Last night I had the good fortune of attending the closing night performance of Acting Up Stage’s annual Uncovered show. This year, an impressive assembly of Canadian talent performed selections from the musical libraries of David Bowie and Queen, and included a pair of actors who basically channelled the ghosts of Bowie and Freddie Mercury…
Tag: performance
Star Trek: The Original Series (1966) – Dagger of the Mind and The Corbomite Maneuver
Captain’s Log: Stardate 2712.4 I didn’t understand what the penal colony on Tantalus was exactly when I was child. I understood that it was a prison, but the why and wherefores of the inhabitants escaped me. I do know that Dr. Simon van Gelder (Morgan Woodward) freaked me out – there was a scariness about…
The Harrowing of Brimstone McReedy
Currently playing at the Red Sandcastle Theatre, until November 13th, here in Toronto is a wonderfully spooky and entertaining tale featuring a virtuoso solo performance by Eric Woolfe. Cribbed from Canadian history and a moderate dose of Lovecraft, Woolfe presents his show with a use of puppets, card tricks, and close-up prestidigitation, all to great…
Doctor Who (Colin Baker) – Timelash
Two planets become involved in the plans of the villainous Borad (Robert Ashby) in the Doctor’s (Baker) latest adventure. Penned by Glen McCoy this two parter aired from 9 to 16 March, 1985, and saw the Doctor and Peri (Nicola Bryant) working with a famous author, a fun little reveal that doesn’t happen until the…
Fringe Toronto: Hanger
I was lucky enough to catch the second-last staging of Hilary McCormack’s Hanger on Saturday July 11th as this year’s Fringe Festival came to a close on Sunday. Directed by Joshua Stodart, this little play about two sisters and the mental illness which appears to run in their family took over the St. Vladimir Theatre…
Fringe Toronto: Caws and Effect
Being presented at the Factory Theatre is this singularly stunning piece combining music, masks, puppetry and layered projections. Chloe Ziner and Jessica Gabriel, known collectively as Mind of a Snail Puppet Company, from Vancouver, provided one of the most unique and beautiful shows on offer at this year’s festival. Assuming the personalities of two crows,…
All Quiet On The Western Front (1930) – Lewis Milestone
The next genre being tackled by the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book is War, with the first title and its recommendations dealing with tales from the First World War. Based on the book by Erich Maria Remarque, the resulting film was banned for its pacifistic views and disgust with war, it wasn’t about flag-waving…
All is Lost (2013) – J.C. Chandor
I’m a huge Robert Redford fan, and I love boats and ships so this one seemed like a sure match for me. Played with almost no dialogue (what there is, is few and far between, and scant at that), Redford is the lone soul aboard the Virginia Jean. A competent and resourceful sailor he…
The Mind Reels 