Michael Best wants you to Go To Hell. After the success of his award-winning Gay White Trash in 2008, Best returns with a play following Johnson, a self-obsessed gay lawyer, who dies and finds himself in one circle of hell. Turns out the Christians were right—all gays do go to Hell. Best questions values, identity […]
Theatre
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Backstage
Since the 1500s, playwrights have been experimenting with meta-theatre. From Hamlet to Chekov to Six Characters in Search of an Author, theatre has always confronted the idea of theatre itself. Devices like plays within plays, audience interaction and overt personal references turn performance into theory right before the eyes of the audience. It is disorienting […]
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The Sh*t Show: Misconceptions and Nuggets of Truth Deep Within
It might seem like comic Josh Dunn and theatre regular Howard Beye make an odd couple, but together they have created a one-person Fringe performance that will challenge expectations and inspire. The Sh*t Show: Misconceptions and Nuggets of Truth Deep Within uses the real-life experience of Dunn’s cerebral palsy and builds a world around it […]
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Day 6…
Ne Desperemus This show sparked a spirited debate among my fringe companions about what patrons expect from a fringe festival. When people plunk down $5, do they expect a polished piece of theatre? Is part of the fun playing “hunt for the fringe treasures”, knowing that you’ll need to spend time and money on shows […]
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The Fringe Festival marathon continues
Two musicals. Two very different one-woman shows. A game show. A moving story told through puppetry. Stand-up comedy. A tale of friendship lost. Just your typical day at the Fringe. Once More With Feeling by Joss Whedon Saints Alive! Theatre has hit the Fringe jackpot. Once More With Feeling comes with its own fan-base of […]
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Day 4 at The Atlantic Fringe
The sheer variety of shows at this year’s Fringe is mind-blowing. And after yesterday’s smorgasbord, I feel pretty confident in saying there is something for everyone’s taste.Grumble by Luciana S. Fernandes I love it when shows like Grumble give parents an opportunity to foster a love of theatre in their children. This “contemporary fairy tale” […]
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Fringe Binge Day 3
With six plays to review, it may well be time to cut the folksy introduction, but not before I send a shout-out to the awesome Haligonians who helped get my Fringe odyssey back on track after the fringemobile got a flat. Thanks to Glen at The Snappy Tomato on Barrington for the loan of a […]
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Adventures, theatrical and otherwise
Fringe binging is not only a theatre adventure, but a city adventure, too. For instance, last night’s trek-about-town started at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, proceeded to Plan B on Gottingen, back downtown for a show at DanSpace and ended on Gottingen again at The Bus Stop just before midnight. Along the way there […]
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Eleven days! Fifty-five shows!
It’s here! It’s here! (I’m excited. Can you tell?) The 23rd annual Atlantic Fringe Festival opened its doors (Its many, many doors. There are 11 venues, doncha know.) last night, and I eased into my fifty-five play odyssey by knocking just one off my list. You heard me correctly. I’m attempting to see, review and […]
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Play on words
“It really is interesting that we see themes emerging regardless–some brooding shows, some sketch comedy, more sci-fi than we expected,” says Atlantic Fringe Festival chair Kevin Kindred. “That’s not by design, it’s just a sign of what artists want to do, and what they think audiences will look for.” With zany acts like Scott […]
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A Little Night Magic
I’m not a Sondheim fan. (As I type this, I already feel virtual tomatoes being pitched my way.) His music alienates me. His shows exhaust me. And this is why I’m shocked by how much I love, love, loved the Halifax Summer Opera Festival production of A Little Night Music. I was enraptured from the […]
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The Marriage of Figaro
It’s been five years since the Halifax Summer Opera Workshop production of The Marriage of Figaro first wooed me to a happy relationship with opera. When I realized Figaro was being staged again this year, I was excited to see if it would still tickle my funny bone and delight my ear. The answer is […]