Theater Passe Muraille - Baram and Snieckus

Our first foray with Theatre Passe Muraille did not disappoint. Baram and Snieckus are a great comedic couple. ‎They transition seamlessly from one skit to the next, playfully engaging the audience at turns. Their timing is impeccable, a thoroughly enjoyable show. Strongly recommended for a fun night out.

Factory Theatre - Age of Arousal

Excellent show with a very strong cast across the board. This show really makes you think about how far we have come, or not come. ‎I loved the way the sub text was delivered, we really enjoyed the show and strongly recommend it.

Canstage - Beckett Trilogy: Not I, Footfalls, Rockaby

Well, that is an hour I will never get back. Three very short plays in the dark with minimal lighting, starting with illuminated lips speaking so fast the dialogue was almost unintelligible. The second play made me feel like I was trapped with a schizophrenic multi-personality, as one woman played a daughter as caregiver and her mom. In the final segment the repetition was tedious. As one patron observed, the plays were performed in complete darkness so we could not leave. 

Field of Vision - 25 Years of Social Photography

It is worth the stop to take in the photography by PhotoSensitive in the lobby of 1 Adelaide E. There are moving, thought provoking and engaging photographs on several important social issues. 

TSO - Back to the Future

The fans were not disappointed as the TSO played along with Marty. The venue was perfect and it was a real treat to experience the score live. And I got my picture taken next to the deLorean parked out front. More movies are coming up - you should check out the program.

Albert Schultz's Frankly Sinatra

More than I expected, I learned a lot in the show about the career trajectory of Frank Sinatra. In the easygoing style of the first act, Albert drew in the audience with his folksy style and reverse heckling. He is a great story teller, charming us with his excitement and duplicity and surprised us with his strong singing voice, supported no doubt by his awesome band. Despite having been to many Soulpepper productions I was not aware of his versatility. I was hoping for more songs and was not disappointed in the second act, where the shift focused less on story-telling, with a very classy closing of the story.

Lovely venue, by the way (Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts) and not all that far for a down-towner.

World Press Photo Exhibition

This photo exhibition tours the world and showcases some amazing work. It is presently showing in the atrium of Brookfield Place at Bay and Front (Toronto). I strongly recommend you take a few minutes in your lunch hour to check it out. If possible, you may want to stay away from the noon hour as we had to push through the crowds of school kids, clearly on an assignment. But what a great opportunity for them. 

Soulpepper - Happy Place

An interesting name for this play. Not an uplifting topic, however depression and it's impact was handled in a respectful manner, sometimes humorous, but not making light of the dark things that can drive you there. A totally genuine and sympathetic cast. I strongly recommend this show.

Wychwood Barns - Craft Ontario Show

This is one of my favourite shows - it is is a great venue, there is an amazing farmer's market to also browse through (go on Sat, really early if you want to get pies or other special items) and some fabulous artists in a smaller, more intimate setting. All of the chosen artists are very good and their wares are irresistible. Be sure to check it out next year !

Soulpepper - Marat/Sade

Not knowing much about the French Revolution, this really didn't enlighten me too much, but it captured the flavor of the time. The up to date presentation and score complemented the large ensemble cast, quirky costumes and props, resulting in a very enjoyable show.

Nuit Blanche

As we were out at a show anyway, we took the opportunity to stop in at a few Nuit Blanche installations on our way home. 

We waited in line for about 20 min in front of the Gardener Museum to see the Silent Knight”, a sculpture of an owl made of 50,000 lego pieces by Ekow Nimako. Definitely worth the wait. This installation will be up until the end of the week so you should stop by. 

Inside the Gardener was “The Bone Runners”, a ceramic installation by Nurielle Stern, which was both fascinating and fun. Attendees were encouraged to choose an axe head or spear tip from the many copies strewn along the floor in a pattern that seemed to guide you around the central sculpture. The latter was interesting as it encouraged people to pick them up, study them and really appreciate them.

I was forewarned that Nuit Blanche involved vague directions and lots of line-ups. Agree on the direction part, but this line-up wasn’t too bad – I imagine it is all about the your timing.

Ossington - Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story

The audience had lots of fun at this show. Obviously a lot of fans, but we went for the story as we only knew a few of his songs. His success and the number of hit songs he had in such a short period was quite remarkable. The show ended with a rousing concert, everyone was on their feet dancing - great show!