Oral history and the social sharing of the campfire have been with us since we first harnessed flame to push back the night. But that fear of the dark has been with us ever since and we tempt and taunt it with ghost stories that cause us to huddle closer, laughing over loud at the…
Month: July 2015
Toronto Fringe: I Love You, Judy Merril
Jim Smith takes to the stage of the Theatre Passé Muraille Backspace to pay homage and share his memories of science fiction writer Judy Merril. A writer, I’m ashamed to admit I had not heard of, especially when confronted by the list of titles she’d penned. Merril crafted tales during the heyday of pulp science fiction…
Fringe Toronto: One Good Marriage
I have to admit, trying to take in some Fringe shows while also working full time during the days has been really taxing on my body so far this week. I was burnt out to begin with, and now that it’s Thursday, I find I’m struggling more and more. Even that, however, does not detract…
Magnum, p.i. (1983) – …By Its Cover and The Big Blow
Stuart Margolin is back! He directed an episode in last week’s installment, and this time he’s on-screen playing Rod, a character not so unlike Angel, the character he played on The Rockford Files, and first worked with Selleck, when he was private investigator Lance White. … By Its Cover was written by Bellisario, Rogers…
Fringe Toronto: The McComedy Show
I knew I’d made a good choice in seeing Shannon McDonough’s The McComedy Show when I sat down and the pre-show music was composed entirely of old TV theme songs! Ahhh, they just don’t make ’em like that anymore! I had no idea what to expect from the show itself, as I’d done no prior…
Toronto Fringe: People Suck
So last night I settled in for a musical presentation at the Randolph Theatre, and was charmed by the Nutmeg Creations presentation of People Suck. Written by Peter Cavell and Megan Phillips, who also is one of the show’s stars, the performance was a series of numbers, that illustrated the very worst in people. And…
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania (2015) – Erik Larson
Erik Larson first came to my attention with his brilliant book, The Devil in the White City, which I reviewed here. It was a fascinating account of the Chicago World’s Fair, intercut with one of America’s most villainous serial killers, who lived just a few blocks away, known in the annals of history as…
Fringe Toronto: Swordplay – A Play of Swords
This festival has seen one night constantly topping the next, as I juggle job, studio, blogging and shows… Last night’s performance at the Al Green Theatre by the Sex T-Rex company was ingenious, filled with belly-busting, slow-motion, high-flying physical comedy in all the things we hold true in terms of sword stories, be it fantasy…
The Greatest American Hero (1982) – It’s All Downhill From Here and Dreams
Things are definitely starting to get goofy in The Greatest American Hero universe, it’s still wonderfully fun, but you can see that there are other people starting to mess with the formula… First up we have It’s All Downhill From Here, written by Patrick Hasburgh, which aired on the 3 March, 1982. Ralph (William…
Fringe Toronto: OCD – Obsessive Compulsive Darryl
Much to my shame, I’ve never attended a show at Toronto’s Fringe Festival – until now! Tim applied and acquired media passes for us, so even though I am working full time this week, I’m still trying to get to a show every night I still have available, and have already made a mental…
The Mind Reels 