1. An avant-garde dance performance in three parts, The Hollow Show is the debut production from Toronto’s Mercenary Dance Theatre, whose mandate is to provide “unequivocally honest, unashamedly dramatic” work. They succeed with this slick, extraordinarily choreographed performance, which ties together its trio of dances under the topics of love and loneliness. The first dance, an extended four-way collaboration between Heather Berry, David Kraft, Erika-Leigh Surton and Jessica Wilson, is a particularly virtuosic piece of sustained, intricate, emotionally charged choreography. July 7, 7pm; July 8, 4pm; July 9, 2:15pm; July 11, 9:45pm. Tarragon Theatre Mainspace (30 Bridgman).
2. Canadians have a tendency to overwork classical theatrical texts. Lucky for us, UK-based Eyewitness Theatre’s Lysistrata reminds us that, following the ancient Greek playwrights, theatre can be a magical medium for the dissection of our contemporary culture. Here is a cast of women (not girls, thankfully) who breathe engaging and energized life into Aristophanes’ leading ladies, constantly interrupting their own show theatrically and thematically. Indeed, Lysistrata not only breaks but smashes the fourth wall to bits and, with a confident yet causal use of rhythm and rhyme, reinvigorates and reworks this old comedy into something surprisingly new. July 7, 6:15pm; July 10, 2:15pm; July 11, 10:30 pm. Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace (16 Ryerson). 3. The only thing bigger and brighter than the over-sized papier mache headpieces and fantastic set pieces of Chicken Licken is the acting. The entire cast, especially Maggie Maloney, burst onto the stage and take us captive. The simple and straightforward story line — a twist on “Chicken Little” — leaves ample space for gags and interplay with the audience. The performance is seamless and chock full of laughs. This will be one of the most fun hours you’ll spend with your kids all summer. July, 7 6:50pm; July, 8 12:40pm; July, 9 11:00am; July, 10 4:00pm; July 12, 12:25pm. Palmerston Library Theatre (560 Palmerston).
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