Toronto’s theatre scene is very diverse and offers plenty for us to enjoy. I thought it would be helpful to create a recommendation list for some shows currently playing and some coming up at a theatre near you.
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| Naomi Wright as Virginia Woolf Photo: Emily Cooper |
A Room Of One’s Own
Bloomsbury Collective
A Room Of One’s Own is currently staged within the Historic Campbell House. It runs until Sunday, Nov. 24th. For more info, visit aroomofonesown.ca.
The Gravitational Pull Of Bernice Trimble
Factory Theatre & Obsidian Theatre Co-Production
I’ve been a fan of Karen Robinson‘s work since I saw her in RIOT when I was in high school. This particular play appeals to me because it deals with one woman’s story (Bernice) and her having to deal with her early onset Alzheimer’s. Bernice then decides she’d like to ‘bow out with dignity’ and asks her daughter to assist her with this. The topic and story do not sound like an ‘easy’ thing to tackle, but the show is receiving rave reviews already.
Performances continue until Sunday, December 1st at the Factory Theatre. Full details can be found at factorytheatre.ca.
Needles And Opium
Canadian Stage, Théâtre du Trident (Québec),
and Théâtre du Nouveau Monde (Montréal) Co-production
This Robert Lepage play has its English premiere after its original run in 1991. Presented as a hypnotic series of vignettes, the “introspective show explores the complex relationships between displacement, drug addiction and the creative drive, as revealed through the lives of Parisian poet/filmmaker Jean Cocteau on his way to New York, and American jazz legend Miles Davis during his stay in Paris in 1949”.
The show premieres Friday, November 22nd and runs for 12 performances only, until December 1st. For show and ticketing information, visit canadianstage.com.
For dance, I suggest…
Weesageechak Festival
Native Earth Performing Arts
This three day festival places a special emphasis on local indigenous artists and their works in development. There are a few plays, I’d be interested in:
La Maleta / The Suitcase, the story of Roca, a ten-year old refugee who escapes her native Colombia clutching her suitcase – inside of which she believes her grandmother is hiding.
Postcards, the story of a young Métis man, in search of his stolen roots, sets out on an enlightening journey to unearth his lost identity and find his blood family.
Good Grief, an interesting take on death and saying goodbye. Six friends come together to plan their own funerals in this surprisingly joyful comedy about their final farewell.
The Weesageechak Festival takes place from November 21st-23rd at the Aki Studio Theatre (585 Dundas East, Toronto). Full festival listings can be found at nativeearth.ca.
For the Family, I would recommend…
Annie (TYA)
Young People’s Theatre
The story of orphan Annie is well know across various generations. YPT’s latest production takes a lighter tone to the story, but it will certainly entertain the intended younger audience. It will also generate some topics for discussion in and out of the classroom.
I attended the opening of this show last week, and have gathered my thoughts about it here. Annie (TYA) plays at Young People’s Theatre until December 29th. Details found at youngpeoplestheatre.ca.
The Little Mermaid
Ross Petty Productions
This tale is also well known, thanks to the Disney film. But if you’ve yet to attend one of Ross Petty’s shows, then I suggest you try it out at least once. His shows tend to entertain the younger audiences and make us ‘grown ups’ laugh more than we expect, at times. Petty states “this won’t be a watered down version of the Disney film”. You have been warned.
The Little Mermaid plays at the Elgin Theatre from November 22nd to January 4th. For show information and tickets, visit rosspetty.com.
These are but a few shows out of the many playing or opening in Toronto this weekend. But I’m hoping these will entice you to visit and support a local theatre company near you. Laugh, cry, ponder, and engage in discussion… That is what art is about!
