Yerma at Coal Mine Theatre
In her Toronto-set Coal Mine Theatre production, Diana Bentley embraces the fragmentation of Simon Stone’s Yerma.
Fifteen Dogs at Crow’s Theatre
Marie Farsi’s stage adaptation of Fifteen Dogs expands on the novel’s mythic-ness.
La Complainte du Givre at Citadel + Compagnie (amour amour)
Two duvet-clad women shelter from the Quebec cold.
2022 Toronto Theatre Wrapped
I saw 160 shows in 2022. These are the 10 I’m still thinking about.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Mirvish Productions
Joseph practically begs its audience to turn off their brains and enjoy the fun.
Moby Dick at Harbourfront Centre (Plexus Polaire/Why Not Theatre)
With a short runtime and a strong thematic reading, it may seem like Moby Dick is trying to squish the sprawling expanse of Melville’s novel into an easily consumable theatrical box. But this is not the case: though its dramaturgy is focused, the sprawl of this Moby Dick manifests itself visually.
da’ Kink in my Hair at Soulpepper/TO Live
It’s wonderful to see the Canadian classic back in such a vibrant production.
Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical at Mirvish Productions
Sea shanties recently went viral online, so it’s appropriate that Fisherman’s Friends is structured like a social media feed: it “scrolls” through its 32 sea shanties with nonchalance, launching into song — or song snippet — almost at random.
Red Velvet at Crow’s Theatre
Red Velvet investigates theatre’s potency as a colonial apparatus of power.
31 (TouchX + I am the Child of…) at Harbourfront Centre (Kaeja d’Dance)
31 consisted of two world premieres: Karen Kaeja’s TouchX, and Allen Kaeja’s I am the Child of….
Choir Boy at Canadian Stage
Choir Boy messes with vertical depth throughout. One of the show’s most moving scenes — a gospel hymn sung in the shower — is an expressionistic meeting of heaven and earth.
Three Sisters at The Howland Company
In a city packed with new one act plays starring 1-3 people, Three Sisters — a large-scale production of a text from the year 1900 — is unique.
Mean Girls at Mirvish Productions
Mean Girls mostly goes swimmingly — this touring production is, overall, a crisp and polished entertainment machine that I enjoyed immensely. But its conclusion struggles to match the rest of the show’s momentum.
The Year of the Cello at Theatre Passe Muraille
The Year of the Cello’s extreme spatial dynamics conjure a desperate, lonely yearning.
ARISE: 2022 Signature Programme at Fall For Dance North
The titular piece was the star of FFDN’s four-part dance programme.
The Shark is Broken at Mirvish Productions
The Shark is Broken soars when nothing is happening.
Singin’ in the Rain at Mirvish Productions
This Singin’ in the Rain often feels quite distant. But when it rains, it pours.