Comment on THE GRID

EYE Weekly is no more. Replacing it is The Grid. It’s now aimed at the hipster 20 and 30 year olds. From its press release:

“From beer to politics to real estate, The Grid’s roster of contributors will include the city’s most current writers taking the pulse on the news and views of Toronto’s young, urban crowd.”

Its regular writers will cover:

•politics and social issues
•beer
•cocktails and bar culture
•wine
•food and restaurants
•real estate
•style and fashion
•parenting
•film
•music
•visual arts
•youth issues and personal advice.”

Ok folks, what’s missing? That is correct—theatre. There will be no theatre reviews at The Grid. None. The theatre activity in this city is increasing with new companies popping up all the time or existing companies increasing the number of productions in their seasons. But the media coverage of all this activity is decreasing almost everywhere except perhaps with NOW magazine.

It’s interesting that there is a double page ad in the first issue of The Grid for Luminato listing the 10 components of the festival, but only half of them could be covered according to the Grid’s roster of areas worthy of coverage. There is a half-page ad for Soulpepper listing its three current productions; a full page ad from Mirvish Productions listing all of their shows running in May; and a half page ad for Untitled, the new La La Human Steps piece that will be playing at Canadian Stage at the end of May. The Grid won’t be reviewing anything from any of these or other theatre companies. Frightening.

There is a feature article by David Sax on the dynamic culinary duo (Jen Agg and Grant Van Gameren) who run the Black Hoof and the Hoof Café. They will be closing the Hoof Café and opening The Black Hoof and Company catering to hip, urbane and apparently rich patrons. According to the article a meal would be “averaging north of $120 per person, before taxes. Drinks and tips will easily bring the final bill for two into the $400 range.”

Who are these people who would read a publication that celebrates outrageously priced restaurants; high end real estate; drink a lot of beer and wine it seems; see lots of films, if the pages of film reviews are any indication; read about parenting, but not be aware of any children’s theatre, or any other theatre it seems, because it’s not covered?

There is a section called “Arts”. That consisted of a publicity photo for the play Zadie’s Shoes, a blurb on the story and where it was playing. In this section there is a heading for Theatre with a partial list of theatres and what is playing. This is followed by similar incomplete listings for Comedy, Dance, Word, and Galleries. There is also ‘Other Stuff” with listings for Community stuff and one for Kids with an incomplete list of plays to see and other activities. In a word, dire.

I was struck by a blurb on The Grid writer covering advice to the thirtysomethings. She was asked where to get cheap eats and she wrote “Tacos El Asador on Bloor at Christie….” I know the place well. But it is at the corner of Bloor and Clinton. I e-mailed her to tell her yes the food is great but her location was off. She replied quickly that Bloor and Christie was the main intersection.

Huh?

Oh. How about this. If you draw a grid of all the streets along Bloor Street from Bathurst west to Christie, you will see a street that is one block before Christie. That street is called Clinton Street. On the northeast corner of Clinton and Bloor—right on the very corner—is the wonderful Tacos El Asador. Why would anyone mention the main intersection when the exact location is easier and preferable? Is that what we can expect of The Grid? Incomplete information; misinformation; and no theatre reviews? I can hardly wait for the second issue.