Lynn

Live and in person at the Tarragon Extra Space until April 10, 2022, and Chez Vous (on line, on-demand) March 22-April 10, 2022.

www.tarragontheatre.com

Written and performed by Makambe K Simamba

Directed by Donna-Michelle St. Bernard
Set and video design by Trevor Schwellnus
Lighting design by Andrea Lundy
Sound design by Diana Reyes
Original music composition by Maddie Bautista
Choreographic consultation by Shakeil Rollock

A stunning piece of theatre. An elegy to African-American men who have died before their time because they were Black.

The Story. From the theatre’s description for context: “Slimm, a seventeen-year-old Black boy in a hoodie suddenly finds himself in the first moments of his afterlife. He calls out for God. God does not respond. What happens next is a sacred journey through the unknown, as Slimm grapples with the truth of the life he lived and the death he didn’t choose.”

Not only does Slimm have to grapple with the truth of his life, he has to follow various instructions for a manual honouring ancestors that earn him the right to continue into the afterlife and beyond.  

The Production. Rap music is throbbing in the space as the audience enters. A montage of projected images of white lined drawings on a black background is flashed on the wall of the stage (kudos to Trevor Schwellnus for his video design). They look like street-scenes in a neighbourhood with cars, houses, lawns, etc. What we are looking at becomes clear as Slimm journeys through his story. There are small structures around the stage. Are they miniature houses? Not sure.

When the lights go down to signal the beginning of director Donna-Michelle St. Bernard’s production for what seems like a full minute one of the rap songs we heard before is played again with the attendant projection montage. I think that odd. Is this a test of the patience of the audience? To make them uncomfortable waiting in that long darkness? The intention is murky.

When the lights come up two legs stick out from the wings as if the person is laying on the ground on their back. The legs twitch as if the person had been unconscious and is now suddenly conscious.  The body movement is erratic, twitchy, perhaps indicative of injury, until we see the whole body of Slimm (Makambe K Simamba) appear. He is dressed in sweatpants, trainers and a hoodie and he is hurt. Slimm staggers around the stage, his balance is off and a leg is injured.

Over the course of Makambe K Simamba’s compelling, emotional-charged play, in which she also plays Slimm, Makambe K Simamba will so completely inhabit the body of Slimm that there is no question that we are watching and listening to a 17-year-old-young man.

Slimm has died (no spoiler alert, we are told this as soon as he begins talking). The play unfolds slowly, methodically and delicately. We find out later what happened that brought him to this moment. What we and he need is to go on the journey of discovery that led him to this point, and to acknowledge what else must happen, according to various guidelines, in a manual that is illuminated on a pedestal on the stage. Various instructions are digitally written on the back wall of the theatre for the audience to see.

Along his journey we learn that Slimm’s parents are divorced. He lives with his mother. From his description he likes both parents and they are both loving people, strict but loving. Slimm might have gotten into difficulties in school but he was not a bad kid. In a moment of frustration his mother sends Slimm to live with his father in Florida, for a bit of time. Slimm was a good friend to his pals and an attentive boyfriend. Because he went to live with his father, he could not take his girlfriend to the prom. In the gentlest of voices, Makambe K Simamba as Slimm expresses that regret in a call to the girlfiend.

On the journey there are 10 guidelines Slimm must follow, among them is honour the ancestors and what would you say to the person who did this to you. The scene honouring the ancestors is a breathtaking bit of theatre handled with sensitivity and steely resolve by Makambe K Simamba and director Donna-Michelle St. Bernard. As Slimm honours his ancestors Makambe K Simamba’s movement is fluid, uses the space but never pulls the focus from what is being said. What Slimm would say to his murderer is equally breathtaking because it’s not full of vengeful hate. It’s full of conviction and perception—Slimm mattered to a lot of people. A quibble is that occasionally words are dropped in soft expression. That might be how Makambe K Simamba wants Slimm to sound, but it’s equally important for the audience to hear every word.

Makambe K Simamba beautifully captures the energetic grace of Slimm, his basic decency, his boyishness and the bubbling aspects of his young life. In early death there is confusion but a need to understand which he does at the end. Slimm grows in maturity when he remembers those he loved and who loved him and names his ancestors.

Makambe K Simamba also is a terrific writer, capturing the life and maturity of a young man who died too young and slowly reveals who Slimm was at the end. Makambe K Simamba captures the gritty language of that young man and at times the writing is poetic.

Comment. It’s an interesting perspective to see Our Fathers, Son, Lovers and Little Brothers.  in Canada when it honours African American men and boys who died before their time because they were Black. The play illuminates the obvious but unspoken point—a Black person is marked before they leave the house because they are Black (whether they are American or not). They are treated differently because they are Black. Slimm was an ordinary, rambunctious kid but was treated differently because he was Black. Those who are white can’t even approach understanding that reality. In her play, Makambe K Simamba gives the audience an inkling of that great divide. She also creates a portrait of a young life that mattered but was snuffed out too soon.  

A Tarragon Theatre and Black Theatre Workshop co-production

Runs: In person: until April 10, 2022

Chez Vous (online, on-demand): March 22 – April 10, 2022

Running Time: 65 minutes, (no intermission).

www.tarratontheatre.com

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Live and in person and now closed, at Five Points Theatre, produced by Talk is Free Theatre, Barrie, Ont., closed after a three-performance run on March 19.

www.tift.ca

Written and performed by Nathaniel Hanula-James

Costumes by Hannah Fisher

Sound by Ryan Wilcox

Arkady Spivak, the energetic CEO of Talk is Free Theatre, has a keen ability for finding talent then gently pushing them forward with challenging options to display that talent. Witness the smart direction of performer Michael Torontow in Into the Woods that then catapulted Torontow into being appointed the Artistic Director of Talk is Free Theatre. Witness designer Joe Pagnan going from designing sets and costumes to creating whole technological worlds through a play for the Bees in the Bush Festival, and beyond. And most recently there is Nathaniel Hanula-James, a gifted actor who has written and performed his play, Untitled Flaming Play that just finished a too short run at Five Points Theatre for Talk is Free Theatre.

The subject of Untitled Flamingo Play and the method of performing it is fascinating. Put Nathaniel Hanula-James on your theatre radar. From the program:

Untitled Flamingo Play is TYA (Theatre for Young Audiences) for the grown-up gay. This object theater solo performance follows two children, Addison and Helen, and their search for queer roll models in a big scary heterocisnormative world. The universe of this play is zany and irreverent; eight-year-olds quip like Oscar Wilde; kids use Grindr on the playground; stuffed animals dispense questionable advice. Beneath all the hijinks, however, Untitled Flamingo Play has a purpose: to defy and complicate the tropes of mainstream narratives.”

The set is simple: an old-fashioned wood coat-tree stands upstage right. In the centre is a high table covered in a black cloth, on which are various props and bright-coloured fuzzy, plush animals.

Nathaniel Hanula-James enters from upstage in a flowing pink dressing gown over a pink, patterned ‘hoodie’ and pink roomy pants. He takes off the dressing gown and hangs it on the coat-tree. The problem is that the table obstructs my view of him and it’s important to establish that ‘look’ for the full effect. He’s making a statement. We have to see it clearly.

Nathaniel Hanula-James tells the story of Addison and Helen by depicting them with plush-toys. Addison is in grade three, is cheerful, exuberant and eager to please. His mother frets that because he is different, does not act like the other kids, he will be bullied. His mother gives him a pink flamingo toy to keep in his knapsack, for comfort. Addison is so eager to impress he shows the class his pink flamingo. Helen is his soulmate. She doesn’t fit in either. Their teacher is depicted as a wonderful pink, plump, curly ‘haired’ toy who tells Addison to be his authentic self. Fitting in. Being your authentic self. Finding one’s soul mate to get through being different is what this show is about.

Hanula-James is a smart, creative, fearless creator. He and his costume designer Hannah Fisher have come up with a costume that is bold and in your face and there is a bit of theatrics at the end with part of the costume, that is terrific.

I hope Nathaniel Hanula-James keeps working on the show and perfecting it.

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Live and in person at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Toronto, Ont. until March 20, 2022.

www.buddiesinbadtimes.com

Written by Yolanda Bonnell

Co-directed by Cole Alvis and Samantha Brown

Choreography by Yolanda Bonnell

Set and projection design by Trevor Schwellnus

Costumes by Rachel Forbes

Lighting by Echo Zhou

Composer and sound design by Maddie Bautista

Animation and associate video design by Rihkee Strapp

Cast: Yolanda Bonnell

Elizabeth Staples

Ravyn Wngz

A sweeping, embracing story of finding one’s true inner self and culture.

The Story. Miskozi is lost. She is trying to re-connect to her Indigenous culture, teachings and ceremonies but has submerged herself in white culture as the ideal for so long, she doesn’t know how to get back to ‘herself.’ She goes on her journey for rediscovery accompanied by her inner white girl, Maabishkizi and guided by Ziibi, a manifestation of an ancestral river.

As a kid growing up in the 1980s Miskozi was enveloped in the world of popular culture, television and Disney films. She never saw people who looked like her in this world. Her ideal was Vanna White, the letter-turner on “Wheel of Fortune”: white, blonde, slim, beautiful, dressed in sparkly gowns, always smiling, perfect.

In school Miskozi always tried out for the school play/musical but never got the lead, even though she was the most talented in the auditions. A white girl with less talent got to play Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. A white girl with less talent got to play the lead in The Little Mermaid. Miskozi usually got cast in a minor role, one in which she was costumed to hide her brown skin. And so Miskozi believes that white is better than brown and submerges herself to attain that fake ideal. She dreams of marrying a cute member of the rock group, New Kids on the Block.

The Production. I wait in the anti-chamber for the ‘house’ to open. Projected on the wall is a photograph of Yolanda Bonnell. Animated curvy lines appear in front of the photograph suggesting water and that perhaps she is floating in the water. Above her head are projections/drawings of what could be an ornate head dress or physical thoughts or ideas of the character. Animated fish appear and swim towards the photograph and away. Yolanda Bonnell’s voice speaks of feeling like a cloud; or recites a poem. These evocative looped moments in the anti-chamber establish the world of the play so kudos to co-directors Cole Alvis and Samantha Brown, animator Rihkee Strapp and projection designer, Trevor Schwellnus.

When the ‘house’ is open for the audience Yolanda Bonnell and Elizabeth Staples sit on the ledge of the stage and warmly welcome everybody who comes into the room. Bonnell wears leotards over which is a dress with looks like ceremonial markings/design on it. Staples wears a maroon dress with markings as well. They will be joined later by Ravyn Wngs wearing a flowing dark dress with a slit up the side for easy movement. Kudos to costume designer Rachel Forbes.

In the middle of the room is a large, round platform in the form of a traditional Indigenous drum. Behind it is a smaller drum formation acting as a step up to the platform.

The same photograph of Yolanda Bonnell is projected on the upper part of the back wall of the theatre, but not with the curvy lines. We still get the sense of water because the fish appear and swim toward the photograph and then disappear. The looped voice-over plays.

When the performance is about to begin the three performers introduce themselves with Bonnell beginning in her traditional Indigenous language giving her name and where she was born, followed by English. Yolanda Bonnell plays Miskozi.  Ravyn Wngs (Ziibi, the ancestral river) is from Bermuda and is part Mohawk. Elizabeth Staples (Maabishkizi—Miskozi’s inner white girl) is of European descent (I believe).

 A traditional land acknowledgement is given with important historical context. What is abundantly clear is the embracing care that is taken to welcome the audience and make them feel safe. We are told the performance will be relaxed, the lights will not go down in the theatre to dark; if for any reason a patron feels they must leave there is a safe space in the building for them to sit and relax; there are medicines for calming at the side of the theatre; there is ceremonial smoke from smudging the room on the other side. There is even a printed program for the performance. I am impressed with this care.

Ziibi (Ravyn Wngs) appears establishing the sense of the ancestral river. Ravyn Wngs’ movement glows, grows, swells and flows with a fluidity the is evocative of water, the symbolic ancestral river that helps Miskozi find her roots.

When Miskozi appears she is wearing moccasins: white fur around the ankles, brown skin for the foundation and traditional bead work. Soon after there is a scene that depicts the first time settlers descend on the Indigenous land and Miskozi and Ziibi frantically race to pack, protect, or hide those aspects that are sacred to Indigenous culture. In the confusion she loses the moccasins.   Miskozi asks, “where do we hide the language?” (in order to protect it). She loses a braid and is upset with that. There is conversation on how to minimize the settler damage and Ziibi suggests that Miskozi cut her hair. The horrified look on Miskozi’s face quickly illuminates the depth of despair at this suggestion; what it would mean to the loss of the culture. It’s a moment that is quick and resounding in Cole Alvis and Samantha Brown’s perceptive, bold direction.

There are moments of sharp humour at the take over of Indigenous culture by the settlers in Rihkee Strapp’s animation and Trevor Schwellnus’ projection design. Paper money with the Queen’s face on it floats by; a caricature of Justin Trudeau follows. The bombardment of images erasing Indigenous independence flash on the walls of the theatre.

Miskozi imagines she is a contestant on a Wheel of Fortune type show. There is Vanna White (Elizabeth Staples), smiling, gowned, applauding—Miskozi’s idea of perfection turning the letters to reveal the answer. Over time Miskozi sinks deeper into the despair of the game, losing more of herself. Trying to stop the slide.

Ravyn Wngs plays various characters from a news caster announcing Indigenous protests and clashes with police or a Pat Sajak stand-in on the Wheel of Fortune parody. While Ravyn Wngs is a wonderful dancer, she tends to mumble her lines or speak them so softly that the words disappear. It looked like she was wearing a head microphone but it didn’t seem to work on the evening I saw the show. Pity, the words are important to hear.  

Elizabeth Staples is appropriately vapid as Vanna White and supportive as Maabishkizi—Miskozi’s inner white girl.

Yolanda Bonnell’s play is rich in historical context, metaphor, poetic expression and in the case of Miskozi, character development. Bonnell’s performance as Miskozi is compelling, full of conviction, innocent, searching, physically graceful and fearless.

Comment. As with all good theatre, White Girls in Moccasins bridges the gaps between our differences and illuminates our similarities. While I appreciate this is a specific story of Miskozi, of an Indigenous girl trying to find herself by embracing a white ideal, the play is also a universal story. All of those young girls who never fit it, no matter what ethnicity, culture or skin colour, can identify with Miskozi thinking the white, blonde, impossibly thin and dim Vanna White is the ideal for perfect. How else to explain the troubling number of young women suffering from anorexia, except as a quest for the unattainable, irrational search for thinness, thinking that’s perfection? Or the popular culture that prefers white and thin with lots of plastic surgery as opposed to a natural beauty no matter the skin colour. We have all been brainwashed to think this phony ideal is admirable. As with all theatre we bring our own backgrounds to interpret the story according to our own life-experiences.

As Miskozi goes on her journey to find her culture in herself she does gain insight and revelation as to who she really is. She frets that she will not be able to do justice to remember the traditions and ceremonies of her Indigeneity. She resolves these issues too, as she becomes more confident in her own skin. What is interesting is that, while Miskozi regains her identity, she does not acknowledge that her ideal model—the white, blonde, slim, smiling Vanna White was such a hollow, irrelevant ideal. I think the play denies itself a knowing power my not acknowledging this revelation.  

We live in a time where story and ownership are important and accusations of appropriation abound—who gets to tell the story? I think by calling the play White Girls in Moccasins Yolanda Bonnell is giving an impish wink to this idea.

Yolanda Bonnell is a gifted theatre creator. She celebrates her Indigenous culture in everything she writes be it: bug, My Sister’s Rage, a lovely vignette on TO LIVE: Living Rooms, and certainly White Girls in Moccasins. It’s well worth a look, either in person or digitally.

manidoons collective and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre present:

Runs in person until March 20, 2022.

Available digitally from March 26-April 2

Running Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes (no intermission)

www.buddiesinbadtime.com

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Virtual Reality at the Toronto Lighthouse Artspace (1 Yonge). Runs to May 29, 2022.  

 lighthouseimmersive.com.

Created and directed by Robert Lepage

Based on the book by Alberto Manguel.

We must be curious about our ‘changing’ world. I was curious, in an ‘eye-brow-knitting’ way, about the “Immersive Van Gogh” exhibit produced by Lighthouse Immersive at 1 Yonge Street (the Toronto Star Building), Toronto, Ont. In it you are in a huge room with expanded images of Van Gogh’s paintings snaking along the four walls and the floor of the room. All to the accompaniment of blaring music, including Edith Piaf for some reason. The colours and images popped in a distorted way.

 I hated every minute of it. It’s ‘art appreciation’ for people who don’t go to an art gallery; or who do go to a gallery, only to stand in front of a painting and then take a cell-phone picture of the painting, never to look at it again. Hideous.

So initially I looked askance when I got a notice of a new virtual-reality ‘show’ playing at the venue (a different part of the building). But, my curiosity was pricked when I saw that Robert Lepage, theatre creator par excellence, was creating the show based on Alberto Manguel’s book The Library at Night. The premise is that the viewer would be immersed in the virtual world of 10 libraries both real and imagined. Being immersed in a library makes more sense than being immersed in the bombardment of exaggerated images in a painting.

I was invited to a media preview. We were instructed to arrive 10-15 minutes before the start time because they would start at 5:00 pm sharp. Wonderful. I love that. Starting on time. Those in attendance waited in a large room with screens situated around it that projected a paragraph of information about each of the libraries we would ‘experience.’ The problem was that the paragraphs describing the libraries were shown for only about 10 seconds before the screen showed the next paragraph, which was not enough time to read properly.  It would have been helpful if we had 30 or more seconds to read each paragraph. I asked someone if the change from one paragraph to another could be adjusted, slowed down. The person said she didn’t know, nor did she offer to find out. Exhale.

“Show time” was nearing. I was anxious, eager and waiting at the exhibition entrance for 5:00 pm. I’ve waited for two years for theatre of any kind to come back. I don’t want to have any seconds wasted, waiting.

5:01 pm. Nothing.

5:02 pm. Nothing.

A person dressed in black, walky-talky in hand walks by, looking official. “When are we starting? It’s past 5:00 pm.? I enquire.

I’m told she’s waiting for the all clear to enter the space. We’re all there and ready. It’s technology. You would think they could start on time. But no.

5:06 pm we enter the space. EXHALE!

We enter a room that is a replica of Alberto Manguel’s library. It is dimly lighted. We are told not to touch anything.  When one looks at the illuminated shelves of books one sees the books are arranged in a way that makes sense to Manguel and that in itself is interesting. Books in various languages are next to books on Geology which are next to science books. We don’t have time to linger because the lights go down on shelves and illuminate other parts of the room. A display case is eventually illuminated to show three treasured books; a child-hood favourite, a first edition, and a book given to him by a noted author. There are windows in the room with rain gently dropping outside.

Albert Manguel’s voice describes his thoughts on libraries. He says that a library is like a forest and other representations. His voice is measured and lilting. His thoughts are poetic and deeply considered. We are told we can get the Virtual Reality head gear and the earphones needed for the next room in the bench that lines the wall with the windows. We are to take the head gear into the next room and put on the stuff while seated. We are told we can adjust the Virtual Reality head gear and the ear phones. We can adjust the focus of the VI head gear by a small dial at the front.

The next room is dimly lighted again, with trees (the forest) around the room. There is stuff on the floor—pages, leaves, we have no time to linger. There are wood tables in the room and wood swiveled chairs at each table, with lamps on each table for illumination. I take a seat at a table and put on the VR head gear that fits snugly over my head and nose and pushes down on my facemask. Then the ear phones go on over that that pushes down further on my nose and mask so that I can’t breathe. I don’t think that’s right so I make further adjustments.

When I put on my head gear a 360° view of 10 symbols appears. I’m not sure how to begin the narration or what library begins. We weren’t told.  Do I look at that “N” there? Will that start it? It does. Nautilus is the fictional submarine in Jules Verne’s “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” and on it is the library of Captain Nemo. The whole picture is created by ink drawing animation. Sea images float by the huge windows of the submarine. The library is around the whole room. There are images of Captain Nemo showing someone the library.  Alberto Manguel provides the narration as he does for all 10 libraries.

After about 10 minutes the tour of Nautilus is finished. I wonder how to go to the next library. Have I accidentally looked at the “N” again, because the segment on Nautilus begins again. I take the head gear off and say that I’m hearing the segment on Nautilus again. The gentleman sitting opposite is too. We are told by people there to help that there are buttons at the side of the head gear that will take us to the menu. Menu? I press small buttons. Nothing. A woman takes my head gear and that of the man opposite away and brings other head gear. This works.

The narration for each library is on a loop. When each segment is completed the city where each library is/was (both real and imagined) is noted under each symbol. The depiction of each library varies from the animation of Nautilus to what looks like a virtual depiction of others.

The majestic Admont Abbey Library in Admont, Austria is all dappled light on the floor, huge, high shelves with monks silently perusing books. We are directed to look at four statues in corners and what they represent.

The walls of the majestic (the libraries almost all seem majestic) Library of Congress in Washington, D.C slowly rise up in our view. If you look down you are peering into an abyss that is disorienting. If you then swivel around in your swivel chair, that adds another aspect to the disorientation. One grips the arms of the chair so as not to lose balance and fall out!

The ancient Library of Alexandria, Egypt has all its ‘books’ written on scrolls. When the library caught on fire the scrolls perished easily in the flames. I almost expected to feel a blast of heat as the flames shot up higher and higher. But this Virtual Reality experience doesn’t come with extra sensory experiences.

The Library of Parliament in Ottawa, Ont. is fascinating. A huge book takes pride of place in the visual representation of the library. This book doesn’t belong in this library, we are informed by Alberto Manguel’s narration. It is the Audubon Book of American Birds, 1831-1835. (not absolutely sure of the dates). The book is about 3’ x 2’. In the image a woman approaches the book from behind it. She looks at ‘me’, smiles,  puts on a latex glove and opens the book to the first page of a painting of a blue bird. A blue bird appears in the library and alights on a railing near the book. The woman turns the next page to another bird and that bird also appears to fly into the library. Gradually the library is a twitter with birds chirping and flying around the dome at the top and in the room as well. Then the woman turns the page to a painting of a large, formidable looking owl. The huge owl appears on the on the top of the book. The owl peers at me. The woman beside it smiles out. I almost expect the owl to take flight right towards my face. I wonder what my reaction would be if it had.

There is no doubt that Robert Lepage is a masterful creator of theatre and this kind of technology is right up his imaginative alley. His visual representations of the libraries are absolutely dazzling. But I find ‘theatre’ or VR that dazzles is the lowest kind of engagement because it just doesn’t involve the audience. It just impresses them momentarily. A hollow experience.

The Library at Night is dazzling to be sure, but frustrating because of little information. Tell the folks that the narration is on a loop and no buttons need to be touched. Have the projections of the blurbs of each library be programmed to change every 30 + seconds so the public can actually read the whole blurb. Start on time.

To truly ‘experience’ a library, no matter what time of day or night, go to a library and I would suggest a beautiful one such as the Toronto Reference Library. Take a book from the shelf, find a comfortable chair and read it, entering the world of the book, immersed in the beauty of the place dedicated to books. 

Presented by Lighthouse Immersive/Luminato Festival.

Runs until May 29, 2022.

Running Time: 1 hour.

lighthouseimmersive.com

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Live and in person at the Grand Theatre, London, Ont. until March 19, 2022.

www.grandtheatre.com

Adapted for the stage from her novel (“Room”) by Emma Donoghue

Directed/music & lyrics by Cora Bissett

Associate director, Megan Watson

Music and lyrics by Kathryn Joseph

Set and costumes designed by Lily Arnold

Video Designer, Andrzej Goulding

Lighting designer, Bonnie Beecher

Sound designer, John Gzowski

Cast: Stewart Arnott

Brandon Michael Arrington

Lucien Duncan-Reid (Isaac Chan, alternates in the part)

Tracey Ferencz

Alexis Gordon

Shannon Taylor

Ashley Wright

Note. Room was scheduled twice to play the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario but COVID cancelled each run. This is the third time it was scheduled and that is the charm. After it’s short run in London, Ont. the production moves to Toronto to play the Princess of Wales Theatre as part of the Mirvish season. I couldn’t wait. I saw this in London and will see it again in Toronto.  

The Story. (I’m using the theatre’s description so as not to give too much away. The bracketed information is mine). “Kidnapped as a teenage girl, Ma has been locked inside a purpose-built room in her captor’s (Old Nick) garden for seven years. (He has sexually abused her for those seven years, resulting in Ma giving birth to Jack). Her (now) five-year-old son, Jack, has no concept of the world outside and happily exists inside Room with the help of Ma’s games and his vivid imagination where objects like Rug, Lamp, and TV are his only friends. But for Ma the time has come to escape and face their biggest challenge to date: the world outside Room.”

The Production. The stage curtain is down as the audience files into the theatre. About 15 minutes to show time a large square section of the curtain is illuminated and we see activity reflected on the other side of the curtain, but as if it was an arial shot of what is happening in the

room. Two figures, one small and one bigger, navigate the room, play on what looks like a bed, cuddle, do exercises together, separate with one going one way and one going the other way to occupy them in activities. This activity goes on until the beginning of the show.

In this “pre-show” director Cora Bissett establishes what goes on in that room between Ma and Jack in a day. Even if you have not read Emma Donoghue’s novel, or saw the film, or read anything about this show, the set-up is established. You would be wise to come early to the theatre so that you can get acclimatized to these details. We learn the extent of the activities when the curtain does lift to reveal the room and begin the play.

Lily Arnold has designed a set of the room that is both apt and problematic. The room is compact with the stuff of daily life for Ma (Alexis Gordon) and Jack (Lucien Duncan-Reid). There is a bed along one wall, a toilet, sink and ‘laundry’ line along the opposite wall. There is a cupboard up left and a small, old television down right. There is a skylight to the room. There is also a table. And there is a door leading outside that is locked with a keypad combination.

The Act I set of the room is problematic if one is sitting house left within several rows of the front because the wall of the room cuts off ones vision of some of the activity that goes on on that side of the stage. The director has to sit everywhere in the theatre to ensure that doesn’t happen. I hope it can be adjusted when the production travels to Toronto and the Princess of Wales theatre. The set for Act II is a complex assortment of revolving doors and rooms that beautifully illuminates the confusion of the outside world.  

Acting as an ‘older’, wiser version of little Jack is Superjack (Brandon Michael Arrington) who echoes everything that Jack does.

Ma has created a day full of regimented activity for her and Jack in an effort to create ‘normalcy.’ Jack counts out 50 Cheerios exactly for him and for Ma. After that there is clean up, then laundry, then reading one of the five books they have, then some television, but not too much. Ma explains that sometimes what happens on television is not real. As Ma, Alexis Gordon is buoyant, cheerful, measured, loving and totally devoted to Jack and creating a world that is a ‘normal’ as one can be when one is five years old and has never been outside that room. The only time Jack senses that something is different is when Old Nick (Ashley Wright) makes his usual visit at night to bring supplies and sexually abuse Ma. For those times, Jack goes into the cupboard (where he also sleeps) and does not come out.

When Jack is sleeping then Ma shows her real anxiety. She has frantically tried to find the combination of the keypad lock, noting various patterns of numbers that she quickly discards when it doesn’t work.

Alexis Gordon as Ma walks a fine line between the cheerful, fun-loving Ma, determined to protect her son from whatever, and the frantic mother trying to get out and get to freedom. Alexis Gordon accomplishes this balance beautifully. The music and lyrics by Cora Bissett and Kathryn Joseph express the inner feelings of the character. This is not a musical. This is a play with music—a huge difference. And here too Alexis Gordon sings each song diving deep into each to express the emotional power of each lyric.

Alexis Gordon is beautifully ‘accompanied’ by Lucien Duncan-Reid as Jack. This young actor is confident without being cloying. He is direct, innocent, limited in his world, but comfortable with that world because he hasn’t known anything else. And the rapport between Alexis Gordon and Lucien Duncan-Reid is true, genuine and totally committed. As Superjack, Brandon Michael Arrington has that mix of the innocence of a five-year-old, and the smarts of a wiser version of that younger ‘self’. Ashley Wright plays Old Nick with a sense of danger, he can explode any minute. Old Nick is big and lumbering and it’s a lovely touch that he always adjusts his slipping glasses with his finger. One does wonder at the desperation of a man who has to kidnap a young woman, hold her captive to sexually abuse her, and have this continue for seven years.

Director Cora Bissett was not able to come to Canada from her native Scotland for rehearsals because of COIVID restrictions—so direction was done by the magic of Zoom and the able assistance of associate director Megan Watson. You got the sense of the claustrophobia of that room by the performances, the direction and almost constant activity to suggest a normal day, and writer Emma Donoghue’s writing.

Comment. Donoghue has created a compelling story that draws the audience in to this restricted world, so that they experience just a fraction of what those characters are going through. It’s a fascinating imagination that can conjure an ideal world for a little boy, and a claustrophobic one for his adult mother in the same room. When freedom appears Donoghue creates another kind of claustrophobia that affects both Ma and Jack in their own way. That too is fascinating.

More than anything Room is a testament to tenacity—certainly the tenacity of Ma to plot and plan their escape. It also is a testament to the determination and tenacity of Artistic Director Dennis Garnhum and his equally determined and tenacious Executive Director, Deb Harvey to get this production up and running after the various disappointments and cancellations caused by COVID. Bravo also to the cast who stuck with it, except the two young boys originally cast as Jack who had to withdraw because they got older! And kudos to the audience who packed the place. Audiences are eager to see compelling, engaging theatre again and Room is definitely that kind of theatre. See it in London at the Grand. See it in Toronto at the Princess of Wales in April. But see it.

The Grand Theatre Presents a co-production with Covent Garden Production and Mirvish Productions:

Runs until: March 19, 2022

Plays: The Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto, from April 5-May 8. (www.mirvish.com)

Running Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes (one intermission)

www.grandtheatre.com

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Live and in person at the Capitol Theatre, Port Hope, Ont. Until March 20, 2020.

www.capitoltheater.com

Written, performed and directed by Rick Miller

Set, costumes and props designed by Yannik Larivee

Lighting designed by Bruno Matte

Composer and sound designed by Creighton Doane

Projection designer, David Leclerc

BOOM chronicles the events, music and politics between 1945 and 1969—the “baby boomer” years. Rick Miller–performer/singer/writer/storyteller extraordinaire–covers the milestones and events by year and sings songs by performers who captured the essence of those extraordinary times. He touches on such events as the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, McCarthyism, the Cold War, Beatlemania, John F. Kennedy including his assassination, Martin Luther King’s stirring oratory including his assassination, Vietnam etc. Along the way Miller gives voice to over 100 influencers: presidents, politicians, activists, peacemakers and singers in their voice, body language and mannerisms. News reel items are projected on a screen to augment his descriptions of the highlighted events of each year.

Rick Miller frames the 25 boomer years with personal stories of three characters who factor heavily in his life. Maddie is his mother and was born in Port Hope, Ontario; Rudy is from Germany and Laurence is an African-American blues musician. Rick Miller is a masterful storyteller and does not immediately reveal how these three people are connected or even related. He carefully, slowly peels away the layers of the story, year by year, and how the events shaped or affected the three lives. He simply conveys the distinctive body language of each of the three characters. Maddie affects a relaxed stance with one arm crossed in front of her body, the elbow of the other arm resting on the crossed arm, as if she is striking a pose of smoking a cigarette. Rudy is curious, quiet speaking and seems to lean forward in anticipation while he’s talking. Laurence is tall, confident and stands leaning back as if watching the world with a quizzical expression and a growly voice.

Rick Miller captures the essence of his characters in a way that is deeper than just mimicry. With Bruno Matte’s moody lighting every scene is clear and distinct. The shadows created conjure all four Beatles singing “All My Loving” but played and sung by one Rick Miller. With a quick change of various jackets and wigs etc. (kudos to designer Yannik Larivee) Rick Miller segues from the swivel-hipped Elvis Presley singing “Hound Dog” (sounding like Presley as well), to the piano thumping of Jerry Lee Lewis in “Great Balls of Fire”, to Janis Joplin spilling her guts in a raspy voice in “Piece of My Heart” to David Bowie in his reedy voice singing “Space Oddity.” Rick Miller examines each of the 25 years between 1945 and 1969 without rushing but gives a sense of the huge importance of each event in those years that leaves one breathless.

Rick Miller has been performing BOOM all over the world since 2015 (when I first saw the show). One gets the sense that as the world changes, he has tweaked the script to reflect that change. BOOM is now part of a trilogy of plays that includes BOOM X and BOOM YZ and spans 75 years of history, culture and politics from 1945 to 2000. The performance I saw of BOOM in Port Hope on March 10 was the 401^st performance. May he play 401 more performances where ever he wants.

Rick Miller has always been a wild man of creativity—energetic, enthusiastic, buoyant and watchful of the events that unfold in our world, with a true story-teller’s perception. Over time he has segued from being a supremely gifted theatre creator to a theatre treasure.

A Kidoons and Wyrd Production present:

Plays until March 20, 2022.

Running Time: 2 hours, one intermission.

www.capitoltheatre.com (905) 885-1071

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Live and in person at the Canadian Opera Company Theatre, 227 Front St. E., Toronto, Ont. Plays March 9 and 10 at 7:30 pm, March 12, 1:00 pm and 7:30 pm

www.coc.ca/productions/Fantasma

Music by Ian Cusson

Libretto by Colleen Murphy

Director/dramaturg, Julie McIsaac

Music director/orchestral pianist, Frances Thielmann

Set and costumes designed by Camellia Koo

Lighting by Mikael Kangas

Cast: Vartan Gabrielian

Simona Genga

Jamie Groote

Alex Halliday

Midori Marsh

Owen McCausland

Charlotte Siegel

Jonah Spungin

(Marcel): Austin Buckley (March 9)

Olivia Pady (March 10)

Ari Shparber (March 12)

A haunting opera geared to introducing young audiences to opera using their language, their concerns and technology that poses soul-searching questions.

The Story. Best friends, Léa and Ivy go to the carnival because they hear that a guy they know is playing a ghost and they consider that guy, “hot.” The carnival is not doing well financially so there is a plan to have the ghost pop up when he’s least expected, scare the patrons, cause buzz because of it and then people will check it out. Ah, the lure of ‘buzz’. In fact Léa and Ivy discover that there is a ‘real’ ghost named Marcel in the Haunted Manor of the carnival. His story is horrible and heart-breaking. He entreats both Léa and Ivy to help him solve his own mystery. Will they do it? Will they help a soul in trouble since they sympathize with him.

The Production. (Note: I won’t comment on the music or singing because that isn’t my forte. I will comment on the theatricality and production).

Designer Camelia Koo has designed a wonderful multi-coloured canopy suspended over the space that suggests a carnival tent that gets one in the mood for a circus. Playwright Colleen Murphy has peppered her libretto with references to the world of the teen: Ivy is glued to her cell phone looking at e-mails, texts, Instagram posts etc. The young man playing Fantasma is delighted that he is ‘trending’ on Facebook and the ‘buzz’ is building. Léa’s mother is a single parent and can’t afford to give her daughter a cell phone so she constantly texts Ivy if she wants to get in touch with Léa. I love the small fact that the phone is almost always answered by the young friend so she can pass on messages to Léa.

Both Jamie Groote as Léa and Midori Marsh as Ivy play their teenaged characters with that easy-going attitude that they are free and curious to do what they want, as long as a parent isn’t watching. The performances never seem forced to convey they are playing teens.

Director Julie McIsaac builds the tension nicely when the two teenaged girls must decide to help Marcel the real ghost or obey Léa’s mother and follow her home. Both teens promised Marcel they would help. Julie McIsaac establishes that confliction of the pull of the conscience and the command of the mother.

Comment. At 45 minutes, Fantasma presents a story that is just otherworldly enough to be intriguing with a crisis of conscience that grips. The language of the characters and the characters themselves captures the world of the target audience. Many theatres lament where their future audience is. The Canadian Opera Company is doing something concrete to try and engage them.

Produced by the Canadian Opera Company

Ran: March 9 and 10 at 7:30 pm and March 12 at 1:00 pm and 7:30 pm.

Running time: 45 minutes.

www.coc.ca/productions/Fantasma

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Live in person at Tarragon Theatre, Toronto, Ont. until March 13, 2022. Available digitally from March 15-27, 2022

www.tarragontheatre.com

Written by Rosa Laborde

Directed by Jackie Maxwell

Set and costumes by Michael Gianfrancesco

Lighting by Bonnie Beecher

Sound by Deanna H. Choi

Cast: Maria del Mar

Shakura Dickson

Sara Farb

Christine Horne

Linda Kash

Hardee T. Lineham

Philip Riccio

Maurice Dean Wint

A play full of big ideas of faith, belief, enlightenment, questions and misplaced anger.

The Story. A group of people, searching for answers to their questions come to an ashram in the British Columbia Rockies. They live a quiet, contemplative life of silence (initially), meditation, gardening, cooking and yoga. Mukti and Theo run the ashram. Their daughter Beni is there but goes to a Buddhist school. Michael seems to have been the one to have started the ashram, and wanders in and out with pithy sayings to the followers. Jesse is the gardener and is very proud of his carrots. We learn he had another life before the ashram. Angie is there, pregnant and waiting to become a mother. Valentina has just arrived to seek calmness and perhaps get over her fear of driving a car. Willow is a mystery because she seems to question everything about the place and not accept the answers or the way of life. One wonders why she came there at all. We find out she is a writer and is writing an article on the ashram and has researched the people there. We soon learn her motives are not entirely for enlightenment. In her case we get the sense there are other reasons for her anger and her skepticism.

The Production. The inclusive circle is the main image of director Jackie Maxwell’s production. An image of a circle and a sphere are projected on the back wall, with structures that could be trees at the sides.  Designer Michael Gianfrancesco has created a circle on the stage where the ashram participants sit for their meditation and meetings with the leader. Gianfrancesco has created flowing comfortable beige tops, pants and slip-on shoes for the participants and orange flowing robes for Theo (Maurice Dean Wint) and Mukti (Linda Kash). So while the circle is embracing and all inclusive, there is still a demarcation in the costumes between the leaders of the ashram and the followers. Michael (Hardee T. Lineham), who started the ashram is also in flowing beige but he wears beads with other touches of his individual-free-spiritedness.

Willow (Sara Farb) and Valentina (Maria del Mar) are the newly arrived members of the ashram. They must follow 10 days of strict silence as an initiation. From the interaction of Willow and Valentina we sense they think this is silly. Gradually Valentina is won over to the teachings of the ashram. As Valentina, Maria del Mar gives a big, extraverted performance of Valentia that is delightful. While we know Willow is writing an article and questioning motives are the tools of investigation, there is more here than Willow is revealing. Sara Farb gives a quietly strong performance of a woman shimmering with pent up emotions. Is it because every one of her relationships has failed and that’s why she is here? Is it deeper?

Rosa Laborde slowly peels away the layers of Willow’s inner thinking to reveal a wounded, angry woman. One gets the sense with Willow that hers is misplaced anger that should be levelled elsewhere. We realize where that is when Willow and Mukti have an argument about forgiveness and living a good life. As Mukti, Linda Kash illuminates a woman with regrets but determined to live a life that is enlightened and open. In her explosive scene with Willow Mukti is also angry but can express clearly her reasons for doing what she did.

The audience is presented with so many issues to ponder: is there a right and wrong way to live; should we be judgmental towards these characters or accept them for the flawed people they are; do we have a kinship with them?

Jackie Maxwell has directed a smart production with sharp humour and much on which to meditate. Rosa Laborde has packed her play with lots to ponder. There is a scene in which Theo/Maurice Dean Wint breaks through the ‘fourth wall’ and addresses the audience with the lights up—a moment that I found confusing and not supported, but again, it left me with lots to think about there as well.

Comment. It’s easy to disparage the search for enlightenment, the light in one’s life, fulfillment in this representative of an ashram, but that is not the point of Light.  I think the play is deeper and more profound than that. Rosa Laborde has written a complex play with a lot of deep ideas. She has also written a program note that is very informative and telling. She’s not explaining her play, but she is giving background of why she wrote it.

She’s spiritual because she comes from that kind of family. She knows that people are flawed as her characters are, even the enlightened, non-judgmental leader, Theo. Laborde can appreciate these are dark times and many people are cut and dried-judgmental—just look at the whole notion of cancel culture.  But Laborde knows that life is not like that, that there is good and bad in all of us and I think that is reflected in the play.

The character of Willow is the one who is judgmental, unforgiving, determined in her need to be right. The play is interesting in exploring these ideas of flawed but decent people trying to do their best, in a world of people—also flawed but who are rigid in their ideas. Laborde does not sugar-coat solutions. I love that she leaves us to consider and ponder each character on their own.

I liked the play and production a lot.

Produced by Tarragon Theatre

Running in person: to March 13, 2022.

Available digitally from March 15-27, 2022

Running Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes, (no intermission)

www.tarragontheatre.com

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Tuesday, March 8-13 at 8:00 pm (in person)

Tarragon Theatre Mainspace, Toronto, Ont.

Light (World Premiere)

Written by Rosa Laborde
Directed by Jackie Maxwell
In-person (subscriber exclusive) March 8 – 13
Tarragon Chez Vouz digital access March 15 – 27

Seekers come from far and wide to discover ‘the truth’ of their existence at an ashram devoted to meditation, contemplation and relinquishing thought. But a new student threatens to undermine the whole endeavor while simultaneously, and unexpectedly, becoming undone. A play about who we think we are versus the thoughts that make us what we think.

www.tarragontheatre.com

Wednesday, March 9, 10, 12, 2022.

March 9 AND 10, 2022—7:30 P.M.
March 12, 2022—1:00 P.M. AND 7:30 P.M.

Performed at the Canadian Opera Company Theatre
227 Front St. E., Toronto, Ontario

Fantasma

By Ian Cusson and Colleen Murphy

Sung in English

The Canadian Opera Company Theatre hosts the world premiere of Fantasma by former COC Composer-in-Residence Ian Cusson, with a libretto by Canadian theatre legend Colleen Murphy, and direction and dramaturgy by Julie McIsaac. Sung in English and set in contemporary times, Fantasmafollows best friends Léa and Ivy as they stumble upon a dark secret at an old-fashioned family carnival. Fantasmais highly recommended for young adults—if you have someone age 12-18 in your life, this is a great way to introduce them to opera as a living, breathing, contemporary form of cultural expression.

Performance time is approximately 45 minutes with no intermission

Learn more

March 10 to April 18,  2022

1 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ont.

THE LIBRARY AT NIGHT

Created by Robert Lepage

Based on works by Alberto Manguel

Lighthouse Immersive, North America’s leading producer of ground-breaking experiential art exhibits, in association with Luminato Festival Toronto, announces that the next work to inhabit their Toronto Lighthouse Artspace at 1 Yonge Street will be the Toronto premiere of an immersive experience from internationally acclaimed Canadian theatre artist Robert Lepage and his company Ex Machina, THE LIBRARY AT NIGHT.  The unique, enveloping experience will open March 10th running to April 18th. Inspired by Argentinian Canadian writer Alberto Manguel’s acclaimed 2006 book The Library at Night – which explores the theoretical, architectural, and social dimensions that underlie any library’s existence/

lighthouseimmersive.com.

Thursday, March 10-20, 2022, 8:00 pm

Capitol Theatre, Port Hope, Ont.

BOOM

A trip through the music, culture, and politics of the BABY BOOM generation.

Created by Rick Miller, BOOM  takes us on a heartfelt journey through 25 turbulent years (1945-1969) and gives voice to over 100 influential politicians, activists, and musicians. It’s an astonishing experience for audiences of all generations and–with 385 performances already–a hit in Canada, the U.S., France, and Taiwan.

www.capitoltheatre.com

Thursday, March 10, 2022,

BARVINOK

The Blyth Festival Raises funds for Ukraine with Award Winning Show

Gil Garratt announced today that on Thursday March 10, the Blyth Festival in partnership with Pyretic Productionswill be presenting an online reading of Barvinok by Edmonton based playwright Lianna Makuch to raise humanitarian funds for Ukraine. 

Originally produced by Pyretic Productions in association with Punctuate! Theatre in Edmonton in 2018, the productiongarnered four Sterling Award nominations and in March of 2019 went on to premiere at Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre; plans for a national tour were scuttled by Covid19. Barvinok is a two act play directed by Patrick Lundeen, and starring Lianna Makuch, Mariya Khomutova, Andrew Kushnir, Maxwell Lebeuf, Tanya Pacholok and Christina Nguyen.

Lianna Makuch is a second generation Ukrainian Canadian Theatre Artist. She is the playwright and principal performer in Barvinok, which has garnered her awards and recognition from across the country and internationally.

Gil Garratt says, “This is a moment in history our generation has not seen before. It is crushing to see what is happening in Eastern Europe and we knew as an organization we needed to do something tangible. The play Ms. Makuch and Pyretic have created is extraordinary. They built the script through grassroots, immersive story building, traveling to Ukraine over and over for years, gathering interviews and insights. These artists have tried to hold the heart of Ukraine in their hands and share it. We are all richer for it.”

During the pre-recorded event, links to donate to the Red Cross and the Ukrainian Canadian Foundation groups will be featured and easily found both on Blyth Festival social media channels and the Blyth Festival website (www.blythfestival.com).

The recording will be available on the Blyth Festival YouTube channel for the next month while we bring awareness to this urgent crisis.

For more information regarding this event please contact Gil Garratt at

ggarratt@blythfestival.com or Rachael King at rking@blythfestival.com

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