Off Mirvish - God of Carnage

Absolutely hilarious. Some realistic and entertaining jabs at various parenting styles and how these tend to exaggerate other tensions. Have to say I saw a little bit of my husband and myself in this play, but I won't tell you who either one of us most resembles. It was actually an exaggerated parody of the many small things that build up in any relationship - you will enjoy it!

Distillery District Christmas Market

Lots of festive treats and gifts to choose from. Some lovely ornaments, scrumptious cakes and cookies and a wide array of trinkets to fit in a stocking. Plan to have a meal as you wander through the Christmas stalls, as there are several yummy options at the vendors spread throughout. For those of you that didn't know this existed, its a great way to spend an afternoon, but very crowded in evenings or on weekends.

National Geographic Live - The Lens of Adventure: Brian Smith, Extreme Filmaker

Filming the participants in extreme sports - solo climbing up vertical rock faces, walking along a tight rope over the Grand Canyon, base jumping off mountain peaks, kayaking through wicked rapids and down waterfalls - the photographer and crew have to be almost as crazy as the sports enthusiast. Risk takers and inventors, their creativity and drive lead to unique solutions to get that amazing shot so they can share the experience with us. The story behind how they got the story and the shot is always exciting.

Second City - The Second City's Holiday Spectacular

A very entertaining show – some sketches were not quite there, but overall lots of laughs and great comedic timing. The improvs were the most fun parts, particularly when unsuspecting members of the audience were encouraged to participate. There were several big groups in the house and our group all enjoyed the show very much. Appropriate for older teens and up, this is a fabulous option for a night out (or day, as there are matinee performances) for the extended family.

YPT - Jabber

Thought provoking and superb acting. Very frank portrayal of the biases that young people hold about people who are different and the conflict that arises in teens, who just want to fit in. The electronic screen was a nice touch - integrating technology into the play and cleverly capturing how young people use social media to build relationships. Excellent play for pre-teens.

Mirvish - Once

I really enjoyed this show, it was very moving and romantic and the music was lovely. I am looking forward to getting the soundtrack.

The two leads were well cast, complementing each other beautifully. They were both very strong performers, putting their heart and soul into the music. The entire cast was engaging, both quirky and immensely talented. I was blown away by the captivating female lead, Dani de Waal, with her excellent comedic timing, musical prowess and great voice. 

Canstage - Needles and Opium

A favourite playwright produced a sold out house. The narrative was mesmerizingly delivered, punctuated by some beautiful trumpet playing.  

A very light story, which seemed to be created largely to enable the viewer to be entertained by the frequently rotating cube, with props popping up as necessary. The cube, or stage, transformed from a recording studio to a hotel room to various streetscapes as needed. The latter was enhanced by creative use of video. Very clever staging.

I really enjoyed watching the metamorphosis of the stage and for me, this was the star of the show.