“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
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”
“Sir John A: Acts of a Gentrified Ojibway Rebellion” – a Review
Written by Ron Finnigan Edited by Ian Huffam Sir John A: Acts of a Gentrified Ojibway Rebellion is a play presented at the NAC from October 3rd to 14th, 2017. I had the pleasure of attending the performance on October 11th, which included a talk-back with the performers after the play. In the program handed … Continue reading “Sir John A: Acts of a Gentrified Ojibway Rebellion” – a Review
“King of the Yees”: A Noble Attempt at Merging the Social and Aesthetic on Stage
The latest production of the National Arts Centre’s English Theatre season, Lauren Yee’s King of the Yees, reminds me of the division between social drama and aesthetic drama that can help us to talk about the different ways in which we view and interpret theatrical productions. While this show is a boon to Artistic Director … Continue reading “King of the Yees”: A Noble Attempt at Merging the Social and Aesthetic on Stage
Musical Stage Company Navigates Problematic Stereotypes with Strong Female Lead in “Onegin”
The National Arts Centre’s English Theatre kicked off their newest season Friday night with Veda Hille and Amiel Gladstone’s foot-stomping new musical Onegin. Based on the verse novel Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin as well as Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s opera adaptation, The Musical Stage Company (in collaboration with NAC English Theatre) have respun this classic tale … Continue reading Musical Stage Company Navigates Problematic Stereotypes with Strong Female Lead in “Onegin”
Review: “Children Of God” at the National Arts Centre
A musical about Residential Schools. The beauty of works in the musical genre, from my perspective, is that they have the ability to transcend the bounds of the theatre in ways most other kinds of productions cannot to become cultural phenomena. They can bridge the gap between addressing things that remain unspoken in popular society, … Continue reading Review: “Children Of God” at the National Arts Centre
A Local Guide to Celebrating World Theatre Day 2017
“Within these twenty-four hours we may be taken from France to Russia, from Racine and Moliere to Chekhov; we can even cross the Atlantic as a bolt of inspiration to serve on a Campus in California, enticing a young student there to reinvent and make their name in theatre. Indeed, theatre has such a thriving … Continue reading A Local Guide to Celebrating World Theatre Day 2017
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
Dance Through Your ABCs with “26 lettres à danser”
By Timofei Smolko During this play i had many analogies to my life. The play walked the audience through a story of all the letters in the alphabet. The first scene was A and they were screaming a lot and moving abruptly that reminded me of how it is to be on a roller-coaster. The … Continue reading Dance Through Your ABCs with “26 lettres à danser”
“26 lettres à danser”: Alphabet Confusion
by Natasha Popovych (14 years old) You look at me like you know me, Yet you don't. You talk, and ask my name, But for what reason, You don't tell me that. You dance, sing and interact Yet I get no answer. You created us a piece, Of alphabet meaning, But no such explanation. Your words are … Continue reading “26 lettres à danser”: Alphabet Confusion
The New Ottawa Critics 