Running for a Cause A true story of conviction and determination, Chariots of Fire, now on stage at London’s Grand Theatre, offers a fascinating look at a moment in history.  Set in the 1920s, it tells of two athletic runners in Britain, both with Olympic dreams.  Eric Liddell is a devout Christian from Scotland, who […]

Strong Cast Creates Poignant Dysfunctional Family Story The Glass Menagerie, the almost-autobiographical story of Tennessee Williams, is timeless.  First produced in 1944, it is set in the mid-1930s when Williams was a young man. This dysfunctional family story, now on the McManus stage at London’s Grand Theatre, transcends the decades. At first glance, it’s a […]

A Show Made for Musical Theatre Nerds    An all Canadian show, The Drowsy Chaperone, now on stage at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse, has an interesting history.  Originally written by their friends, it was performed for Bob Martin and Janet Van De Graaff as a wedding gift.  After that, Bob Martin and Don McKellar […]

A Gut-Wrenching Story of Women in Afghanistan A Thousand Splendid Suns, now on stage at London’s Grand Theatre, doesn’t match its name.  One might think of happy times, under a warm sun, but that’s not what we find here.  It is a gut-wrenching story of life in Afghanistan, centred on two women.  Creatively presented, with […]

Integrating Baltimore   Last year on TV, I heard a Trump supporter yelling the slogan “Make America Great Again”, and a reporter asking him “When was America great?”.  “In the sixties,” was the reply. As they say in the musical Hairspray, “Welcome to the sixties!”  While this musical has great fun transporting us back to […]

What’s the Name of the Game?    Combine the infectious music of Abba with an endearing love story set in the 1990s, and you have the ever-popular Mamma Mia!  It’s an instant crowd-pleaser.  I was fortunate enough to travel to Edmonton to see the production currently on stage at the Citadel Theatre.  This high energy […]

Meeting a Clown on a Blind Date    Fans of improv will love Blind Date, currently on stage at London’s Grand Theatre.  Actually, the creator and star, Rebecca Northan, is quite clear:  it’s not improvisation, it’s spontaneous theatre.  She arrives with no script, but a plan, and works from there. Northan stars as Mimi who […]

A Love Story in Noisy Silence    The fascinating story of love between Mabel Hubbard and her famous husband, Alexander Graham Bell, is now on stage at London’s Grand Theatre.  A charming tale, the play reveals the love between Bell and Mabel, his profoundly deaf student.  Bell, an elocution teacher, is hired by Mabel’s parents […]

Ugly Duckling makes a Cute Musical    A sweet musical, now on stage at St. Jacobs Country Playhouse, takes Hans Christian Andersen’s fable of the Ugly Duckling and turns it into a song and dance story, complete with an anti-bullying message. Like the fairy tale plot, a big egg appears in Mrs. Duck’s nest.  A […]

The Sights and Sounds of Christmas Past    A miserable, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is on stage at London’s Grand Theatre for the Christmas season.  Benedict Campbell’s portrayal of Scrooge is perfection, right from his first cantankerous moment, through to his redemption, and then his joy in finding the spirit of Christmas. By his own admission, […]