Mary

The Three Tonys Reviewed by Vicki Stokes War veteran, painter, and superstar crooner, Tony Bennett had incredible success and longevity, working until he died in 2023. Victoria Playhouse walks you through the life of this remarkable man in The Tony Bennett Songbook, now on stage in Petrolia. Bennett kept himself relevant until the end, working with

They’re Back and Better than Ever! Reviewed by Mary Alderson My eyes filled with tears the second the actors came on stage. It was like catching up with old friends. And it only gets better from that moment. If you haven’t seen Come From Away, you must! If you have seen it, I guarantee you will

Comedy Created in Rural-Urban Mix Reviewed by Mary Alderson In Buying the Farm, a clever comedy now on stage at the Globus Theatre, an eager young real estate agent gets skunked at the end of act one. But no skunk appears on stage. Sadly, after the show on opening night, we learned why. The skunk

The High School Project Returns to the Grand with Roald Dahl’s Beloved Tale Reviewed by Eden Eidt Matilda tells the story of a gifted young girl who prefers to read instead of watching television with her aloof, and often cruel, parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood (James Wright and Piper Jesney), and older brother, Michael (Shakotshanunyatha

The Finest Fiddling You’ll Find  Reviewed by Vicki Stokes The Ultimate Fiddler on the Loose is now on stage at Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia, the latest of a series of Fiddler shows. Reminiscent of Fiddler on the Loose 2022 with Drayton Entertainment, this show is billed as The Ultimate, meaning the best and most extreme, so

An 1840s Mockery of the Upper Crust Reviewed by Mary Alderson London Assurance, now on the Festival stage in Stratford, is a delightful romp, which has great fun pointing out the foibles of the upper class. Or maybe they are upper class only in their own minds. Written by Dion Boucicault, and Anglo-Irishman, in 1841,

Not Lost in Translation Reviewed by Mary Alderson It seemed like such an unlikely choice. A Chinese actor asked Arthur Miller to come to China to direct Death of a Salesman in Chinese in 1983. Now a new play about that project is on the Avon stage at the Stratford Festival: Salesman in China. Miller’s

He’s Having an Affair Reviewed by Mary Alderson Edward Albee is known for his strange yet often humorous plays. Devoted Albee fans love his bizarre story lines. But who would want to see a play about an otherwise sane and successful man, happily married with a son, who suddenly falls in love with a goat?

Successful Novel-to-Play Endeavour Reviewed by Mary Alderson When I heard that Margaret Laurence’s novel, “The Diviners”, was adapted for stage and going to be presented at the Stratford Festival this season, I was excited. I have been a big fan of the late writer’s works since I first read “A Bird in the House” in