Archives

From War to Wedding and Back Mary’s Wedding is an engaging tale with a melancholy ending, now on stage at the Blyth Festival.  A young couple meets, falls in a love and he then he leaves to fight for Canada in what was then called the Great War, or as we know it today, World […]

A Canadian in Kansas Outlaw, now on stage at Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia, is not your usual Norm Foster fare.  Instead of a comedy based on relationship problems, Outlaw is a Western who-done-it.  While it’s a departure from the usual Norm Foster comedies that rely on witty banter, Outlaw still provides lots of laughs, as the

Spectacular Dance that could make Headlines For dance fans, Newsies is the ultimate show.  Based on the true story of the 1899 newsboys strike in New York City, Newsies was created first as a movie in 1992, and then re-made for Broadway, winning the Tony for best choreography in 2012.   The Broadway tour is now

Back to 1913 on Lake Huron The play Fury, now on stage at the Blyth Festival, combines a heartbreaking love story with a stormy historic event.  The romantic triangle of Margaret, David and Michael is set against the severe weather of hurricane proportions that hit Lake Huron in November 9, 1913. This notorious blizzard took the

Chop, Chop, Woody! One of the unfortunate things about going to theatre regularly is that it becomes increasingly difficult to find fresh comedy that amuses us.  Some shows are too predictable, others repeat old jokes, and some just aren’t funny.  Even worse, some cast members aren’t funny.  So the more shows I go to, (for

Laughs Abound in Mother-Daughter Relationship  Old Wives’ Tales, now on stage in the lively Lake Erie village of Port Stanley, takes a look at three stages in the mother-daughter relationship.  And the laughter of recognition in the theatre is evidence that it struck a relationship with the audience. In the first scene, we meet the

Shania, Dolly, Patsy – and more! Country music fans should be on a pilgrimage to Victoria Playhouse in Petrolia.  They need to pay homage to the Women of Country, now on stage.  Six women sing more than 50 country songs.  For country music fans, this must be a little bit of heaven:    For the finale,

Razzle Dazzle ‘em! The production of Chicago now on stage at Huron Country Playhouse will razzle dazzle any audience.  It’s very well cast with entertainers who give it their all. But don’t go expecting to see a copy of the 2002 Oscar-winning movie.  The plot line has been around for a long time – the

Black History in Lucan There’s a fascinating story rooted in Lucan, but it seems that most of us in southwestern Ontario don’t know much about it.  A new play on stage in Blyth, The Wilberforce Hotel, tells some of that tale, but not enough.  It whetted my appetite and I came right home to google

Jekyll and Hyde Romance  Last Chance Romance now on stage at Playhouse II in Grand Bend, should be funny, but unfortunately misses the mark.  Drayton Entertainment has billed it as a “fun-filled laughfest” and yes, there are some laughs along the way.  But the billing also says it “crackles with humanity”, and that is where