Reviews

  • What a great solo performance from writer and director, Christina Andreola. Over the past five years, she has documented all of the nitty-gritty details from her dating life. Oh yeah, and she has a spreadsheet. The Dudes of My Life is a tell-all tale about the awkwardness, passions, and crazies that are intertwined in the rat trap of dating life. That revolving door of Dicks and Divas that now has Apps. Swipe left, swipe right?

    Throughout the play, Andreola dives back into her spreadsheet to...

  • Is this a parody or an adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most gruesome plays? Well it is both I think. Shakespeare himself (Kazz Leskard) makes many flavoured directorial appearances throughout the show, trying his best to keep the vision of the play on a “happy” path. That’s a tall order, for this story has more abominations per act than any other of Shakespeare’s works. Not much love and joy to draw from. Director Andy Toth and the amazing cast knock this side-splitting musical out of the park. The singing, lyrics, dance choreography, and musical...

  •           Kirsty Provans He Roars treads familiar territory with its portrayal of journalist Roses (Kirsty Provan) struggle as she pursues a relationship with her childhood friend Charlie (Sebastian Kroon) who is a soldier in the Canadian Armed Forces. The play charts their romance between Charlie...

  • Actors acting about being actors risks getting a little dry, but it beats writers writing about being writers. Lara (Lara Deglan) is sharp and funny and full of charm. She also has a lovely singing voice which she makes great use of. Peter (Peter Swayles) is also charming. He's decidedly English, and most of his humour is oddly anachronistic, with references to Princess Diana and the annex of Poland. Still, he generally carries it off, and his role as the love interest affords him a few adorable moments.

    ...

  • A minimalist play with only one prop, A Quiet Place relies on its ability to create a sense of pacing through only the motion and dialogue of the two actors. Mark Manning and the delectable Tosh Sutherland are both well-practiced, with depth and charisma to spare. Together, they bring to life a harrowing and enticing performance.

    Henry, played Tosh Sutherland, is the in-control one. He's been in the doorless room longer and has grown accustomed to it. He seems to...

  • Based on the show’s picture and title alone, I thought this would be a gritty drama and almost missed it. Don’t make that mistake. It’s very funny.

    Jon Bennett also created Pretending Things Are A Cock. If I had read that, I might have guessed.

    Fire in the Meth Lab is about writer and performer Jon Bennett’s life, particularly his childhood and relationship with his older brother who ends up in jail. Bennett is a confident, affable, and...

  • Adapted and performed by stage veteran Clayton Jevne, fans of Shakespeare and history may enjoy this solo play. Jevne has adapted his script from Robert Nye’s acclaimed novel. I haven’t seen the character of Falstaff on stage before nor read about him. By reputation, I believed him to be the charismatic, jovial, and bawdy mentor of the future King Henry V. In this production, Falstaff seems ordinary and perhaps it is partly his advanced age that has sapped the legendary character’s irrepressible life force.

    The...

  • Aenigma Theatre tackles the challenging and gut-wrenching Blackbird by David Harrower with some success.

    The award-winning play is based in part on the true story of a US Marine who had a sexual relationship with a minor. Una (played by Stephanie Izsak) a 27 year old woman comes face to face with Ray (played by Francis Boyle) 15 years after their relationship had come to an end. While they were together, he had been 41 and she had been 12. The play is about their story, their perspectives, their feelings, their questions, their fears and the open wound of never...

  • The show opens with two people in handcuffs and mouth restraining masks walking on stage. From their interaction with the audience, it becomes apparent that the audience is a research panel studying the two prisoners. The pair turn out to be a couple: two psychopathic killers Dorian (played by Daniel Meron) and Eleanor (played by Mily Mumford). 

    The two discuss, through a series of anecdotes and personal interactions, the dynamic that exists between the couple and how they came to this point, having committed multiple murders together. Eventually their conversations bring them to some difficult points within their relationship. Dorian admits...

  • The Middle of Everywhere is exquisitely choreographed and impeccably timed. This is theatre at its finest. And it’s even a family friendly show! Don’t miss out on The Middle of Everywhere, the epitome of the Fringe’s motto to “celebrate different!”

    Before seeing the play, I had no previous knowledge of the production team’s characteristic style and iconic large fixed expression masks, or even much experience with physical theatre. I was overwhelmed at how believably the Wonderheads team brought two enormous, expressionless heads...

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