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The Queen and her Prime Ministers: Fiction or Fact? The Audience is a fascinating play about the weekly meetings Queen Elizabeth has had with the various prime ministers since her coronation.  Of course, anything said in these weekly “audiences” between these two leaders of Great Britain is held in strict confidence, so we have no […]

The Long and The Short of It By guest reviewer Megan Moorhouse The Lion in Winter, like so many classic plays, is probably still more well-known as a movie.  The 1968 film version famously earned the inimitable Katherine Hepburn an Academy Award for Best Actress, starred Peter O’Toole, and featured Sir Anthony Hopkins in an

Bah, Humbug?    Upstairs at London’s Grand Theatre, the Wizard of Oz is a humbug.  Downstairs in the McManus Studio Theatre, we can hear Scrooge saying “Bah, humbug” but his alter-ego, Rod Beattie is not a humbug.  Beattie is the real deal when it comes to acting all the roles in the classic A Christmas

There’s No Place Like Home London’s Grand Theatre, apparently, has a plan to produce Wizard of Oz every seven years.  It was their Christmas musical in 2002 and again in 2009.  As former Artistic Director Susan Ferley pointed out, seven years is a lifetime for their target audience. And so, for the third time in

The Ugliest Step-Sisters    Drayton Entertainment has hit the mark again, with a panto that offers lots of fun for the wee ones and enough laughs to keep Mom & Dad or Grandma & Grandpa entertained.  Caroline Smith, the same playwright who brought us the Aladdin and Snow White pantos is back with her tried

It’s Fabulous, Baby! A fake nun with a big heart changes the future of a dying parish – it’s a good story, a great movie and an even better live musical.  On stage now at the Dunfield Theatre in Cambridge, Sister Act is a well-polished presentation with lively entertainment, guaranteed to make you smile. When

Cooking with Acrobats   In 2002, seven self-described circus artists came together in Montreal to form Les 7 Doigts or The 7 Fingers. Following on the success of Cirque de Soliel, they have been gathering acrobats, gymnasts and trapeze artists from around the world and putting together shows for the last 15 years.  Their latest

Appreciating Joni’s Lyrics and Music The show Joni Mitchell: River is the season opener on stage at London’s Grand Theatre.  Before I can tell you about it, I need to tell you what it’s not. It’s not the story of Joni’s life; there are no words spoken, nor any account acted.  It’s not an impersonation

Please Note: This review was written in July 2015 when this production of Footloose was in Grand Bend.  The show has now been remounted at the Dunfield Theatre, Cambridge, on stage until October 30, 2016. There are some cast changes.  Call the Box Office: 1-855-drayton (372-9866) for tickets.  Everybody Cut Loose! Time-travelling back to the 1980s is the

Terry Fox Musical Remembers and Raises Hope You might think that Terry Fox’s story isn’t suitable material for a musical.  Or maybe you think the subject matter is too depressing. But strangely enough, this new Canadian musical making its debut at St. Jacobs Country Playhouse is actually uplifting.  We know the outcome – Terry doesn’t