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 […]
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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
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A New Musical Copying an Old Movie A re-imagining of the old 1951 movie, An American in Paris is now on stage at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto. A combination of projected images and moving set pieces show how World War II devastated France. We are transported back to 1945, as the red
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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
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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
Closed due to pandemic. Take the Trip to Gander The 9/11 (or rather 9/12) Gander, Newfoundland musical Come From Away is back in Toronto. If you missed it during its last stay, you had better order your tickets now, because upcoming dates will sell out quickly. However, I predict that it will have a long
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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
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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,
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