Erin go Bragh (Ireland Forever) Reviewed by Vicki Stokes It’s time for the final show of the 2022 season at Victoria Playhouse in Petrolia, and Director David Hogan says “This is a party show.” There are plenty of opportunities to tap your feet, clap your hands, cheer, whistle, and sing along with the immensely talented ensemble cast. […]

Enriching Our History and Our Culture Reviewed by Vicki Stokes Two stories intertwine in John Ware Reimagined, premiering in Ontario at the Blyth Festival. One story explores the life of John Ware, an important historical figure in Canada’s history. The other is the story of a young girl who lacks a role model until her discovery […]

For Potter Fans Reviewed by Mary Alderson There are three types of people:  1. Harry Potter fans who have read all seven books and seen all the movies. These people went in to deep depression when J.K. Rowling announced the end of the series. Then when the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child came […]

An Energy-Filled Wild Ride into Fake News Reviewed by Mary Alderson Director/Choreographer Donna Feore has come back from the pandemic closure with a big bang. This season’s musical Chicago is her flashiest, brightest, fastest-paced, most energetic show yet! This is certainly the musical that has it all – excellent singing, dancing, acting – probably the […]

A Fresh New Staging of Richard III Reviewed by Vicki Stokes Richard III was presented in Stratford when the Festival first opened in 1953. The title role was performed by the great British actor, Sir Alec Guinness. Now, 69 seasons after Tom Patterson founded the Stratford Festival, it is fitting for one of its veterans, […]

A Prince of Denmark for 2022 Reviewed by Mary Alderson At Stratford Festival’s 2022 opening night, you might have thought Hamlet is a comedy! Never has there been so much laughter at a tragedy. If you went by the audience’s amusement in the Festival Theatre, you would think there was nothing rotten in Denmark. This […]

Manipulating Madness Reviewed by Mary Alderson The production of Gaslight, now on stage at the Royal George Theatre in Niagara-on-the-Lake should make the Shaw Festival very proud. One of their own, actor and playwright Patty Jamieson along with Johnna Wright, has created a new version of Gaslight. Originally written in 1938, the play was dated […]

The Devil Made Me Do It Reviewed by Mary Alderson Many Toronto Maple Leaf fans will understand the premise of Damn Yankees.  I’m sure there are plenty of Leafs’ fans who would sell their soul to the Devil in exchange for a Stanley Cup.  In Damn Yankees, we meet Joe Boyd, a fanatical fan of […]