Review: Long Day's Journey into Night at the Stratford Festival

Director Miles Potter and the company’s naturalistic approach and vision of this production is critical for a true appreciation of O’Neill’s 20th century American masterpiece tragedy. Kim Solga, professor of Theatre Studies at London, Ontario’s Western University, adds to this understanding of naturalism with the term geopathological drama (I never heard it before) in the Playbill analysis. Ms. Solga writes the Tyrone country cottage, itself, seems to be killing each member of the household slowly.

And right she is on this account.

Canada, TorontoChristopher PetersonJune 1, 2018Joseph Szekeres

Review: ‘La Bete’ at Soulpepper Theatre Company

Soulpepper bills La Bete as a ‘modern comedy of classical insanity’. What happens when two diametrically opposed approaches to drama clash with each other especially when one is preferred by a member of the royal French court?

Canada, TorontoChristopher PetersonMay 30, 2018Joseph Szekeres

Review: "Innocence Lost: A Play About Steven Truscott" at Soulpepper Theatre Company

Jackie Maxwell’s direction is sharply attuned in this extraordinarily outstanding ensemble piece. The nicely rehearsed choral work was flawlessly executed as each consonant-enunciated sound was clear. Overlapping voices from the past provided suspenseful tension as I wanted to hear as much as possible what the townspeople had felt and endured during this time. I was riveted with much anticipation on each word spoken during both acts and was surprised when intermission rolled around. Under the guidance of Ms. Maxwell, this remarkable company treats this controversial subject material of guilt, innocence and responsibility with compassion, humanity and dignity.

Canada, TorontoChristopher PetersonMay 26, 2018Joe Szekeres

Review: "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom" at Soulpepper

In the early 1980s, African-American playwright August Wilson began writing what would become known as his Pittsburgh Cycle, a series of ten plays —each set in a different decade of the 20th Century — telling stories about the Black experience in America. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom tackles the 1920s. Ma Rainey was an early Blues singer who earned the title “Mother of the Blues” and who, decades after her death, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It is mainly through Ma Rainey’s session musicians that much of the story of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is told.

Canada, TorontoChristopher PetersonMay 15, 2018Soulpepper, Paul Love

Review: "Maggie & Pierre" at Tarragon Theatre

In this one woman show, Kaitlyn Riordan plays Henry, a reporter who investigates the global fascination around one of Canada’s most iconic prime ministers and his flower child wife. She then segues fluidly and naturally between two radically challenging performances as a bombastic and pompous Pierre Elliott Trudeau and his insecure and, at times, unstable wife, Margaret Sinclair.

I never saw Maggie & Pierre with Linda Griffiths when It premiered in Toronto years ago. I did not want to miss this opportunity again.

Toronto, CanadaChristopher PetersonMay 11, 2018Joseph Szekeres

Review: "DISSIDENTS" at ARC

Once the performance began, it became apparent why the headphones were necessary. The conversations between Him, Her and the Other One were so quiet and subdued, and the headphones allowed us to hear these conversations. A clever technique as I felt at times that I was eavesdropping.

Toronto, CanadaChristopher PetersonMay 7, 2018Joseph Szekeres

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