Even as a simple reading, Galluccio’s words and characters live – good news as we anticipate a more fulsome production in the future.

‘i am entitled to rest’ is presented using actors and puppets, and the relationship between actor and puppet becomes a focus. For the most part, the puppetry was generally used solidly; however, at times, this usage created a disconnect between the viewer and the storytellers…

Doing a show on Zoom with everyone in the comfort of their own space (company and audience alike) requires some creativity to deal with direct interaction between characters. This was done with ease by having the character say what they were doing and to whom. At first it was a little distracting but didn’t take long for this to be as natural to the flow of the show as if they had been performing the actions on stage.

Thankfully, Lucy Peacock reprises her Stratford role as the deliciously and dastardly Satan. Qasim Khan and Amelia Sargisson also return as Adam and Eve. Eight other fine cast members were selected for the Montreal run.

Burkett kept wiping his forehead and brow as the nearly two-hour show is quite a workout for him. But I was in awe of his formidable stamina …

“And what of this Toronto premiere production? For me, it was hit and miss. I so desperately wanted to feel a thorough connection for the two hours, but I didn’t.”

“Montrealer Alexandria Haber has written an extremely complex two-hander play about the process of grief and death, and how we are able to move forward.”

Serendipity or the theatre gods must have been at work when I was in Montreal in mid February and saw that Rick Miller was in previews for his production of ‘Boom X’ at the Segal Centre. Back in 2008 when I was still teaching before retirement, I had attended a performance of Rick’s MacHomer: The Simpsons Do Macbeth at Toronto’s Massey Hall, was captivated by his vocal prowess and thought, “Here’s my hook for kids” to get into Shakespeare’s play of witchcraft and murder since the television series was at its’ height of popularity. I met Rick after the show and learned he also performed a condensed version of the play to high school students.

Both gripping and riveting, the Montreal Centaur Theatre’s opening night production of Kate Hennig’s ‘The Last Wife’ soared to great heights thanks to a carefully crafted and nuanced vision by director Eda Holmes, and a cast of solid performers who captured a sense of dignity of these British historical characters even in their moments of passion, abuse, confrontation and betrayal. I had the opportunity to see ‘The Last Wife’ at Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre and was certainly looking forward to re-visiting this story once again especially in a company world renowned as the Centaur.