blogTO | Posts by Megan

blogTO | Posts by Megan http://www.blogto.com/ Toronto blog Copyright 2008 Sun, 12 Oct 2008 01:38:36 PDT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Thursday Theatre Review - Famous Puppet Death Scenes
When you hear "puppet show", what do you think of? I'm pretty confident in saying that it's likely not what is offered up by the Old Trout Puppet Workshop's show Famous Puppet Death Scenes.

Instead of a playful children's piece, this depicts scenes of puppet death. Many puppet deaths. 22 to be exact. Some funny, some gruesome, some funny AND gruesome, and some that are just utterly beautiful. But here's my promise to you - when you go to this show you will laugh. In fact, you'll be laughing in the face of death, making it an act of bravery, right?

]]> http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/10/thursday_theatre_review_famous_puppet_death_scenes http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/10/thursday_theatre_review_famous_puppet_death_scenes Theatre Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:08:00 PDT Theatre Megan 2008-10-09T12:08:00 Thursday Theatre Review: Late | Black Medea
Sometimes you are lucky enough to get two for the price of one. You get that with Obsidian Theatre's double bill of Late and Black Medea playing at the Berkeley theatre.

The two plays have completely different tones - although they have similar thematic feeling with discussions of loss and family and identity - which makes it a great evening. The first show, Late, is funny and heartwarming with moments of sadness alternated with great guffaws. The second, Black Medea, is an intense exploration into the characters' psyches that drew me in with symbolism, dance and mischievous spirits.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/09/thursday_theatre_review_late_black_medea http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/09/thursday_theatre_review_late_black_medea Theatre Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:17:48 PDT Theatre Megan 2008-09-18T13:17:48 Thursday Theatre Review: Barack to the Future
Second City's Barack to the Future delivers exactly what you expect from a Second City revue - lots of laughs, and not too much deep thinking. Which, frankly, is sometimes exactly what the doctor ordered.

Also as expected, some stuff fell a bit flat, but the joy of this kind of thing is that even if I don't like a bit there's bound to be others there who do like it, and for the stuff that made me snort with laughter (I really wish that was a turn of phrase, but I actually caught myself snorting in a couple places, definitely the professional image I want to portray) made other people roll their eyes and not really react.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/09/thursday_theatre_review_barack_to_the_future http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/09/thursday_theatre_review_barack_to_the_future Theatre Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:54:53 PDT Theatre Megan 2008-09-04T11:54:53 Thursday Theatre Review (on a Friday) - Avenue Q
Okay, I'm betting that a lot of you have heard the song The Internet is for Porn through the delightful World of Warcraft remake on youtube, well, it really kind of does set the tone for Avenue Q.

If you don't know about Avenue Q, think Sesame Street only edgy and raunchy and pushing boundaries. In short, it's fun, has hum-able music and is funny - but you're not going to leave the theatre with an earth shattering revelation. Well, except maybe that puppet sex is hotter than you expected...

]]> http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/08/thursday_theatre_review_on_a_friday_avenue_q http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/08/thursday_theatre_review_on_a_friday_avenue_q Theatre Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:52:14 PDT Theatre Megan 2008-08-22T13:52:14 Thursday Theatre Review - One Woman Show If you were following the Fringe coverage, you already know that I surprised myself by liking One Woman Show a lot. So did a lot of other people. I figured since it was the patron's pick, and managed to get one of the much coveted 'Best of the Fringe' spots and opens tonight at Diesel Playhouse , that it was worth re-visiting. So, why did people like it?

It's a good question. One Woman Show is a parody of one-woman shows, written by three men with a man playing the Eileen , the 'woman' who's show it is. Sounds a bit scary, doesn't it? When I first read about this show I rolled my eyes and figured it was going to be painful. Happily, the show proved me wrong.

More...

]]> http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/07/thursday_theatre_review_one_woman_show http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/07/thursday_theatre_review_one_woman_show Theatre Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:23:30 PDT Theatre Megan 2008-07-24T11:23:30 The Fringe In Review
I'm not sure what I'm going to do with myself this week, I'll have to re-learn what life is like with the luxuries like sleep. But, I'm here to tell you, sleep is a small price to pay for the excitement of Fringe.

With the end of the 20th Toronto Fringe Festival I thought I'd take a moment to provide you with a quick round-up of some of the highlights from this year.

Read on for a listing of each blogTO Fringe writer's favourite show, and the listing of what shows are playing at Diesel Playhouse during 'BEST OF THE FRINGE.'

]]> http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/07/the_fringe_in_review http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/07/the_fringe_in_review Theatre Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:48:58 PDT Theatre Megan 2008-07-14T16:48:58 Fringe - Day 11
Okay folks, today's your last day to get out there and see some Fringe stuff.

If you have some favourites from the festival, I'd love it if you could leave them in the comments so that other folks may be able to take some time to check them out today.

Keep reading for reviews of Floozy: The Musical, Lost Daughter, What the Hell, and Wild About Harry. There is also a listing of the Patron's Picks.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/07/fringe_day_11 http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/07/fringe_day_11 Theatre Sun, 13 Jul 2008 12:56:25 PDT Theatre Megan 2008-07-13T12:56:25 Fringe 2008 - Day 3
Well, with so many Fringe shows to go see I'm feeling a bit delirious, well, either that or it's the lack of sleep. So, without further ado, why don't I give you the round up of shows we went to yesterday...

Continue readering for reviews of: About An Hour, Bondage, Damages, Modern Medieval, Stand Up Monkey Poet, and Time To Put My Socks On.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/07/fringe_2008_day_3 http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/07/fringe_2008_day_3 Theatre Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:25:05 PDT Theatre Megan 2008-07-05T15:25:05 Fringe 2008 - Day 2
Friday marks the first day of 12 hour a day Fringing, with the first show starting at 12:30pm and the last one starting at 11:15. One of the best descriptions of the Fringe I've ever heard is "the Russian Roulette of theatre." You might see the best thing you've ever seen, or you might see something that makes you want to scratch your eyes out. We're here to help you avoid the bullets so your eyes can stay intact.

Reviews after the jump of:
- Freedom 85!
- Ladylike
- The Zombie Dialogues

]]> http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/07/fringe_2008_day_2 http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/07/fringe_2008_day_2 Theatre Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:55:55 PDT Theatre Megan 2008-07-04T10:55:55 This Week in Theatre: May 27, 2008
Well, the Harolds are past, Luminato is about to begin, and then we're fast into Fringe, but that doesn't mean other stuff stops. A nice mix of stuff to make you laugh and stuff to make you think, and if you're lucky, stuff that does both.

As always, if there is not a description with the show, it has been described in a previous entry.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/05/this_week_in_theatre_may_27_2008 http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/05/this_week_in_theatre_may_27_2008 Theatre Tue, 27 May 2008 14:13:04 PDT Theatre Megan 2008-05-27T14:13:04 The Harold Awards: The Toronto Theatre Party
Toronto is a city filled with theatre. Filled with theatre that many people don't know about. If you're a casual follower of theatre you will know about the Dora Mavor Moore awards, they get a fair bit of press, but unless you're in the theatre industry there's a good chance that you don't know about the Harold Awards, which take place this Monday, May 26, 2008.

Erika Hennebury, one of the organizers of this year's Harold Awards, describes them as "The awards are always riotous and debauched. A kind of anti-Dora's. Super fun." So, whereas the Doras are a formal affair, a gala of massive proportions, the Harolds are a place where people in the theatre industry let loose. When you get a bunch of theatre folks together in a room and let them let loose, well, that's a sight to behold.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/05/the_harold_awards_the_toronto_theatre_party http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/05/the_harold_awards_the_toronto_theatre_party Theatre Sat, 24 May 2008 09:37:50 PDT Theatre Megan 2008-05-24T09:37:50 Thursday Theatre Review: The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios, written by Yann Martel, is part of the Performance Spring Festival at Factory Theatre which brings national productions to Toronto. The festival is in it's second year and it's looking like it's going to become a staple at Factory Theatre.

The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios is an interesting exploration into the mind of a man who supported a friend as he was dying of AIDS. It's also a bit of a quicky history lesson. Only one actor takes the stage for this show, although upon occasion there is more than one character. The show is a narrative, it tells a story, a reminiscence of years past.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/05/thursday_theatre_review_the_facts_behind_the_helsinki_roccamatios http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/05/thursday_theatre_review_the_facts_behind_the_helsinki_roccamatios Theatre Thu, 22 May 2008 16:52:39 PDT Theatre Megan 2008-05-22T16:52:39 This Week In Theatre: May 20, 2008
There's some interesting stuff going on this week, including some that I imagine will be hard and heart-wrenching, but worth it.

As always, if there is not a description with the show, it has been described in a previous entry.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/05/this_week_in_theatre_may_20_2008 http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/05/this_week_in_theatre_may_20_2008 Theatre Tue, 20 May 2008 23:28:41 PDT Theatre Megan 2008-05-20T23:28:41 Let the Toronto Theatre Feud Entertain Us All - Mirvish and DanCap Duke It Out
I was invited to a press conference at the Canon Theatre with a cryptic invitation to "to attend a press conference for a major announcement." by David Mirvish. No hint of what the announcement might be, just a coy invitation to whet the media's appetites.

When I arrived I pushed my way through the throngs of high school kids that were leaving the matinee and got into the auditorium to be greeted by the cast of We Will Rock You on stage. I cozied myself down in a seat at the front and immediately started speculating what the apparently top-secret announcement might be. The woman from Canadian Press that I was talking to said that if it was just something to announce that We Will Rock you was going to be extended she was going to scream. I agreed, since, really, that's the kind of thing that a press release works just fine for.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/05/let_the_toronto_theatre_feud_entertain_us_all_mirvish_and_dancap_duke_it_out http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/05/let_the_toronto_theatre_feud_entertain_us_all_mirvish_and_dancap_duke_it_out Theatre Thu, 08 May 2008 16:21:40 PDT Theatre Megan 2008-05-08T16:21:40 Thursday Theatre Review: Sexual Practices of the Japanese
It really is the time of festivals in the city. One of these is the Performance Spring Festival at Factory theatre. This is the second year of the festival which features premiers of work from companies across the Canada as well as a 'Late Night Series' which includes live music, comedy and play readings. The festival, that runs from May 7 - May 25 began with Sexual Practices of the Japanese by Vancouver's Theatre Replacement.

With a healthy mix of irreverent humour and serious thought-provoking moments, and of course some sexy scenes, this show makes for a good way to spend an evening out.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/05/thursday_theatre_review_sexual_practices_of_the_japanese http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/05/thursday_theatre_review_sexual_practices_of_the_japanese Theatre Thu, 08 May 2008 12:36:10 PDT Theatre Megan 2008-05-08T12:36:10