Magic and Delight Having seen the Disney version of Mary Poppins many times over the years, I was pleased to have this opportunity to see the Disney and Cameron MacKintosh’s stage musical.  The movie was a magical escape, and that magic is wonderfully recreated at the Grand Theatre in London. This play is perfectly staged, with flying, […]

A Hilarious, Modern Adaptation Sleeping Beauty – The Panto, currently at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse, is as much for the adults as for the children.  In true panto style, the audience becomes part of the performance. The wonderful thing about fairy tales is that they are continually adapted to the times.  Sleeping Beauty has been traced […]

Buddy is No Cotton-Headed Ninny Muggins This Christmas season, a very tall elf named Buddy is dancing on stage at the Hamilton Theatre in Cambridge   He is hilarious, but his story will bring tears to even the most cynical eyes.  If you’re a fan of Drayton Entertainment’s fairy tale pantos, you will recognize Buddy. […]

Brilliant Performances in A Legendary Affair The Grand Dames of Canadian theatre are together on stage in a captivating musical, both giving brilliant performances.  The show is Piaf/Dietrich – A Legendary Affair and the noted leads are Louise Pitre and Jayne Lewis, both of whom inhabit their characters and bring to life the famous chanteuses. […]

Compelling Presentation of Gut-Wrenching Story Set in Israel, The Runner is a fascinating story about a practice not familiar to most of us.  Not only does this play tell an unspeakable tale, it is presented by a brilliant actor who makes his character’s pain evident. Jacob is an orthodox Jew living in Israel where he […]

No, I was born in London, Ontario, Canada There’s a comedy on stage at the Grand Theatre in London (make that London, Ontario Canada) called This London Life.  And no, it’s not about the insurance company that makes its home in the palatial, stately building with the lush green lawn around it on Dufferin Street […]

Heartbreaking Stories Give New Life to Dylan’s Songs Back in 2016, I was surprised when Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, becoming the first songwriter to win the prestigious award. The rock legend, 75 at the time, received the prize “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition”.  […]

Friendship and Opinion Art, currently on stage at St. Jacobs Country Playhouse, could simply be a play about art appreciation.  But in fact, it’s a play about disagreements among friends.  Must a difference of opinion mean the end of a friendship?  In today’s Trump era, it seems as if friendships come to an end if […]

A Gentle, Touching Story of What Might Have Been Normally we go to theatre to see heartwarming, uplifting stories that unfold before our eyes.  The Band’s Visit is a poignant tale, but it’s more about what might have been, than what we see happening on stage.  On Broadway, this show was nominated for 11 Tony […]