Hirsch Prize, the Chalmers Fellowship, K.M. Hunter award, 100 Colombianos and Colombiano Estrella. She is the first Colombian actress to win the Toronto Critics award and a Dora for her performance in Blood Wedding. She has been recognized twice by the Colombian government (President Santos and President Duque) for her work as a promoter and a mentor to the Latinx artists living and working in Canada. In 2019 she was named of TD Bank’s 10 Most Influential Hispanic Canadians. We conducted our conversation via Zoom. Thank you so much for adding your distinct voice to the conversation, Bea: It’s a harsh reality that the worldwide pandemic of Covid 19 has changed all of us. Describe how your understanding of the world you know and how your perception and experience have changed on a personal level. Well, to tell you the truth, Covid has been difficult in some things but at other levels for me, I was craving a pause. I haven’t had a rest. After running a company for 20 years, I needed to think where we are going now. There are changes that needed to happen. We struggled so hard as a diverse company. I was exhausted because as a tiny company we don’t ever get the funding needed to run. For example, I only have one full time person in twenty years, which is me, to run the entire company. The rest are all contract workers. That instability because with me just running Aluna and having to do everything for the company was challenging. I was working seven days a week and I was very tired. Before the pandemic, I was very lucky to get one of the Canada Council Grants, the New Chapter Grants, which was a large amount. I’ve never seen that amount of money before to fulfil my dream of working in a piece called ‘The Solitudes’ inspired by ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It was the first time I fulfilled my dream of working with a collective of women for an extended period of time. We worked over two years, working several times a year for a month, then another three weeks in building that beauty of process. So, after this experience, I felt like I couldn’t go back to a period of three weeks and go, go, go again. So, for me, it was a much-needed time of reflection personally. I love being home. I have a garden and working in it. I’ve made gigantic personal changes in my life, so I needed time to just sit. I also travel a lot with the Festivals as a presenter. I travel six months of the year and was always going, going. So, suddenly, for someone like me who has a personality of constantly being on the quick move all the time, I was at home. It was great at the beginning, but for me it has been an important time of reflection personally on who I want to be as an artist, and where do I want to go from now as a more mature artist. I’ve done all these things, and now success and all those things do not matter to me in the same way. I’m looking for a deeper soul now, what do I want to speak about now. I want to now move into the art of living. I’ve written so many plays about things that were important to me. I’ve started a new project, but I don’t know what it is I want to say yet so I’m going slowly. For me, the pandemic has given me this opportunity to reflect on how to implement these changes, how they are going to manifest, and how will Aluna deal with these changes. With live indoor theatre shut for one year plus, with it appearing it may not re-open any time soon, how has your understanding and perception as a professional artist of the live theatre industry been altered and changed? Theatre will never disappear, but it needs to adapt and speak to the times. Digital theatre will never be going away, but how is it going to evolve moving forward? As theatre artists we have to be in the here and now. Technology is the world of the new generation coming forward. These digital tools will not go away. If something is introduced, it will become part of the medium that we know. Soheil Parsa is directing ‘The House of Bernarda Alba’ next year, fingers crossed (and I’m crossing my fingers too because I want to see this production). When we look at this piece, this Lorca piece is so deep and profound as it’s about intergenerational trauma among the women. We’re not doing the ‘Bernarda Alba’ that everyone does. The company was very important because it coincided with the cries for social change and equity and being a part of that conversation in seeing how we move forward from now on. When I began the company there were five of us who are Latinx artists no more than 10 and now there is a beautiful community of artists who are very strong and emerging. I’m thinking now as I move forward, and I begin to think of whoever wants to take over the company. I accepted the role of Artistic Director when I took over the company 20 years ago, and now when it’s time for me to move forward, I’m now thinking about strong Latinx artists who can take over. I want to leave a home of strong artists, that was my dream. I want to leave a world full of strong opportunities in this company for a community of artists. As a small company, Aluna does not always think in terms of ticket sales. Instead, we see the audience as part of the process and in communion with the actor. That is so important. I’m known to give tickets away to those who cannot afford to see theatre because it’s important to introduce as many as possible to the theatre. Sometimes it’s hard to separate the artistry from the personal side because my work for 20 years was focused on Aluna. I was once asked if I had any hobbies, and I couldn’t state that I had hobbies. Everything I did was my art, and I wasn’t able to separate between the two. At times, it’s hard to separate the two. As a professional artist, what are you missing the most about the live theatre industry? Rehearsing in person. I’m about process. I work in a style of process, improvisation and discovering until you find things and throwing myself in the room. I’m a very physical actor. To embody the human body with the text is so critical in the process. It’s not the same on Zoom to feel and to connect with another actor. I need to be in the room with others. We were in rehearsal for ‘Bernarda Alba’, but I was turning the character into a stereotype because I was not in my body. It’s so hard to make that connection with another actor through Zoom. I never abuse the moment when the actor is in communion with the audience or with another actor. If you as actor can make the audience breathe with you, that is magical. I miss breathing in the same room with other actors and audience. Oh my God, I miss a lot of things. As a professional artist, what is the one thing you will never take for granted again in the live theatre industry when you return to it? People. Artists need to be paid well and people need to be compensated really well. After Equity removes fees etc, sometimes actors are left with $12, $13, $14/an hour and I’m thinking, “Seriously?” There are actors who have been working for 20, 30 years and they’re earning below minimum wage? This doesn’t make sense. This is inhumane. This has to stop. Let’s compensate people well. I don’t know who created this system we currently have in place in the theatre. Over the years, we work people to the bones for opening night. When the actors leave, the director, crew and designers stay. Creation is such an act of opening the soul and I don’t understand why people are staying around when the actors leave. That can’t be justified anymore. For instance, some companies have implemented there must be at least two weeks of technical rehearsal in the theatre. When I work with Soheil, he has at one week before previews of tech in the theatre. When you don’t have a lot of money as many smaller theatres may not, you cannot do that. At Aluna we give at least one week of tech in the theatre because it moves the play faster and better for the actors. For me, I don’t know how I’m going to do it as a producer, but that practice of working people to the bone must end. Let’s compensate people adequately and fairly. Throughout this pandemic we have been paying people way above scale. People need to be paid daily rates because they work so hard. Describe one element you hope has changed concerning the live theatre industry. I don’t think it has changed, but there must be an awareness that the system we have been working with was not working for a lot of people. The work ahead is really hard. It will also be very exciting because there is a beauty in the multiplicity of artists and voices that we will soon hear. It’ll be hard because there is the unknown ahead, but with this multiplicity and diversity of voices, Canada will become an exciting artistic place. Canada already is because I’ve travelled to other places, but we need to come out of these boxes. Theatre has become a business on behalf of this illogical thinking because for some people it’s not a business. For some, theatre may be a social movement so we cannot put it under the same thing because it is looked at differently by many people. The conversation is changing but we have a lot of work to do. I don’t believe anything has changed yet. This is a process. Explain what specifically you believe you must still accomplish within the industry. Oh my God! I don’t know why you’re making me so emotional, Joe. (and Bea and I share a laugh) So many things. On a personal level, I’m still striving for so many things as an artist, and that’s making sure I have the time to prepare and to put it in my process. In this urgency to get things done, I don’t take short cuts, and I don’t respect the sanctity of the art form if I did that. It requires time through dedication through playwrighting and acting. I also want to learn so much more about directing, about playwrighting, about acting. The only way you learn is by doing it with opportunities. What I want to do is make sure I can create those opportunities for others as well, especially in the diverse and marginalized communities that have had very little opportunity to work. You don’t get better if you don’t work at it. That’s the reality. With every project I take on, I have this saying: “All I knew today. Tomorrow I will know more things.” If I can go to sleep at night and say, “Yes, Bea, you did everything you knew today. The reason why I didn’t do anything different is because I didn’t know it yet.” But tomorrow after completing that project, I will know more because I will have learned more. Some artists are saying that audiences must be prepared for a tsunami of Covid themed stories in the return to live theatre. Would you elaborate on this statement both as an artist in the theatre, and as an audience member observing the theatre. I’m actually avoiding anything that talks about Covid. No. I don’t want to write about Covid at all. I think what people will crave is truth and connection as audiences. I do think works have to be very truthful. There may be pieces that go against the conventions as people love these interactive pieces today. My desire is the opportunity for theatre to return to truth and not fabricate stories. People want connection. Have the guts to go and perform in a park without the comforts and lights. That is breaking things down. Audiences will be demanding a lot from the artists when we return, and I think that’s great. The industry has to remember and allow that it’s not about tickets. We may have to do theatre in very unconventional places as we, the audiences and artists, return and emerge into this new understanding of the world. I’m looking forward to be challenged as an artist and audience member. So no, I will NOT go and see anything that deals with Covid. As an artist, what specifically is it about your work that you want future audiences to remember about you? That I believed deeply in everything I did to the bones. I cannot do something that I did not believe in. Hopefully people will recognize my complete commitment with every cell in my body what I’m doing, how can I pretend for others to join me on the journey. To learn more about Aluna Theatre, visit www.alunatheatre.ca ; Facebook: @AlunaTheatre; Twitter: @AlunaTheatre. Previous Next

Dramas encompass the human response to a created life situation on the stage. Back ‘Gloria’ An ARC Production in Association with Toronto’s Crow’s Theatre Jeremy Mimnagh Joe Szekeres Magnificent. A must see For actor Andre Sills’ directorial debut, he searched for a play that would inspire him, would challenge him, and would drive him as if he was in the production himself. He wanted to get back to telling the truth in stories, and not harbour any fear in showing the world as it really and truly is to others. He certainly made an extremely wise choice in the selection of Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins’ satirical ‘Gloria’ to achieve his goal. In a conversation I held with the engaging actor a few weeks ago, Sills commented that it is the writing, the echoes, the wit, and the questions that drew him to the play. For me, ‘Gloria’ became all this and even more. It was an ‘edge of my seat’ remarkably exciting ensemble ‘dark comedy’ of office politics and behaviour performed by exceptional actors who kept me riveted for the two hours. I usually bring a book in which to write notes during the performance, but I closed it and put the pen away as I did not want my attention diverted from this extraordinary production where I heard myself gasp at least twice because I wasn’t expecting what occurred in front of me. We are in a Manhattan magazine office of ‘Culture Now’. At least that’s what I was led to believe as there are posters and artwork on the walls of the playing space with this title. We are then introduced to the denizens of this office who, by all accounts superficially, are far from professional at least from my understanding of working thirty-three years in the field of Catholic education. These office workers in ‘Gloria’ are very unhappy people who dream of something else for themselves, and whether they are successful becomes part of the unfolding plot. The previous night before there was a party held at the home of the office weirdo Gloria (Deborah Drakeford) who appears sporadically throughout the first act and is acting rather strangely in front of everyone before she disappears. Ms. Drakeford also plays office manager Nan. Most in the office either forgot or did not attend the party except Dean (Nabil Traboulsi), Nan’s assistant, who stumbles in hungover from the night before at Gloria’s place. We are also introduced to the office intern, Miles (Savion Roach) who is finishing his last day. During his internship as part of his degree program, Miles has become the ‘Joe job gopher’ for everyone else. The selfish and ungrateful worker who spends more time away from her desk Kendra (Athena Kaitlin Trinh) at times becomes that one person in the office whom everyone despises and wonders why she hasn’t been turfed out. From her vantage point, receptionist Ani (Jonelle Gunderson) has the perfect vantage view of everything. Just slightly down the hall we also meet the harried fact check checker for the magazine Lorin (Carlos González-Vio) who comes rushing on when the noise level gets extremely loud, and he can’t concentrate because he is checking the facts for all the articles. Jackie Chau’s open set design sharply incorporated various angles, three walls and designs to open the playing space. The single desks nicely worked as cubicles. The overhanging fluorescent tubing lights which hum, fade, and burn out periodically become a select example of pathetic fallacy. (Hopefully you’ll remember your high school English lesson terminology). Christopher Stanton’s sound design and composition remain clearly sharp especially his composition of ‘Glitter Witch’. Jonelle Sills’ solo soprano vocals near the end of the production hauntingly remained with me as I exited the auditorium. Chris Malkowski’s lighting design cleanly highlights the action of the stage. At one moment, I was so taken with the shadowed lighting on Savion Roach as he cleans both the windows and the countertop all in stylized slow motion while never upstaging the conversation between Drakeford and Gunderson. Sills’ vision for the play as director becomes sharply delineated. He holds a mirror up to all of us in the audience and wants to see how humans really do behave and makes us question why we behave in the manner we do, sometimes wittingly, sometimes humorously, and sometimes ghastly. This highly acclaimed ensemble of actors reached the bar Sills set high for this production and told the story unabashedly without any fear whatsoever. To experience its truth, its pathos, its wit, its bravado, its bravery, and its clarity in enlightenment, I strongly encourage you to see this ‘Gloria’ and experience it firsthand yourselves personally. Final Comments: ‘Enthralling and gripping, this ‘Gloria’ with its passionate and provoking storyline is one that needs to be discussed after the curtain comes down. Magnificent.” Running time: approximately 2 hours with one intermission Production runs to March 20 in the Guloien Theatre, at Crows, 345 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto. For tickets call the Box Office (647) 341-7398 or visit www.crowstheatre.com . Performers: Deborah Drakeford, Carolos González-Vio, Jonelle Gunderson, Savion Roach, Nabil Traboulsi, Athena Kaitlin Trinh GLORIA by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins An Arc Production in Association with Crow’s Theatre Director: Andre Sills Assistant Director and Stage Manager: Tamara Vuckovic Producer: Paolo Santalucia Associate Producer: Rob Kempson Production Manager & Technical Director: Holly Hilts Set and Costume Designer: Jackie Chau Lighting Designer: Chris Malkowski Sound Designer and Composer: Christopher Stanton Fight Director: Daniel Levinson Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Amy Keating Looking Ahead --- Joe Szekeres Amy Keating’s affection for live theatre has not abated at all on account of the pandemic. If anything, her unabated enthusiasm is so contagious that I caught it and was reaching that same height of missing the theatre crowd. You could read theatre ‘geeks’ in here if you wish because Amy said she loves them and misses them so much. Me too. Our recent conversation kept me smiling and laughing throughout the 45-minute interview. There was no pretentious air about her at all, and she made me feel very comfortable during our Zoom call that we even dropped some colourful language as we discussed so much. We were both surprised that time had slipped by so quickly without us even knowing because we had so much to say and to hear. First time I saw Amy on stage was at the Stratford Festival as Cathleen, the Irish housekeeper, in a hard hitting ‘Long Day’s Journey into Night’. And then to see her in a completely different role in an outrageously bloody good production of ‘Hand to God’ at Toronto’s Coal Mine Theatre. And finally, Amy’s appearance in ‘The Flick’, at Crow’s Theatre which was the first production I reviewed there. You wanna talk about a show where I did not write any notes down on paper during a jaw dropping three hour running time because I couldn’t avert my eyes from the onstage action, not even for one second. She is a Toronto-based actor originally hailing from the Prairies. Amy works in both theatre and film and is three-time Dora Mavor Moore nominated actor. She is a founding member and associate artist of Outside the March with credits: The Flick, Mr. Burns, Passion Play, Mr. Marmalade. Favourite Film/TV credits: Murdoch Mysteries; Ginny & Georgia; Killjoys; P!GS (short film); SUCCULENT (short film). Fave theatre credits: Long Day's Journey into Night and Julius Caesar (Stratford Festival); The Glass Menagerie (Grand Theatre); Wormwood (Tarragon Theatre); The Importance of Being Earnest (Capitol Theatre). Thank you so much, Amy, for adding your voice to the conversation: It’s a harsh reality that the worldwide pandemic of Covid 19 has changed all of us. Describe how your understanding of the world you know and how your perception and experience have changed on a personal level. It’s interesting, Joe, to talk about how it has changed on a personal level, but I also want to talk about how it’s also changed on a macro level as my mind has also gone there in reflection. I feel there’s been a lot of changes and awareness with all of the social justice movements this year. I really do believe and I’m really grateful for the time that we’ve all had to take as the ‘big pause’ allowed us to re-think. Capitalism’s ideology is, “Go, go, go, make the money, make the money, do the hustle, do the side hustle”. I believe, without this ‘year old pandy’ (as my friend says), we wouldn’t have had the opportunity as we would have been too busy and still too caught up in ourselves to slow down and pay attention to what’s happening in the world. In terms of my bigger life, and I imagine this is what many of the artists have probably said, the chance to slow down and, of course, I’ve been privileged enough to have a safe house, to have running water, to have a home and TV to watch Netflix on at night. (Amy and I share a quick laugh because I’ve also done the exact same thing.) But the time to slow down, I’m really, really grateful for it. It’s been refreshing in a way, and I’m both incredibly excited, obviously, but also nervous to go back to that hustle. I think in this profession too there’s always the feeling, both in a beautiful way and in a sometimes-stressful way, of always having to be somewhere and do something and to be creating, and putting yourself out there, and meeting people. It’s time to slow down, and I’ve learned to say No as I may want to sit down and open a book of poetry one morning and read. Or maybe I might just want to lie in bed one Saturday morning or walk to the water. To have that time has been really, really cool. With live indoor theatre shut for one year plus, with it appearing it may not re-open any time soon, how has your understanding and perception as a professional artist of the live theatre industry been altered and changed? Joe, I see the precariousness of it all. I try not to stop and think about it. When I think about the repercussions, I get really worried as an artist. I told my partner, Mitchell, that it’s also possible the year I just spent was a year I would spend in normal times. You never know that I could have had five plays, five shows back-to-back, a couple of days on set, some workshops OR I could not have had any of these. I could have been working in my three other Jane jobs the whole time or could have had nothing. As an artist, you’re used to that life in a way anyway. When I think about Crow’s Theatre, Canadian Stage or any of the smaller companies, students who have graduated from theatre school, I worry about all of this. For the theatre graduates, are we going to lose them because the pandemic may have dried up opportunities? I’m worried about this precariousness. It’s a profession, it’s a job, it’s a joy, this business but it’s so tenuous sometimes. I hope it’s going to recover because when it does, it’s going to be glorious. When I saw Stratford’s announcements of outdoor theatre, I gasped with excitement because yes, it’s coming back, get me back, please. As a professional artist, what are you missing the most about the live theatre industry? The community. The everyday play with people. During this time when we’re outside walking on the sidewalk, we see others and yes, we too, we move to the side. It’s our calling as artists to move closer, not just physically but with our hearts, with our breath, with our minds. I miss that. Trying to lock in and connect. It’s connecting with people and playing with them. As a professional artist, what is the one thing you will never take for granted again in the live theatre industry when you return to it? (There was a long pause from Amy as I could sense she wanted to say it right) It will be the ability of a large group of people, audiences, and creators of a piece to be in the same room together. Because that’s the magic. That is what we have missed this past year and a bit, especially me with Netflix. (and we too share a quick laugh). It’s that, and that’s what scary right now is the gathering of big groups of people. Who knew even two years ago we would have said, “You know, next year is going to be really difficult and really dangerous to get over 20 people in a room together.” And I would have said,” No, what are you talking about, that’s my job to do that.” This also includes the audience too because they will wonder if it’s going to be safe for them. Yes, actors can rehearse outside but is an audience safe to watch you? Every day and every performance I will thankfully say, “Look at all the people who are here, even if it’s five of them.” We may not be sold out but we’re here, that audience is here, how lucky are we!!!!!! Describe one element you hope has changed concerning the live theatre industry. I feel as if this last year plus has forced us to slow down in multiple ways. I hope that when we get back to working, creating, and playing, we’re also going to slow down. And that, to me, means being able to take care of everyone who is in the room and be able to be present with everyone who is working on the project, everyone who has come together. That means meeting people where they’re at; that means dealing with anti-racist actions and making sure that people are being seen and taken care of. It must be noted where people are coming from and what they need on any given day. And if there’s something hurtful in the work, said in rehearsal or in the script that we’re able to (and money is always a thing, Joe, you know) that we’re able to call it IN or OUT first off and then take the time and say, “Hey, this doesn’t work. This isn’t helpful for us. Let’s take the time to do something different, to re-evaluate it and to change it.” We’ve done this already for the last fifteen, sixteen months outside the theatre. We now must bring this into the theatre. It can only be a good thing for any production if people are being seen, we meet them where they are coming from and to hear them. Explain what specifically you believe you must still accomplish within the industry. Oh my God, what a cool question. One thing – EVERYTHING!!!!! (And again, we had a good laugh) Oh, Joe, this is the hardest question because I actually do believe it’s everything. Here’s my thesis (and again Amy took some time because I could sense she wanted to say it right and to get it right) I started doing a bit of film and tv. I just finished my first short film, and I would like to find different ways to work and collaborate with people. So, I’d love to be part of a process or to lead a process that would stretch the container of the three – four-week rehearsal process. I feel I’d like to work in a playful way. I think I would like to write. I would like to direct. I directed once before and nearly killed myself, Joe. I was living off coffee and cigarettes and wasn’t sleeping. I want to go back and try it again. I think it would be fun, but I would like to pick the play. It would have to be a play I could see that I would want to do. Here’s the last thing I’ll say – I want to work in big communities of people. I think a lot of shows are kept small on account of budget. When we did ‘Passion Play’, it was a cast of 12. There were 3 directors. It was very large, and I would love to work in that way again, kind of on an epic scale and do plays that are 5, 10, 12 hours long with five directors and a cast of 20. (and I start smiling and laughing as Amy’s enthusiasm is contagious) We’ve been at home for the last year and a half doing nothing, and I want to work on a big, big scale. That’s what I want to do. Some artists are saying that audiences must be prepared for a tsunami of Covid themed stories in the return to live theatre. Would you elaborate on this statement both as an artist in the theatre, and as an audience member observing the theatre. Joe, let’s re-phrase this question, okay? “Am I prepared to participate both as a professional artist and as a theatre goer in the potential tsunami of Covid themed plays and stories when we immediately return to the theatre? I’m going to echo several of the artists whom you have interviewed who have quoted the same thing…” Fuck, no!!!!!!!!!! (With uproarious laughter from both of us) Definitely not! I don’t want it! I actually wonder if down the road, say ten years from now, a Covid play might be interesting. Right now? No, no no… What I am a fan of now is Black Mirror on Netflix. There’s a cool thing about this show in that it’s not science fiction but more like a drama where it takes the world we live in today and just switches one little thing, just one thing about society. For example, what if in advertising we put a chip in you and see what happens, or your whole social status was based on how many LIKES you received daily. What I find interesting in this comparison of the show to Covid are the connections to some of the anti-vaxxers, anti- mask individuals. If we take the themes from this time of Covid and explore into a play. I don’t want to see any kind of Covid re-creation, but I do think there’s some interesting things revealed about people and society in general at this time. Those themes would be interesting to explore OUTSIDE of a Covid backdrop. I don’t want that. Now, if someone wrote a Covid themed play with me in mind and offered it to me for next year, I might say, “Too soon, too soon.” But if it’s my first theatre job offer in a post Covid world, I might just say, “Yes, please.” As an artist, what specifically is it about your work that you want future audiences to remember about you? For me, specifically, this is such a self-reflecting In Memoriam. I feel the thing for me that makes live theatre so exciting for me and what I want to see in the actors when I watch, and what I want to bring to the stage, is a certain playfulness, aliveness and electricity that makes people feel that this interaction at this moment is new every time. It’s that kind of work that Outside the March reflects in that it was important that you were here on this night (or, in a matinee, this day) to see this interaction at this moment. This night is different because of you, the audience member, because you’re here. I’m really leaning into this In Memoriam question, Joe. I trained in Clown. I studied a lot of Clown in school. That’s all about breath, being in the moment, following impulses and listening. It’s not about trying to be funny, but it’s about being open and receptive. That’s what I aim to do – to be present, to be playful and open with the people I’m creating with on stage, and the people that I work with through rehearsal, and the audience as well. It’s bringing that magical electrical feeling into the room. You can follow Amy Keating online at Instagram: @lil_keats. You can also follow Amy’s first short film account SUCCULENT on Instagram: @succulentthefilm. Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Evan Buliung Looking Ahead Pierre Gautreau Joe Szekeres In chatting with artist Evan Buliung (graduate of George Brown Theatre School and the first Stratford Festival Conservatory Program), I felt like I was having a cup of coffee with an old college buddy whom I hadn’t seen in years, but I knew what he was doing up to that point. We laughed so much during our conversation that, yes, sometimes the language did turn a tad ‘colourful’ on both our parts; that was okay because Evan made me feel quite comfortable around him. We also played a game of six degrees of separation when we discovered that Evan had chummed around in his younger years with the son of my first cousin who lives in Brantford. Another point of interest, he and artist, Lisa Horner (who appears in the Toronto production of ‘Come from Away’) are the only actors in history who have played all of the Mirvish theatres. I had seen Evan in a tremendously moving production of ‘Fun Home’ with the Mirvish Series at the Panasonic Theatre several years ago. Evan also appeared in ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ at the Princess of Wales. I was so sorry to have missed that production because I heard it was extraordinary. Evan has also appeared at the Stratford Festival for 12 seasons. Evan believes the world of live theatre will come back. It’ll just be different and that’s probably a good thing because theatre was getting, in Evan’s words, “fucking stale”. I also went off script and asked Evan what he would be doing if he wasn’t an actor and artist. He told me he probably would have been a soldier. He was in army cadets when he was younger and was fascinated with war, even though he was a sensitive kid and probably would have quit the war. As he looked back on that time, Evan now believes he was looking for some kind of discipline. We conducted our conversation via Zoom. Thank you so much for your time, Evan: It’s a harsh reality that the worldwide pandemic of Covid 19 has changed all of us. Describe how your understanding of the world you know and how your perception and experience have changed on a personal level. It’s been, I hate to say it, actually been one of the best times of my life – allowing for introspection and some more work that needed to be done for myself personally. I don’t mind isolation, so it doesn’t really bear into my soul. I know a lot of people struggle with it, and I get that. I’ve been preparing for it my whole life. I say that from a very privileged standpoint that I’m not in a financial hole. I find it quite profound and quite a time to be alive. Things could always be worse, and that’s the Sagittarius in me, the eternal optimist. My parents are okay, they’re in Brantford. The numbers aren’t really high there. My brother and his wife and their kids, they have a lot and it’s a struggle for them, they’re busy. I don’t have kids so I’m not in that arena. Thanks for asking. They seem to be doing alright. Knock on wood. With live indoor theatre shut for one year plus, with it appearing it may not re-open any time soon, how has your understanding and perception as a professional artist of the live theatre industry been altered and changed? I’ve always been one that I like to vary my craft and learn new things. Years ago, I stepped into film and tv pretty heavily and I’ve been doing that ever since and more dabble in theatre now. Someone once said to me, “Theatre is a young man’s game.” And I get it. Some of those seasons doing three shows…The last season I was there I performed in ‘Guys and Dolls’ and ‘Romeo & Juliet’ thinking “Yah, I can do this” and forgetting I was 40. By the end of the season, I was exhausted. It’s a lot of work. “Guys and Dolls” is massive. So, I’ve been doing other things to be honest. A wise man said to me years ago, “What’s going to happen if you walk out the door, get hit by a bus, and can’t act anymore?” Because I was. I was identifying myself with my job which is a bit tricky, but we have that ingrained in us as actors. I hope Stratford is able to pull off their outdoor projects this summer. They’ve selected good works and they’ve got great people on board. Those people deserve to work, and I hope things go well for Antoni [Cimolino] (Artistic Director) because he’s put so much fucking work into that place with blood, sweat and tears and the new Tom Patterson Theatre that should have been open for all of us. What a feeling of being kicked in the nuts that so much work has gone in especially to open that brand new theatre along with the work and nothing came of it. (I then asked Evan about the appropriateness of some titles of Stratford productions in a patriarchal world)… It’s funny, well, it’s not funny, when we were performing ‘Guys and Dolls’ in the middle of the summer is when the Harvey Weinstein story broke. I remember walking out the stage and feeling, “Ugh”. It just hit me…“Why do we do it?” I even thought that before. I asked Donne [Feore, director of the production] in the audition why are you doing this show? Now, mind you, it’s a fantastic show. The stuff with the other two is some of the funniest writing in musical theatre, and the music, obviously, is gorgeous. It’s tough to answer this question. I’ve felt this coming on for about ten years. In all of classical theatre, I can’t see this being sustainable in the direction that we’re going in terms of equality. Unless we figure out a way to do it that we have to address the patriarchal nature of the classics. It’s just the way it is and clearly white favoured…yah, it was just a matter of time before it happened. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. I’m not an Artistic Director so they will have a lot to consider. After Antoni’s term is completed, hopefully, it will be a woman who will assume the role of Artistic Director. The Festival needs female energy behind the lens, especially in light of some of the patriarchal nature of some of these plays, and I think it would really help. As a professional artist, what are you missing the most about the live theatre industry? God, I miss the people more than anything, they’re really good people. Opening nights are fun. (Evan laughs and then says) I don’t know if theatre misses me, so I don’t really miss it. There’s new voices and new stories to be told, and that’s great. I’ll be part of it, but I don’t need to be centralized in it. I’m really enjoying doing film. I’m taking a lot of classes and working on that skill. I’m taking classes with a great teacher in Los Angeles. If I’m taking film and tv classes, I thought GO TO THE SOURCE. And I’m learning shit here that I wouldn’t learn in Canada. That’s their game, so why not go right to the source…at times, it’s terrifying and fucked, but really good and really exciting. If you don’t keep learning, what’s the point? I don’t miss ‘The Crucible’. I don’t need to see ‘The Crucible’ ever again (he says with a laugh). I don’t need to see ‘Long Day’s Journey into Night’ ever again. I get it, I get what it’s for, and I’ve performed in it. As a professional artist, what is the one thing you will never take for granted again in the live theatre industry when you return to it? That’s a really good question. I won’t take the people, the experience, for granted. I don’t know if I ever did. As we all know times moves very quickly and it tends to double as each day goes by. I certainly won’t take for granted the responsibility I have to the next generation to mentor or teach or be of service to them, to be the person that I wanted when I was that age. It’s hard because the younger people can do it themselves. It’s finding that balance. Describe one element you hope has changed concerning the live theatre industry. Well, so much has changed, I don’t think it needs my help. (Evan says with laughter. And then I re-phrase the question with one element Evan is glad that has changed concerning live theatre)… I’m glad that first and foremost, behaviour in rehearsal halls. And the treatment of other artists. I was never really a whipping boy but there were, sometimes I was but I was able to laugh it off and deflect it, but some people weren’t as lucky. So I’m grateful that’s being addressed, and I don’t think people can get away with that behaviour as much as well as like teaching in theatre schools. In theatre schools there’s no need to tear someone apart in order to make them a good actor. That’s just bad teaching because you don’t need to rip the person apart and rebuild them in some sort of structure that makes them an actor. There are other and better ways to get around and not do that destructive behaviour in teaching. Explain what specifically you believe you must still accomplish within the industry. Well, in the past number of years, I’ve really enjoyed teaching Shakespeare. I teach it with Cathy MacKinnon who’s the head of Voice at Stratford and we teach at colleges, and we also taught at Etobicoke School of the Arts, and the Conservatory at Stratford. I love teaching that. I love giving back what was given to me, and I love seeing people go, “Oooohhhh!” because once you get the keys to Shakespeare it’s like (and Evan makes a kaboom sound), “Holy Fuck!” and you get inside the language and come in underneath it and make it a part of me. Then you can actually sound like [Stratford veterans] Tom Rooney or Tom McCamus or Stephen Ouimette speaking Shakespeare as opposed to someone who doesn’t sound like these fucking guys. There’s a way in for everyone and I keep saying to Cathy this is our tagline: “Give me an afternoon and I’ll make you a Shakespearean actor guaranteed.” Now, that being said, it takes about ten years to become a good Shakespearean actor. Teaching is my next foray. I still would love to play MacBeth some day, and Lear and those old fuddy duddies…. I tell you, this pandemic is giving me a whole new perspective on King Lear. Some artists are saying that audiences must be prepared for a tsunami of Covid themed stories in the return to live theatre. Would you elaborate on this statement both as an artist in the theatre, and as an audience member observing the theatre. I’d rather shoot myself (with a good laugh) than go to a Covid themed play. God, we’ve all been here. What the fuck do I need that for? This is the last thing I want. Maybe, but who’s gonna go see it? What the fuck are you gonna tell? I don’t know. I can think of a fresher hell than go to a Covid play. Let’s move on. As an artist, what specifically is it about your work that you want future audiences to remember about you? Oh, wow! Jesus. Well, I mean I think what I’ve discovered is that my work has been a journey in actualizing my emotions. Coming from generations of alcoholism and different forms of dysfunction within the family unit, I haven’t had a drink in 15 years, but it’s always gone parallel with my profession is mental health and discovering these feelings that I wasn’t able to discover as a child through no one’s fault. I would hope that, for instance, when I was in Mirvish’s ‘Fun Home’ I had some people say you’re not homosexual so how could you play that. That’s not what it’s about. To me, the play is about shame and living with deep rooted shame regardless of its shame-based living. I’m hoping when audiences see this that this is somebody working through the states of being in their work that mirrors life. Our responsibility is to hold the mirror up to nature, no more no less. If an audience can resonate with that, which a lot of people did especially in ‘Fun Home’, if we can have an effect on an audience as those three girls did at the end of ‘Fun Home’, then that’s successful. Otherwise, what’s the point of doing it? I remember Peter Hutt said that to me years ago when I was younger. He said, “I don’t know why that guy doing it in this business; I know why that guy is in this business.” And he looked at me and said, “I have no idea why you’re doing this.” And it made so much sense to me. Because truly I was never in it for anything other than trying to figure out my life. And it just seemed like a really good way to do it. Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Soheil Parsa “We have to create good art. It’s not diversity for the sake of diversity.” Credit: Aluna Theatre Joe Szekeres For the last three years, I have been trying to get in touch with Soheil Parsa for an interview, but I never knew where to turn. I wanted to learn more about this Iranian Canadian theatre artist and his vision. Thank Goodness for theatre publicity rep Suzanne Cheriton who made it easier and asked if I would like to speak with him about his upcoming direction of Aluna Theatre’s ‘On the Other Side of the Sea.’ I jumped at the opportunity. From his Factory Theatre bio: “Soheil is the co-founder and former artistic director of Modern Times Stage Company and has directed over forty productions for the company since its inception in 1989.” I’ve seen several plays he has directed, the most recent being Daniel McIvor’s ‘Monster’ and David Paquet’s ‘Wildfire’ (for which he won the Dora Mavor Moore Award for direction). Parsa started his theatre school training and received three and a half years at Tehran University, Iran, in the Faculty of Fine Arts, Theatre Department, prior to the Iranian/Islamic Revolution in 1979. After the Revolution, Soheil was in his fourth year. He was honest with me and said he was kicked out of the university because he did not support the Revolution. The other vital aspect also in play was his religious background. He and his family come from the Bahá’í minority under severe persecution. His journey from Iran to Canada was not an easy one. He fled Iran in 1982 amidst severe persecution due to his Bahá'í faith. He arrived in Canada with his family in 1984; he was twenty-nine then. Not knowing English, he faced the daunting task of learning a new language in a foreign land. Despite the challenges, he enrolled in an undergrad program and completed a second Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Studies at York University. His determination to learn English and continue his education in theatre reveals his resilience and passion for the arts. On a personal note, Soheil has never had a mentor. Directing has been self-taught, so he proudly states he never stops learning about the theatre. He’s always searching, seeking, and investigating different forms and traditions of theatre. He laughed (and so did I) that as we age, we slow down a bit in our learning. But Soheil doesn’t stagnate at all in the arts. One doesn’t stop learning, no matter what age. He believes artists must keep updating themselves. Although taking workshops is challenging since he continues to be busy directing, Soheil reads a lot about the arts and the theatre. He goes to see a lot of productions and watches the younger generation of theatregoers (whether on stage or in the audience): “New generations and different generations of people bring something different, and I think for [we] senior artists, it’s always important to stay updated. There’s no way an artist can stop and say, “I’m done. Now I’m perfect.” As an artist going forward, how does he feel about the state of Canadian theatre amid its changes in the last three to four years? Soheil agrees it has been a challenge in Toronto and across Canada. The industry hasn’t recovered entirely, but live performance art remains necessary in connection with others. It may take another couple of years to recover, hopefully without any more pandemics. He still believes that audiences will return to the theatre. Will there be further changes in the industry moving forward? “Definitely. When I started my theatre company (Modern Times) in 1989 with Peter Farbridge, the situation then wasn’t like what we are currently experiencing now. There’s no comparison. Yes, there was a bit of a struggle in the first ten years of Modern Times to produce and create shows because whatever I did was labelled as either Persian or multi-cultural, and I hated those words…Change is promising…There weren’t a lot of opportunities for artists like me back in 1989.” Change is also happening in the leadership within the theatre community, and that’s promising as there weren’t a lot of opportunities for artists of colour back in 89. Even though Soheil does see the changes for artists of colour, he also gets a bit worried because it’s not just about diversity for the sake of diversity. Art is the bottom line. Whatever artists promote or showcase must be exciting. Whatever is happening is fine, but as an artist of colour, Soheil believes he can speak the truth in saying we’ve gone to the far extreme on the other side now; however, he hopes in a few years that balance will be found in that artists will be supported for their work and for what they do. When he started Modern Times, he wanted to be recognized and supported for his work as an artist, not because he’s an Iranian-born theatre director. It’s not diversity for the sake of diversity. Theatre must keep growing and flourishing. We have to create good art. Theatre previews are always exciting. I’m looking forward to seeing Soheil’s next production as director for Aluna Theatre’s ‘On the Other Side of the Sea’ starting February 7 at the Theatre Centre. Written by Salvadorian playwright Jorgelina Cerritos and winner of the 2010 Casa de las Américas Prize for drama based in Havana, Cuba, the play is described on the Theatre Centre website as a powerful, minimalist drama celebrating courage, conviction, and life itself.” Aluna is thrilled to produce a play from El Salvador, representing the first time the company will produce a work by a Latin American artist not residing in Canada. The plot is not realistic, but the characters are real. There is a fisherman with no name and a civil servant at her office desk, oscillating between loneliness, memory, and reality on a journey toward human connection and renewal. Beatriz Pizano and Carlos Gonzales-Vio will appear in this Canadian premiere. Rehearsals have gone well. Soheil says he’s lucky to have them for this premiere. He has worked with Beatriz and Carlos before. He calls them generous. Although the process of exploring during rehearsal wasn’t easy at times, the actors kept exploring the text and what lies underneath it. They know how much Soheil values subtext and its importance, so that has been rewarding overall for everyone involved. Any play has to be challenging for everyone involved, not only for the actors but for everyone involved. If it’s not challenging, what’s the point of doing it? Parsa calls ‘On the Other Side of the Sea’ a remarkable, poetic, magical, and fascinating piece. The influence of the Theatre of the Absurd on the play is undeniable. He was introduced to the play before the pandemic by a friend who told him: “Soheil, I know your work. This is your play. You have to direct it.” When he first read the play, Parsa was confused about what was happening. When he read it the second time, he fell in love with the “lyrical beauty of the words and the evocative style. The play is deceptively simple. It’s about hope, and that’s what fascinates me about it.” In Parsa’s words: “Simplicity is simple. You have to achieve it.” As we began to wind down our conversation, I asked what kept Soheil still excited about the theatre: “The live connection between the audience and the actors. I think that’s the most irreplaceable art form. We don’t have any art form like theatre to have this direct, live human connection between the creators and the audience. That’s what fascinates me the most. The theatre will always survive no matter how far we advance in the digital or YouTube world.” What’s next for Soheil once ‘On the Other Side of the Sea’ finishes its run? There have been requests from theatre schools to direct their shows. Last year, he directed two shows, one for Humber and one at the University of Ottawa. This year, he is teaching part-time at Brock University. Next fall, he will direct a show at Brock University for fourth-year students. Nothing has been finalized yet, but there is a possibility he might be directing for Tarragon Theatre. ‘On the Other Side of the Sea’, presented by Aluna Theatre, runs February 7 – 25 at The Theatre Centre, 1115 Queen Street West. For tickets, call (416) 538-0988 or visit theatrecentre.org. To learn more about Aluna Theatre, visit their Facebook page or website: alunatheatre.ca. Previous Next

Dramas encompass the human response to a created life situation on the stage. Back 'The Woman in Black' by Stephen Mallatratt and Susan Hill Atlantic Repertory Company now onstage at BMO Studio Theatre, Saint John New Brunswick Drew Murdock. Background: R. H. Thomson. Foreground: Patrick Jeffrey Aaron Kropf The Woman in Black, an adaptation of Susan Hill’s Gothic novel by Stephen Mallatratt is brought to life by Atlantic Repertory Company. The production is beautifully staged and delivers thrills and chills. Saint Johnners are lucky. Running through to April 29, ‘The Woman in Black’ is truly an experience not to be missed. The Woman in Black is a play within a play. R. H. Thomson plays Arthur Kipps, a man who wants to tell his horrifying tale of the titular woman in black. As the show progresses it becomes less of a storyteller to a re-enactment of Kipps’ terrifying time at Eel Marsh House, the home of the late Mrs. Drablow. Thomson assumes the various roles of the supporting characters while Patrick Jeffrey plays the young Arthur Kipps. Kipps is sent to deal with the estate of the late Mrs. Drablow. On his way to a secluded island, once the home of the reclusive Mrs. Drablow, Kipps interacts with a few locals who are unwilling to talk about what has happened at Eel Marsh House. The audience learns more about the inhabitants and encounters the ill-fated woman in black while Kipps learns about it himself. Director Ron Jenkins and his team immediately draw the audience into the story. From the moment we enter the theatre space at the BMO Studio, there is a feeling of confinement. The auditorium is wrapped in black drapes, making the small space that much smaller. The stage is set with all kinds of bric-a-brac with a few windows and a door placed prominently stage left. It looks and feels like an attic space rather than a theatrical stage (the traditional setting of the show). Kudos to Jenny Godin for this beautiful and eerie set design. The addition of sound and the restrained use of a fog machine add to the atmosphere of the whole production. R. H. Thomson is a real delight giving subtle nuances to each of the characters he adeptly takes on from one moment to the next. His presence is keenly felt throughout the production, drawing attention from his fellow actor from time to time. Patrick Jeffrey switches from the comical overdramatic actor at the beginning of the show to the horrified Arthur Kipps by the end of act one. This is a role for which he will be remembered. Seeing Jeffrey and Thomson on the stage together in this production is magical, and that is what theatre is all about. Atlantic Theatre Company’s production of The Woman in Black is definitely not to be missed. It’s gripping, funny, and a true thriller. The production runs through April 29th at the BMO Studio Theatre, 112 Princess Street. St. John. For tickets call 506-652-7582 or online at tickets.saintjohntheatrecompany.com. Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Dawn Jani Birley and Ramesh Mayyappan "In order to build authentic bridges of intercultural exchanges between Deaf and hearing communities, it is vital for Deaf artists to have a say – or be empowered and supported in telling our own stories – rather than being portrayed in ways we have been systemically perceived.” - Dawn Jani Birley Courtesy of SummerWorks Festival Joe Szekeres Recently I held a Zoom call with Dawn and Ramesh through ASL interpreters. This was my first experience speaking with Deaf artists. Their background in development as theatre artists is fascinating. Both are here as part of the Summerworks Festival. Ramesh has directed the premiere of ‘Lady M (Margaret)’ now onstage at The Theatre Centre. Jani appears as Lady M. Dawn has always loved theatre but didn’t have an opportunity to study it growing up in Canada. Coming from a third-generation Deaf family, she used to find herself the only Deaf person looking to pursue a career in the theatre. company. Fate took her to Scandinavia when she was aware and shocked to discover a professional sign language theatre with Deaf actors. Finally, she could go into a theatre for the first time and see a production in her unique language. She was thrilled with this discovery, and it became a natural fit. Dawn established friends with theatre people, was entranced with the theatre and took courses from Deaf professionals. All this experience led her to take summer school. She took her professional training in Scandinavia. Dawn then pursued a Master’s in Physical Theatre in London, England, in 2016. Since then, she proudly asserts she has been working at her life’s calling. Ramesh is from Singapore. He did not receive any formal training in the theatre. Growing up, he saw Deaf Theatre when he was young as there was a company in Singapore and was fascinated with their work. After school, Ramesh became involved in the semi-professional company He had the opportunity to work with Deaf and Hearing actors for eight years, where he learned a tremendous amount. After this time, Ramesh knew he needed some new challenges and to find something different. He moved to England and studied at the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts. He was the only Deaf student when he enrolled, as the others were all hearing. Luckily, these eight years under his belt in Singapore, this experience allowed him to connect in the program because the communication issues were very challenging. After a couple of years, Ramesh began to build bonds with the other students. At the Liverpool Institute, he became involved with Hearing actors who were Physical Theatre actors. Ramesh also honed his craft here, not only school learned but through active involvement in theatre companies. He developed a taste for Asian and Western theatre, and he has been able to incorporate and mould these components in his performances as an actor and artist. Now onstage at The Theatre Centre as part of SummerWorks, Lady M (Margaret) is a new, Deaf-led adaptation of Macbeth that explores Shakespeare’s famous power couple with an intersectional experience for both Deaf and hearing audiences. Adapted, created and directed by Ramesh Meyyappan, this world premiere performance work is the inaugural production by 1s1 Theatre featuring Dawn Jani Birley and Sturla Alvsvåg in the title roles of Lady Macbeth and her husband. When I taught high school English for thirty years, ‘MacBeth’ was one of my favourites to share with the students because young people seemed to be into the elements of the witches, the murder and the gore. The one difference here? Influenced by Shakespeare’s ‘MacBeth’, ‘Lady M (Margaret)’ is a one-hour production that explores one of the key themes, guilt, and its impact on her and her husband, who are at war with each other in their marriage. They have been living with this tremendous sense of guilt and grief, and the audience will see this desperation play out in front of them. Our Zoom call delved further into the text of ‘Lady M”. Dawn affirms that we all know the story from our high school days, but in his adaptation and direction, Ramesh focuses on the character of Lady M and for the audience to look closely at her. For Dawn, the play is really about looking at different perspectives. She adds further: “It’s always been easy to lay the blame at the feet of women. Historically, women haven’t had rights or assert their independence in history. In playing Lady M, I question why this woman does what she did and how she would cope with what she’s done. ‘Lady M’ is not a story told from one perspective. It’s a story told and perceived from multiple perspectives, making this play fascinating.” In his role as Director, Ramesh agrees with Dawn’s understanding. He added that in 2004 he directed a production of ‘MacBeth’, which was done entirely through elements of visual language with no spoken or signed dialogue whatsoever. It followed Shakespeare’s text. Now almost twenty years later, Ramesh looks at the play again. This time he focused on a quotation: “I have given suck/And know tender it is to love the babe that milks me”. With Dawn’s heavy involvement, Ramesh began to look further at the concept of Lady M and this child. The woman is noted for her ambition and scheming nature, but what Ramesh wanted to do was unpack what happened to her: “Shakespeare obviously hinted in this quotation that Lady M was a mother. If she was, then what happened to that child? That got me started in thinking about different concepts and building the critical story of Lady M as the character. In her motherhood, was she looking to protect the family? Was the family not everything to her? If that’s the case, we might look at her differently. Are these new questions now the driving force behind Lady M's ambition? The SummerWorks website adds further insight into ‘Lady M’: “Without a child, there seems little purpose. When a heart is broken and the heartache never fades, the dull ache becomes resentment, then anger. This is what drives Lady M (Margaret). Searching for a purpose, her hardened heart will lead her to do the unimaginable to get what she wants. Her desire for power to keep her family leads to haunting guilt and swelling paranoia.” Performances of ‘Lady M’ run August 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 at 7 pm, with a 1:30 pm performance on August 12. For tickets and other information, visit http://summerworks.ca/show/lady-m-margaret/ A 1s 1 Production, co-produced by Why Not Theatre. Previous Next

What makes a comedy work - plot, characters, setting and theme. Back 'Rockabye' by Joanna Murray-Smith. The Canadian premiere Produced by ARC now onstage at Toronto's Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst Street Produced by ARC now onstage at Toronto's Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst Street Joe Szekeres “Electrifying and riveting performances! The shocking turn of events in this ‘Rockabye’ still makes me think about our continued obsession with all things celebrity. Perceptive and keen direction by Rob Kempson.” ARC’s Canadian premiere of Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith’s ‘Rockabye’ takes a shockingly dramatic turn in the second act I didn’t see coming. And when it finally becomes clear what’s going on… Mother of God… A dark comedy, ‘Rockabye’ initially deals with the public’s obsession with celebrity and status, which deviates into a social justice issue in the second act. When this happened, I was initially confused about the connection between the two. And then, when it was apparent what was happening, my interest in said issue deepened even further when the pieces came together. Bottom line…is ‘Rockabye’ worth a visit? It certainly is, especially for some electrifying and riveting performances and perceptively keen direction by Rob Kempson. The production is set in 2009 in London, England. I loved that Murray-Smith’s script is chock full of pop culture references (Madonna and Deborah Harry are only two) because that’s when some excellent period music soared. The dialogue zips and clips at a sometimes-furious pace, with zingers upon zingers thrown in for appropriate hilarious measure in the first act. There are some wonderful comic moments in the back-and-forth bantering between the characters. It is in Act 2 that events turn sombre and dramatic. And that’s where we begin to see unfeigned and genuine stage work. Ageing rock star Sidney (Deborah Drakeford) is insecure and irritable in her high maintenance. Her success on the music circuit stalled after her number-one album. Although she’s a hit in Russia, Sidney’s career appears to be fading now. She’s over forty. Is she going to have to re-invent herself? Moreover, Sidney wants a baby as her biological clock is ticking, and she turns to adoption officer Layla (Shauna Thompson). Those fawners surrounding Sidney believe a comeback album will put her back on the music charts. But a baby in the picture? The supposedly trusted yes-men hovering around Sidney are comic parodies. Her trashy, coked-out manager, Alfie (Sergio Di Zio), might not be that reliable. Personal assistant Julia (Julie Lumsden) appears no-nonsense and on top of Sidney’s scheduled appearances, but she harbours her own secrets and will not let them destroy her work ethic. Sidney’s ex-rocker boyfriend, Jolyon (Nabil Traboulsi), isn’t much help either. What will help to kick start Sidney’s career is an appearance on rock journalist Tobias Beresford’s (Christopher Allen) television show. However, like any journalist out to bring dirt for viewers, Tobias relies on rather unscrupulous tactics to profile Sidney on his television show about her upcoming album and where her life and career are headed. His flirting with Layla may just lead to potential disaster for everyone involved. Jackie Chau’s uncluttered set design and Jareth Li’s sharply lit spotlight during the pre-show focused attention on the stage. The Andy Warhol-ish painting of rocker Sidney hangs over the couch and coffee table, upon which sits a picture of a baby buggy. I assume this to be Sidney’s dressing/sitting room in her London apartment. At breakneck speed, the set pieces are moved in and out quietly by the cast. Chau’s costume designs are glorious creations, from Drakeford’s skin-tight black leather pants right down to the gold chains and open half-way down buttoned shirts worn by Di Zio and Allen. Adrian Shepherd Gawinski’s musical composition and sound design are apt reminders of the rock scene combined again with Li’s concert blazing and bright lights just before Sidney gives a show. Deborah Drakeford is vocally and convincingly passionate as the narcissistic yet terrific-looking and gravelly-sounding Sidney. I could detect that roughness in her voice akin to rock singers. The mousse in Drakeford’s hair made me immediately think of Deborah Harry. Sergio Di Zio is an impressively sleazy, porn-stashed manager, Alfie. At first, I didn’t recognize a bearded Nabil Traboulsi as the dopey boyfriend, but like Di Zio, something in both performances makes the skin crawl uneasily. Julie Lumsden aptly becomes that caricature of the personal assistant to a demanding rockstar. She’s matter-of-fact and business-like but will not put up with any crap from anyone, including her boss. Sidney’s cook Esme (Kyra Harper) offers insight into why women may or may not want to have a baby as part of who they are. Shauna Thompson and Christopher Allen are on top of their gain and become two of the play’s highlights in their performances. Their synchronistic chemistry and the peeling back of layers as their characters ‘get to know’ each other are masterfully crafted and handled. Final Comments: I hope there is an opportunity for a talkback after some performances. Part of ARC’s mandate is to take socially justice active material and allow audiences to engage with relevant global conversations through community engagement. ‘Rockabye’ deserves that opportunity for informed discussion. In the meantime, grab some friends to see and discuss this Canadian premiere. Running time: approximately two hours and 45 minutes, including one interval/intermission. ‘Rockabye’ runs until February 11 at the Factory Theatre in the Mainspace Auditorium, 125 Bathurst Street, Toronto. For tickets, call the Box Office at (416) 504-9971 or online at www.arcstage.com for more information. ‘ROCKABYE’ by Joanna Murray-Smith, The Canadian Premiere Presented by ARC Produced by Julia Dickson Directed by Rob Kempson Set and Costume Design: Jackie Chau Lighting Design: Jareth Li Composer & Sound Designer: Adrian Shepherd-Gawinski Stage Manager: Tamara Vuckovic Performers: Deborah Drakeford, Nabil Traboulsi, Christopher Allen, Sergio Di Zio, Kyra Harper, Julie Lumsden, Shauna Thompson. Photo Credit: Sam Moffatt. Centre: Deborah Drakeford and Christopher Allen. Previous Next

Dramas encompass the human response to a created life situation on the stage. Back 'among men' World Premiere by David Yee Factory Theatre Dahlia Katz Joe Szekeres Masterful storytelling and performance in Factory Theatre’s opening night world premiere of David Yee’s ‘among men’. To see mastery of the above-mentioned crafts intelligently adapted into a soulful production that left me wordless for a few minutes at the conclusion was exhilarating. It took me over an hour on the train ride home just thinking, remembering, and pondering how truly moved an audience member can be when a play is handled with such minute and detailed finesse in many technical components. The world premiere of David Yee’s ‘among men’ at Factory Theatre did just that. His richly charged script of striking poetic images and real human emotions remains with me as I write this article today. Directed with a consummate vision of grace, humour, and compassion by outgoing Artistic Director Nina Lee Aquino coupled with passionate performances by Ryan Hollyman as poet Al Purdy and Carlos Gonzalez-Vio as Milton Acorn made the world of Canadian poetry become a personal living and breathing entity for me. I think it’s obvious I’m going to tell you to get to see this. It is 1959, Ameliasburgh, Prince Edward County, Ontario. Al Purdy and Milton Acorn are finishing an A-frame cabin on Roblin Lake. Many superficial scripted elements at times hinder the progress in completion of the A-frame which provides for some of the wonderful humour of the piece. Pay careful attention as Hollyman at one point tries to fix the cabin flooring. It’s a comical tour de force to watch. While trying to finish the cabin and through their discussion on the state of Canadian poetry in the coming modern era, we see Al and Milt speak about many of the issues related to writing in general and to poetry. Early in the play, Al anxiously waits for a letter regarding his sending a play to the CBC while later Milt has received an invitation to attend a conference in Kingston. An initial thought to begin. Playwright David Yee succinctly captured the humanity behind Purdy and Acorn. During my undergraduate years many moons ago, for some reason (possibly my naivete), I used to place poets and authors in the same category as performers. For me, these individuals were to be highly regarded because there was something extraordinary about these artists and the lives they lead. Thankfully, playwright Yee rightly nixes that idea. Pay attention all undergraduates who may place artists on a pedestal of high regard and adulation because we’re all flesh and blood flawed human individuals underneath. Director Aquino smartly never allowed the men’s imperfections to venture over the top. Respectively, Ryan Hollyman and Carlos Gonzalez-Vio viscerally reveal Al Purdy and Milton Acorn as two uniquely distinct true to life men who sometimes get rather graphic in their talk with each other as Gonzalez-Vio so aptly demonstrates at the top of the show. As Purdy, Hollyman superbly listens intently to this sexual rambling before flinging a nasty zinger back to Gonzalez-Vio which resulted in uproarious laughter from the audience. Rest assured though this production is not just mere flinging one-line insults back and forth a la Neil Simon’s Oscar and Felix and thank goodness for that. What made this opening night production so memorable for me is the fact both Hollyman and Gonzalez-Vio demonstrated a master class in focused listening to each other, hearing each other, and then responding in a genuine believability. These two gentlemen are naturally, fully, and completely grounded in their characters and made me believe every single uttered word in what was said and what was not said in those blissful moments of silence between them. Another touching element of this production was the definitive care taken by Aquino and Messrs. Hollyman and Gonzalez-Vio to show that, yes, grown men are humans who can and do experience traumatically emotional life impacts just as much as women. There is quite a heartfelt moment of male friendship in true master class performance downstage centre between the two that, for me, tugged at my heart strings as a hush filled silence of respect enveloped the auditorium. I truly did feel that synchronistic chemistry between the two performers at that moment. Joanna Yu’s stunning two level Set Design of the A-frame cabin is a marvel to behold. It is a work in progress resplendent in the odour of sweat, cigar stench that Gonzalez-Vio smokes and the drinks after drinks of whiskey and badly brewed coffee the two men consume. When I sat down in my seat, I didn’t open my notebook right away to write notes as I just wanted simply to revel in looking at this mammoth creation which Aquino noted in her audience address before the show began. The set is angled which provided perfect sightlines from my seat. There is a wood burning stove which amply is utilized throughout the play. Just slightly off-centre stage right is a table with bottles and other props of newspapers and stuff haphazardly thrown around. Up stage left balled up papers can be found in a corner haphazardly thrown there. A well-worn easy chair which probably should have been thrown out years ago is angled and placed right behind the table. There is a well-worn rug placed underneath the easy chair which probably should have been thrown out as well but adds character to the fact the cabin is that proverbial work in continuation. On stages right and left, props are hanging from strings which become part of the action. Yu’s costumes appropriately reflect the differing characters. Gonzalez-Vio’s Acorn wears a red lumber jack looking shirt with work dirty work pants. Hollyman’s Purdy wears what appears to be grey looking dress slacks, dress shoes and a white pinned striped show from what I could see. Michelle Ramsay’s Lighting Design warmly enclosed the playing space of the cabin akin to a natural light setting. I liked Christopher Stanton’s selection of aural newscasts that I heard during the preshow sounds as the audience entered. At one point I thought I heard elder Trudeau Pierre speak. From what I can recall, these newscasts of the sixties began to focus on Canada’s emergence on the world stage in key areas of culture. The song ‘Lonely Boy’ took on a new meaning for me as I left the auditorium. Final Comments: Nina-Lee Aquino concludes his tenure as Factory’s Artistic Director. There’s a line from the play I scribbled down in my book in the dark hoping I would be able to read it later: “A poem feels unfinished even when it is.” ‘among men’ doesn’t feel unfinished when it concludes. Yee’s script says what needs to be said. Instead, I’ll remember the line: “I remember it. I remember the good ones. ” Aquino, Hollyman, Gonzalez-Vio and the entire creative team conclusively and unquestionably reflect what needs to be said while performing a good one. Get to see this. Running time: approximately 100 minutes with no intermission. Production runs to May 15 at the Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst Street, Toronto. For tickets, visit www.factorytheatre.ca or call the Box Office (416) 504-9971. ‘among men’ by David Yee Directed by Nina Lee Aquino Set and costumes designed by Joanna Yu Lighting by Michelle Ramsay Sound design and composer, Christopher Stanton Cast: Gonzalez-Vio, Ryan Hollyman Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Brad Fraser Moving Forward David Hawe Joe Szekeres From his personal website, Canadian Brad Fraser is “a writer, director, producer, host and generally creative guy.” (www.bradfraser.net ). I’ve read many articles, reviews and reports about Brad’s work in the theatre over the years and have seen that some of his stories have been deemed controversial, but isn’t that what makes for good theatrical drama when we can discuss calmly something we have seen that has moved us to the point where we need to examine and talk about it? Brad studied Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Toronto according to his personal Facebook page. We conducted our conversation via email. Thank you so much for your time, Brad: It has been an exceptionally long seven months since we’ve all been in isolation, and now it appears the numbers are edging upward again. How are you feeling about this? Will we ever emerge to some new way of living in your opinion? I suspect we might. Certainly, the idea of work and workplace are changing, as are certain jobs. I suspect we’ll discover we don’t need all the space we insist on occupying, as well as most of the stuff we feel we have to buy. How have you been faring? How has your immediate family been doing during these last six months? My immediate family is in Alberta and seems to be fine. My chosen family is in Toronto and it’s a mixed bag. I care for a senior neighbour with dementia, who also has asthma, and has to be monitored almost constantly. Oddly, I suspect she’d doing better than other members of that family, since we’re in the same city and still can’t see one another. At least my neighbour starts each day with no real memory of how long we’ve been in lock down. As an artist within the performing arts community, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally? Not being able to interface with my other artist friends and share ideas and opinions over a meal and a few drinks. Not being able to attend the theatre, or any of the other live venues we generally work and party in. Were you in preparation, rehearsals, or any planning stages of productions before everything was shut down? What has become of those projects? Will they see the light of day anytime soon? The only live gig I lost was an amateur production of “5@50” in Edmonton. Luckily, I had just found work in publishing and film just before all of this broke so I’ve actually been quite busy. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? Working, talking to friends, painting, watching movies, generally staying as creative as I can. Any words of wisdom or advice you might /could give to fellow performers and colleagues? What message would you deliver to recent theatre school graduates who have now been set free into this unknown and uncertainty given the fact live theaters and studios might be closed for 1 ½ - 2 years? Everything changes. This will pass. Be patient. Find a way to parlay your skills into another profession for the time being. Do you see anything positive stemming from Covid 19? If we’re lucky it will force people to re-evaluate our current political system which got us into this spot and seems mostly uninterested in getting us out of it. Do you think Covid 19 will have some lasting impact on the Canadian/North American performing arts scene? Yes. Many people will be insecure about attending for a very long time. For concerts etc. I think the bounce back will be quicker. Theatre is a marginal industry during the best of these situations, and I suspect people will use this as an excuse not to return. We’ll need to be wildly imaginative to lure them back and I think the entire structure as it exists across the country now will be changed. Some artists have turned to You Tube and online streaming to showcase their work. What are your comments and thoughts about streaming? Is this something that the actor/theatre may have to utilize going forward into the unknown? Perhaps. I’m skeptical. Theatre needs to be live to work. YouTube is not live, it is merely a platform that is open to amateurs. It is not theatre. Despite all this fraught tension and confusion, what is it about performing that Covid will never destroy for you? The power of the medium and its ability to change the way people see the world. Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Gugun Deep Singh Self Isolated Artist Cylla von Tiedemann Joe Szekeres Gugun Deep Singh’s name periodically appeared liking some of the profiles I had compiled. When I saw his picture, I kept wondering where have I seen this man before. And once again it dawned on me. Gugun was part of a solid ensemble cast of ‘Men in White’ staged at Factory Theatre and directed by Philip Akin. His resume is impressive. Gugun was born in Toronto, raised in Mississauga but moved to Los Angeles with his family when he was in Grade 12. He graduated from high school in LA and attended university out there. Medicine was his sole goal at that time but theatre was his elective so he changed majors. Gugun spent a year discovering many new ways to fail while attending the Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago. He took a year off, then moved to New York City. He completed the musical program at Circle in the Square Theatre School followed by a fellowship with the Shakespeare Lab at the Public Theatre. He has bee working as a professional actor ever since. Notable film credits include the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ films and the forthcoming ‘Scrapper’. On television, he has appeared in ‘Nurses’, ‘The Expanse’ and ‘The Detectives’. Our interview was conducted via a Zoom conference call and boy, oh boy did I ever have a good time asking him these questions and seeing sometimes his facial features when he answered. What struck me as very respectful after some of the questions was the way in which he paused to think before he spoke. Thanks for doing that, Gugun. I wish more people would be like that: 1. It has been the almost three-month mark since we’ve all been in isolation? How have you been doing? How has your immediate family been doing during this time? My parents live in California on the west side of Los Angeles. I’ve been ok. Some days are tougher than others. I’ll admit that I do consume a fair amount of media. It’s not always just television. I get a lot of energy from interacting with folks. I had just returned from the US before Covid-19 hit. They didn’t even have a name for it. I had gone a week ahead before my partner joined me the week after. We had a great trip visiting family, but to come back and feel the shift was very interesting. Some days are tougher than others, but it’s great to have purpose. Being disciplined to institute some structure. I look at the days as opportunities to do things rather than trying to structure the day. It’s been a complex time as well because I’m thinking about my parents and not being able to see them. They’re in their seventies so there is that possible threat to their health from Covid. On top of that, the cultural and social tumult has been on my mind and the issues coming to the forefront. Isn’t it interesting that we are now living through some chapter in a history book for future readers? I rarely leave the house without wearing the mask, carrying the hand sanitizer and practicing the distancing. No one in recent history in the western world has placed this much attention. Everything is covered. Gosh, this is one hell of an answer, isn’t it? To sum it up, I’ve been managing to keep positive, sustain my energy, remain curious remain healthy, check in on friends and family and maintain healthy practices. I’m maintaining these connections and encourage them to do the best they can because we all have a lot on our minds today from the threat of Covid. 2. As a performer, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally? In this time, I’ll caveat this by saying I moved back to Canada to be in Canada, to work in Canada as a Canadian, and to a lesser extent as a Canadian of colour. I wanted to be up here, to return home, and to check in on my peers. I have a lot of friends who work in film, television and theatre in Los Angeles and New York as that’s where I went to school and I do consider it my second home. I’ve been thankful for the opportunities in LA and New York as it has been a privilege. The creative market of film, television, and theatre in Canada and in the Toronto area is wonderful. I don’t have the relationships yet even though I have the experience. In the time of Covid, this has been rough to be in Canada in wanting to connect with others. Big time. I was looking forward to seeing with a freshness who was building work and where I wanted to work in the summer. Last summer I worked on a show in a park with ‘Shakespeare in Action’ in Weston. I’m very keen to collaborate with new artists to build relationships and longevity as a performer/actor and possibly diversify as writer, producer, and director perhaps. So, the loss of connection and the distance that Covid has brought with my peers in trying to achieve this goal has been difficult and getting the wind knocked out of me has been tough. The other challenge might be getting right to the point and returning to brevity in answering the question and carrying on. 3. Were you in preparation, rehearsals, or any planning stages of productions before everything was shut down? What has become of those projects? Will they see the light of day anytime soon? I was not currently contracted on anything. There were projects to which I was attached. I have some small things I’m developing myself, planning, putting notes together and having more time to work on it. I have the time, but I don’t know if I have the inspiration as other things take your energy. I have a couple of days to finish up on this indie feature. I want to remain on people’s periphery for my talents as an actor. To be hired because producers think I’m the one for the role. It’s going to be exciting to return with new conversations with new and established companies who might want to do things a different way. 4. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? Well, I’m trying to improve my culinary skills. That’s been a nice change of pace. I’m grateful for the time. I’ve pivoted a bit in learning other things I’m keeping in touch with family and friends. I’m in a writer’s boot camp learning about writing and producing of children’s television. John May has been running this workshop. I was invited to audit and now the nature of the health crisis has allowed me to focus on the writing camp. My partner and I are spending more time together which has been wonderful. I’m still approaching things as a performer first, but I’m also learning how to improve my producing and directing skills. I see this transition as an archipelago. I figure I’ll get to that island as long as I’ve come through the other islands. I remain excited for the day I can go back to work. 5. Any words of wisdom or advice you might /could give to fellow performers and colleagues? What message would you deliver to recent theatre school graduates who have now been set free into this unknown and uncertainty? It’s okay not to be okay. That’s a bigger lesson as our ever-increasing understanding of mental health is key and how taxing it can be. There is no cookie cutter approach. In this time there are opportunities still opening up, but you’re going to have to re learn certain things. For example, a self tape. “Take a breath. What is it you want to say?” These are words I would also say to theater graduates. Theatre grads have received a certain group of opinions. Those opinions might be great training. Training is not any substitute for experience and the wisdom that comes from the experience. I would tell theatre graduates – “Get ready to apply your wisdom. Learn, read, invest as it’s the experience which is far more useful in the business.” Invest in who you are and distill what it is you want to say. We don’t get an opportunity to pause like this so take advantage of this opportunity to learn instead of receiving as you would have done when you were at school. 6. Do you see anything positive stemming from Covid 19? It’s slowed everybody down. And that’s good. Running at a breakneck pace is tough. It wears you out. Learning how adaptable, flexible and resilient you can be is important. This takes time and it’s okay that things take time. We also need to find the stillness, to breathe and to consider. The lessons coming out of the crisis – the crisis was already in our head and heart. If we’re speaking, we’re not listening. Turn it around. We need to listen more. 7. Do you think Covid 19 will have some lasting impact on the Canadian/North American performing arts scene? There’s an estimate that it might take ten years for the greater economy to recover. I’m trying to focus on something I learned in school - When on stage, distance can give you strength and perspective. If the distance will help give us perspective, then the nature of how endangered arts and culture has been will become apparent. I have no idea when we will come back. There’s a culture here in Canada of how we secure the grant and the money for arts and culture. I think ‘drive in theatre’ might become a thing. Old school skills with vocal training will come in handy; learning how to sustain the voice in an in the round space that doesn’t maintain the sound. Revisiting the Greeks and how they presented their plays will probably come back. Resources will be lean, but the collaborative spirit of communication and community will survive from the Indigenous community to the LGBTQD2 spectrum. The business will suffer a bit, but the arts will survive because the ingenuity is there. The rallies being reported around the world will have a far greater impact on us. The lasting impact will be the conscientiousness coming out of it. The awareness is there. The door is now open, and we have to step through it. The arts will remember this. We’ve had this awakening and the arts will continue to remind us to keep moving forward. There will be positive change and shifts in the arts as we move forward and become available. 8. Some artists have turned to You Tube and online streaming to showcase their work. What are your comments and thoughts about streaming? Is this something that the actor/theatre may have to utilize going forward into the unknown? Streaming has become part of our reality. The entities that are most greatly invested in the business have realized the opportunity of streaming for the need to survive. Not all the entities need it to survive. It will be necessitated in certain live streams of performances. People have adapted how to adapt and film a work where you feel like you are right there in the audience. It’s film making but how to adapt the energy of the moment in the play and how to bring it to life. I like the union has adapted so the artist continues to get paid. Residuals and buy outs are now on the table but it’s important the union brings this forward in this new reality. Presenting a play is different from a film and theatre. The theatre actor will have to become aware of the streaming. It will become part of the business. You Tube and streaming are not going away. 9. Despite all this fraught tension and confusion, what is it about performing that Covid will never destroy for you? Performing is human, especially as a theatre artist. That’s just my belief. Covid can’t take away the imperfections of the human, which becomes perfection for the theatre artist. Covid created distance but I can use that distance to create connection from distance. Remember, the plague didn’t destroy William Shakespeare and the theatre. He wrote about life which is messy. That’s life. Covid will not destroy the spirit of human imperfections of life. As a respectful acknowledgment to ‘Inside the Actors’ Studio’ and the late James Lipton here are the ten questions he used to ask his guests: 1. What is your favourite word? It’s a Punjabi word – RUDG-KAY. It’s an inside joke. It means ‘with enthusiasm’/ ‘with gusto’. 2. What is your least favourite word? ‘Um’ – I say ‘Um’ a lot. It’s a place holder, just a sound. It’s filler. It’s a non word. It’s onomatopoeia. 3. What turns you on? Audacity/courage/authenticity (I feel like I’ve contacted these) 4. What turns you off? Cruelty 5. What sound or noise do you love? The bullfrogs at night by my partner’s cottage. 6. What sound or noise bothers you? Hesitation (it may be silent, but it remains very noisy) 7. What is your favourite curse word? Horseshit. It’s specificity, makes someone pause and it’s just waste. 8. Other than your own, what other career profession could you see yourself doing? I’d want to help people. Something where I’m caring for others where I could take pain away and help others. I have moments where I wonder if I did complete my medical training as a doctor or nurse. 9. What career choice could you not see yourself doing? Whatever anything repetitive, monotonous, uncreative. It doesn’t matter the field – ‘life in a cubicle’. 10. If Heaven exists, what do you hope God will say to you as you approach the Pearly Gates? I would want God to wrap me up in a big hug, look into the centre of me, and ask ‘Are you at peace?’ I would like very much to be able to meet that gaze and nod my head.” You can follow him on both Twitter and Instagram: @gugundeepsingh. Previous Next

Dramas encompass the human response to a created life situation on the stage. Back 'Behind the Moon' by Anosh Irani Now onstage at Toronto's Tarragon Theatre Credit: Cylla von Tiedemann. L-R: Husein Makhavji, Ali Kazmi, Vik Sahay Dave Rabjohn Searing tension is the hallmark of Anosh Irani’s ‘Behind the Moon’ opening as a world premiere at Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre (extra space.) The theme of immigration (loss, hunger, fear) is almost a genre unto itself. But Irani’s play moves it to another level with three characters each of whom has tragedy burning just under the surface. The force of this production comes from the three compelling performances of Ali Kazmi, Husein Madhavji, and Vik Sahay. In a stark, but neat, Mughlai restaurant in Toronto we meet Ayub (Kazmi) furiously polishing the counter and glass of the serving area. An agitated stranger named Jalal (Madhavji) enters, just after closing time, begging for some food. Ayub refuses, clearly worried about the integrity of the restaurant’s hours. Jalal wears him down and leaves with butter chicken. Their rapport is intriguing with Mr. Kazmi’s sparkling sarcasm and Mr. Madhavji’s dark intensity. Throughout the play, Jalal continues to visit Ayub at awkward moments trying to forge a friendship that is rejected (for the most part.) Jalal offers wisdom and encouragement, but it rarely pierces the mysterious gloom surrounding Ayub. Qadir (played by Vik Sahay) is the caustic owner of the establishment. His positive outward appearance is belied by a scheming undercurrent – he is the well-known “smiling damned villain” and Sahay’s smooth performance is punctuated with traces of ugliness and betrayal. He seems to treat his employee well, but the audience is disturbed by brief and subtle moments of subjugation – one example is a gift that quickly sours. The three characters meet and Ayub is in the difficult position of trying to act humane, while Qadir views it as disrespectful and impudence. Events swarm towards a crescendo as bully and victim physically brawl – the moment of crisis is a Kafka-like metamorphosis that ends violently. As mentioned, each character carries horrifying tragedy. Kazmi’s performance is brilliant in its rage and despair as he misses his family back in India and as we slowly learn that he is a victim of borderline human trafficking. Madhavji’s sweating performance is equally profound as we learn of his recent harrowing loss and subsequent guilt. Sahay’s smooth arrogance is abhorrent – a Freudian slip causes him to suggest he is both the owner of the restaurant and the owner of Ayub. The veteran Richard Rose returns to Tarragon to direct Irani’s sublime script. His direction was subtle, but his work was surely demanding conducting these three charging performances. Jason Hand’s lighting direction added extraordinary intensity. As the play works through a series of scenes, the blackouts were sharp and distinct and the brownouts supported the suspense. Harsh fluorescent lighting exposes all without compromise. Irani’s writing includes three striking soliloquies from each character. Migration is negatively portrayed as its cost is prohibitive. The jaded Qadir suggests that “to get something you have to lose something.” In ‘Behind the Moon’ the cost is too high. ‘Behind the Moon’ by Anosh Irani Performers: Ali Kazmi, Husein Madhavji, Vik Sahay Director: Richard Rose Set and Costume design: Michelle Tracey Lighting design: Jason Hand Performances run through: March 19, 2023. Tickets: tarragontheatre.com Previous Next

Dramas encompass the human response to a created life situation on the stage. Back Richard III Festival Theatre at the Stratford Festival 2022 David Hou Joe Szekeres (Note: My review is based on the final preview performance. There may have been some slight differences in the opening night performance.) This Richard III’s intellectual and emotional depth of characterization makes for a fascinating look at a British historical figure of whom I knew very little. Two notes to future audiences: make sure you read as much of the programme as possible before the performance begins as very important information is given about the historical character and the time frame. Additionally, leave yourselves enough time to walk around the beautifully restored and enhanced lobby. Truly magnificent to view. Director Antoni Cimolino has taken a story of political intrigue where Richard (wondrous work by Colm Feore) and the Duke of Gloucester (an intriguing André Sills) take advantage of all the desperate rifts now occurring among the English royals and has carefully woven a fascinating story of a “masterful manipulator” whereby the audience sees Richard’s mind in the “deliberate decision to use evil means for his own ends.” I have neither seen the play performed live nor have I had the chance to read it so I had to pay close attention; however, when you take the crème de la crème of some of the Festival’s finest actors and create a story of machinations mixed in with murder, this ‘Richard III’ became an engrossing master class in acting. I may not have understood every single element of the plot, but I heard someone tell the person behind her walking up the aisle at intermission: “If you didn’t understand everything, look at it this way. We saw how awful the character is before the intermission and now after we will see justice take course.” Let’s start with Stratford’s gifted Colm Feore as the titular character. I knew from the play that Richard was deformed and later learned that this quality was caused by scoliosis (curvature of the spinal cord, something of which I understand completely as I had this over fifty years ago). I also knew of the opening line: “Now is the winter of our discontent”, but that was it. So, how does one take this opening line and tell this story to an audience of individuals like myself who know very little about the story? Well, when you have someone like Cimolino, an artistic leader of prolific inspiration, he decides to bring it right out of contemporary news. I remember reading over ten years ago that Richard III’s skeletal remains were found in a British parking lot (or car park as it is called there). Cimolino spoke about this in his Director’s Note and we get to see the excavation going on within the car park (parking lot here in Canada) with the announcement that something of importance has been found. And with this announcement as the opening actors are gathered around what is supposedly the final resting place of Richard, Feore enters with the deformity of scoliosis already in place, his legs are turned in awkwardly and there is a hunch to one side. But I certainly paid attention. For me, Feore’s astounding entrance with his first soliloquy of “Now is the winter of our discontent” hooked me immediately and I wanted to see where both the actor and character would take me. To watch the transition to full stop evil is said master class in acting. Absolutely wonderful although some of the murders in the play especially of the young princes are a bit difficult to watch because they look horrifyingly real. The women in this production are top-notch artists whose work I’ve admired. Jessica B. Hill’s work as Lady Anne, widowed daughter-in-law of the murdered King Henry remained intensely captivating. Lucy Peacock as Queen Elizabeth is both surly and irascible. As Queen Margaret, Seana McKenna is a regal frightening force to be reckoned with. Wayne Best, Michael Blake, David Collins, Sean Arbuckle and Ben Carlson are indomitable towering figures of presence. What is at first startling near the end of the play is the transition of the actors to modern dress when Jamie Mac’s sturdy invincibility of presence as Richmond becomes victorious in establishing peace, but to beware of traitors (as Alexander Leggatt states in the Programme Note). I’m still puzzled by the reason why this decision was made, and am still in the process of trying to understand why this choice. Final Comments: So, what to make of ‘Richard III’ to a twenty-first-century audience emerging slowly from a worldwide pandemic? I mentioned earlier this production is a master class in acting. That it is because I am always interested in watching how actors continue to create, imagine, marvel, experiment and understand new perspectives. But why this play now? Why does it need to be performed? I go back to the opening line of the play. Is the winter of our discontent now made glorious OR are we to heed this as a warning of possible future political strife still exists within the world in which we know it? To quote from another tragedy now playing at the Festival: “That is the question.” Don't you just love what Shakespeare does? He gets us to think. Running time: approximately two hours and 40 minutes with one intermission. As of this article, Covid protocols were in effect at the theatre. The production runs to October 30 at The Tom Patterson Theatre, 111 Lakeside Drive, Stratford. For tickets, please call 1-800-567-1600 or visit www.stratfordfestival.ca . RICHARD III by William Shakespeare Director: Antoni Cimolino Designer: Francesca Callow Lighting Designer: Michael Walton Composer: Berthold Carrière Sound Designer: John Gzowski Producer: Dave Auster The Company: Wayne Best, Michael Blake, Colm Feore, Diana Leblanc, Lucy Peacock, Hannah Wigglesworth, Chase Oudshoorn, Ezra Wreford, Dominic Moody, Bram Watson, Daniel Krmpotic, Chanakya Mukherjee, Sean Arbuckle, Seana McKenna, Andre Sills, David Collins, Sepehr Reybod, Ben Carlson, Jessica B. Hill, Peter N. Bailey, Emilio Vieira, Qasim Khan, Devin MacKinnon, Hilary McCormack, Christo Graham, Jamie Mac, Anousha Alamian, Jordin Hall, Elizabeth Adams, Ron Kennell, Wayne Best, Kim Horsman, Beck Lloyd, Lisa Nasson, Jon de Leon Previous Next

Dramas encompass the human response to a created life situation on the stage. Back 'Appropriate' by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Now onstage at Toronto's Coal Mine Theatre Dahlia Katz Dave Rabjohn The informal ‘family dysfunction’ genre has long been a dramatic vehicle from Tennessee Williams to the Bard himself. American playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins burnishes the topic to incendiary heights with his 2013 play ‘Appropriate.’ Opening this month at Toronto’s Coal Mine Theatre, this fierce production begins Coal Mine’s first full season in its new location after a devastating fire. A gifted cast, illuminating direction from Ted Dykstra and a seething set design from Steve Lucas and Rebecca Morris electrify the audience despite the almost three-hour marathon. This play cannot afford subtlety. Along with the ‘dysfunction’ theme, Jacobs-Jenkins blends southern racism, historical and horrifying violence, drug culture misery, antisemitism and multiple forms of sexual abuse. Seemingly a formula for a depressing experience, somehow, the production awakens the soul and revives the human need to reach into the past despite its darkness. The Lafayettes, a white family, return to their mouldering plantation mansion in southern Arkansas that has been in decay for years. The father’s recent death brings them together along with a host of long-time grievances and the expected avarice. The prodigal son, Frank, played by Andy Trithardt, sneaks into the darkened house with his newly minted fiancé (Alison Beckwith), and collisions ensue. The family is shocked by his appearance, none more so than the fiery older sister Toni played by Raquel Duffy, with brilliant aggression. Joining the toxic reunion is Bo and his family, including wife Rachael, teenager Cassie and youngster Ainsley. Played forcefully by Gray Powell, Bo tries to be pragmatic and centered, but he falls into the horrors of the past as they all do. The discovery of a repugnant item illuminating the horrors of historical racism and violence triggers even more tension in the family. Ms. Duffy’s hyperactive portrayal of Toni rails against the world as she is collapsing through a divorce and the criminal travails of her teenage son Rhys (Mackenzie Wojcik), played with an ugly cool demeanor, sultry and angry. Toni’s anger is bent towards Rachael, who she sees as an unwanted outsider, along with the whimsical girlfriend River, whose infectious Goldie Hawn eyes belie more crafty substance. The sale of house and goods turns into a disaster, and conflicts are even more heightened. More horrors of southern history are revealed, and raw sexual crimes pile on the steamy mess. Not even the young child is spared the horrid past. With eight characters and centuries of grim history, producing this vast experience on such a small stage seems impossible. But Dykstra’s careful direction smoothly moves characters interacting in various configurations. The set design of a crumbling mansion seemingly opens up the space, especially with drooping curtains framing a large window that reveals the frightening forest of horrors and the two cemeteries – one for Lafayette family and one for slaves. The three acts suggest a rhythm of sorts. Act one blasts us with glaring lights, combative dialogue and accusatory gestures. Act two is darkened and entitled “Walpurgisnacht” suggesting a witches’ sabbath – characters are quieter and become more introspective. Act three rolls back to the garish nightmare, and, starkly, virtually nothing is resolved. The soundscape haunts us, especially with a full concert of cicadas expressing a terrifying loneliness. Again, the set design becomes almost another character – a confederate flag is seen hidden in a corner until it is dragged fully on stage – no subtlety here. The character is then fully awakened at the conclusion as the audience exits with the lashes of cruel history still echoing. ‘Appropriate’ by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Performers: Raquel Duffy, Mackenzie Wojcik, Gray Powell, Amy Lee, Hannah Levinson, Ruari Hamman, Andy Trithardt, Alison Beckwith Director: Ted Dykstra Set Design: Steve Lucas, Rebecca Morris Lighting Design: Steve Lucas Sound Design: Deanna H. Choy, Michael Wanless Costume Design: Des’ree Gray Production runs through October 21, 2023. Tickets at coalminetheatre.com Previous Next

Dramas encompass the human response to a created life situation on the stage. Back Is My Microphone On? Canadian Stage's Dream in High Park, Toronto Elana Emer Joe Szekeres A bold and courageous production of a controversially delicate script despite some rough spots Canadian Stage took some daring risks in producing Jordan Tannahill’s ‘Is My Microphone On?’ as this opening night performance encompassed many noteworthy things. With gritty and focused direction by Erin Brubacher, I loved how this diverse group of young performers became a highly natural professional ensemble of players to present what I’m going to call Tannahill’s chorally spoken text based on what the Programme Notes state are “excerpts or lines inspired by Greta Thunberg’s speech to world leaders at Davos on January 25, 2019; Thunberg’s speech to British MPs at the Houses of Parliament on April 23, 2019; Thunberg's address to the United Nations on September 23, 2019; a Facebook note posted by Thunberg on February 2, 2019; and Nature Now, a short film by Thunberg and George Monbiot, released September 19, 2019.” I don’t want to call these artists ‘kids’ as they have made a brave choice to be part of an extremely important adult discussion of Greta Thunberg’s ideals which truthfully have been both admired and maligned by many. Just a side note here: I loved the professional looking curtain call delivered by these young people. Classy and impressive as it did not resemble a put together last minute ‘grade school/high school’ bow at the end of a show. There was so much to like about this Canadian Stage production. For one, holding it outdoors was an ideal choice as the sounds of cicadas and birds enhanced some of the silent moments. I’m sure this wasn’t intentional but, just before the performance began, there was the sound of an ambulance siren in the distance. I thought what a clever tie in with the ambulance sound juxtaposing the message of the play in the fact our planet is very ill with the destructive elements of climate change. The actors surrounded the audience on the stage, at the side and at the back (all physically distant from each other) so we would be able to listen and to hear their voices all around us. The use of head mics allowed me to hear the lines clearly delivered so that was extremely important since the performers never or rarely veered from their space during the 65 minutes (except those who went to play one of the musical instruments for sound effects and for the song at the end). Tannahill’s script captures the colourful and sometimes vulgar teenage and young person vernacular style, and Brubacher’s cast handled it with confident aplomb. There were a couple of moments where the ‘f bomb’ was dropped and I wondered how parents might have responded as there were several young children around me. I’m not naïve to think that young children have not heard swearing before, but I’m hopeful parents may have had a discussion with their young lot post show on the way home. You’ll notice that I earlier called Tannahill’s script controversially delicate. Good theatre and good drama will take sometimes delicate social issues hopefully to spark some rational discussion in context. In this case, as Director Erin Brubacher stated in her Programme Note: “This work is a response to the climate emergency, performed during an election in progress. These kids are here to tell you to consider who you vote for and what you demand of your representatives. They can’t vote. They need you to take care.” There are several moments where the cast connects these two elements applicably, and I applaud these young people for making me aware of their understanding of how they see the climate emergency in the face of an upcoming election that could certainly change the course of events for many of us. However, there were some moments where I didn’t feel as strong a connection continually as I wished I had. For example, the cast certainly got my attention when the question was asked at the top of the show for those of us who were born before 1965 to raise our hands. I did as I’m a 1960 baby, but the comment that was returned to us from the stage irked me a tad and made me feel less of that important connection when it is implied that I’m responsible (meaning those from my years) for the present-day situation in which our world now finds itself. I understand what the cast was trying to accomplish in realizing that hopefully anger makes us pay closer attention. But my back was still up about this annoying earlier insinuation even as I listened to some mighty impressive choral work that ventured into a sometimes angry, sometimes bitter, tirade against we baby boomers as to how we are responsible and should be ashamed of ourselves for the choices made over forty, fifty years ago that have now made our planet sick. This isn’t what I was expecting as my invited guest and I later discussed in the car on the way home. Had what we just seen was a prime example of a script of an indoctrinated woke culture which refuses to see things and place them in context of events that had transpired prior to the lives of these young people and their uneducated lack of humility in their understanding? Nevertheless, I persevered through to listen hard to what these young people were wanting to tell me about their fears and concerns for their future. The fascinating individual stories intertwined with the spirited choral narration fully engaged me to want to learn more from their perspective. But I had quibbles with two issues that really didn’t make me connect with what this youthful lot wanted me to understand. The first occurred with what my guest and I called the Elaine Benes (from Seinfeld) dance that one of the characters performs. We both agreed we could not make any kind of connection to this dance and how it even moved the plot forward. The second issue occurred with the song near the end of the production. As a retired teacher, to hear youthful voices join in melodious harmony becomes truly inspiring, and I thought the song would make a strong conclusion. It didn’t happen. Sound balance between the speaker system and the singers was off and I couldn’t hear the majority of the song lyrics at all, and I so desperately wanted to hear what these impressive young people wanted to re-capitulate once more through another highly dramatic musical art form. I do hope this will be fixed for future audiences and performances as I received the impression this song is of utmost and dire importance. Running Time: 65 minutes Production runs to September 19 at Toronto’s High Park Amphitheatre, 1873 Bloor Street West, Toronto. Performances begin at 7:30 pm. For tickets and further information, please visit www.canadianstage.com . IS MY MICROPHONE ON? By Jordan Tannahill and Directed by Erin Brubacher Presented by Canadian Stage With performances by Remi Ajao-Russell, Hiyab Araya, Jack Bakshi, Chloe Cha, Felix Chew, Nia Downey, Sidonie Fleck, Oscar Gorbet, Saraphina Knights, Iris MacNada, Iylah Mohammed, Amaza Payne, Sanora Souphommanychanh, Alykhan Sunderji, Catherine Thorne, Sophia Wang, and Skyler Xiang. Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Allegra Fulton Looking Ahead Chris Franpton Joe Szekeres I really I wish I had the chance to speak with Allegra Fulton either in person or on Zoom. You’ll see from her responses below that her energy and enthusiasm for the performing arts community and all its components were contagious to me. I liked how she said a couple of things that might be considered grandiose, but that’s okay because we all have to think big and look ahead as we emerge from this pandemic. Last year I had the opportunity to see Allegra perform in ‘Between Riverside and Crazy’ at Toronto’s Coal Mine Theatre and in ‘Sweat’ at Canadian Stage. Two opposing different characterizations but terrific work, nevertheless. Make sure you check out her personal website. I’ve included its link at the end of Allegra’s profile. Here is a lady to keep an eye on as I want to see more of her work onstage when it’s safe to return to indoor theatre. Thank you for adding your voice to the conversation, Allegra: It’s a harsh reality that the worldwide pandemic of Covid 19 has changed all of us. Describe how your understanding of the world you know and how your perception and experience have changed on a personal level. For me, it’s been like a grand Buddhist exercise in surrender, acceptance and radical kindness. Meeting oneself in such global difficulty, amidst abounding fears and frustrations, and deep sadness everywhere, I’ve found my best way was to turn in and sit with all my own terrors and attempt to stay curious to my own inner landscape reflecting on what is…and not too much on what was or what will be. No big future tripping, if possible. So, if anything, I’ve used the time to really pause and to get to know my inner world better. The life of an actor, of course, is a long deep dive into the human psyche, and this experience is proving a profound one. With live indoor theatre shut for one year plus, with it appearing it may not re-open any time soon, how has your understanding and perception as a professional artist of the live theatre industry been altered and changed? More than ever, I’m glad that to be a working actor, at least in Canada, one must develop one’s talents in many areas, and learn many mediums. I’ve come from the theatre and my delight and curiosity continues to lead me back to the theatre. But I’m grateful to have cultivated skills in all kinds of arenas where an actor is needed. I also really enjoy moving between disciplines for each informs the other. I know that working in TV and film has made me a better actor on stage and visa versa. Working with a microphone, in animation, or commercial voice over, even audiobooks, each have specific demands, and continue to sharpen one’s brain, one’s elasticity, one’s instrument and which is hugely important to continue to do. I think everyone has been wonderfully impressed with themselves learning new platforms like ZOOM and being able to continue storytelling, in such wonderful new ways. I find the hybridized forms of theatre and music, and even dance, to be very exciting and exhilarating. Storytelling is storytelling, and I think we are so lucky at this moment to have so many platforms available to us to keep doing that very thing. But of course, what makes live theatre so special, and what we possibly understand now more than ever, is that wonderful energy and kinetic connection in a room, a small room, a huge room, even a stadium…The communal experiencing of story, and that’s incredibly special. The energy one plays with onstage, with one’s fellows, and with the audience, is almost a metaphysical ceremony of sorts. That sounds a bit grandiose, I know, but I believe it works in the same realm. And precisely for that reason, theatre will never die. It will continue to morph as it must each generation and century, as it has since it began many thousands of years ago. For the theatre needs only one actor and one audience to begin a ‘play’. I look forward to that exchange again. As a professional artist, what are you missing the most about the live theatre industry? The people. The energy. The thrill. The LIVE-ness of the moment, the NOW-ness of it. That no one can stop, rewind, pause, go to the bathroom, go to the kitchen and get chips, come back…it’s all happening right now, and the intense focus of both actors and audience is a very sacred and healing communal experience. I look forward to that again. As a professional artist, what is the one thing you will never take for granted again in the live theatre industry when you return to it? That I have a job. But I feel that way on each project, frankly. Describe one element you hope has changed concerning the live theatre industry. The outmoded and long entrenched systems that no longer serve or help us make good art. There are many revolutions going on globally right now, and I hope it all seeps into every facet of life, and that change happens quickly and invites everyone to the table. Our world is in for a really large treat as massive amounts of new stories and perspectives are suddenly being given voice. It’s gonna be way more colourful and way more fun! Just watch. Explain what specifically you believe you must still accomplish within the industry. Oh my! I have so many roles I may never get to play, but I have them in me, and I study them and crave them. I have so much to learn, to hone, to explore. I’d also like to keep directing and working with scripts and writers and …’accomplish’ is a tricky word. I had wanted to do every Shakespeare in the canon, but I’m only just a over a third of the way, on that count. Tennessee Williams, more Chekhov, Ibsen, Pinter, Euripides, Kroetz, Churchill, Birch, Drury, Nottage, Parkes, Guirgis, and so many wonderful brand-new writers. Again, the searingly complex human psyche, yes, even by the aforementioned dead male playwrights, is hard to resist wanting to tackle as an artist at the top of my game. But to your question…Is it kinda boring to say that I don’t care to ‘accomplish’ anything but continue to create, simplify and learn better how to plumb the depths of the human condition? Sounds a bit grand, but it’s true. (My note back to Allegra: that doesn’t sound boring; to me, that sounds like the truth of the actor’s voice.) And then there is the question of passing the torch and mentoring, which I am divinely lucky to do quite a bit of. Somehow, quite by accident, I’ve collected all these beautiful young actors, playwrights, creators who come to me for coaching, advice, a good cry, a good laugh, and they teach me too, and fill me with grace, excitement and energy. I’m not shy to say that I do have a lot of ideas and opinions about things, and I am a good acting teacher for may. It’s all very quiet and unofficial, but it feels like my best way to pass along how much I’ve learned from so many great teachers along the way. Some artists are saying that audiences must be prepared for a tsunami of Covid themed stories in the return to live theatre. Would you elaborate on this statement both as an artist in the theatre, and as an audience member observing the theatre. I don’t think ANYONE will relish dwelling on this time. As I discovered early on in the pandemic, there is rathe little written about the plague of the 13th, 14th, 15th century, or the flu pandemic of 1918. I should think we’ll all have had quite enough of it by then, thank you very much. But we will better appreciate and understand familiar lines like, “A pox on both your houses!” (Romeo and Juliet) As an artist, what specifically is it about your work that you want future audiences to remember about you? Depth, truth, risk, and glee. My dear colleague and friend Alexander Thomas, with whom I was lucky enough to act with in ‘Between Riverside and Crazy’ at Toronto’s Coal Mine Theatre turned to me one day and said: “Allegra Fulton: Classy but goofy.” I think that summed me up perfectly. Visit Allegra’s personal website page www.allegrafulton.com . You can also follow her on Insta: Cinesylph Twitter: Allegra_Fulton Previous Next

A deconstruction of an individual's story. Back 'One Step At A Time' by Andrew Prashad Now onstage at London, Ontario's Grand Theatre Stills from Video by Andrew Prashad with Ulla Laidlaw and Indrit Kasapi Joe Szekeres “A genuine and sincere story about family, inclusion, and commitment told with grace, class, and dignity. The show’s title becomes an important mantra for all of us when dark times permeate our lives.” Andrew Prashad's 'One Step at a Time' is a distinctive blend of original songs, tap dance, storytelling, and multimedia projection. It embraces a father’s journey with his young son, Ezra, born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. The one-hour intermission-less performance is a heartfelt sharing of life's challenges and joys from Andrew and his wife, Beth, who are also parents of two older daughters. Throughout his daily parental responsibilities at home, Prashad continues to maintain his career as an active actor, singer and dancer. Prashad shares some funny bits along this journey about caring for his son. One occurs when he goes to the local Shopper’s Drug Mart looking for the lubrication tube needed for the young Ezra’s catheterization. Thanks to Prashad's intensely focused solo work, ‘One Step at a Time’ becomes deeply touching. Under the direction of Scott Hurst, Andrew skillfully navigates his emotional journey as a parent, never veering into maudlin emotional histrionics. That’s a smart move on both their parts. I read once that A. R. Gurney advised any actor voicing Andrew Makepeace Ladd in ‘Love Letters’ not to cry at the end of the play but to let the audience do that. Hurst accomplishes that same goal on this opening night for Prashad who allows his final connection with the audience to speak for itself. I could feel the tears welling and heard someone behind me sniffing. The production’s pacing on the intimate Auburn Stage of London’s Grand Theatre remains solidly tight, and the action never drags. I sat on the aisle at far-stage right—sightlines were good, and sound remained decent. I could hear every song’s lyrics and every word Prashad spoke. Since he also conceived the show, I will credit Andrew for the set design, which functions well and doesn’t appear cramped. At centre stage is an elongated rectangular floorboard upon which Prashad tap dances. In front is a child’s carpet of the alphabet and numbers—what you might find in a preschool setting. Ezra’s varied walkers and canes can also be found around the stage. There is an angled chair stage left Prashad uses. What’s the first thing to notice when entering the auditorium during the preshow? There is a projected photo of baby Ezra with his favourite stuffed animal, Ella the Elephant. Prashad took this picture of their backsides. However, a critical eye connection takes a few seconds to notice why the image is striking. When it does become apparent, it hits right at the heart. The malformation of Ezra’s spine is noticeable. Someone has sewn on a malformation of Ella’s spine on her back. (in the talkback, we learn Beth did that.) What message did I glean from this photo? Even though there might be cracks, the spiritual foundation of the person and individual remains strong and can never be quashed. How heartening it is to see a Christian family use the power of prayer and love, especially when dark moments envelop their lives. Andrew convincingly reveals this internal strength during a time he calls ‘The Dark Night.’ I don’t want to spoil its dramatic intensity. I was riveted to my seat as I watched him recount what happened calmly and bravely while doing what he could for his young son. Prashad is a triple threat in the industry. He sings, acts, and dances with gusto. Under Jeannie Wyse’s carefully executed music direction, Andrew understands the meaning of each word he sings. He inherently knows when to pause and when to breathe with purpose. I still hear, " And we’ll have little waltzes” the next day while I continue writing this article. I won’t call that an ‘earworm tune’ because it’s not. It becomes a moment between parent and child that is so touchingly beautiful that it’s difficult to describe. And Another Thought: In her Programme Note, the Grand’s Artistic Director Rachel Peake mentions Andrew’s perspective that many people don’t have about a career in the theatre: there has to be a way to have it all. Andrew does refer to those career heights he has hit – a contract with a touring Riverdance, a contract with London’s Grand and a dance teaching contract in Mexico are only three examples. Beth is her husband’s biggest supporter and tells him periodically: “This is what we’re hoping for. We’ll make it work with the family.” Yes, the Prashads have made it work and will continue to do so. However, I have no doubt Andrew values and places family first. He is foremost a husband and father, and that must always be a priority. Yes, achieving any set goals is one step at a time. But our lives are an ever-evolving journey, as Andrew writes in his Programme Note. The point of ‘One Step At A Time’ is to demonstrate what LOVE can do. And from a Christian perspective, LOVE can do wonders. Go and see “One Step At A Time.” Running time: approximately 60 minutes with no interval/intermission. ‘One Step At a Time’ runs until April 20 on the Auburn Stage at London, Ontario’s Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond Street. For tickets: grandtheatre.com or call the Box Office (519) 672-8800. ONE STEP AT A TIME by Andrew Prashad Written, Conceived, Composed and Performed by Andrew Prashad Director: Scott Hurst Music Director: Jeannie Wyse Previous Next BACK TO TOP

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Jacoba Knaapen Executive Director of TAPA (Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts) Sean Howard Joe Szekeres I know of TAPA and its vision as the voice of theatre, dance, and opera in Toronto. I also know the Dora Mavor Moore Awards (known as the Doras) are presented by TAPA as they acknowledge and recognize outstanding Toronto theatre in 50 categories over 7 Divisions in General Theatre, Independent Theatre, Musical Theatre, Theatre for Young Audiences, Dance, Opera and Touring. The awards in each division are voted on by a jury of eight to twelve individuals drawn from the professional performing arts community. What I was not fully aware of regarding TAPA was the tremendous advocacy of the arts AND the extensive programs it offers. I’ve only just begun to examine TAPA’s website and plan to spend time in perusal to learn more. I was also pleased TAPA’s Executive Director, Jacoba Knaapen, was available for an interview for this profile series. She is a tireless arts leader who, throughout this pandemic, has, as well, spearheaded numerous campaigns to fight for the interests of the performing arts community she serves. The most current one is petitioning the provincial government to allow theatres to rehearse in advance for outdoor performances and record digital content in their spaces (as film and tv are allowed to do) PRIOR to the stated Stage 2 opening (likely in July) so that the outdoor shows & streamed content will be able to go on. In addition to Executive Director at TAPA, and, as part of her role there, Jacoba is the Producer of the Dora Awards, and thus is the Producer for the Dora Mavor Moore Ancillary Awards which will take place virtually on June 16, 2021 at 10am on the TAPA YouTube channel. I will include the link for this presentation at the end of Jacoba’s profile. The Ancillary Awards are not based on a specific performance season but acknowledge a recipient’s whole career - and encompass administrative as well as artistic roles. The awards that will be handed out are Leonard McHardy and John Harvey Award for Outstanding Leadership in Administration (LMJH), the Victor C. Polley Protégé Award, the Pauline McGibbon Award, the John Hirsch Director’s Award and the Barbara Hamilton Memorial Award. Given her extremely busy schedule as you will see from her first answer, Jacoba kindly answered questions via email. Thank you so much for your time, Jacoba, and for allowing us to hear your voice on these important issues as the arts community emerges slowly from this worldwide pandemic: It’s a harsh reality that Covid 19 has changed all of us. Please describe how it has changed your understanding personally of the world you once knew and how your perceptions and experience have changed and transformed. COVID 19 has changed everything and the awakening to systemic racism has changed everything. Although it has been a time of heartbreak and pain, it has also created a new future time. A time of possibilities that seemed impossible before. That gives me hope. Personally, I have never worked harder and longer days in my life. I hear and read about folks baking bread, finding new hobbies, reading books, looking for ways to fill their time. That has not been my reality and for me there have not been enough hours in the day. The advocacy work at TAPA has been relentless and all-consuming. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic circumstances, our ongoing efforts have expanded beyond TAPA’s usual municipal focus and included provincial work. Our entire existence seems to be all about advocacy. I feel privileged to be working and I am certainly not complaining, but these are indeed unusual and unprecedented times, and I am just now starting to carve out time for myself, which was originally prompted when my mom suddenly fell ill and I had to stop everything to take care of her. Thankfully she is well and on track to recovery, but it was a real wake-up call for me to climb into self-care territory. Of course (like everyone else) I am working remotely from a home office, and the large majority of communications have shifted to online, and I spend more hours on ZOOM than I ever could have imagined. The level of online exhaustion is high, and I miss in-person conversations and meetings. I have new folks on my team who were hired during the pandemic who I have not yet even met in person! As a professional Arts administrator, how has your understanding of the arts industry of theatre, dance and opera been altered and changed professionally? I think the professional theatre, dance and opera community in Toronto is extraordinary. There have been many shows that have been lost – that perhaps will never get the chance to be workshopped or presented on stage. The impact on individual artists and their careers is cruel, and acutely felt. Producers, managing directors, marketers, publicists, technical staff, bookkeepers – they have all been forced to pivot so many times that they have become expert alternate scenario planners. It remains to be seen what will happen when audiences return to our currently-shuttered spaces (when it is safe to do so, of course) – how will that experience have changed for folks sitting together in a dark theatre? As a professional arts administrator, what are you missing the most about the industry? I miss many things. I miss seeing my team on a daily basis and being able to ‘jam ideas’ together, and on a very human level, sharing food together with them. I miss strategizing and sitting in person with the committee volunteers who are a critical part of the engine at TAPA. I am mostly missing seeing the community at live theatre performances, as well as dance and opera. The feeling of being with other people together in a theatre is impossible to replicate virtually. Although I have enjoyed the digital content being created, in fact some of it has been personally inspiring, it is still not ‘live performance’ to me. The magic of live, in person, is the best! As a professional arts administrator, what will you never take for granted ever again? Kindness. We cannot understand what is really happening behind those little ZOOM squares. The difficulties and personal stress individuals are experiencing is not apparent. Please describe one element you hope has changed regarding the professional arts industry and community. I don’t think we can fully know what the future looks like for our sector until we come back. But I do hope that we emerge as a community that is able to work equitably and with fairness. No one is interested in returning to an institutional status quo that didn’t work in the first place. I hope that we can come out of this with a sense of universal humanity that will give our artists and art-makers wings to take risks in their artistic exploration that was not previously possible. And I believe that perhaps, as never before, the arts have become valued. I hope that the realization that arts and culture is an essential part of the overall mental health of a society will change attitudes toward financial support for the arts and the way that artists are paid. I hope that this new realization will end the cycle of poverty that so many artists face and their value will be recognized monetarily. Toronto is a ridiculously expensive place to live and work on an artist’s salary. Universal Basic Income! As a professional arts administrator, what is it about your work that you would like members of the industry, the community, and future audiences to remember about you and your work? I hope that folks will remember that TAPA has done its best to listen and to adapt, and to respond to the evolving membership needs. I work with a very small, albeit hard-working team who are committed to serving the diverse needs of a membership that ranges from theatre to dance to opera. I am also fortunate to have an exceptional Board of Directors. Their collective wisdom is my compass. I hope that folks will remember that always for me it has been driven by the love of theatre. To learn more about TAPA (Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts), please visit www.tapa.ca . Previous Next