Mirvish - Wicked

Fantastic show. Excellent casting for Glinda and Elphaba, the chemistry between them was great. Ginna Claire Mason, as Glinda, has great comedic timing and is absolutely charming. Mary Kate Morrissey, as Elphaba, was sympathetic, but also came across as strong and proud. We thoroughly enjoyed this show.

Luminato - Bug

An outstanding performance by Yolanda Bonnell, effortlessly shifting between personas. An impactful demonstration of the cycle of abandonment and the desire for love at any cost that this triggers.

Luminato - Out The Window

Captivating play about the use of excessive force by the police, clearly illuminating the challenge in responding to people with mental health challenges in a threatening scenario. The first half was a creative reenactment of the testamony in the Otto Vass case and the second half presents a series of vignettes around the topic, engaging the audience and the cast.

Luminato - Burning Doors

An incredibly tense and athletic performance, this play, featuring one of the members of the Pussy Riot band and an outstanding group of Russian performers, will stay with you for a while. Profiling a number of unjust detentions and torture of activists, with extreme voices, it can be hard to watch at times.

Halifax - Day 2 - Cuture and History

Really enjoyed wandering around the Citidel grounds, with it's fabulous views of the city from the upper walkway. Exploring the replica WW1 trench was particularly interesting.

At the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, there were a number of lovely galleries, including a large selection from Group of Seven and a special exhibit of Maud Lewis. 

Before setting out for a bus tour I grabbed a quick coffee and snack at The Cake Lady near the Maritime Museum on the waterfront - I strongly recommend the delicious pretzels.

The weather today is gorgeous, perfect for an afternoon at Peggy's Cove. An iconic and beautiful spot. The tour guide shared lots of interesting tidbits about Halifax, as we drove through the city, and the sights along the way.

Halifax - Day 1 - Harbourfront

Jumping off from the Marriott at Purdy's Wharf, I followed the Harbourfront Walk all the way to Pier 21. Stops included Cow's (fabulous ice cream chain in the East), Historic Properties (for crafts, drinks, totchkes), the farmers market (amazing coffee) and the Immigration Museum at Pier 21. All new immigrants, up to mass airline travel, entered Canada here, so it was fascinating to see where my parents had entered the country some 65 years ago, and what that experience was like for them. Another real treat - everywhere I went there was plenty of seating available to take a rest.

A leisurely stroll up the main shopping street, Spring Garden Rd, in search of Jennifer's of Nova Scotia at #5635, a shop representing many local artisans, was followed  by a leisously wander through the beatutiful Public Gardens, observing several bridal parties taking pictures. Too late to enter the citidel, I walked around the rim, still able to get a good panaramic view of the city below.

Lunch was at Salty's and dinner at Gahan House, enjoying a meal on the patio with a lovely view of the Harbour. Particularly nice in the evening as the lights started to twinkle on across the Harbour.

Soulpepper - Innocence Lost

Shocking story about the miscarriage of Justice. The versatility of the actors was awesome as they effortlessly transitioned through multiple roles.

Luminato - The Fever

Hmmmm. Minimalist, put the audience to work, follow the leader. An intriguing concept, but I didn't quite feel the frenzy. This wasn't breaking down the fourth wall - there wasn't one. Not my cup of tea .....

Montreal - Day 2 - The Old Town

Straight down Bleury takes you very close to the Notre Dame Basilica. I didn't go in today, but I noted there were no line-ups so morning is definitely best. Winding back and forth, just ambling through the old town, down by the water front for a rest. Finally I found what I was looking for. A small jewelery collective I had last visited about 10 years ago, near Place Jacques Cartier and Rue St Paul, in the midst of the tourist shops and reams of restaurants and cafes. Many of these jewellers come to Toronto for the One Of A Kind Show, but there were others worth browsing as well. Time for a leisurely lunch on the rooftop Cafe in the William Grey Hotel, with a lovely view of the Harbour. Weaving my way back through the streets again, I wrapped up a very fine mid day stroll.

Montreal - Day 1 - Downtown

Setting off from the Delta, I enjoyed a nice stroll along Sherbrooke and through the grounds of McGill University - gorgeous. 

Further up the street I came across the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, where I was lucky to catch a special Picasso show. Of particular note is a film of Picasso creating a painting of a goat, with every step of the process captured, for a very fascinating view of his creative process.

The Montreal Museum is quite large, but spread out over three interconnected buildings, with a layout that is a little confusing. There are lots of surprises, gems and "shake your head" pieces in the Contemporary exhibits, as is to be expected from a fine arts museum. A special treat for me was discovering two pieces from Chihully.

As I left I decided to backtrack to Crescent St, which turned out to be the right thing to do. The street is lined with restaurants and cafes with patios and it was well past lunch time. Casse-Croute did a very fine job of sating my hunger with a delicious bagguet and a latte.

Since it was the weekend of the Grand Prix, Crescent St was closed to allow for booths, patios and awesome cars - porsches and Lamborghinis, etc. Stunning!

Now I was ready to wander along Rue St Catherine, the premier shopping street. Busy and long, all the regular chain stores were represented and the odd new one of interest. After a fair walk I reached Place Des Arts, where the street was closed to traffic, housing several temporary bandshells, outdoor bars and patios for a music festival.

And all of this going on within a few blocks of my hotel - incredible!

Nightwood Theatre - The Lawyer Show: The Drowsy Chaperone

Very funny and an incredible amateur cast of lawyers had the crowd hooping and hollering (of course, most of them were were friends and colleagues😁). An impressive show of support from the legal community for Nightwood.

Luminato - Tika

The saxophonist for the opening band was incredible. The headliner, Tika, is an awesome Canadian talent, genuine and clearly beloved by the audience.

Luminato - RIOT

Awesome kick-off to the Luminato festival for me. This was a stand out, all around fantastic show. Political, poetic, artistic, song dance, feats of strength, and a smattering of comedy. This show has it all!