There was a lot of heart onstage last night at the Sony Centre.
Andre Lewis, artistic director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, spoke in French and English, welcoming and honouring two distinguished prima ballerinas, now retired from the stage: Karen Kain and Evelyn Hart. He also welcomed a contingent of elders from the 1st Nations community. An elder, Bernard Nelson, from Eabametoong First Nation, held the feather and prayed over us. There were carvings from local aboriginal artists for sale in the lobby. Social workers were on stand-by in case anyone found the story we were about to see too triggering.
The Bear Creek Drum Group drummed us into and out of the theatre, which was a truly spectacular highlight of the performance.
This wasn't your typical night at the ballet.
GOING HOME STAR is a collaboration between the 1st Nations Community and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet (RWB). For its 75th anniversary, the Winnipeg-based classical ballet company chose to create a full-length ballet derived from the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, which was headed in Winnipeg. For those of you who have been living under a rock on Turtle Island, Justice Murray Sinclair toured the country, gathering an historic record of the experiences of the survivors of the residential school system.
The RWB commissioned a text from award-winning novelist Joseph Boyden, derived from the survivors' experiences, and then had their star choreographer, Mark Godden, turn the story into a ballet. The narrative is the lynchpin of the production. It is one of the ballet's great strengths and also its principal weakness.
GOING HOME STAR is beautiful to look at, and certainly compelling, affecting, and disturbing. The set, projections, costumes, and score work well together. The dancers were all in fine form. Tanya Tagaq's iconic voice glistened in Christos Hatzis' dense, and occasionally perplexing composition.
What GOING HOME STAR doesn't do very well is tell a clear story on stage. Most of the audience studiously spent the interval with their faces in their programs reading the synopsis, trying to understand what they had just seen. The second act used more voice-over as a component of the score, and was much easier to follow, and therefore connect with.
The cavernous Sony Centre stage rather overwhelmed the emotional
intimacy of the piece. I so wished they'd had the Bluma Appel or even
the Fleck as their Toronto venue.
GOING HOME STAR is a unique and valid, if uneven effort from Canada's oldest ballet company. The survivors of the residential school system have an important story to share with Canadians, and this iteration of the tragedy, with its message of hope and healing is well worth experiencing. Just be sure to get there early enough to read the synopsis first.
GOING HOME STAR is at the SONY CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS in TORONTO tonight with tour dates across Western Canada this coming spring. http://www.rwb.org
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Friday, February 5, 2016
Overwhelming Beauty: KISS & CRY Astonishes at Canadian Stage
This weekend, Michele Anne De May and Jaco Van Dormael of Belgium and their extraordinary crew of technicians reprise their hit production from last season, KISS & CRY at Canadian Stage. I saw it last night, and it is a marvel.
Sensual, droll, and heart-breaking, visually mesmerizing, technically astonishing, and achingly lovely, KISS & CRY tells the story of a woman in the winter of her life, remembering her loves.
A series of dioramas and miniature tableaux are employed in relating the story, along with two pairs of incredibly dextrous and expressive hands. These are shot by a series of very fluid tracking cameras and projected onto a massive screen, centre stage. Voiced-over text and music underscore the shifting images, driving and shading the narrative as it unfolds. The synthesis of sound and image submerses the audience in a dream-scape of couplings, and the myriad emotions the evolving relationships evoke.
If you want to give your best beloved an enchanting Valentine's night, skip dinner in an over-crowded restaurant next weekend, and head to Canadian Stage this week instead. I can't think of a lovelier, or more romantic gift. Apparently there are still a few tickets left.
Kiss & Cry continues at Canadian Stage's Bluma Appel Theatre until February 7th. http://www.canadianstage.com or (416) 368 3110.
Sensual, droll, and heart-breaking, visually mesmerizing, technically astonishing, and achingly lovely, KISS & CRY tells the story of a woman in the winter of her life, remembering her loves.
A series of dioramas and miniature tableaux are employed in relating the story, along with two pairs of incredibly dextrous and expressive hands. These are shot by a series of very fluid tracking cameras and projected onto a massive screen, centre stage. Voiced-over text and music underscore the shifting images, driving and shading the narrative as it unfolds. The synthesis of sound and image submerses the audience in a dream-scape of couplings, and the myriad emotions the evolving relationships evoke.
If you want to give your best beloved an enchanting Valentine's night, skip dinner in an over-crowded restaurant next weekend, and head to Canadian Stage this week instead. I can't think of a lovelier, or more romantic gift. Apparently there are still a few tickets left.
Kiss & Cry continues at Canadian Stage's Bluma Appel Theatre until February 7th. http://www.canadianstage.com or (416) 368 3110.
Sunday, January 31, 2016
From Russia with Love: Dmitry Zhukovsky Talks About DIrecting A CHERRY ORCHARD
Dmitry Zhukovsky is opening his production of Russian playwright Anton Chekhov's most beloved play, THE CHERRY ORCHARD on the playwright's 112th birthday, January 29th.
"It's important to strike the right balance between drama and humour. I don't want it to be overly sentimental."
Finding the right tone has always been one of the trickier aspects of mounting the famous play. One of the most notorious "artistic differences" in theatrical history was a debate over precisely this subject. Chekhov gave the play to his friend, the great teacher, actor and founder of the Moscow Arts Theatre, Konstantin Stanislavsky to direct. Chekhov's wife, Olga Knipper, played Ranevskaya, the aristocratic matriarch, spendthrift and protagonist, whose ancestral family estate, including a beautiful cherry orchard is in danger of being sold to pay her family's debts.
The inaugural production, at the Moscow Arts Theatre also opened on Chekhov's birthday. Stanislavsky thought the play was a tragedy. Chekhov said his play was a comedy. The production received mixed reviews and the playwright was not happy with the debut, famously saying, "Stanislavsky has ruined my play."
Zhukovsky hopes to be more faithful to the playwright's intentions. I ask him why he thinks a play from 1904 still connects with contemporary theatre audiences.
"Chekhov poses universal and eternal questions of what it means to be human. At the moment of the play, each character is in an existential crisis. They are all overwhelmed by their own desires, their own issues. It's not about class structure, or old 19th century ideas. We've focused on human emotions and the emotional and intellectual relationships between the characters."
I point out that, in many ways, THE CHERRY ORCHARD centres around a real estate deal, specifically a fraught development deal. Certainly Toronto audiences can relate to that.
"Yes, the family at the centre of the play is trying to encapsulate a moment in their history, which is about to be lost. They have spent their childhoods in this incredibly beautiful pastoral landscape, a kind of Eden. The play is about a about a loss of innocence. In the design of the show, we have really worked to create the beauty and innocence of the place."
"Rena Polley, the company's instigator, has used a number of translations to assemble the script." Polley is also playing Ranevskaya.
His cast includes a number of other well-known Toronto performers, including John Gilbert and Nina Gilmour.
"It's important to strike the right balance between drama and humour. I don't want it to be overly sentimental."
Finding the right tone has always been one of the trickier aspects of mounting the famous play. One of the most notorious "artistic differences" in theatrical history was a debate over precisely this subject. Chekhov gave the play to his friend, the great teacher, actor and founder of the Moscow Arts Theatre, Konstantin Stanislavsky to direct. Chekhov's wife, Olga Knipper, played Ranevskaya, the aristocratic matriarch, spendthrift and protagonist, whose ancestral family estate, including a beautiful cherry orchard is in danger of being sold to pay her family's debts.
The inaugural production, at the Moscow Arts Theatre also opened on Chekhov's birthday. Stanislavsky thought the play was a tragedy. Chekhov said his play was a comedy. The production received mixed reviews and the playwright was not happy with the debut, famously saying, "Stanislavsky has ruined my play."
Zhukovsky hopes to be more faithful to the playwright's intentions. I ask him why he thinks a play from 1904 still connects with contemporary theatre audiences.
"Chekhov poses universal and eternal questions of what it means to be human. At the moment of the play, each character is in an existential crisis. They are all overwhelmed by their own desires, their own issues. It's not about class structure, or old 19th century ideas. We've focused on human emotions and the emotional and intellectual relationships between the characters."
I point out that, in many ways, THE CHERRY ORCHARD centres around a real estate deal, specifically a fraught development deal. Certainly Toronto audiences can relate to that.
"Yes, the family at the centre of the play is trying to encapsulate a moment in their history, which is about to be lost. They have spent their childhoods in this incredibly beautiful pastoral landscape, a kind of Eden. The play is about a about a loss of innocence. In the design of the show, we have really worked to create the beauty and innocence of the place."
Zhukovsky has only been in Toronto for a few years, although he has already managed to start his own company, THEATRUS. This past fall, he presented work at Nuit Blanche. He worked for years as an actor, director and acting teacher in Russia. Russian is his first language. Whose translation is he using?
"Rena Polley, the company's instigator, has used a number of translations to assemble the script." Polley is also playing Ranevskaya.
His cast includes a number of other well-known Toronto performers, including John Gilbert and Nina Gilmour.
I'm looking very forward to seeing what Zhukovsky and company do with one of my favourite plays.
The Cherry Orchard continues at the Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley Street, until February 14, 2016. Performances are Tuesday -Saturday at 8;00 PM with matinees at 2:00 PM on Sunday afternoons. Tickets are available at http://www.thechekhovcollective.com or in person at the box office.
The Cherry Orchard continues at the Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley Street, until February 14, 2016. Performances are Tuesday -Saturday at 8;00 PM with matinees at 2:00 PM on Sunday afternoons. Tickets are available at http://www.thechekhovcollective.com or in person at the box office.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
IN THE BEGINNING: ANTOINE DEFOORT of GERMINAL ABOUT SURPRISES and MAKING THEATRE FROM SCRATCH
Antoine Defoort is in France this week, at home with his kids. His GERMINAL creation partner, Halory Goerger, however, is in Toronto with their other three cast members, plus their three technicians, presenting their internationally acclaimed creation, GERMINAL at WORLD STAGE at HARBOURFRONT CENTRE. The morning we spoke, his team was on the plane.
The show opened last night, and is here for the weekend, as part of the festival, before moving on to Usine-C in Montreal for four performances in early February.
The show opened last night, and is here for the weekend, as part of the festival, before moving on to Usine-C in Montreal for four performances in early February.
Why isn't Defoort coming to Canada?
"Halory and I take turns. Last week, I was in New York. This week, Halory comes. We both have kids." I can hear his wry smile in his voice. Whatever you create comes with its own demands.
So is GERMINAL created on the spot? "No, the text is fixed. We adapt (the performance) to the text, to the audience. But each night, we begin from scratch, with the void, in the black box."
GERMINAL is a piece about the process of creation. It asks the question: " What would you do if you were to create the world from scratch?"
GERMINAL is a piece about the process of creation. It asks the question: " What would you do if you were to create the world from scratch?"
What provoked the creation of this play? "Halory and I began a project: a conceptual box, an allegory of the genesis of human civilization. It didn't work. So we said: what if we begin at the beginning: where does creation begin?"
Is this biblical? "Oh, no! There are certain elements that are in Genesis (the first book of the Old Testament in both the Torah and the Christian Bible) but we wanted to think more about the act of creation; how do you create? Many sparks drew us. It takes many sparks to create."
GERMINAL was first created at the invitation of the prestigious Biennale du Danse in Lyon in 2012.
"We were surprised: we work with text - and visuals."
Defoort trained as a visual artist and his partner, Goerger, comes from theatre. Their collective creations are a synthesis of their mutual interests and expertise in these areas, with equal weight given to both text and aesthetics.
Defoort trained as a visual artist and his partner, Goerger, comes from theatre. Their collective creations are a synthesis of their mutual interests and expertise in these areas, with equal weight given to both text and aesthetics.
Since its premiere in 2012, GERMINAL has been a critical success, going on to play at prestigious festivals including the Carrefour International de Theatre in Quebec City, and the Festival D'Avignon.
What else does Defoort want to tell me about the show? Not much!
"I don't want to ruin the surprise! We work to surprise you! I want the audience come to the work as we came to create this: blank, then, together, we can go with the flow. There's a lot of build in the piece."
After repeating this creation for several years now, I wonder if he is still surprised by the piece as a performer.
"Oh yes! Working with the piece for so long has allowed us to acquire a deep knowledge of the text, of the rhythm. Now we can play it with more refinement. You know, when it is live, it's always different every night because the audience is different, how you meet is different."
After repeating this creation for several years now, I wonder if he is still surprised by the piece as a performer.
"Oh yes! Working with the piece for so long has allowed us to acquire a deep knowledge of the text, of the rhythm. Now we can play it with more refinement. You know, when it is live, it's always different every night because the audience is different, how you meet is different."
It's true. As a performer in live theatre, one is always exquisitely conscious of the attention and energy of the audience, of their level of engagement. It's a very nuanced relationship.
"It went well in New York. We got a very nice review in the New York Times."
Indeed they did. Having read it, I think it would be fair to say it was a rave.
I'm looking very forward to my surprise from Goerger, Defoort and company this weekend.
"It went well in New York. We got a very nice review in the New York Times."
Indeed they did. Having read it, I think it would be fair to say it was a rave.
I'm looking very forward to my surprise from Goerger, Defoort and company this weekend.
GERMINAL opens THE WORLD STAGE FESTIVAL at HARBOURFRONT CENTRE and continues until January 23, 2016 with nightly performances at 8:00 PM. http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/worldstage or call (416) 973 4000.
In Montreal for four performance from February 3-6 at USINE-C http://www.usine-c.com or
(514) 521 4493 for tickets and information.
Friday, January 15, 2016
NEXT STAGE THEATRE FESTIVAL is a FINE START to TORONTO'S WINTER THEATRE SEASON
The tree is down, the seasonal parties are over, and the grim part of the winter has arrived: cold, snow, depleted cash, and expanded girth being all that remain of last month's festive excesses.
What better way to cheer oneself up after facing the dreary prospect of a Toronto January, then to travel down to the Factory Theatre where Next Stage Theatre Festival is heading towards its final weekend.
At this juncture, I've seen half the festival. It's a strong program this year, with a number of exceptionally fine scripts. There's also a very nice heated tent housing the box office, and a bar with hot chocolate and other warming libations.
I started my festival-going with THREE MEN IN A BOAT, Green Pea's adaptation of a turn-of-the century comedic novel by Jerome K. Jerome. It's no wonder this Toronto Fringe festival remount has been a run-away audience favourite. The cast of three (plus Montmorency, the fox terrier) are absolutely delightful. The arch production has a clever and very funny script by Mark Brownell and deft direction by Sue Miner, who keeps the trio's droll antics teetering on the precipice of camp. Matt Pilipiak, Scott Garland and Victor Pokinko play a hapless trio of toffs who decide to take a boating holiday on the Thames. Together they offer their fortunate audiences a combination of great chemistry, manic energy, and impeccable comic timing, making this feather-light vintage treat a must-see. Nina Oken's spot-on period costumes and the lovely vocal harmonies on those 1889 pop hits are the garnish on a show that goes down as effortlessly as a Pimm's #1 cup on a warm summer evening.
Next up was STUCK. Natasha Boomer and an assortment of friends improvise a half-hour play on the basis of a suggestion thrown out to the comedic duo by the audience. The day I was there, Boomer and Kevin Whalen were madly improvising on the premise they were stuck in his wife's bedroom closet. Whelan's actual wife, with baby in arms, was seated in the front row. As if that weren't enough plot for 30 minutes, the fire alarm went off in the theatre. The performer's played through like the troopers they are, incorporating the ringing bells into their act, until the Toronto fire department insisted we evacuate the premises for real. We were about 12 minutes in at that point. Bummer! The performers were so three G (that's good, giving and game for you non Dan-Savage readers) that I'm happily heading back in this weekend to see what a complete version of this high-stakes premise turns out like. I'm betting fast and fun.
Monday night, I saw BLOOD WILD, by Rabbit in A Hat Productions from Montreal. It's a cleverly written and well-executed (all puns intended) old fashioned, shoot 'em up Western, with whiskey, saloon girls, gunslingers, train robbers, and, of course, a sheriff. Directors Paul Van Dyck (also the writer) and Sara Rodriguez keep the ton's-o-action plot moving along at a good giddy-up. The cast of David Baby, Julia Borsellino, Eric Davis, Patricia Sumersett, Alex Weiner and Paul Van Dyck manage the gun-play and word-play with equal ease. Sumersett and Borsellino play siblings, and the intensity and tenderness of their relationship gives the show heart.
Next up, was one of the most anticipated plays of the festival, Nicholas Billon's adaptation of the Greek tragedy AGAMEMNON. Billon does not credit his source material in the program, although "after the play by Aeschylus" is clearly on the handbill, so perhaps this was simply an oversight. Certainly, I was glad I knew the original play. His truncated and cryptic adaptation is long on visuals and smart ideas, but short on the development of story and relationships.
Designers Shannon Lea Doyle (set/costumes/projections), Kaitlin Hickey (lighting), Andy Trithardt (sound) and director Sarah Kitz offer a very stylized and au courant production, with the ghost of Iphigenia hovering over the production, unseen by the household, but ever present onstage, perched on a massive pair of stilts.
The cast is excellent and the characters Billon has created are fascinating, but the roles are, for the most part, underwritten. Susanna Fournier as Chrysothemis is a wilding teenager, anorexic-thin and throwing herself at any and every man who comes into her cross-hairs. Amy Keating does a fine job of creating an Electra who is an asexual gamer/psycho/hobbit. Samantha Brown as Cassandra is a foreigner brought home as a trophy of war by Agamemnon. Ron Kennell makes a blackly comedic meal of the role of Clytemnestra's castrato/toy-boy/henchman Aegisthus. Marcel Stewart as Halaesus does fine work in one of the more developed characters in the play, Agamemnon's buttoned-down, PSTD addled aide-de-camp. Earl Pasko is also wonderful as the Old Man.
As Agamemnon, Nigel Shawn Williams plays the conquering hero with great gravitas and a smouldering undercurrent of violence. As his wife, Clytemnestra, Brigit Wilson creates a middle-aged woman both defiantly reveling in, and afraid of losing her sexual power. The murder of her rival here is so unsupported by the text that nothing the actors valiantly try to do can wall-paper over the gaping hole in the text. The laughter that greeted her bloody appearance after the murder came from complete disbelief at the turn of events. The ending was fantastically chilling: foreboding and terrifying.
It's a 45 minute show in a 75 minute slot. I hope Billon finishes writing the play and remounts it. It's definitely going to some really intriguing places: but it's not quite there yet.
NEXT STAGE THEATRE FESTIVAL continues until January 17th at the Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst Street. For a full schedule, tickets go to http://www.fringetoronto.com or call 416 966 1062.
What better way to cheer oneself up after facing the dreary prospect of a Toronto January, then to travel down to the Factory Theatre where Next Stage Theatre Festival is heading towards its final weekend.
At this juncture, I've seen half the festival. It's a strong program this year, with a number of exceptionally fine scripts. There's also a very nice heated tent housing the box office, and a bar with hot chocolate and other warming libations.
I started my festival-going with THREE MEN IN A BOAT, Green Pea's adaptation of a turn-of-the century comedic novel by Jerome K. Jerome. It's no wonder this Toronto Fringe festival remount has been a run-away audience favourite. The cast of three (plus Montmorency, the fox terrier) are absolutely delightful. The arch production has a clever and very funny script by Mark Brownell and deft direction by Sue Miner, who keeps the trio's droll antics teetering on the precipice of camp. Matt Pilipiak, Scott Garland and Victor Pokinko play a hapless trio of toffs who decide to take a boating holiday on the Thames. Together they offer their fortunate audiences a combination of great chemistry, manic energy, and impeccable comic timing, making this feather-light vintage treat a must-see. Nina Oken's spot-on period costumes and the lovely vocal harmonies on those 1889 pop hits are the garnish on a show that goes down as effortlessly as a Pimm's #1 cup on a warm summer evening.
Next up was STUCK. Natasha Boomer and an assortment of friends improvise a half-hour play on the basis of a suggestion thrown out to the comedic duo by the audience. The day I was there, Boomer and Kevin Whalen were madly improvising on the premise they were stuck in his wife's bedroom closet. Whelan's actual wife, with baby in arms, was seated in the front row. As if that weren't enough plot for 30 minutes, the fire alarm went off in the theatre. The performer's played through like the troopers they are, incorporating the ringing bells into their act, until the Toronto fire department insisted we evacuate the premises for real. We were about 12 minutes in at that point. Bummer! The performers were so three G (that's good, giving and game for you non Dan-Savage readers) that I'm happily heading back in this weekend to see what a complete version of this high-stakes premise turns out like. I'm betting fast and fun.
Monday night, I saw BLOOD WILD, by Rabbit in A Hat Productions from Montreal. It's a cleverly written and well-executed (all puns intended) old fashioned, shoot 'em up Western, with whiskey, saloon girls, gunslingers, train robbers, and, of course, a sheriff. Directors Paul Van Dyck (also the writer) and Sara Rodriguez keep the ton's-o-action plot moving along at a good giddy-up. The cast of David Baby, Julia Borsellino, Eric Davis, Patricia Sumersett, Alex Weiner and Paul Van Dyck manage the gun-play and word-play with equal ease. Sumersett and Borsellino play siblings, and the intensity and tenderness of their relationship gives the show heart.
Next up, was one of the most anticipated plays of the festival, Nicholas Billon's adaptation of the Greek tragedy AGAMEMNON. Billon does not credit his source material in the program, although "after the play by Aeschylus" is clearly on the handbill, so perhaps this was simply an oversight. Certainly, I was glad I knew the original play. His truncated and cryptic adaptation is long on visuals and smart ideas, but short on the development of story and relationships.
Designers Shannon Lea Doyle (set/costumes/projections), Kaitlin Hickey (lighting), Andy Trithardt (sound) and director Sarah Kitz offer a very stylized and au courant production, with the ghost of Iphigenia hovering over the production, unseen by the household, but ever present onstage, perched on a massive pair of stilts.
The cast is excellent and the characters Billon has created are fascinating, but the roles are, for the most part, underwritten. Susanna Fournier as Chrysothemis is a wilding teenager, anorexic-thin and throwing herself at any and every man who comes into her cross-hairs. Amy Keating does a fine job of creating an Electra who is an asexual gamer/psycho/hobbit. Samantha Brown as Cassandra is a foreigner brought home as a trophy of war by Agamemnon. Ron Kennell makes a blackly comedic meal of the role of Clytemnestra's castrato/toy-boy/henchman Aegisthus. Marcel Stewart as Halaesus does fine work in one of the more developed characters in the play, Agamemnon's buttoned-down, PSTD addled aide-de-camp. Earl Pasko is also wonderful as the Old Man.
As Agamemnon, Nigel Shawn Williams plays the conquering hero with great gravitas and a smouldering undercurrent of violence. As his wife, Clytemnestra, Brigit Wilson creates a middle-aged woman both defiantly reveling in, and afraid of losing her sexual power. The murder of her rival here is so unsupported by the text that nothing the actors valiantly try to do can wall-paper over the gaping hole in the text. The laughter that greeted her bloody appearance after the murder came from complete disbelief at the turn of events. The ending was fantastically chilling: foreboding and terrifying.
It's a 45 minute show in a 75 minute slot. I hope Billon finishes writing the play and remounts it. It's definitely going to some really intriguing places: but it's not quite there yet.
NEXT STAGE THEATRE FESTIVAL continues until January 17th at the Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst Street. For a full schedule, tickets go to http://www.fringetoronto.com or call 416 966 1062.
Sunday, December 20, 2015
INTERVIEW: EPONINE LEE GOES WILD in TAILS FROM THE CITY at EVERGREEN BRICK WORKS
At 8:30 AM on the last week of school before the Christmas break, Eponine Lee took some time before she left for class to speak with me about her star turn, this holiday season, in TAILS FROM the CITY at EVERGREEN BRICKWORKS.
Not only is she the star, but she was also the playwright's muse. "My aunty Majorie (Chan) wrote the play for me," she explained during our breakfast on the phone chat last week.
Her father, Richard explains that aunty is an honorific. Marjorie Chan and Lee's mother, director Nina Aquino are long-time friends and colleagues. Though the role was created with her in mind, it wasn't handed to her. Eponine had a four hour interview with the show's director, Jennifer Brewin before being selected to take on the part.
It's not Eponine's first acting gig. She was in CARRIED AWAY ON THE CREST OF A WAVE, at the Tarragon two seasons back. She's also been in two plays at school.
Acting outdoors is different, she tells me. For one thing, she has to run from scene to scene. "The audience gets to walk, but we run." I ask about her favourite part of the play. " Oh The Wild Dinner Party! " Her character, Bille has dinner with a fox, squirrels and, it being Toronto, a raccoon. "There's real food. Carrots, buns and chips." Then she explains, "They're not REAL wild animals. They're actors." Has she seen any real wild animals at the Brickworks? Yes, squirrels, birds, but so far, no raccoons.
When she's not acting, she's reading, playing with her toy Yorkie and hanging out with friends and family. She has quite a broad taste in literature. We discussed everything from Geronimo and the Kingdom of Fantasy to Charlotte's Web and Archie comics.
Miss Lee is not neglecting her studies. She only missed two days of school during the strenuous tech period. Otherwise, she was a full-time student with a full-time job until this weekend, not an easy task for an actor of any age.
She does get a few days off at Christmas. What would she like for Christmas, I wondered? Shopkins, an armadillo puppet, and a little dog on a leash.
There are rumours Santa puts in an appearance in TALES... I hope Eponine got a chance to tell him what she wants: or perhaps he'll read this post. She's certainly been a good, hard-working girl this season, and I think she well deserves a few treats, along with a rest, and some time with her family. After Boxing Day she continues performing until the 30th. I can't wait to see her!
TAILS FROM THE CITY plays at Evergreen Brickworks from December 10-30 at 7:30 PM and matinees at 4:30 PM on the 19/21/23 THERE ARE NO PERFORMANCES ON DECEMBER 13/20/24/25/26 http://www.wintertheatre.brownpapertickets.com
Not only is she the star, but she was also the playwright's muse. "My aunty Majorie (Chan) wrote the play for me," she explained during our breakfast on the phone chat last week.
Her father, Richard explains that aunty is an honorific. Marjorie Chan and Lee's mother, director Nina Aquino are long-time friends and colleagues. Though the role was created with her in mind, it wasn't handed to her. Eponine had a four hour interview with the show's director, Jennifer Brewin before being selected to take on the part.
It's not Eponine's first acting gig. She was in CARRIED AWAY ON THE CREST OF A WAVE, at the Tarragon two seasons back. She's also been in two plays at school.
Acting outdoors is different, she tells me. For one thing, she has to run from scene to scene. "The audience gets to walk, but we run." I ask about her favourite part of the play. " Oh The Wild Dinner Party! " Her character, Bille has dinner with a fox, squirrels and, it being Toronto, a raccoon. "There's real food. Carrots, buns and chips." Then she explains, "They're not REAL wild animals. They're actors." Has she seen any real wild animals at the Brickworks? Yes, squirrels, birds, but so far, no raccoons.
When she's not acting, she's reading, playing with her toy Yorkie and hanging out with friends and family. She has quite a broad taste in literature. We discussed everything from Geronimo and the Kingdom of Fantasy to Charlotte's Web and Archie comics.
Miss Lee is not neglecting her studies. She only missed two days of school during the strenuous tech period. Otherwise, she was a full-time student with a full-time job until this weekend, not an easy task for an actor of any age.
She does get a few days off at Christmas. What would she like for Christmas, I wondered? Shopkins, an armadillo puppet, and a little dog on a leash.
TAILS FROM THE CITY plays at Evergreen Brickworks from December 10-30 at 7:30 PM and matinees at 4:30 PM on the 19/21/23 THERE ARE NO PERFORMANCES ON DECEMBER 13/20/24/25/26 http://www.wintertheatre.brownpapertickets.com
Saturday, December 12, 2015
PREVIEW: FESTIVE HOLIDAY THEATRE TREATS ONSTAGE!
Finally! The pervasive gloom that characterized the start of the Toronto theatre season has lifted and the hallowed and gracious time has begun. Seasonal jewels for every taste and pocketbook are currently sparkling on stages all over town. Many of these events are family-friendly, so if you need to get out of the house with the kids and encourage synaptic activity, here's your chance!
Ross Petty has brought the great English Music Hall tradition of the English Christmas panto to Toronto for the past 20 years. This year Petty and his talented cast and crew offer PETER PAN IN WONDERLAND. Petty has chosen to play Captain Hook as his swan song, and I'm sure he'll be in fine form. I haven't seen it yet, but the press on it has been very good, and I always find Petty's shows flat-out fun.
Down the street, just behind the Eaton Centre, at the Church of the Holy Trinity, THE CHRISTMAS STORY runs this weekend and next. A choir subs in for the Heavenly Host in this re-enactment of the New Testament story of the birth of Jesus. There will be a real baby in the starring role, always a bonus! Some performances have sign-language interpretation. It's a pay-what-you-can event, so it is wallet, as well as family friendly
Over at the Brickworks, Common Boots Theatre is presenting a play performed outdoors, TAILS FOR THE CITY, with raccoons, squirrels (well, actors playing raccoons and squirrels, though at the brickworks you never know!) and eight year old star, Eponine Lee as a young girl who escapes to have a Christmas Eve adventure with some furry friends. There's a rumour that Santa may put in an appearance! A shuttle bus from Broadview station will take you to the theatre, and there's hot chocolate on hand to help keep you warm once you arrive.
Over at the Red Sandcastle Theatre in Leslieville, John D. Huston and The Madrigals perform Charles Dickens' own version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Huston has been touring Canada with this production for 23 years, delivering the beloved text in the persona of the author himself. Huston bears a remarkable resemblance to Dickens. I have seen this production many times, and I never tire of his fine performance of Dickens' tale of Scrooge's reformation. His Toronto shows with The Madrigals' beautifully harmonized period music are always an extra-special treat. Huston is joined by various well-known folk musicians in venues across Canada this month, including the National Arts Centre's 4th Stage. He frequently sells out, so book a ticket sooner, rather than later.
Tear yourself away from shopping, wrapping, cleaning and fretting over the to-do list for a few hours, and go and enjoy at least one of these fine productions. You'll be glad you did.
PETER PAN IN WONDERLAND continues at THE ELGIN THEATRE, 189 Yonge Street, Toronto until January 3rd. http://rosspetty.com/tickets for a full performance schedule, tickets and information.
THE CHRISTMAS STORY continues on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays,at THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY ( behind the Eaton Centre) twice each day at 4:30 & 7:30 PM. Reservations are strongly recommended. http://www.thechristmasstory.ca or (416) 598 4521 for tickets or further information.
TALES FROM THE CITY plays at Evergreen Brickworks from December 10-30 at 7:30 PM and matinees at 4:30 PM on the 19/21/23 THERE ARE NO PERFORMANCES ON DECEMBER 13/20/24/25/26 http://www.wintertheatre.brownpapertickets.com
A CHRISTMAS CAROL plays at The RED SANDCASTLE THEATRE, 922 Queen Street East at 7:30 PM on December 14th and 15th with other dates across Canada. http://www.dickensperformer.com for further information or call (416) 845 -9411 to reserve tickets at the Red Sandcastle Theatre.
Ross Petty has brought the great English Music Hall tradition of the English Christmas panto to Toronto for the past 20 years. This year Petty and his talented cast and crew offer PETER PAN IN WONDERLAND. Petty has chosen to play Captain Hook as his swan song, and I'm sure he'll be in fine form. I haven't seen it yet, but the press on it has been very good, and I always find Petty's shows flat-out fun.
Down the street, just behind the Eaton Centre, at the Church of the Holy Trinity, THE CHRISTMAS STORY runs this weekend and next. A choir subs in for the Heavenly Host in this re-enactment of the New Testament story of the birth of Jesus. There will be a real baby in the starring role, always a bonus! Some performances have sign-language interpretation. It's a pay-what-you-can event, so it is wallet, as well as family friendly
Over at the Brickworks, Common Boots Theatre is presenting a play performed outdoors, TAILS FOR THE CITY, with raccoons, squirrels (well, actors playing raccoons and squirrels, though at the brickworks you never know!) and eight year old star, Eponine Lee as a young girl who escapes to have a Christmas Eve adventure with some furry friends. There's a rumour that Santa may put in an appearance! A shuttle bus from Broadview station will take you to the theatre, and there's hot chocolate on hand to help keep you warm once you arrive.
Over at the Red Sandcastle Theatre in Leslieville, John D. Huston and The Madrigals perform Charles Dickens' own version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Huston has been touring Canada with this production for 23 years, delivering the beloved text in the persona of the author himself. Huston bears a remarkable resemblance to Dickens. I have seen this production many times, and I never tire of his fine performance of Dickens' tale of Scrooge's reformation. His Toronto shows with The Madrigals' beautifully harmonized period music are always an extra-special treat. Huston is joined by various well-known folk musicians in venues across Canada this month, including the National Arts Centre's 4th Stage. He frequently sells out, so book a ticket sooner, rather than later.
Tear yourself away from shopping, wrapping, cleaning and fretting over the to-do list for a few hours, and go and enjoy at least one of these fine productions. You'll be glad you did.
PETER PAN IN WONDERLAND continues at THE ELGIN THEATRE, 189 Yonge Street, Toronto until January 3rd. http://rosspetty.com/tickets for a full performance schedule, tickets and information.
THE CHRISTMAS STORY continues on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays,at THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY ( behind the Eaton Centre) twice each day at 4:30 & 7:30 PM. Reservations are strongly recommended. http://www.thechristmasstory.ca or (416) 598 4521 for tickets or further information.
TALES FROM THE CITY plays at Evergreen Brickworks from December 10-30 at 7:30 PM and matinees at 4:30 PM on the 19/21/23 THERE ARE NO PERFORMANCES ON DECEMBER 13/20/24/25/26 http://www.wintertheatre.brownpapertickets.com
A CHRISTMAS CAROL plays at The RED SANDCASTLE THEATRE, 922 Queen Street East at 7:30 PM on December 14th and 15th with other dates across Canada. http://www.dickensperformer.com for further information or call (416) 845 -9411 to reserve tickets at the Red Sandcastle Theatre.
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