Ross Petty - Snow White

Well, this was a little more fractured than normal, but no less hilarious. Ross Petty has a real knack for taking a popular fairy tale and weaving in adult in jokes, local politics and popular culture into it. In this year's production, Snow White was paired with a motley crew of other fairy tale charterers instead of the dwarfs. Add 007 to battle the bad guys and you have a real mix-up. My daughter called it right when she said she expected to see Gangum Style pop up at some point.

As usual, the audience booed the evil stepmother (Ross Petty as cross-dresser), although they had to be cued - must have been mostly new comers. A young heckler from the audience, attempting to give away the plot, was quickly dispatched and absorbed into the story.

Attending Ross Petty's panto each year at Christmas time has been a tradition for our family for many years now and it never fails to disappoint. My son, now a teenager, wasn't planning on joining us this year, but was glad that he did. Book your tickets right away as the last performance is Jan 5.

Soulpepper - A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol is one of my all time favourite stories and I look forward to enjoying several versions each year during the holiday season. My favourite versions include the 1951 Alastair Sim movie and Soulpepper Theatre's live production, which they seem to mount every other year.

Joseph Ziegler plays a magnificent Scrooge. He captures the character perfectly and handles the transformation from "humbug" to regaining his inner joy in a truly believable manner. I just love watching him slowly melt from a crotchety unhappy soul into a foolish and giddy friend to all.

This is a magnificent play and I strongly recommend you include it in your Christmas plans in the future.

British Columbia - Sun Peaks Resort

A 45 min drive from Kelowna British Columbia is the best family winter resort I have ever been to (OK, its the only winter resort I have been to, but I'm sure it has to be one of the best - tons of ski hills at all levels, snowshoeing, lessons and tours, outdoor swimming, skating, tubing in the snow, cross country skiing, restaurants, shops, bars, coffee shops, grocery store, accommodation to fit any size of party or need. It takes a while to get here and there are no flight deals to take some of the sting out of the overall cost, but it is well worth the stay for those that are keen on either learning to ski or those that are looking for challenging hills, no crowds and the opportunity to spend some fun family time together. There's lots of fun things to do - something for everyone.

Day 1 I slept in, then enjoyed a very good latte with some friends in a cute little cafe. Picked up some snow shoes and a trail pass (cheap at $20 for the day) and followed the yellow snowshoe trail. What a gorgeous walk - along a narrow path cutting through the trees and winding up and down the mountain this was truly a most enjoyable and peaceful way to enjoy this winter wonderland. The trees were heavy with snow, the vistas were awesome and it was just so quite and peaceful. I felt as though we were just meandering along for a little while, but we walked for 2 hours. Those snowshoes really make walking over snow easy - duh!

The snowshoe trails are groomed every day and wind their way through some beautiful vistas. You can easily spend several hours wandering along the well marked trails. Remember to bring some water and snacks. Its very cheap to use the trails, if you have your own snowshoes, but it is also low cost to rent some. Some Australian friends gave me some good advice for sore muscles - gin and tonic, as the quinine in the tonic acts as a anti-inflammatory (and the gin makes the medicine go down better ..........).

I tried the snow limo tour, which is where you are strapped into a dog sled and a highly experienced skiier takes you down the hill. Its a great opportunity to experience the thrill of skiing, without any of the work or personal risk, particularly if you're not particularly co-ordinated, like me. It was a bit of a surreal experience, similar to the sensation of watching an IMAX film, but you also have the direct sensation of the weather. Definitely worth a run if you don't plan on doing any skiing.

The outdoor pool is fun, although not as warm as we expected. Lots of the accommodation choices also feature an outdoor hot tub, so you may want to go this route instead.

Transfers to the resort from the airport are very well organized and the driver will generally wait for you, if your flight is late, which seems to be the case very regularly from Calgary. Make sure the transfers are available on the day you're flying, before booking your ticket, particularly if you're going early or late in the season.

TSO Pops - A Merry TS0 Christmas

Another one of our favourite family traditions is to take in the TSO Christmas POPS concert. It officially starts the Christmas celebrations off for our family in earnest, unleashing shortbread, goodies and eggnog.

The program this year was wonderful, with no shortage of talent joining the orchestra. The show featured the ESA Choir, Holiday Dancers, Highland Creek Pipes and Drums and Colin Mochrie as narrator. The closing piece, The Twelve Days of Christmas, was an absolutely charming piece with a wide cast of characters appearing for each of the gifts. Among the many vignettes unfolding was the two turtledoves meeting, dating, breaking up over a french hen, and finally making up again. The pear tree was particularly charming as she slogged through her part over and over and over ...

This was the last performance for this year, but I recommend you watch out for this show next year.

Stuart McLean and the Vinyl Cafe - Christmas Show

One of the most important of our family Christmas traditions is the Stuart McLean Christmas show. While we loved the intimate setting of Convocation Hall, vs the Sony Centre, if you can get seats in the front section (book really early, folks), then its almost as good.

This year's show featured two new stories, one old favourite, a really lovely vignet of the perfect Christmas Carol mixed tape. And a very contemporary expidition of Dave with his now adult daughter. It's incredible how Stuart McLean can continue to come up with new ways for Dave to embarass his family in his bumbling, lovable way.

A favourite of the show is also the musical talent showcased, some old and some new. We were treated to amazing performances from a 17 year old contest winner and Reid Jamieson, a recent winner for his own composition. We brought home his CD and Jerusalem, the new CD of classical Christmas carols from the piano player. The Vinylettes, 3 lovely ladies, mesmerized with their beautiful voices.

If you don't know who Stuart McLean is, I strongly encourage you to tune into CBC on Sunday late mornings and listen in to the Vinyl Cafe. Maybe we'll see you at the Christmas show next year!

RSGC - The Tempest

The RSGC and BSS Drama students ambitiously tackled William Shakespeare's "The Tempest". While the dialogue is challenging to learn and deliver, it is equally challenging for the audience to understand and follow. For those that hadn't boned up with their "coles notes", the story was a little harder to follow. Also, the music sometimes drowned out the actors.

Notwithstanding, the students did an amazing job of mastering the dialogue, the drunken sailors were very authentic (hmmmmm ....), the love birds were endearing, the fairy was charming and Prospero was deliciously manipulative.

The score was written by the conductor (a grade 11 student) and was awesome and beautifully executed by the band.

Bravo to the actors and the musicians.

National Geographic - Robert Ballard: Adventures in Deep Sea Exploration

Robert Ballard wanted to explore the seas, like his hero Captain Nemo, from a very young age. At 70, he still exudes the passion and excitement you would expect from that teenager.

With a zest for "going where no man has gone before on planet earth", he is as committed to deep sea exploration as he is to developing this passion in students. He has built an incredible network of command posts to provide the world's top experts at the scene within 30 minutes of a discovery. He is embedding student programs across science centres, museums and schools.

Ballard pioneered innovative approaches to exploration through robotics and to sharing of these results through real time transmission via television studios at the beginning. He is now fully leveraging the power of the internet. He has definitely not been left behind by technology.

This is a great segment to share with your budding scientist, but be prepared for a big bill as he/she will need masters and doctoral level degrees in engineering, math, geology, ....

CanStage - Ignorance

Ignorance takes you on a journey in search of happiness. Are you happy, what makes you happy? Alternating between miserable old folks, as suggested by their scowling countenances, and a prehistoric lovestruck couple, we watch them struggle and survive. This is particularly poignant as the characters are puppets. The modern day puppets rely on the puppetmaster for their arms and legs. The prehistoric puppets are very crude, but strangely endearing. There are some crude scenes - this is definitely not for the sensitive, but I enjoyed it and recommend you give it a try.

A Bat Mitzvah

Our family was invited to a bat mitzvah on Sat eve and it was an awesome celebration. Set in a New York theme, the guests were treated to a Saturday Night Live in New York. Rocking all night to a DJ and dance troupe, who expertly led everyone in the latest dance moves, the crowd was on their feet all night. The young adults loved the DJ and significantly outlasted the parents - we had to pry them off the dance floor. For many of the young crowd, this was their first big party and the guest of honour made it a very special night for everyone.

Acting Up Stage Company - Tapestries

The music of Carole King and James Taylor.

Sorry - this just did not work for me. The arrangements were too far off the mark for my taste. They were more jazz like, it often felt that the band and the vocalists were not doing the same number. There were no melodies in the music and, while the percussionist was very good, there was a bit too much of it.

The vocalists on their own were quite good, with some standout performances from Kelly Holiff, Sterling Jarvis and Arlene Duncan. But the harmonies didn't always work with the voice combos used. One jazz vocalist in particular did not seem in the right place.

Perhaps I am not really a Carole King or James Taylor fan as, unfortunately, this arrangement did not suit my tastes, nor that of my companion. We couldn't wait to escape, although the audience did give a resounding applause ...

Off Mirvish - Terminus

A very clever show - a series of interconnected monologues presented on a small section of the stage, barely big enough for the actor to fill.

In fact, the entire audience was on the stage of the Royal Alex. With stadium style seating set up for an intimate crowd of 200, facing out towards the audience seating, with the actors standing on the precipice, seemingly always just one brief misstep away from plunging off the edge. As a matter of fact, we keep waiting for this to happen, as though that is why we are organized this way.

We follow the lives of a young girl, her mother, her friends, her true love, as they grapple with the consequences of jealousy, love and hate. The dialogue is ambitious and expertly delivered. Even the surreal bits are enthralling. Some of the rhyming bits feel like Dr. Seuss, but in a totally genuine and charming way.

This first show in the Off Mirvish series did not disappoint. I can't wait for the next !

AGO - Frida & Diego

I enjoyed this show, but I suspect my experience was enhanced by my companion, who had seen the movie and gone through the show previously with the audio guide. This is one of those kind of shows where the background story really adds to the experience, particularly since the work is spanning such a long period of time.

Frida's work changes quite substantially over the time frame as it is heavly influenced by the things going on in her life and her personal pain. From a horrific car accident in her youth to repeated miscarriages to the betrayal by her beloved (with her sister, no less, among others ....), some of the images are quite bold and striking.

An obsession with self, there is an overabundance of self portraits. She has a face that is intriguiging and mysterious, evidenced by the interest of so many photographers. In her own self portraits, the juxtoposition of her image with cultural icons and other items tells a story of her interests and obsessions.

It is also interesting to watch the evolution of Diego's work as he moves from Mexico to the U.S. to Europe, influenced by popular culture, including time spent with Picasso. I am particularly fond of the landscapes.

While I am not generally drawn to exhibits so filled with portraits, I enjoyed this one and suggest you check it out. But, it might add to the experience if you have time to see the movie first .....

Gardiner Museum - Harlequinade

We went to the opening of Kate Hyde's show at the Gardiner Museum. This was the culmination of almost a year's work creating Harlequins in the muse of Punch and Judy. The presentation, amongst some antiquities hundreds of years old, was vey creative and really showed her work off well.

Kate is a really talented and exacting artist. Her figures are imbued with life and you feel as though you share their joy and are being entertained.

The detailing of the figures is amazing. So inviting, that you want to reach into the glass to hold their hands. They are a delight to look at and study and you will want to take a bunch home. You should enjoy them while you can - the show closes in mid January and we will be taking "For the Show" home ....

Canstage - Speaking in Tongues

Wow! I absolutely loved this show! This was presented by The Company Theatre, in a collaboration with CanStage.

I can't say I was uniformly impressed by the actors' performance, but the script presentation was awesome and the dialogue was witty.

There are several conversations going on and sometimes the actors speak in parallel, undulating between consecutive and simultaneous phrases. We watch lives and relationships unfold, crumble and, well, not much redemption. These are very normal and fallible people, coping the best way they can.

This was one of the most creative pieces of dialogue I have experienced in a while and, although very different in style, it still felt very genuine. Nice work!

CanStage - Arsonist

Couldn't quite get into this play. Billed as hilariously funny, it moved me to a laugh once, a few smiles and otherwise it just felt a bit tedious. Only 80 min long, I still couldn't help predicting when it might end after the first few scenes, and then actually looking at my watch before the hour was up.

It wasn't very funny, the characters were just plain stupid. Thank goodness for the singing fireman and maid - they saved this from being a dull experience.

Saw some families in the audience, with small children. What were those parents thinking, particularly since the Santa Claus parade was passing just one street north. We all would have enjoyed that much more ....

Do I need to mention that you should give this a pass.

National Geographic Live - Kenny Broad

Extreme Cave Diving: Exploring the Blue Holes of the Bahamas

The opening show for this second season of National Geographic Live was not a disappointment.

I am always amazed by the craziness of these "explorers". Kenny's thing is to go into underground caves that are filled with water, sometimes squeezing through very tight spaces to reach the next cave.

Whlie he says this is the lazy man's activity, ie. when dry caving, it may take days to reach a particular spot as you have to build scafolding etc. to get to a high point, in underwater caves you only have to swim over to it. However, being in an underwater cave, that you may have had to push through some very narrow passageways to arrive, and you are now half a mile from the entry point to the water has to require nerves of steel. This is not for the faint of heart, as several close calls testify.

However, it is wonderful that people like him have the courage to do this and bring back such amazing images for the rest of us to appreciate.

This is a great family show. It's too bad it starts so late (8:00), making a late night at the beginning of the week, which doesn't work out so well for young kids, spending the rest of the week in a fog....

Washington - A Weekend at the Smithsonian

Day 1 - Arrived bright and early on Porter - remind me why we do this. Oh yes, because by the time we clear customs, get our bags, take the scenic route into town (ie. public transit), walk to our hotel from the closest metro stop, check in and unpack, we still have more than half a day of sightseeing time left.

We grabbed a city bus from the airport for $6 per person, which after four stops from Dulles Airport, dropped us within walking distance of our hotel, in very close proximity to the Mall. Had a fabulous lunch at a cafe on the way to the hotel. We really enjoyed the JW Marriott - perfect location and a fantastic breakfast buffet. The elevators provided a really interesting and novel access. You enter the floor you wish to go to and then an electronic sign tells you which elevator to board, which takes you directly to your floor. Not sure if this is more efficient or created in order to ensure enhanced security in Washington.

First stop - Natural History Museum to see the biggest prehistoric snake. Rivalling in size to the basilisc (our HP fan made this connection), it was only discovered in 2004, by an astute grad student who noticed the particular fossils he was cataloging did not match the rest in the batch he was working on and that this particular specimen was probably not an alligator. Reaching out to prehistoric reptile experts, their world was soon buzzing!

We also saw the Hope diamond - talk about an amazing sparkle. As it rotated in its case, it was blinding.

Stopped in at the Smithsonian Castle, to get some info and check out the civil war exhibit. Some great early war photographs taken under extreme circumstances with finicky technology that required quick action between exposing the plates and developing the film. Definitely worth checking out.

　

Headed out the back of the Castle and found ourselves wandering through the a warren of galleries, moving from the Stackler Gallery to the Freer. Quite an amazing collection of Asian art - we really enjoyed this.

As we walked around town, we noticed sandbags left over from Hurricane Sandy. There are a lot of street level basement windows and grates that still sport their protection from the storm.

Day 2 - Back to The Mall to tour the Air and Space Museum, clearly the most popular stop on The Mall. It was the most crowded of the museums and we spent the entire morning here. Lots of interesting reading and great artifacts, from Amelia Erhart to the rockets sent to the moon. The food is standard food court fare (presumably to appeal to the high proportion of children in the patrons) so we headed back to the Castle for a fresh sandwich in the lovely cafe.

Once again, after visting the Hirshhorn Museum, touring the Al WeiWei installation outside and show inside, as well as the rest of the modern art exhibits, we were treated to the jaded observation from our teen. On Al WeiWei: "modern artist is the politically correct term for con artist". On the sculpture garden: "I would get more intellectual value out of breaking Popsicle sticks". In this particular case, we couldn't really say that we disagreed.

We ended the day by taking in the new Bond film at a cinema within 15 min walking distance of our hotel, in the middle of a busy restaurant strip, with everything ranging from take-out to quick eats to fine dining. Only a small crowd at the movie, given it seems that not a lot of people live in the vicinity.

We found a Pret-a-Manger, the chain we discovered in London this past June, in the vicinity of our hotel (F and 11). We love this place as the ingredients are all fresh, there is lots of choice to appeal to any pallet and the service is quick.

Day 3 - The next day we set out for a nice walk in the opposite direction, wandering past the White House. We couldn't get too close as the President was in that day and they were getting ready to move out for Remembrance day celebrations. It was fascinating to watch the cavalcade of black SUV's when they were on the move. We continued on our way to the Lincoln Memorial, truly an awesome piece of architecture, so large and yet so moving.

We headed back through Constitution Gardens to the Vietnam Memorial and WW2 Memorial. These are both such impressive memorials. Seeing all those names on the Vietnam memorial and the mementos left behind by visitors all along the memorial made it really hard to walk along it without shedding a tear.

As we were running out of time, my husband detoured to the Textile Museum, which he really enjoyed, while the kids and I continued on to the American Art Museum, just a little bit up the street from The Mall. He also passed through the Renwick Gallery and strongly recommended we include this on the list for next time for some Arts and Crafts.

We planned arrival at the American Art Museum to coincide with lunch. Not a mistake, as the the Courtyard Cafe offered delicious soups, quiche specials and an amazing salad bar. You can get espresso coffee here and really yummy deserts are on offer. Enjoy your meal under the glass roof in a huge courtyard - it is really lovely.

The second floor of the gallery was overflowing with fantastic landscapes. There was a particular gallery that provided a unique perspective via two massive landscapes. These were the same vantage point and by the same artist, however painted over 50 years apart. It was very interesting to be able to observe not only the change in the artist's style, but the not so subtle changes in the landscape itself over this relatively short time period. My teens were enthralled - we must come back when the kids are less tired.

Across the street is the Spy Museum. We didn't go in, but had a lot of fun perusing the shop and picking up some spy gear .......

An early end to the afternoon and I wanted to take a quick shopping trip to Macy's, but my feet were burning and we still had another day ahead of us, with two more museums on the list of must-see's.

We enjoyed a lovely dinner with our friends, who live in the area, at Carmines. We discovered this chain in New York and it is a great spot to go with a group. I love ordering platters of food and sharing with friends, just as if you were entertaining at home, but without the cleanup !

Day 4 - Today we headed over to the National Gallery, to spend some time in the 19th Century French and 18th & 19th Century Spanish galleries, with fantastic impressionist galleries. Were not too impressed with the Lichtenstein exhibit - really have to wonder about some modern art - why do people find it important, brilliant, evocative - it many cases, it is none of these things.

Our capacity to put in a full day diminishes as we get to the end of this trip. Despite sleeping in and not leaving the hotel until check out time, we are pooped by 4, so we should have taken an earlier flight home. We had a long wait in the airport....

Soulpepper - The End Game

A stark and forbidding set - this was a very unusual play.

The set was a dull uniform concrete grey with whisps of dirty brown, suggesting years of neglect and decay.

This was a comedy about the very far future, when everyone was gone except for this one wealthy man, his parents and his servant. His parents occupy a very unique position in the household - they literally live in the trashcans.

Searching for moments of joy in an unending tedium of daily living with such stark company, the characters expressed themselves with remembered joy. The laughter and impish glee was genuine and made you smile and laugh along with them, even thought you didn't really get the joke.

The expressions of mom and dad were hilarious, the acting was superb and, while a definitely unusual and puzzling script, well worth seeing for the amazing performances.

Canstage - Political Mother

What the heck is a modern dance piece doing in this playbill. Perhaps an attempt to weed out subscribers? Some patrons left partway into the work and others escaped promptly when it concluded, even before the curtain call.

The choreography was very creative and ambitious - the skill and fluidity of the dancers was awesome. The story emerged of activism, capture and evading, political prisoners, torture, rape, love and death.

Unfortunately it started to become a little repetitive at parts and I found my attention waning. With the dark light and monotnous tone of the music, I almost nodded off a few times. And this was a matinee performance! At only an hour and 20 minutes, I found myself checking my watch frequentlly after about 40 min.

Did I say I am not a fan of dance - perhaps I am biased. My sister, who is more open to dance, enjoyed the show.

CMA Ontario - Convocation

A record number of CMA Ontario graduates this year - 1,232 !!

I was at the convocation and it was quite the affair. The new graduates were escorted into the room by a large pipe and drum band and we were serenaded by bagpipes for almost a half hour.

The speeches were inspiring, beginning with Merv (CEO), followed by Nigel (Board Chair) and Marni McBean (keynote speaker). The overriding theme was building the confidence within to leverage the skills learned and all three speakers carried this through, linking their remarks nicely. Marni shared her experiences coaching Olympic athletes to excellence, providing some great advice to the new graduates and injecting a wonderful sense of humour. As a three time gold medal winner, she is everything we would expect from an outstanding athlete and generous human being. If you ever have a chance to hear her speak, I strongly recommend you jump for it.

Video Games Live

Another fantastic night for gamers. Our host was determined to prove that video games and it's music are cultural icons. We saw the best of the video games, heard some amazing scores, performed by a fabulous Toronto orchestra and choir.

This was a very interactive show, featuring audience guitar hero prowess and audience participation - screams and shout outs - were strongly encouraged and enthusiasticallly delivered. The shorts in between were hilarious - Chuck Norris vs Angry Birds !

 

Also featured this evening, was an awesome multi-talented vocalist and performer. Known on uTube as FluteLink (think Zelda) she sang opera and pop, as well as other scores, playing flute and some really odd instrunment.

My gamer son and his friend Loved the show. My sometimes gaming daughter also really enjoyed it, particularly the encore from Portal. Stll alive !

Mirvish - Sister Act

Truly wildy enjoyable show. I barely recall the movie version, so can't compare but I found this a thoroughly entertaining show, with lots of laughs, great score, choreography fitting with the times and impressive voices.

Sweaty Eddie was perfectly cast. So lovable and charming, in a very nerdish self-deprecating way, you just want to take him home.

The cast is very solid, with great voices and not shy about using them. The female lead had exactly the right amount of huzpah to be believable, while still embedding sincerity and loyalty in the character, when the going got tough for her friends.

I strongly recommend you go see this show. One of the people in my party was even contemplating going again !

Theatre 20 - Bloodless - the Trial of Burke and Hare

A musical, dark, somewhat comedy about a real life quartet of murderers, set in old Scotland, in the days when the only corpses available to medical schools were those from executed criminals. An underground industry developed in robbing graves and some medical schools turned a blind eye, only weakly questioning the origin of the corpses.

Burke and Hare stumbled upon the opportunity to make money off vagrants and loners, who passed away in Hare's rooming house, rather quickly progressing from taking advantage of an unclaimed body, to aiding someone close to death out of their misery to ultimately just targeting those who were alone and unfortunate enough to cross their path. Husband and wives colluded in luring their prey and incapacitating them so they could sufocate them, reserving a good specimen, free of trauma, for the doctors.

Presenting this in a musical is a very interesting approach to what is a somewhat morbid and sordid topic. However, it is very well handled by Theatre 20, the only artist led musical theatre troupe in Canada. Definitely a very talented group, with some powerful singing voices. While the descent into madness was a little quick, and therefore not quite credible, I suppose it was probably a sign of the times.

My son and I enjoyed the show and I love the Panasonic Theatre. All the seats are pretty good and tickets can be had for as little as $25 so well worth it. You may also want to check out the website for Theatre 20 and see what else is coming up.

Canstage - Tear the Curtain

Wow, what a crazy, interesting and sometimes unfathomable show. Part film noir, part theatre, both incredibly and intricately linked. This was a really fascinating piece to watch unfold. It was fun and challenging, both for the actors and the audience, keeping track of the parallel and overlapping storylines. Spoiler alert - don't read any further if you want to enjoy figuring it out for yourself and then come back later to see if you agree with my interpretation/conclusions.

Parts of this play were quite bizarre and I have to confess that I didn't quite get all of it. Was it descent into madness, some alcohol induced stupor, writers block driving crazy dreams or just plain illusion. I felt that we slowly descended into someone's nightmare, then surfaced rapidly back up into normalcy, like surfacing from a deep dive, gasping for breath.

In the battle between cinema and live theatre, this play had me thinking all the way home and still pondering in the morning when I woke.

What is real, what is the movie and what is the play. I think I got it. Mavis is the clue. In the play she is the secretary, in real life she is his girlfriend. And the movie, well, that part is easy ...

I definitely recommend you see this play from Electric Company. I have never been disappointed by their productions and today was no exception. They push the envelope just enough and this surrealist production is challenging and charming, as are the characters.

YPT - I on the Sky

A very clever presentation following a young woman's torment through flashbacks of her life. Without a spoken word in the entire play, we watch several stories unfold.

A young family, the parents estranged from their daughter and each other, as she tries to bring them together again. The daughter's desire to hang with the bad crowd and their bullying of her when she doesn't conform with their code, when relieving others of their possesions.

A child projidy, an excellent pianist, who has lost her desire to play. Probably after the loss of her family years earlier in the war and of the firing squad her desserter husband faced. Her clothes are worn and tattered, her suitcase old and battered - has she been living homeless on the streest for some time now....

Amazing acrobatics, with a hidden trampoline between two park benches providing lift for the actors, makes the visuals all the more impactful. Some very talented actors and accomplished gymnasts. While the content and delivery may have been a little over the heads of the younger ones in the audience, this is children's theatre at its best, giving you lots to talk about with your children afterwards. Even the adults in my party had some interesting discussion around their respective interpretations.

Mirvish - la Cage aux Folles

George Hamilton was a blast in the role of the nightclub owner, although the critics were not particularly kind. He may have struggled a bit with some of the score and certainly followed his own, somewhat slower tempo, both physically and in song, than the rest of the cast, but he was still a delight to watch. He added the right touch to the role with his unnatural sideways glance tongure-in-cheek persona.

The lead for his "wife" was strong, with a great voice and amazing comedic timing. The character of the crazy butler was equally charming, in an annoying sort of way.  The comic timing when they released their "man voice" was excellently delivered.

The opening monolgogue was very well done, although did seem to go on just a tad too long. It made for a very long night, as it did not detract from the timing of the play itself.

The action seemed to wrap up pretty quickly at the end, with a rather week closing. After such a long lead up to the punch line ("mom" showing up for dinner and all the tension that entailed), It just seemed to rapidly drop off at the end, with the characters quickly dispatched one by one ....

The audience definitely liked the show and were very generous to the two male leads. If you enjoy farce, I recommend you go, but it would not be on the top of my list if I had limited resources (time and money) ........

TSO - some enchanted evening

We loved this concert of Roger's and Hammerstein most loved songs from their most loved musicals. My son and I always love the POPs and today was no exception.

We enjoyed some amazing vocalists (soprano, alto, baritone), with a pretty impressive resume of top Broadway shows and two awesome choirs - the Orpheus Choir of Toronto and the U of T MacMillan Singers.

There were lots of favourites from Oklahoma, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and, of course, they brought the house down with that most beloved Roger's and Hammerstein Hit - the theme song from the Sound of Music. The audience couldn't sit down at the end and were rewarded with an encore sing-a-long of Do-Re-me.

It is just the most amazing venue to hear music, and to have the TSO paired with such strong vocals is an experience that just can't be compared. The best stereo system just won't give this to you at home, folks. My teenage son and I love the POPs series and always thoroughly enjoy it. We have held this subscription for years and my sister, who joined us this year, was also awed. Please support your Toronto orchestra - you won't be disappointed !

Knightwood - Between the Sheets

A powerful and very personal performance between two women, fighting for the rights to the same man. The wife of 24 years, struggling to validate her marriage. The love and tenderness have long gone beneath the weight of the trials and tribulations to secure a privileged lifestyle and satisfy personal career aspirations. The young, single, damaged girl, who finds acceptance and solace in the understanding and grace of an older man, who is seeking nothing more than love and acceptance.

The wilful destruction of the younger girl's career, the wife's lack of accountability for her part in the breakdown in the marriage and the seeming regret over actions begun that will now play out in a direction no longer desirable. The display of emotion was powerful and visceral. The unexpected, the foolhardy and reckless, the lack of nurturing - these are the things we do for and because of love - lost and found.

Please support women's theatre and ensure that we have the opportunity to continue to enjoy this calibre of play and performances. Bring some friends to this show before it is gone. Keep an eye out for other shows promoted by Knightwood Theatre - there are more good ones coming up this season.

Soulpepper - The Sunshine Boys

Laugh out loud! You must go see this show - it is too funny. The two male leads, playing retired vaudevillian partners, are absolutely hilarious and charming. The nephew, playing the straight role, is incredibly exasperated. You will never hear the word "enter", emphasis on the second syllable, again, without a smile being brought to your lips.

Definitely recommend you run right out and get tickets. And I mean run, as it is almost at the end of its run. Note your teens will also get a kick out of this too - way better than that uTube stuff they are always watching !

The Legend of Zelda - Symphony of Goddeses

Hot on the heels of a less than rivetting ballgame I am now eagerly awaiting The Legend of Zelda, the score of the video game by the same name played live by Toronto orchestra performers and accompanied by video clips of the game over its evolution (clips from over 25 years ago to today).

It was a sold out house at the Sony Center. Definitely a crowd pleaser. The room roared repeatedly as favourite characters, were featured. It was fun to watch Link mature over the years, from the first short squat troll-like figure of 1975 to the realistic and humanistic looking elf in the current version of the game.

It was also quite an experience to see three screaming encores by a roomful of gamers (and many parents too, actually).

If you think you would have liked this show, then you should check out Video Games Live - look it up right away because it is coming to Toronto in October and tickets have been on sale for a while now. Zelda has become an annual event so watch for it next year. But check it out early because this was a sold out house. Your gamers will love it!

By the way, I picked up these seats long after ticket sales started and was a little disappointed in only being able to get one behind the other (K,J 87) and at the far right orchestra, just a few seats from the wall aisle. However, I went for them anyway and, while it seemed like they would be poor seats, they were actually very good.

Blue Jays vs Boston Red Sox

Nothing happenned to change my opinion that baseball is a slow and (sorry fans) boring game.

Notwithstanding, baseball can have some moments of excitement and today was no exception. With the game tied, a bad call got some wild crowd action and fortunately did not provide the opportunity for Boston to get a muchly covetted run.

Maybe I'm going to the game for the wrong reason. It seems that baseball is, for some, just another excuse to party. The audience starts to get pretty rowdy at about the 8th inning. Clearly there are a lot of people that aren't put off by the $10 beers.

Overall, the fun really didn't start until the 9th inning. Tied in the 5th, held off for 3 more innings, then after some tense moments and close calls Boston gets a run at the top of the 9th. Come on Jays - you really need to step up !! They did their best and their best hitters came up to the plate, but alas, like Babe Ruth, they struck out and Boston won by one run.

Soulpepper - The Crucible

While an enjoyable play and some fine performances, I can't say that this is my type of play. I couldn't quite get past the dialogue - this is a period piece with soime very old English - the time and period of the Salem with trials in 1692, around whcih the plot revolved. It just didn' t feel genuine to me, but this is due to my own persoal bias, as my husband thoroughly enjooyed the play and he is a big fan of classical theatre. So, depending on where your interests lie, you will have to make your own decision on this one.

By the way, there was an usually large contingent of students at this performance. Clearly an English class, or perhaps a bible study group, felt this was a good way to try to understand the type of hysteria that can wreak havoc on a community when stoked by fear ....

Rotman Social Media Expert Speaker Series - Andrew Keen and Don Tapscott

I had the opportunity to hear Andrew Keen and Don Tapscott debate the topic of Andrew's new book,

asserting that "today’s Social Revolution Is Dividing, Diminishing and Disorienting Us". The session was moderated by Matt Galloway, but he didn't really have to work too hard as Andrew and Don were keen to jump on each other's statements.

The underlying premise of the book is that people are sharing too much through social media and this will have an impact on relationships and privacy. I think this is based on the constructs of an older generation, of which I am part, where we were brought up to believe that privacy was sacrosanct.

It was proposed that one of the biggest risks in the age of the internet is that there is no hiding from your mistakes. In the past, if you did something stupid it would be forgotten in time. Now, with YouTube and Facebook, your indiscretions can be kept current forever. I would pose that a generation raised with this lack of forgetfulness may become more tolerant of indiscretions because we will all have them recorded somewhere. Think about the past where someone was caught having an affair and was pilloried, and in some cases by people who had similar experiences but had never been discovered.

Another comment was that all this disclosure will have an impact on relationships as relationships are built on getting to know people and, if all the information is out there, then how do you form relationships. Since relationships are built on shared perspectives and values, not the facts and observations or information about people you might find on the internet, I don't see how this relates to relationship building at all.

Andrew suggested that there is too much sharing of personal info on social networking and that the internet will have to adjust and evolve some privacy parameters. Since these things tend to evolve without a specific guiding hand I suggest that the evolution to acceptance of lesser privacy is instead going to continue and that people will become less concerned with privacy. As such, the lack of privacy or the revealing of some secret or transgression will lose the power to destroy relationships, careers or reputations the way that having an affair or a child out of wedlock may have tainted one in the past. Given that we all make mistakes, and that the only thing that differentiated between those that were pilloried in the past and those that were not, was whether they were unfortunate enough to get caught, then the higher chance of being "outed" in the future may lead to greater tolerance overall of common human failings.

As privacy of personal information becomes less important, it will cease to provide others with a tool to be used against them. I hope this greater openness will lead to more tolerance for the mistakes we all make, but in the past were not immortalized and so could be forgotten.

Soulpepper - The Royal Comedians

Soulpepper truly does know the meaning of the phrase "the show must go on". Our play tonight began with a brief prelude, to outline the construct which would be used to effect a critical scene where one of the actors was required to bend down and crawl under a table. Unfortunately he had injured his back and was unable to do so. Fortunately the problem was solved in an elegant fashion.

This is a very unusual play, set in Paris in eighteenth century France and depicting an enthusiastic acting troupe performing for the King. The lead actor, the owner of the troupe, brilliantly portrayed by Diego Matamoros. Fortunes and hopes are built and dashed by the machinations going around him, stoked by his ego. Quite delightful.

I loved the staging for this play - very clever use of doors to bring you back and forth from the stage to the wings.

I am very much enjoying the performances by Gregory Prest, who played the king of France in this production. He is a very talented and expressive member of the troupe and always a pleasure to watch.

As usual, Soulpepper does not disappoint - I encourage you to see this play

AGO - Picasso

Even if you are not particularly interested in art, you have to admire the long and prolific career of Picasso and his influence over art and popular culture. There will be pieces you recognize and an interesting story to follow, even a chuckle or two over the artistic interpretation. Drag your kids along too. They might read and absorb it all, delighting you with their comments about their favourite pieces, as my pre-teen did, or whip through to the gift shop and cafe at the other end, as my sleep-deprived teen did - Picasso is no match for a gaming sleepover. This was nonetheless an eclectic group of his work, representing pieces from Picasso's own collection, so not sure if these were the pieces he couldn't bear to part with or the ones that didn't sell ..............

Mirvish - Backbeat

Perhaps it's from seeing Jersey Boys too many times (if that's possible), but this show was not was I was expecting. Looking forward to a retrospective style show, showcasing some of the Beatles greatest songs around a weak plot, as we followed them thru' the ages, I entered the theatre with only mild anticipation. This was not that show - it was so much better.

Backbeat is an exploration of the dynamics of differing friendships and passions and the stress imposed by a strong desire to succeed. It tells the tale of friendships born, torn asunder and balancing love with ambition. It fills in a hole in the Beatles history that many of us didn't know. It was a true storytelling experience, punctuated and enhanced by the music. Highly recommended.

Stay to the end so you don't miss the audience treat - serves those "jump out of their seats and run as soon as the curtain begins to close guys" right!

Soulpepper - Speed-the-Plow

It's not often that the announcement to turn off your cell phones by that lovely soft spoken lady over the intercom includes the instruction that this is a #*@!*ing Mamet show. Apparently profanity and acerbic comedic wit are characteristic of this playwright and there was plenty of this in the show. The three actors were incredible in their ability to deliver the fast paced, complicated and passionate dialogue. Sarah Wilson in particular was amazing in her mesmerizing fascination with the book she felt would make a good movie, so absolutely convincing and genuine. The script was very clever and kept you guessing to the very end as to what the ultimate outcome would be. Thoroughly enjoyable and its only 90 minutes long, so you should be able to squeeze this into your schedule.

Niagara Wine Tour

Can't think of a better way to spend a day with some old and dear friends and some new and interesting friends ......  

A little too early on Sunday morning, I was on the TTC at 9:00 am to meet a group of ladies for a wine-tasting day in the Niagara Region. My best friend put together an amazing itinerary of the top vineyards in the Niagara region, each with a special surprise. She also organized a limo for the day and we had the most charming and attentive driver, who took very good care of us and politely ignored the escalating wine-enhanced banter as the conversation inevitably turned to the shortfalls of the opposite sex.  

First stop was Flat Rock Cellars with a warm up of three tastings, followed by a full glass of the preferred wine. Our hostess made sure we started off well fortified with an excellent cheese plate to share on the patio overlooking the vineyard. Recommendation - don't forget your cooler - this was a really nice touch (particularly for those of us that don't do breakfast).  

Next stop, a full tour with tastings at Tawse Winery, the only organic, biodynamic, gravity-flow winery and a winner of numerous awards as best winery. An impressive facility, well worth the tour and not just because it was accompanied by tastings. Look for the chocolate samples, specifically formulated to go with wines - a nice change. The ladies did some shopping here.  

Pelham was a great stop - the tasting room is a lot of fun and lots on offer to try. Picked up a few ice wines only available at the winery and got some good tips on ice wine martinis, cocktails, etc.  

Got to Pizza in the Garden just in time to absorb the alcohol. Very creative pizzas, with wine pairings - who knew ! Nice leisurely lunch on the outdoor patio. Not enough umbrellas for all but we managed to chill here for a while.  

You really have to stop at Strewn for dessert. After a little sangria and ice wine sampling, we treated ourselves to a thick, creamy ice wine shake. Have to admit this was the highlight of the tour for me. Make absolutely sure that you stop here on your wine tour for a shake and take home some of the ice wines - some are impossible or hard to find at the LCBO. Don't be shy to ask for the recipe for the ice wine shake.

Not bad for one day - it started out looking like a pretty ambitious list of wineries on the tour but everyone had a wonderful day, with no unfortunate side effects (not for me anyway ......). Kudos to my friend for putting together such an amazing itinerary, finding an awesome driver and bringing together a great bunch of girls!

Cavalia - Odysseo

I have to admit that initially I was not interested in going to this show - I had seen the first one when it toured a few years ago and didn't think you could do much more with horses and expected this show would just be a repeat of the same moves, etc. But, after several friends raved about the show I finally broke down and bought tickets.

Odysseo is a lovely show - the horses are beautiful and one experiences the sensation that they are allowed to run free, the rhythm between the horse and rider is incredible to watch. Punctuated by rodeo tricks and horse show moves, there is a lot happening in this show. My daughter says I should be sure to mention the impeccable timing executed by the horse and riders. The combination of horse, rider and the circus act of ladies hanging from the ceiling from long drapes of cloth was very creative, putting a whole new "spin" on this act. A big feature of the show is the African dancers/athletes - amazing bodies (those awesome abs!) barely hint at the athletic prowess as they put on a display of jumps and airiel acrobatics, doing non stop flips across the stage. And what a magnificent stage - the wild west or an African Savannah - dirt hills and riders coming over the crest is impactful. The choreography and music, also wonderful. I could go on. Definitely deserves the multiple extensions and praise.
The ticket prices are a little steep, but it is a big production and the audience kept to a reasonable size so that all the seats are good - you should definitely consider it.

Fringe Festival - Help Yourself

Decided to take Mirvish's advice and book tickets for what their email ad said was "The best show of the Fringe". I didn't see any others, so can't say if this is true, but I am sure glad I saw this one. Help Yourself's main character is a psychologist of sorts who helps other people get over their guilt about doing things they shouldn't have. Not always honourable, his girlfriend isn't impressed with his profession and wants him to do something more respectable. Great show, great acting and, in case it makes it into the mainstream later, I don't want to give anything away other than to encourage you to run out and get tickets. I have to say - I didn't see it coming.

London, England

Wow - we have just come back from a jam packed week in London. It's probably going to be a very long post to cover the highlights and offer my recommendations for anyone planning a trip to London.

Everyone was tired on Day 1, of course, since it was an overnight flight and sleeping was not easy. Definitely worth paying the premium on Transat to get bulkhead seats - lots of leg room. Our apart'hotel, Citidines, was excellently located, just seconds from Trafalgar Square, which was a great starting off point for our daily excursions. We spent most of the first day walking around the immediate neighbourhood to get the lay of the land. Needless to say, it was going to take us a few days to get properly oriented to the point where navigation was easy. More arguments than normal ensued over the next few days as we attempted to figure out the right direction and get our bearings. Every day we purchased a new map, hoping to find the one that would solve the mystery for us. Not sure if we finally found it on Day 5 (one with easy to read type, all streets marked, etc) or whether we had just been wandering around long enough to begin to get it ...............

Although most of the museums are free, we sprung for a 6 day London Pass, which provided access and fast pass to a number of the other exhibits. Also encourages you to stop in on some lesser known sites. The various exhibits are pricey and it can really add up so it was nice to be able to pay once and then forget about it ! We also picked up Oyster Cards, which really help to minimize the travel cost - they're easy to use and the fare is cheaper than single fare. The subway system is so easy to navigate and so comprehensive it doesn't make sense to travel any other way.
 

Day 2 was our first museum day. Started the day with a visit to the Science Museum - if you live in Toronto and have frequented the Ontario Science Centre then you don't really need to make this stop. Not much of interest to anyone older than 10. 

Since we were in the vicinity we stopped in at the Victoria and Albert Museum, where we had a delicious and fresh lunch in the cafe - definitely recommend taking advantage of this self-serve style spot. We really enjoyed the Japan and Medieval and Renaissance exhibits. The ironwork display was fantastic.

Next stop was the Natural History Museum.  We really loved it and would definitely go back to see it again. Pretty much wandered through all of the animal exhibits, from dinosaurs to whales to creepy crawlies (OK, we sped through this part). Despite living so close to the ROM, with its amazing dinosaur exhibit, we were impressed.

We ended the day with a trip on the London Eye, a huge cantilevered ferris wheel (with enclosed buckets that hold a group), that provides an amazing view of the city. A great way to appreciate the emerging new buildings and reflect on how they juxtapose with the older buildings - not very well, I'm sorry to say.

Day 3 was a gorgeous day, perfect for walking all over central London. We started off with a tour of Westminster Abbey. I'm not usually a fan of using headsets in museums, etc. but took one for this tour and it was really helpful - adding just the right amount of detail, but not becoming boring. Going early was a good idea as we avoided line-ups. Also good to pre-pay as this line was significantly shorter. London Pass gets you priority entry as well.

Made it to Buckingham Palace in time for the changing of the guard at 11:30. Quite a crowd were gathered however, it was somewhat anti-climactic. I wouldn't stress to get to see this if you don't happen to be in the area at the time. We wandered a little bit through St. James Park and were hoping to have lunch at the Inn on Park cafe, which I had read some great things about, but unfortunately that section of the park was closed due to an upcoming event.

Along our walk towards Victoria Station - the main train stations are so amazing - we stopped for a quick visit into the Royal Mews, to see the royal carriages, and the Queen's Gallery to catch an amazing da Vinci show.

Heading back from St. James Park, we stopped in at the Churchill War Rooms, which was a sobering and interesting experience. It was really interesting to explore the underground rooms that Churchill and his staff worked and lived in during the war. 

On Day 4, the middle of our trip, we did the Harry Potter trek. Taking an underground, then overground trains, we traveled all the way out to Watford Junction to catch the shuttle bus to the Harry Potter Studio Tour. The sets, costumes and props were transferred to this location into two huge sound stages. We are all Harry Potter fans so this was a great stop and we were suitably impressed. I definitely recommend you include this in your plans but beware, tickets must be booked in advance online. You may want to choose the travel option with your ticket - while it is more expensive, it is less stressful than figuring out the timing and route by tube (ridiculous one way 90 pound cab fare was not on for us !), although this was part of the adventure that we enjoyed.

Taking the tube directly back to the Imperial War Museum, we had plenty of time to wander over the four floors. This is a very fascinating place, with a simulation of experiencing the blitz (OK, that part was a little hokey), some great warplanes, lots of artifacts and a very nice cafe. You can count on the museum cafes, no matter how small, to have some yummy cakes and scones !
  

Day 5 started off with a shopping trip at Covent Garden, with stops at Links of London (who were having a sale, no less - my hubby was surprised that I didn't buy more - isn't he a dream !) and Games Workshop for my son. We were both salivating over the prices, compared to those in Toronto - sigh.....
  

Enjoyed a little walking trip, trying to find our way amongst the streets. Have to say London was the most challenging of cities we have been in to find our bearings - the streets do not seem to follow a discernible pattern, twisting and turning, intersections with 6 lanes converging, traffic careening, cars and buses (lots of buses) seeming to come out of nowhere, no right of way for pedestrians ... 
 

Spent the afternoon at the British Museum. Now that the shopping part of our trip was taken care of, it was much easier to get the kids into the museums. Interesting though, how we then couldn't get them out.
    

After the British Museum my daughter and I went on the hunt for the biggest toy store in London - Hamley's - while the boys went to the National Gallery. After she exhausted herself perusing all four floors, we met the boys at the National Gallery. I definitely recommend you squeeze this museum in as there are several famous paintings here. Our favourite gallery was the Impressionists. Awesome !
    

Day 6 and the pace picked up (as if we weren't busy enough yet !!). First off was a Thames River cruise to the Tower of London. I had allotted two hours for touring the tower but that was woefully inadequate. The tower wall tour alone was about an hour. Then there was the crown jewels, the Bloody Tower (all those lovely torture instruments). 
    

Next stop was London Bridge, where we toured the gallery of Olympic posters. This show was really impressive, representing each of the modern Olympic sites. Great views as we passed over the Thames, with good photo ops, ending with a tour of the engine room and movie showing how the bridge is lifted - lots of fun for the budding engineer in the family.
    

Walking along the river, we made a little detour to the Winston Churchill's Britain at War Experience - this is a very quaint exhibit that seems to be maintained on a shoe string, but we enjoyed it. There were lots of artifacts showing what it was like in the days during the war and at the end was a little walkway through a bombed out area of the city. Somewhere along the way we lost our son, and had to send a search party back for him. At 6'6" tall, this doesn't happen very often.
    

I strongly recommend you do the tour of Shakespeare's Globe, a lovely open air theatre that only puts on Shakespeare plays. We were lucky enough to catch a rehearsal. That little snippet of a performance of "Taming of the Shrew" left us wishing we had planned better and booked a play (none playing this night). I'm told the restaurant attached to the theatre is very good so that would have been a nice way to end the day. 
   

Last stop was the Tate Modern. We started with the most modern section, which astounded our children to no end - exclamations of "this is art?", "I could do this with my eyes closed!" etc. were topped off with our budding musician's exclamation that the collection was akin to "playing one note repeatedly and calling it a song". Fortunately, modern art was saved by the other collections (impressionists) and the Hirsch skull.
     

To end the day we had booked a window table, overlooking the Thames, for dinner at the Tate Modern Restaurant: Level 7. The kids were entertained by a dance troupe filming on the grounds below (some very bizarre dancing by young ladies dressed in varying costumes of shocking pink, no real choreography apparent), while my husband and I enjoyed a fabulous three course meal with wine pairings. This was one of the highlights of our trip!
   

By the way, this was a great day for using our London Passes. Not only did we get free admission to all of the places mentioned above, but we also got front of the line access. For the Tower, this meant bypassing the ticket purchase line and the ticket entrance line. Definitely a great deal today.

Day 7 turned out to be another beautiful day in London - if you were following the weather reports you would have read that Britain was having one of the wettest and stormiest summers on record - worries about the upcoming Olympics abound. We managed to be in town for the one amazing week. While Toronto sweltered in 40+ humidity we were enjoying mid twenties and sunny - go figure !

This was a perfect day for walking and so we set out to go all the way to Primrose Hill, the highest point in London. We made our way to Regent's Park and were amazed at the size of it. Passing one cricket pitch after another, several soccer fields, lots of picnic areas and a zoo! Eventually we made it to the ascent for Primrose Hill.

As we were slowly ascending, I was beginning to question the value of this excursion. We had been walking on a slow incline for some time and it didn't look like we were achieving any elevation. I was really wondering just what kind of view we could really expect and perhaps we should just abort and head back. However, I recalled my friend's insistence that this would be worth it and he had lived in London for several years, so we forged ahead. At last, we reached the top, and were suddenly and surprisingly presented with the most amazing view of London. The angle of the approach completely hid the sense of what was to come. It was definitely worth the trip and it took us a while to pry the kids away as they were really loving the view.

Final stop in the park was the London Zoo. A little pricey for our short visit, however included in the London Pass and priority entry, so we just walked right in. The acquarium exhibit and penguin area were really cool. The butterfly exhibit was good, but pales in comparison to Niagara on the Lake. If you don't have a pass and don't intend to spend a day in the Zoo with young children, I wouldn't recommend this stop from a value for money perspective.

After a little more walking we found our tube stop and the kids and I headed back to the hotel, while dad went on to spend an hour in the Tate Britain museum. We were done, him almost.

Day 8 we were up very early for the flight home. Left a little early to provide extra time to stop in at the duty rebate desk, which you have to do before you check in (in case they want to verify that you have actually packed the merchandise you purchased). Despite a hefty charge for processing the duty rebate, we were still looking forward to a decent refund, so it was worth the effort.

Overall, this was a great trip. We definitely saw a lot in the short time we were in London and everyone is keen to go back again soon. The Citidines Trafalgar Square was a great apart-hotel (kitchenette, two rooms, complimentary coffee and hot chocolate, free wi-fi), ideally situated for an intense London experience. I also recommend the "Pret a Manger" for quick meals with fresh, quality ingredients at reasonable prices and lots of choice.

Queen's Playters - True Rock

Sorry guys - while I am an avid supporter of struggling artists and fringe theatre, this show just did not work for me. A cross between True Blood and 30 Rock didn't resonate, probably because I was not a big follower of either show. Also, the acoustics were bad so I found I was missing some of the dialogue. I'm glad my friend and I went out to dinner first, so it wasn't a completely disappointing evening. On the brighter side, this is a talented group of people, with some strong voices - they just need a better script and venue. If you want to support your friends at Queen's and drink some cheap beer, go see this show. Otherwise, wait for next year.

Soulpepper - Home

Well, I wasn't expecting this !  If you're looking for a light "feel good" experience, this play will deliver, even though you might not expect it from reading the content. A little bit quirky and a very loose plot, just the random events and conversations you might find in a "day in the life of someone". Except these are very special someone's who see the world a little differently and are not afraid to say what they are feeling. The actors were strong across all of the characters but I have to say I really enjoyed the kooky laugh created by Brenda Robbins - it was infectious and genuine, in an odd kind of way. Actually, the whole play was fun, in an odd kind of way. But I guess that's to be expected when the setting is the grounds of a mental hospital .........

Tiff - Sing along with Grease

My daughter has been bugging me to buy the movie Grease for the past few months and I just haven't had the time to do so. To my surprise I noticed this morning that the TIFF was screening a sing along version. Even better when we got there to find a very entertaining comic providing an intro, teaching us dance moves, call-outs for particular characters and how to use the items in our swag bag to fete along with the movie. We were dancing in the aisles, singing along, heckling at all the right moments, waving our flag for the drag race and swooning along with Moon River. Who knew Grease could be so much fun ..........

Theatre Sheridan - Rent

Battled the rains and floods and walked from King to Bloor in order to see the Sheridan College presentation of Rent and it was well worth the trip. This is the first time Sheridan has performed on a Toronto Stage and I really hope they do this again. My daughter and I really enjoyed the show. The cast did full justice to all of my favourite numbers, the set was amazing and all of the characters were strong. This was my daughter's first Rent experience and she was not disappointed. I will definitely be looking our for their next performance, even if I have to go to Oakville to see it !

Nightwood Theatre - Stockholm

Wow ! What a powerful play. It starts out harmoniously and a little bit syrupy, making you wonder where this is going. A little bit of discord starts to seep in, a hint of what is to come. The discord begins to escalate and you begin to figure out what is going on, but not quite getting it until a climatic moment arrives, completely unexpected. It was explosive, felt unscripted and was incredibly bold. It left you feeling shaken and you then shared in the forgiving that followed as the tensions de-escalated. My friend and I discussed the play all the way home and it continues to haunt me. In particular, we wondered how many people we knew who suffer in silence in this manner.


The show is only running to the end of this week so you will have to move fast if you want to see it, which I think you should !