I personally think that there should be some special recognition for actor Gordon Gammie. He dominates the stage (in a good way) at this year’s Festival Antigonish, playing huge roles in all three productions. In Rope’s End Gammie plays Tobias, an acerbic down-and-out movie critic who seeks to reconnect with his first (maybe only) love. […]
Kate Watson
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Going Hamlet
Hamlet. You’ve seen it before, and you’ll see it again. Why? Because each production mines something different from Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy. In the terrific SBTS version, Rhys Bevan-John is part sullen, sarcastic youth and part self-doubting man. He brings a wonderful intensity to the character and delivers the many so-familiar lines with unique twists that […]
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Much Ado About Nothing
What a summer at Shakespeare by the Sea! First there was the purely delightful Snow White, then a memorable Hamlet and now Much Ado About Nothing that, I think, tops them both. It’s fast and funny, filled with hot chemistry and sharp wit. With her spunky demeanor and arch delivery, Kathryn McCormack seems born to […]
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Mr. Marmalade
Could there be a better time to stage Noah Haidle’s wickedly funny and highly disturbing Mr. Marmalade in Halifax? After all, the entire city has been engaged in a months-long, much-needed discussion about what we can do about violence against women. So how, you may be wondering, does a one-act play about a four-year-old named […]
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Forever Plaid
Please excuse the mixed imagery, but even if cornball comedy isn’t your cup of tea, I urge you to see Forever Plaid at Chester Playhouse. It’s a delightfully nostalgic romp, where the plot doesn’t really matter, but the music really does. And that’s exactly what makes this production sing. Simon Gordon, Kyle Gillis, Anders Balderston […]
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The full-meal deal
Talk about binging on theatre! Queer Act Festival is offering five shows that will fill your evening from 6:00 to 11:30 all for $35.00. Of course, you could pick and choose, but there is something very satisfying about consuming this as a combo package. So, here’s the line-up: First up is Aisha Sommer Zaman’s conversation-sparking […]
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Song for her family
Lee-Anne Poole smiles as she picks up her guitar and begins to strum. Her rich, husky voice fills the tiny rehearsal hall on Agricola Street. “A broken heart/Don’t take long to heal/Just make your mind/It’s how you feel/But when you know/They were the one/That broken heart/It stays undone.” It’s pretty hard to believe that she […]
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As You Like It
The wooded setting at the Ross Creek Centre is a perfect stage for As You Like It, a play about banished lovers who find themselves (and eventually each other) in the Forest of Arden. Michael McPhee’s portrayal of the chivalrous and romantic Orlando is a revelation. He exudes charm and makes Shakespeare’s words accessible and […]
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Waiting for the Parade
Photo: Laani Heinar Plays featuring all-women casts are few and far between, so it’s a real treat to get to chance to Waiting for the Parade which centres on five strong, small-town Canadian women who are keeping the home fires burning during the Second World War. Janet (Shoel Strang) is a bossy, abrasive powerhouse who […]
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Snow White
Do conjoined twins count as one person? Is Windex poisonous? Is Patrick Swayze an effective life model? These are but a few of the questions raised by SBTS’s highly original take on Snow White. Halifax has come to expect catchy music, zany antics and clever pop culture references from this company’s family shows, and Snow […]
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Music Inspires!
Right now, Halifax is playing host to hundreds of music educators from across Canada and around the world. They’re here to take part in the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers’ Associations’ biennial convention, and last night, delegates were treated to a concert featuring a wide swath of Nova Scotian culture and music. The music ranged […]
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Putnam County fares
F-u-n-n-y. Q-u-i-r-k-y. G-r-e-a-t. You get the picture. The TAG production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a fun evening of theatre that features a cast of outstanding singer/dancer/actors. The first act includes three intrepid audience members who become part of the action as a band of misfit prodigies try to spell their […]
