“Kiinalik: These Sharp Tools” is a Modern Arctic Gothic “Throngs erupted in cheering and chanting for hours, zealously celebrating the historic NBA team.” “'I'm living a dream': Raptors victory parade takes over Toronto,” CBC News, 2019 “The Arctic trails have their secret tales/ That would make your blood run cold.” “The Cremation of Sam McGee,” Robert W. … Continue reading “Kiinalik: These Sharp Tools” is a Modern Arctic Gothic
GCTC’s ” Lo (or Dear Mr. Wells)” Glosses Over the Important Issues
by Sarah Haley The Great Canadian Theatre Company’s final show of the 2018-19 season, Lo (or Dear Mr. Wells), brings to the stage another pressing story about the interplay of power dynamics within heterosexual relationships. Written by Rose Napoli and directed by Eric Coates, it is a captivating play that keeps you glued to the … Continue reading GCTC’s ” Lo (or Dear Mr. Wells)” Glosses Over the Important Issues
The Wedding Party: Shakespearean in Form but not in Finish
by Sarah Haley The Wedding Party, a comedy co-produced by Crow’s Theatre and Talk is Free Theatre, is a chaotic dramedy with clear Shakespearean influences. With mistaken identities and deception, marriage, miscommunication, and complex and intertwining storylines, it has almost all the markers of one of Shakespeare’s comedies. Yet the unresolved issues and the missing … Continue reading The Wedding Party: Shakespearean in Form but not in Finish
“The Hockey Sweater” at the NAC is a musical romp jam-packed with nostalgia
By Meaghan Brackenbury Within the zeitgeist of small Canadian towns, hockey culture is present and persistent in every aspect of life. Kids, parents, and community members alike all speak the same sporty language, punctuated by rituals: school days are to be used for studying, weeknights are spent practicing on the rink, and Saturday nights are … Continue reading “The Hockey Sweater” at the NAC is a musical romp jam-packed with nostalgia
GCTC production of “The Virgin Trial” brings slut-shaming from the Renaissance to Modern Day
By: Meaghan Brackenbury “Elizabeth the First was extraordinary.” This is how Canadian playwright Kate Hennig opens her Director’s Note for the Great Canadian Theatre Company’s production of her most recent theatrical venture, The Virgin Trial. In the second installment of her Queenmaker series which began with The Last Wife, following the story of Catharine Parr … Continue reading GCTC production of “The Virgin Trial” brings slut-shaming from the Renaissance to Modern Day
Comedy, Classics, and Climate Change: Odyssey Theatre Stages World Premiere of “Lysistrata and the Temple of Gaia”
by Sarah Haley The latest season of Odyssey Theatre’s “Theatre under the Stars” brings the world premiere of Lysistrata and the Temple of Gaia to Strathcona Park. Created and directed by David S. Craig, the play mixes styles and genres: combining classical theatre with present day ideas. It is a play that is both wholly … Continue reading Comedy, Classics, and Climate Change: Odyssey Theatre Stages World Premiere of “Lysistrata and the Temple of Gaia”
A Company of Fools Breathes New Life into “Twelfth Night”
Twelfth Night, or What You Will is easily one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies given the playwright’s expert use of such timeless comedic devices as mistaken identities, gender reversal, and devious subplots. Ottawa last saw an excellent presentation of this play back in 2016 at the National Arts Centre with designs by Old Trout Puppet … Continue reading A Company of Fools Breathes New Life into “Twelfth Night”
“Gracie” Fails to Engage on Stage Despite Textual Resonance
It’s hard to believe that it’s already the end of the season for the Great Canadian Theatre Company. Coming in hot on the heels of the uber-enjoyable How Black Mothers Say I Love You, is Joan MacLeod’s Gracie- a cautionary tale about the dangers of blind faith, isolated (yet pervasive) cults, and festered patriarchy. On … Continue reading “Gracie” Fails to Engage on Stage Despite Textual Resonance
Cineplex brings more of Stratford to Canadian audiences with “Timon of Athens”
by Tamara LaPlante Less than two months after Cineplex and the Stratford Festival collaborated to bring Romeo and Juliet to the silver screen, they’ve teamed up again to present Timon of Athens at the end of this month. The show closed in September at the festival last year, and now makes its ‘film’ debut on … Continue reading Cineplex brings more of Stratford to Canadian audiences with “Timon of Athens”
Serendipitous Indifference: Diving Deeper into David Yee’s “carried away on the crest of a wave”
“How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart, you begin to understand, there is no going back”- Frodo Baggins, Return of the King (2003) When the hobbits return to Hobbiton after their epic quest through Middle Earth, Frodo Baggins finds himself unable to … Continue reading Serendipitous Indifference: Diving Deeper into David Yee’s “carried away on the crest of a wave”
The New Ottawa Critics 