Sneak Preview Reviews: AGAMEMNON, MOCKINGBIRD and STUCK!

The Next Stage Theatre Festival opened its 10 day festival with a bang. Here are sneak preview of three shows I saw on their opening (Wed. Jan. 6):

Agamemnon

Written by Nicolas Billon
Directed by Sarah Kitz

The gifted Nicolas Billon updates the Greek play of Agamemnon and the effects of his brutal decision on his family while fighting the Trojan War. Human sacrifice, bloody revenge and a numbing of humanity are the result.

Director Sarah Kitz adds her own hard-edged look at the proceedings to produce a provocative, gripping production.

Mockingbird

Written and directed by Rob Kempson

Rob Kempson is always exploring and challenging himself in his writing. Here he examines the comings and goings of several teachers, each with their own stories and issues about teaching, relationships, authority, pomposity, sexual dalliances and which is a better book to teach in that it communicates to a modern student: The Kite Runner or the classic To Kill A Mockingbird ?

The production is bold in its telling of the various stories, but you tend to thing that the production could do with more focus on the main story, and not scatter the focus to 11 stories. Still a worthy effort.

Stuck!

Created nightly by Natasha Boomer and guests.
Directed by Paloma Nuñez

Natasha Boomer is stuck and she leaves it to her nightly, audience to suggest where, as they call our many and various places from a cupboard to Ikea (at least in my audience). She and her nightly guest then improvise a 30 minute skit on the place they decide in which to be stuck. Seat of the pants theatre. A wild ride with bumps along the way.

Full reviews will be up on the site shortly. Also doing the reviews on CIUT FRIDAY MORNING, 89.5 fm on Friday, Jan. 8, between 9 am and 10 am.

At the Factory Theatre

http://fringetoronto.com/next-stage-festival/tickets/