Are online theatre critics, or digital content creators in general, artists? To answer this seemingly rhetorical question, let me begin with a story: Not too long ago I found myself walking in a park in a quiet town in Germany and sat down by the edge of a pond, where I was greeted by an … Continue reading Online Criticism & Artistic Darwinism
The Collaborative Audience
It was brought to my attention last week that I was talking about theatre criticism as a collaboration between theatre artist, critic, and spectator without really exploring what that means. I touch on the relationships between these types of people a bit in the article on The Separation of Art and Critic, but I think it might … Continue reading The Collaborative Audience
Community Voices
What are community voices, anyway? This is a new section of NOC devoted to giving space to people who normally live in the background of the conversation around art making and art criticism a dedicated place to speak. The community is a sound designer sick of people not appreciating their work, because people don’t know … Continue reading Community Voices
NAC & GCTC Look to Excite with new 2017/18 Seasons
This past Saturday may have been one of the more frigid days we’ve seen all winter, but that wasn’t enough to stop two of Ottawa’s professional theatre organizations, the National Arts Centre (NAC) and the Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC), from heating things up by announcing their brand new seasons to launch this Fall. Artistic … Continue reading NAC & GCTC Look to Excite with new 2017/18 Seasons
Scarcity Culture (or Attitudes for Making Art)
Scarcity culture is the persistent systemic feeling that there’s not enough of something to go around. In theatre, that usually means one of two things. In the first place, usually from the mouths of artists: there isn’t enough audience for their work. In the second place, usually from the mouths of people who consume art: … Continue reading Scarcity Culture (or Attitudes for Making Art)
Student Director Makes Waves with “pool (no water)”
Walking into the University of Ottawa’s historic Academic Hall for MFA (Stage Direction) candidate Pamela Feghali’s third and final production at UofO's Theatre Department, I couldn’t help but gasp audibly at the stage. It’s not often that an Ottawa theatre-goer is treated to such complex narrative that is evident in Mark Ravenhill’s text, pool (no water), let … Continue reading Student Director Makes Waves with “pool (no water)”
“My Fair Zombie”: A Fun Spin on an Old Classic
"My Fair Zombie": A Fun Spin on an Old Classic By Ian Huffam "My Fair Zombie" is certainly not a sophisticated musical in the traditional sense, but it’s clear that Brett Kelly knows how to put together a show. If you didn’t infer it from the title, "My Fair Zombie" takes the stuffy pedigree of … Continue reading “My Fair Zombie”: A Fun Spin on an Old Classic
Beverley Cooper puts Women Front and Centre in New Play Premiering at GCTC
“How do we define the female experience?” is a question that has been continually at the centre of discourse surrounding gender inequality and feminism for about as long as these two concepts have existed in our world. To take this idea even further, the question, “Who has the right to speak on the female experience?” … Continue reading Beverley Cooper puts Women Front and Centre in New Play Premiering at GCTC
“Danse de Garçons” Explores What it Means to be a Man
What does it mean to be a man in this day and age? Danse de Garçons, playing at La Nouvelle Scène until Saturday April 16, explores this question and answers it with a few different ideas: competition and collaboration, physical and emotional support and domination, roughness and tenderness, and in its final breathtaking image the … Continue reading “Danse de Garçons” Explores What it Means to be a Man
Who’s Afraid of a Big Long Play? You Shouldn’t Be.
There’s nothing to fear in Bear & Co’s new production, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, except for maybe some sore legs. Playing at the Gladstone this month, Edward Albee’s classic text, under the helm of local director Ian Farthing, clocks in at a solid two hours and fifty minutes (that’s including two fifteen minute intermissions). … Continue reading Who’s Afraid of a Big Long Play? You Shouldn’t Be.
The New Ottawa Critics 