What's New
Heist
January 20, 2025
Is it a Movie? Is it a Play? Reviewed by Kim Kaitell Glitzy, glamorous, edgy, sexy. The only thing missing from Heist now playing at The Grand Theatre was a high speed car chase! The moment I entered the theatre I was gob-smacked by the edifice of movie screens towering to the rafters and surrounding a black, minimalist stage floor. The excitement set in. I am a huge fan of heist/crime/spy thrillers, and had been anticipating the opening of this very new and modern play for some time. (Heist ran only once before nearly one year ago in Calgary at Vertigo Theatre with very positive reviews.) I was curious, I’ve seen many movies and television series in this genre, but never a play. How would it be staged? About 3 years ago playwright Arun Lakra was given a challenge: take the sizzle of a Hollywood heist movie and turn it into a play for the stage. At first, he refused. How could one even approach what seemed an insurmountable task? And then one day he had an inkling of an idea and it began to grow. And then the writing began. And then he delivered. I admit I was worried that the massive Imax-type screen bracketed by a stack of multiple box screens would overshadow the presence of the actors, however once petty thief and mastermind Marvin (Devin MacKinnon) began the story telling in his lilting Irish brogue, the screens somehow magically and appropriately faded from being the main character into being a quiet backdrop. And so, the planning for the caper began. All the main characters one expects in this genre were introduced one by one, each of course with their own roles to play to succeed in the challenging robbery of a highly expensive and highly protected ruby. (I won’t give anything ...
Read More →
Mary's Musings
Blyth Festival 2025 Line Up
February 8, 2025
Blyth Festival Artistic Director Gil Garratt is proud to announce the company’s 2025 season. The playbill is once again set to deliver Blyth’s signature mix of laughter, tears, and celebration of Canadian history. Garratt says he’s chosen the five shows on next season’s playbill to highlight our constant need to change and adapt to new realities in the world around us – a theme he finds grows more relevant with each passing day. “We’re living through an era of seismic change not seen since the Industrial Revolution,” says Garratt. “Reflecting this, our 2025 season features stories of characters grappling with similar realities. Many find themselves pitting long-cherished values against the need to keep up with change in everything from technology and political stability to economics and immigration.” Garratt promises a mix of comedy, drama and plenty of music in a season that includes both new works and old favourites, each of which speaks to Canada’s unique history, culture, and strong rural roots. Outdoors, on the Harvest Stage: Quiet in the LandCanadian Classic | Historical | Drama By Anne Chislett One of the most lauded plays in Blyth’s 50-year history, Anne Chislett’s blockbuster chronicles the tensions in a small Amish community when a father rises to become bishop while his son enlists to fight overseas in WWI. This timeless story explores the wrenching forces of modernity, pacifism and family; forces made even more relevant in today’s heightened atmosphere of political polarization. Originally commissioned by the Blyth Festival, Quiet in the Land won both the Governor General’s and the Chalmers Awards when it was first produced in 1981. Indoors, on the Margaret Stephens Stage at Memorial Hall: Sir John A: Acts of a Gentrified Ojibway RebellionContemporary classic | Historical | Comedy By Drew Hayden Taylor Part road trip, part grand heist gone wrong, Drew Hayden Taylor’s ...
Read More →
NEWSLETTER
Sign up here if you would like to receive notice when news, reviews, and musings are posted. You can unsubscribe at any time.