Lynn

Live and in person at Memorial Hall, Blyth Festival, Blyth, Ont. Playing until August 4, 2024.

www.blythfestival.com

Written by Mark Crawford

Directed by Miles Potter

Set by Steve Lucas

Costumes by Amanda Wong

Lighting by Nic Vincent

Sound by Lyon Smith

Cast: Janet-Laine Green

Jim Mezon

Prickly, tender and open-hearted.

If Mark Crawford wasn’t such a gifted playwright, he could be a successful cardiologist because his plays and characters are so full of heart, pulsing life, and the delicate balance between good health and disaster.

It’s Glen (Jim Mezon) and Sandy’s (Janet-Laine Green) 50^th wedding anniversary. Glen is at their cottage preparing a celebration for them. A tiny wrinkle: Sandy threw Glen out of their house in Toronto a few days before, because after 50 years of contending with Glen, she’s had it. To get her to show up at the cottage, he sent her a text that made it sound as if he was in terrible trouble, ill-health or something equally as drastic. When she arrives and sees that he is healthy and even gleeful she is furious. But she showed up as quickly as she could, so there is ‘something’ there in that relationship. He waits for her to arrive the ‘back way’ as usual, but she arrives another way and catches him unawares.

They bicker, wrangle and dredge up old slights. In all that back and forth, it’s not quite clear why she’s ‘had it with Glen.’ This is not the fault of the playwriting. This might be a clue to something else. Have patience.

 As Sandy, Janet-Laine Green is one feisty presence. She is unwavering in her frustration and anger with Glen. She stands her ground and will not be charmed by Glen’s disarming manner—as Glen, Jim Mezon is totally disarming. Mezon illuminates Glen’s buoyant attitude that she’s there, and determined to cheer her out of her anger. This is a nuanced performance of cheerfulness that never puts down Sandy’s anger. Glen knows he’s done something wrong and he wants to make amends in a way. He tells her of the muddy mess near the drain pipe but she is so angry at him she might have forgotten and storms out towards the mess.

After a change of clothes…….

Glen and Sandy remember—not sure reminisce is the correct word here—their various other anniversaries, starting with the first one when they arrived at this very cottage (a rental at the time)  and there was no reservation in Glen’s name. (They have since bought the cottage). Error upon error happens with great humour. Glen was anxious to ‘begin’ the honeymoon. Sandy was anxious to pee. There were other memories of other anniversaries. There was truth telling —“did you ever cheat during our marriage?” There were neighbours who were attractive with opportunity. Secrets were told and kept. Glen should see someone to check a physical issue but he doesn’t want to. Perhaps so should Sandy.

Mark Crawford has written a funny, subtle, prickly comedy about a marriage that has lasted 50 ‘golden’ years (there is a lovely play on words in the title). There have been ups and downs along the way, but in the long run Glen and Sandy have stayed together out of love and respect, in anger and in concern, in difficulty and in good times. When Glen is being stubborn about something he should attend to, there is Sandy, urging him to get the matter sorted. When Sandy thinks she might be losing ‘herself’, there is Glen saying he will be there for her. All the nuance and subtext are revealed as delicately and carefully as open-heart-surgery and with as much assurance as clasped hands.

Adding his sure and gentle hand to the production is director Miles Potter. The relationships are beautifully established, not over pushed. The performances are also wonderfully nuanced certainly because of the gifted cast, but also because of Potter’s watchfulness.

The Golden Anniversaries is a fine play with a beating heart bursting with life and love. It’s well worth a trip to Blyth.

The Blyth Festival Presents:

Plays until Aug. 4, 2024

Running time: 2 hours (including 1 intermission)

www.blythfestival.com

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Live and in person at various locations of the Toronto Fringe Festival, Toronto, Ont. On until July 14, 2024.

www.fringetoronto.com

Pretty Beast

Written and performed by Kazu Kusano

Directed by Jane Morris

Growing up in Japan, Kazu Kusano had a lot going against her. She had a schizophrenic mother who hated to be touched, which meant Kazu was not held or hugged, ever, by her mother. Kazu Kusano had an alcoholic father. She lived in a sexist society. And she wanted to be a stand-up comedienne. So Kazu moved to the United States; learned English and began telling jokes in clubs in Los Angeles.

She does not shy away from facing cultural cliches about being a Japanese woman. At an audition she was asked “to be more Japanese, like a Geisha”, and laugh demurely with her hand in front of her mouth. Kazu sent that up with some colourful language and blunt imagery. She talks about being looked after by a plain-speaking grandmother, who put her to bed with an inappropriate bedtime story and usually some blunt advice.

Kazu Kusano is irreverent, self-deprecating and very funny in her perceptions of the world.  

Plays at Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace:

July 7, 9, 10, 11, 12. 13.

Check times at www.fringetoronto.com

Dead Right

Written by Kate Barris and David Schatzky

Directed by Briane Nasimok

Set by Beckie Morris

Cast: Chris Gibbs

Janelle Hutchison

Allan Price

Kristi Woods

Helena has cancer. She tells her daughter Suzanna, which puts her in a tizzy because she just quit her job to write a play, full time. Suzanna’s psychotherapist husband, Michael wants to be supportive, but always thinks of himself and his practice first. Added to this, Helena and her husband Bud decide on a suicide pact, but then Bud might be changing his mind, or not.

The premise is full of funny possibilities. The cast is hardworking, with Janelle Hutchison as Helena realizing a lot of the humour. Perhaps the writers could give the play another look and trim 15 minutes by tighten up the scenes, after seeing what jokes are working and what isn’t.

It’s a brave and irreverent look at illness and suicide.

Plays at the Alumnae Theatre

July 7, 8, 12, 13, 14

Check times at: www.fringetoronto.com

Elephant Song

Written and directed by Kush

Set by Crescent Choudhary, Ezequiel Garcia

Lighting by Eden Philips

Cast: Arjun Kalra

Chirag Motwani

Japneet Kaur

Musicians: Utsav Alok, Dhruv Sodha

“B leads a barren life working as a government clerk in Mumbai. In his quarters, one lonesome night, he sees a white elephant that takes him on a journey in which he begins to question the biases, beliefs and ignorance of the world around him. Sounds of traditional Indian instruments (the sitar) song, and the inspiration of poems of Kabir, permeate the atmosphere.”

Kush’s writing is lush, poetic, esoteric and even mystical. Arjun Kalra’s performance as B is haunted, thoughtful and always compelling.

The script mixes the English dialogue with dialogue in Hindi. The translation of what is being said or sung in Hindi is clearly projected on the back wall of the Backspace so that those not knowledgeable about the language are never left in the dark. Every part of this production was created with care and thought.

Plays at Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace

July 8, 9, 10, 11, 13.

Check times at: www.fringetoronto.com

Daniel in Love (For One Night Only)

Written and performed by Daniel Tompkins

Directed by Ryan Bjornson

It takes guts to publicly reveal your faults, errors and demons, and Daniel Tompkins has the guts of a bandit. His show begins with a fanfare of the buoyant overture of Sweet Charity. In keeping with that dazzle Daniel Tompkins enters the space wearing a sparkly jacket, and exuding a lively attitude ready to do his standup comedy routine. It turns out to be rather lackluster in jokes that seem tired or forced. Daniel Tompkins finally comes clean. He says that that persona is a mask, a shield he puts on to please people—to present himself as he thinks they see him, rude, smarmy, and irreverent. He then takes off the jacket and hangs it up and presents himself to us as he is.

It’s easy to see why humour is so important to him. His mother was a teenager when she became pregnant by her boyfriend. He abandoned her. Her parents sent her to Ireland at three months to hide their embarrassment. She returned when she gave birth. The Grandfather shunned him as well until a kind uncle shamed the Grandfather by noting Daniel was a beautiful baby. That changed his mind.

Daniel Tompkins takes us on a journey of his own discovery. He says he’s a gay man who likes to date women. One of those women could see him as he really was, saw his good points and the disappointments. He felt that theatre and performing was what he wanted to do, and how he had to contend with the cruel and supportive comments from teachers. He carried on, but drank a lot to mask the disappointment. When he was at an important event that could have shown him in a good light, he drank so much he ruined every possibility. He finally saw the light and stopped drinking then. His journey since has been full of revelation and poetry that gets him through.

Daniel in Love (For One Night Only)—the title become clear—is a moving journey of a man who has been through uncertainty, depression, insecurity, alcohol and finally love, in order to find his true self. It takes guts to tell this story and Daniel Tompkins is bringing with it.

Playing at Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace

Playing: July 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14.

For playing times: www.fringetoronto.com

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The review has been revised to correctly reflect that Act II of the play takes place in Thedford and not Thorold (as per the program). Thanks to Bonnie Sitter who co-wrote the book for the confirmation of the correction.

Live and in person at 4^th Line Theatre, Millbrook, Ont. Playing until July 20, 2024.

www.4thlinetheatre.on.ca

Written by Alison Lawrence

Based on the book by Shirleyan English and Bonnie Sitter

Directed by Autumn Smith

Musical director & original compositions, Justin Hiscox

Costumes by Korin Cormier

Sound by Steáfán Hannigan

Cast: Rebecca Birrell

Aimée Gordon

Reena Goze

Megan Murphy

Carina Sălăjan

Alicia Salvador

Musicians: Justin Hiscox, Mark Hiscox, Cindy Babcock, Maria Con

A touching homage to the young women who worked the farms in Ontario while the men were in Europe fighting WWII. The play does not shy away from examining Canada’s more disgraceful treatment of some of its citizens.

Alison Lawrence has written a lively, loving, poignant play weaving the stories and experiences of the young women who signed up to be Farmerettes, working the farms while the men were away at the war. The young women were mainly high school students who often came from other places to work on the farms.

Alison Lawrence has created a play in two parts over two summers. Act One, Peach Fuzz, is set in 1942 in Grimsby, Ontario; Act Two, Onion Skins, is set in Thedford, in 1945. The play is described as a work of fiction based on actual events. We get a wonderful sense of the enthusiasm of these young women for this new adventure. The Farmerettes, as they were soon called, soon got over their enthusiasm for the adventure after a day of working in the fields. Every bone and muscle ached.  There are hilarious stories of picking peaches and later in Act II, harvesting onions.

For many of the Farmerettes it was the first time they were away from home and homesickness was an issue in at least one case. In another case it was the first time a young woman had a bed to herself because she came from a large family and had to share her bed with two sisters. One young woman named Jay wrote chatty letters to her father who was fighting overseas. This perhaps was the most moving story. Jay (Rebecca Birrell) and her father argued before he left and she felt sad and guilty about it. The emotion was heighted because he was fighting in Dieppe.

The camaraderie of these young women is beautifully illuminated by playwright Alison Lawrence but she doesn’t shy away from some of the uglier attitudes of some of these women. One of the Farmerettes was a woman named Amalia (Carina Sălăjan). She was matter-of-act and generally kept to herself. She was viewed with a bit of suspicion by the other girls perhaps because she kept to herself; or perhaps because she had an accent they could not place. In fact, Amalia was Czech and had experienced war, while the others had not. She came to Canada for a better life. Over time the wariness she had for the others and the others had for her, dissolved with conversation and understanding.

In Act II, set in Thedford, Ont. in 1945, Alison Lawrence had the stories of two sisters, Sue (Reena Goza) and Lucy Tanaka (Alicia Salvador), woven into the play. They were young women living in the area with their parents. Sue and Lucy were born in Canada of Japanese descent. Because of the war and racism, their parents saw their land taken away from them and they were put into an internment camp and considered “enemy aliens.” It didn’t matter that their father fought on the side of Canada in the war. It didn’t matter that the two girls were born in Canada. Because they were of Japanese descent they were automatically consider ‘enemies’. Sue tried to see the best in people. Lucy was bitter because of the treatment of her family. Again, the young women farmers came to realize the horrible situation for the Tanaka family. One of the girls stood up to her mother who had negative thoughts about the Tanaka family, and told her the Tanakas were good people. It was vital that that ugly part of Canadian history be in this play and Alison Lawrence rose to the occasion.

The production is terrific. Director Autumn Smith guides her young cast with assurance and care. Smith uses every inch of the barnyard of Winslow Farm as well as the outer reaches of a meadow. In all instances the cast projects with gusto and conviction. They are stellar. Rebecca Birrell as Jay is an upbeat presence hiding regret that she and her soldier-father parted on prickly terms. She writes to him regularly telling him of her day and adventures, always hoping he’s ok. Aimée Gordon plays Joan in Act I and Nettie in Act II and does both with nuance and differing detail. In Act 1, Reena Goze plays Ted, a hay-sucking farmer with little use for girl farmers, until he meets the love of his life and changes his tune. In Act II Reena Goze plays Sue Tanaka, who tries to find good in everyone.  Megan Murphy plays Dot, Joan’s sister. She’s always cheerful and enthusiastic. Alicia Salvador plays Liz in Act I, a fastidious organizer of the Farmerettes, always a stickler for the rules; and in Act II Salvadore plays Lucy, the angry Tanaka sister who resents how her parents were treated. Carina Sălăjan is an actor of wonderful creativity. She plays Amalia in Act I, a dour woman, watchful and knowing of how terrible war is; in Act II she plays Mrs. Franklin, a ‘straddle-walking’ misery who resents cooking for the girls and feels that slop plopped on their plates is nourishment enough. Carina Sălăjan also plays various other characters, but especially a mischievous boy who taunts the girls by making fart sounds and also keeps scratching his backside. Hilarious.

You will have a better appreciation of peaches, onions., farm labour, and the power of an embracing community after seeing this wonderful show.

4^th Line Theatre Presents:

Plays until July 20, 2024

Running time: 2 hours 30 minutes (1 Intermission)

www.4thlinetheatre.on.ca

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Live and in person at the Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge, Cambridge, Ont. Playing until July 6, 2024.

www.draytonentertainment.com

Written by Robert Harling

Directed by Sheila McCarthy

Set by Douglas Paraschuk

Costumes by Jennifer Wonnacott

Lighting by Siobhán Sleath

Cast: Lauren Bowler

Ellen Denny

Sharon Heidt

Mary Pitt

Chick Reid

Blythe Wilson

The hilarious secrets and truths shared in a hairdresser’s salon.

What is there about hairdressing salons that make women so comfortable that they tell their hairdresser and each other their innermost secrets and gossip?  

We are in Truvy Jones’ (Sharon Heidt) hairdressing salon. She has a new hairdresser, Anelle Dupuy-Desoto (Lauren Bowler) and it’s her very first day on the job so she is getting the lay of the land of how Truvy runs her salon. Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie, (Ellen Denny) is getting married later that day and she and her mother M’Lynn Eatenton (Blythe Wilson) are coming in to get their hair done. M’Lynn is anxious and hovering, trying to control every decision Shelby makes, much to Shelby’s dismay. The regulars arrive: Clairee Blecher (Mary Pitt) has a quip for every occasion and a laser focus to see the stupidity in things; Ouiser Boudreaux (Chick Reid) has a complaint for every occasion and gives it with panache and a look of disdain.

There are secrets to share; stories about a husband who is distant and likes to shoot off guns for fun; relationships gone wrong; a marriage that might not be prudent; ill-health to deal with; all handled by women with grit and a sense of humour. Any woman who has ever stepped foot in a hair salon will recognize the characters, the conversation and the secrets.

Sheila McCarthy directs this with style and of course a keen sense of the humour of the piece and how to realize it so beautifully. The acting is fine. Lauren Bowler as Anelle Dupuy-Desoto is initially tentative because Anelle is trying to fit into the rhythm of the salon, but then she gets more and more confident. As Truvy Jones, Sharon Heidt is upbeat, jolly and compassionate when needed. Ellen Denny as Shelby and Blythe Wilson as M’Lynn are a colourful daughter and mother. Shelby is frustrated by her mother M’Lynn’s interference, but controls it nicely, in Ellen Denny’s measured performance. Blythe Wilson is both uptight and loving as M’Lynn and then has to deal with a tremendous upheaval in her life, and Blythe Wilson negotiates that beautifully too.  As Ouiser Boudreaux, Chick Reid rises to the occasion of snapping every one of Ouiser’s caustic comments to that whenever she enters we know it will be funny. The same can be said of Clairee Blecher, played with supreme confidence and timing by Mary Pitt. We know early on in the show that Claire has the best lines and the most withering observations. She says to Ouiser, “I love you more than my luggage.” It’s said deadpan, evenly and leaves you shaking your head at the silliness but rightness of the line when Mary Pitt says it.

It’s interesting that a man wrote this—Robert Harling—and he’s bang on in capturing the conversations and thoughts of women. The impetus for writing it was his sister, Susan, who died of kidney failure due to complications from diabetes. The story is reflected in the play.  

Steel Magnolias is a bitter-sweet play of women bonding with their friends; exchanging gossip and secrets, and supporting each other when disaster happens. It’s a treat of a play and a dandy production.

Drayton Entertainment Presents:

Playing until July 6, 2024.

Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes (1 intermission)

www.draytonentertainment.com

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I saw this on the Facebook and have no idea if it’s from Bill Gates or not, but the comments are brilliant for those willing to consider them:

Bill Gates was invited by a high school to give a lecture. This is what he said in five minutes:

1. Life isn’t easy — get used to it.

2. The world is not concerned about your self-esteem. The world expects you to do something useful for it BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

A former cleaning lady becomes a chef and fulfils her dream of having her own organic restaurant

True story: A simple (but powerful) gesture of kindness from a CEO

3. You will not earn $20,000 a month once you leave school. You won’t be vice president of a company with a car and phone available until you’ve managed to buy your own car and phone.

4. If you find your teacher rude, wait until you have a boss. He will not feel sorry for you.

5. Selling old newspapers or working while on vacation is not beneath your social standing. Your grandparents have a different word for it: they call it opportunity.

6. If you fail, it’s not your parents’ fault. So do not whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

7. Before you were born, your parents weren’t as critical as they are now. They only got that way from paying your bills, washing your clothes and hearing you say they’re “ridiculous.” So before saving the planet for the next generation wanting to fix the mistakes of your parent’s generation, try cleaning your own room.

8. Your school may have blurred the distinction between winners and losers, but life isn’t like that. In some schools, you don’t repeat more than a year and you have as many chances as you need to get it right. This looks like absolutely NOTHING in real life. If you step on the ball, you’re fired… STREET!!! Do it right the first time!

9. Life is not divided into semesters. You won’t always have summers off, and it’s unlikely that other employees will help you with your tasks at the end of each term.

10. Television is NOT real life. In real life, people have to leave the bar or the club and go to work.

11. Be nice to the CDFs (those students that others think are assholes). There is a high probability that you will work FOR one of them.”

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Live and in person at Memorial Hall, Blyth Festival, Blyth, Ont. Playing until Aug. 3, 2024.

www.blythfestival.com

Written by Gil Garratt

Directed by James MacDonald

Set and lighting by Beth Kates

Costumes by Jennifer Triemstra-Johnston

Sound by Troy Slocum

Cast: Goldie Garratt

Caroline Gillis

Amy Keating

Cameron Laurie

J.D. Nicholsen

A tender family love-story with heart-ache mixed, with dollops of Elvis for quirkiness. It could use another pass of reflection and revision.

From the Blyth website (sort of): “It’s 2019 in Clinton, ON. Newly retired and ready for adventure, Gord (J.D. Nicholsen) and Orillia (Caroline Gillis) have been Elvis fans since they were teenagers. In twenty-five years, they’ve never missed their annual pilgrimage to the Collingwood Elvis Festival. Having sold their business, they’re now ready to embrace nothing but Presley and the CPP. But when their only grandchild Dylan (Goldie Garratt) arrives on the doorstep at 1 am and they can’t find their daughter, Lauren (Amy Keating), everyone’s future plans are upended in ways no one dreamed.

A love-me-tender family drama about the King and kincare.”

Also. Gord and Orillia were preparing to take a very early morning flight to Hawaii to visit the various locations of the Elvis film, “Blue Hawaii,” when they saw that their granddaughter was at the door. They naturally had to cancel their plans. Gord gets invited to the Collingwood Elvis Festival to perform his Elvis impersonation. He’s thrilled and goes into overdrive to prepare. But then he learns this is the last year of the festival.

With Dylan (a very confident, assured Goldie Garratt) staying with them, Gord and Orillia have to make plans about taking care of her and perhaps applying for guardianship. Gord needs a job to take care of the added expenses and asks Ben (Cameron Laurie), the man who bought Gord’s garage business. Ben is agreeable. Ben is also a friend of Lauren’s and we learn, liked her a lot in high school, but Lauren never returned the affection to that extent. We wonder if Ben is Dylan’s father.

Playwright Gil Garratt has created a touching ache of a play about two seniors who want to enjoy their retirement but can’t because they have to take care of their young granddaughter. Their troubled daughter is nowhere to be found, and matters are fraught.

The characters of Gord and Orillia are well drawn, and beautifully played by J.D. Nicholsen and Caroline Gillis respectively. J.D. Nicholsen brings out the lively playfulness of Gord. He’s buoyant and almost boyish about the trip to Hawaii. Later he’s excited that he can do his Elvis impression one more time at the Collingwood Elvis Festival. Gord is matter of fact, perhaps a bit oblivious to things around him, like Orillia, but he is kind and has charm, thanks to J.D. Nicholsen’s playing of him.

Caroline Gillis as Orillia, is the ‘grown-up’ here. She constantly chides Gord for his silliness, but it’s done with love. Orillia, though, seems lost, she has lost herself in tending to her daughter when Lauren was growing up. She is still at sea and facing taking care of Dylan makes her anxious that she will lose herself again.

It’s also a play of forgiveness. Lauren seems to want to make a drastic decision regarding Dylan and Gord and Orillia plead with her not to do it, for her own sake. Gil Garratt has given a hint that Lauren (Amy Keating) does care for her daughter—when the police find her and return her to her parents late one night, Lauren wants to see her daughter. Because of her strung-out state and the lateness of the hour, the parents refuse. It’s a small scene, but we get the sense Lauren cares for her child. Amy Keating as Lauren is subdued as one embarrassed about her situation would be. There is a touching scene with Ben (Cameron Laurie) as Lauren and Ben reminisce. Cameron Laurie as Ben is a caring, decent man, who obviously has feelings for Lauren.

Director James MacDonald brings out the loving relationships in the play, and illuminates the beating heart of all the characters.

I think that the play needs another re-think and re-write. We need more information about Lauren and Ben individually and together. Lauren makes some huge decisions, one of which towards the end needs to be more developed so that the conclusion is not a surprise or startling. There obviously is more to the friendship between Ben and Lauren for Ben to give her advice on what to do. That needs to be developed more as well for us to trust why he is giving her advice.

It’s a lovely play, but it could be stronger with another edit.   

The Blyth Festival Presents:

Plays until Aug. 3, 2024.

Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes (1 intermission)

www.blythfestival.com

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Saturday, June 28, 2024. CRITICS CIRCLE, CIUT.fm 89.5. Paul and Linda Plan a Threesome at the Here for Now Theatre, Stratford, Ont. Playing until July 13, 2024.

www.herefornowtheatre.com

Written by Jane Cooper Ford

Directed by Megan Watson

Set and costumes by Rebecca Chaikin

Cast: Laura de Carteret

David Keeley

Stacy Smith

Shannon Taylor

Funny, wise and beautifully done.

The Story and performance. This is the world premiere of Jane Cooper Ford’s comedy. The title: Paul and Linda Plan a Threesome seems so staid, as if two efficient people are planning something normal such as a dinner party, or a meeting. What they are planning is anything but normal.

Paul (David Keeley) and Linda (Laura De Carteret) are married. They are accomplished people. He’s a judge and she’s a successful lawyer. But their marriage is in trouble and they need help. So Linda finds Sienna’s advertisement on Kijiji offering to perform a sexual threesome and arranges for Sienna to come to the house for the threesome. Linda tells Paul it’s either this to shake up their marriage, or a divorce and that shocks him.  He never thought the marriage was in that much trouble, but there had to be some concern if he’s ageable to this arrangement.

On the appointed day of the threesome Linda is nervous and Paul is a bit uptight. Sienna (Shannon Taylor) arrives. She’s buoyant, charming, inquisitive about her two ‘clients’ and what they want from this arrangement. Sienna asks both Paul and Linda what they want her to do to them sexually. This throws Linda into a panic—no one has ever asked her before. And it kind of excites Paul.

And then Paul’s sister Gwen (Stacy Smith) arrives in a fury because she says she’s left her husband and children because of some argument or other. This then upends the whole dynamic and of course adds to the humour.

Gwen does not apologize for the intrusion, nor does she realize the tension in the room from Paul and Linda. Gwen is selfish, self-absorbed and doesn’t really put this situation together until later. Paul is annoyed because I think he might have been curious about sex in a threesome. Linda is just embarrassed and appalled by it all and comes close to calling it off. Sienna is again curious at this new person—Gwen– and what drives her. Sienna is watchful, observant and perceptive about what is going on there. She comes to a conclusion about Gwen that at first seems preposterous, but then upon reflection it’s probably true.

We’ve all seen situations like this before in plays/comedies; a marriage is in trouble and the couple try something drastic get them out of their rut. The couple go to a motel for a ‘dirty weekend’ and it’s a failure. Or they go to a marriage counsellor and the results could go either way.  Paul and Linda Plan a Threesomeoffers an alternative with little twists and turns.

I love that while it looks like sex is the answer, of course it’s not. And we learn that from Sienna. She is really the ‘outside eye, the arm’s length observer here. She can size up situations more clearly and efficiently than Linda and Pau who are in the middle of it.  That outside eye, the impartial observer is needed to see how Paul and Linda interact, to see the problem. Sienna could be the marriage counsellor, the psychotherapist etc. calm and cool, trying to find a solution. In the play, all she knows is that she is there for a threesome, she doesn’t know anything else about Paul and Linda.

Sienna is the one with the power here—she has something they think they need—sex with her in different configurations. Shannon Taylor as Sienna handles that power beautifully. She is always smiling and observing. She is never judgmental and that seems a novelty with Paul and Linda who are always judgmental.  Sienna is the stranger here, so she innocently asks both Paul and Linda what they want in the sex. This leads to a deeper discovery—that when Paul and Linda have sex with each other they never ask what the other wants for pleasure. Linda gives Paul what she thinks he wants and Paul never asks Linda because she never complains. It slowly dawns on Paul and Linda that more consideration, communication and understanding of the other is in order to solve their marriage problems, not sex with a stranger.

Gwen is oblivious because she has her own issues. And of course, Sienna can size up Gwen as well, again, quicker and more precisely than Paul or Linda can. Truths are told, listened to, considered and thought about.

The production is terrific.  The show is performed under a large tent on the grounds of the Stratford Perth Museum. The set by Rebecca Chaikin is an arrangement of overstuffed furniture—as befits a Rosedale couple who are well off. Rebecca Chaikin has also designed the costumes: stylish for Paul and Linda, jeans and blouse for Gwen, and a summery comfortable dress for Sienna that is not even close to trying to be seductive. She doesn’t need to be seductive, she just is.

They even have an assortment of cheese, nuts and apricots on offer for a snack and drinks at the ready, as if it’s just company before they have sex. I love how Paul and Linda keep up the appearance of normalcy and politeness.

Director Megan Watson establishes the relationships beautifully. There is energy: kinetic, nervous, anticipatory. Megan Watson keeps the pace steadily growing until Paul and Linda have to take a breath and see the real problem in their marriage is communication.

And the acting is dandy. Laura de Carteret as Linda is skittish, anxious and fidgety. David Keeley as Paul is also anxious and uptight. Both banter back and forth landing their jokes and funny situations with style and confidence. Shannon Taylor as Sienna is fascinating. She is very relaxed, again, as I said, she has the power. She also has a keen sense of the humour of the situation—this nervous couple who have no idea what to do in a threesome. Gwen offers a distraction but cause for more humour.  Shannon Taylor is so watchful and subtlety reactive. She listens with easy intensity—you can see her sizing up the situations and the issues.  She is slow to offer a comment, choosing instead to offer an observation that will be helpful for both Paul and Linda to help them solve their own issues. And of course they do discover a way forward by talking to one another and being more watchful and considerate.

As for Gwen, Stacy Smith is deliberately manic in her emotions, angry, giddy, confused and always funny. When she comes to a revelation about herself it’s like a mystery has been solved.

The plays is funny in the sense of relationships and attitudes and I would assume that a lot of people in the audience would identify with the problems illuminated in the relationships.

To re-iterate, Paul and Linda Plan a Threesome is a clever play about the importance of love, relationships, marriage, and communication with one’s partner. Sex is the least of it. It’s the easy part. Talking, communication and consideration is harder and where problems begin to be solved. I liked this play a lot and the production is terrific.

Here for Now Theatre presents:

Plays until July 13, 2024.

Running time: 50 minutes approx. (no intermission).

www.herefornowtheatre.com

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Live and in person at the Elgin Theatre, Toronto, Ont. Playing until June 30, 2024.

https://www.ticketmaster.ca/the-last-timbit-tickets

Music and lyrics by Anika Johnson and Britta Johnson

Book by Nick Green

Directed by Brian Hill

Choreographer, Genny Sermonia

Set and costume by Kelly Wolf

Lighting by Jareth Li

Sound  by Josh Liebert

Video design by Cameron Davis

Music director, Jonathan Corkal-Astrorga

Produced  by Michael Rubinoff

Sweet, accomplished, irreverent, funny, moving and proudly Canadian.

The Backstory. When a commercial company celebrates an anniversary, it might put on a sale or have give-aways. When Tim Hortons, the iconic Canadian coffee and donut behemoth, has an anniversary and wants to celebrate 60 years of service they hire a marketing company to look at the matter. The marketing company decides that a musical is the best way of celebrating all things donuts and coffee. The Tim Hortons Company reached out to the best in all matters musical. They first reached out to Britta Johnson because of her musical Life After, who then brought in writer Nick Green (Body Politic, Casey and Diana) and Anika Johnson (Britta’s composer-playwright sister) and then Michael Rubinoff joined the team.
Michael Rubinoff. Rubinoff is the former Associate Dean of the program in Visual and Performing Arts at Sheridan College; he established the Canadian Music Theatre Project, an international incubator for the development of new musicals at Sheridan College; and he developed and produced a little epic called Come From Away as well as developed about 28 other musicals and counting. The man knows his stuff. Because Rubinoff is listed as the producer, one can assume he engaged the rest of the celebrated team. Brian Hill directs. A stella group of creatives did the set and lighting. And he engaged some of the finest musical theatre talent in the country to be in it.

The show was written, composed and put together in six months. The run is very short–five days—This is an anniversary celebration musical. There are ample opportunities to have a selfie taken with a giant Timbit in the lobby of the Elgin Theatre.

Note of information for my non-Canadian readers to my blog. Tim Hortons (no ‘s here, it’s a Canadian thing) is a chain of donut-coffee ‘restaurants.’ They do something called a ‘Timbit’, the round confection of cake that used to be the hole in a donut. Nothing is wasted at Tim Hortons in making a donut, not even the hole. Tim Hortons was started by hockey player, Tim Horton eons ago. He did rather well at it too until he died in a horrible car accident. The franchise continues and is revered in this country for its coffee (lots of debates about the quality vs other chains) its donuts, crullers and other sweet treats. The chili is wonderful. We forgive them the flatbread pizza creations. Sorry. (That’s Canadian too).

The Story. There is a snow storm. Olivia and her mother Michelle are driving in it. They are not getting along. Olivia migrates between her mother’s house and her dad’s. Her parents are divorced and Olivia just wants to go home to her dad’s. The storm closes the roads. There is no where to go except in the distance is a welcoming, familiar orangy-red sign that says “TIM HORTONS” (no ‘s). Olivia and Michelle drive there and meet other stranded folks, each with their own story.  How do they pass the time? They drink coffee, order donuts and Timbits and keep to themselves until all that’s left is one Timbit. So they play games for points to win the last Timbit.

The Production. Have you ever been in a Tim Hortons restaurant? They are all the same.  Designer Kelly Wolf has done a terrific job of re-creating the Tim Hortons here. The menu is above the counter with the illustrations of the food and the description in print you need glasses to read—even if your eyes are good. There is the promise of “fresh coffee every 20 minutes.” The counter has the selection of donuts. There are tables with people sitting by themselves keeping to themselves. Ellen (DeAnn DeGruijter) and Kathy (Barbara Fulton) are friends. They belong to a choir in their home town but are going on a trip. We learn why later. Chloe (Sara Farb) does not have a handle on her life. She wants perfection and is going to a party to try and fit in perfectly. Anton (Peter Millard) is a lonely widower who always comes there to his regular seat and table. Shane (Jake Epstein) is a slow-talking-confident-park ranger. He communes with animals. Nicole (Kimberly-Ann Truong) and Vince (Andrew Broderick) are best friends and influencers and are going to what they say is the party of the year to be seen, influence and be influenced. Charlie (Danté Prince) works there but knows Olivia (Kaya Kanashiro) from band class. They like each other but have not been brave enough to tell one other. Michelle (Chilina Kennedy) urges her daughter Olivia to tell Charlie how she feels. Lots of eye-rolling here from Olivia. Monty (Eric Craig) runs the place and is trying to entertain his customers and control them from being too anxious and bored.

The games the group has to do to win the last Timbit are funny, silly, communal, and disarming in getting the group to lower their barriers and embrace these strangers in their common pursuit to wait out the storm.

Anika Johson and her sister and writing partner, Britta Johnson, have written a score that is beautiful and varied with songs that are funny, tender, wistful and often lively and buoyant.

Why then is everything done for us NOT to hear this music and these lyrics easily? The band pounds out the music so relentlessly that it overpowers the singers, who then bellow louder to be heard. The result is that the lyrics get lost unless one leans forward trying to read lips. Josh Liebert is noted as the person who designed the sound. Please, PLEASE LOWER THE BLOODY SOUND ON THE BAND SO WE CAN HEAR THE MUSIC AND LYRICS!

And can you lighten up on the volume of the cast and mix the sound so the results are not earsplitting? Is there a secret code on musicals that all the hard work goes into creating the music and lyrics but then it gets destroyed by an overzealous band and sound mixer who don’t serve the piece?  Pleeeezzz!!!

That said, Peter Millard as Anton is so heartbreakingly effective singing “Anton’s Song” about his late wife and their visits to Tim Hortons, for the very reason that the song is quiet and allowed to be heard and experienced. Ditto Chilina Kennedy as Michelle singing “Keep Driving.” It’s beautiful singing and poignant. The cast to a person is fine. The exuberance in the livelier moments is terrific. Director Brian Hill has created a buoyant, often moving production. Each performer shines. Now to help them all out and most of all, the audience, to actually give this show its due by being able to hear it properly.

Comment. Every single creative person involved in this endeavor took the assignment seriously and served the beautiful form of the musical with professionalism and seriousness.  I love that The Last Timbit is billed as “A 60^th Anniversary Musical.” It’s not billed as anything else; not pre-Broadway. Not the next Come from Away (even though the stories are quite similar). The show is a loving, quirky homage to a donut hole and the company that came up with it, who have been serving us fresh coffee every 20 minutes and sweet treats for 60 years. (We’ll forgive you the flatbread pizzas.) And it’s being celebrated with this lively, moving, impish tuneful, beautifully performed musical.

Tim Hortons presents:

Opened: June 27, 2024.

Closes: June 30, 2024.

Running time: 70 minutes (no intermission)

https://www.ticketmaster.ca/the-last-timbit-tickets

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Live and in person at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre, Toronto, Ont. Playing until July 28, 2024.

www.mirvish.com

Book by Katori Hall with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins

Directed by Phyllida Lloyd

Choreography by Anthony Van Laast

Set and costumes by Mark Thompson

Lighting by Bruno Poet

Sound by Nevin Steinberg

Projections by Jeff Sugg

Cast: John Battagliese

Antonio Beverly

Sarah Bockel

Brianna Cameron

Omar Madden

Deon Releford-Lee

Carla Stewart

Zurin Villanueva

Dylan S. Wallace

Roz White

And a large, hard-working chorus.

A raucous, energy-filled musical about the roller-coaster life of super-star Tina Turner.

Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock) had a life full of deep lows and exuberant success. Her mother ignored her perhaps because of jealousy and sent Anna Mae to live with her grandmother.

When Anna Mae was 17, she met and impressed Ike Turner with her singing. Ike was  a smooth rock and roller and she joined his band. He was charming at first then physically abused her for the 17 years they were together. He changed her name to Tina, married her after which she took his last name. She recorded albums with Ike and found her true rock voice and stage abilities. When she could not bear Ike’s abuse any longer, she left him with only $.36 in her pocket. Through guts, will and determination her luck turned around for her after 40 when she was given a new chance at stardom on her own, and true love with a man who adored her.

Award-winning playwright Katori Hall with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins have created a book of the musical that touches on the basics of the story. There is no deep character development and no layered establishment of relationships in Tina, The Tina Turner Musical.  Fans of Tina Turner’s work will probably already know the minutiae of her life. They certainly will know the Tina Turner song book. The creators of Tina, The Tina Turner Musical, uses Tina Turner’s hits to forward the story somewhat from “Let’s Stay Together”, “Proud Mary”,  “Private Dancer”, “We Don’t Need Another Hero” etc.

Director Phyllida Lloyd, choreographer Anthony Van Laast and set and costume designer Mark Thompson worked together on the hugely successful Mamma Mia! and perhaps hope to strike gold again with Tina, The Tina Turner Musical.

Whoever is cast to play Tina will come under some scrutiny—can she pull it off and make us believe she is Tina Turner, that fireball of energy and grit? Will she have the chops and the voice that’s needed to carry over a stadium packed with fans. In the case of Zurin Villanueva who sang the role of Tina at my performance, the answer is a strong ‘yes.’ (She shares the role with Ari Groover)

Zurin Villanueva is a strong actor who can illuminate Tina’s vulnerability and her strong backbone. She has grit and tenderness. And she has the energetic body movements of Tina but does not play her as a copy or caricature. Villanueva brings her own interpretation to the role but still illuminates the essence of Tina Turner. And she has a belting voice. I just wished that I could understand what she was singing (and I know those songs). Enunciation is not a strong suit in this performance, and that’s a shame The energy required to be on stage for almost the whole three hours, to belt out song after song and to recreate the Tina’s particular choreography, requires the stamina of an athlete and Zurin Villanueva is certainly that.

As Ike, Deon Releford-Lee has a charm and smoothness that quickly gives way to a meanness that turns to violence. Ike was a serial womanizer and cocaine addict. But he had an eye for talent and he saw it in Tina. As Tina’s mother Zelma, Roz White is cold wisdom. Tina only wanted her mother’s love and acceptance and rarely got it. Roz White plays Zelma slowly revealing her own demons.  

Director Phyllida Lloyd and choreographer, Anthony Van Laast have created a fast paced, swift moving show that is really a concert of Tina Turner’s song book. Bruno Poet’s lighting is dazzling, bombarding the audience with light. The effect is rousing and exhausting. Ultimately, we see what made Tina Turner so famous. We only need to hear her first name to know who that was.

Mirvish Productions presents:

Plays until July 28, 2024

Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes approx. but closer to 3 hours (1 intermission)

www.mirvish.com

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