en-us http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/32906 2008/07/04 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/32906 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/32907 2008/07/04 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/32907 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/32908 2008/07/04 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/32908 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/32909 2008/07/04 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/32909 Sean Cullen looks a little out of place on Last Comic Standing. Not because he’s older than the average contestant, the summer filler series has seen grayer heads than his, and not because the songs and so many of his defining, cutesy-poo quirks get left behind in favor of plain ol’ all-purpose stand-up, but because he’s Sean goddamn Cullen. An entertainer in full with a resume two decades long, multiple Tonight Show appearances, a Comedy Central special and a stint, though brief, as Max Bialystock in The Producers. ]]> http://eyeweekly.com/arts/comedy/article/32558 2008/07/02 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/comedy/article/32558 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/word/article/32717 2008/07/02 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/word/article/32717 http://eyeweekly.com/city/torontonotes/article/32459 2008/07/02 http://eyeweekly.com/city/torontonotes/article/32459 A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a bawdier, funnier, sweeter affair. ]]> http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/32253 2008/06/30 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/32253 Argument With a Dolphin.  ]]> http://eyeweekly.com/arts/comedy/article/32239 2008/06/27 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/comedy/article/32239 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/31680 2008/06/23 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/31680 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/31528 2008/06/23 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/31528 Robot Wars with dinosaurs — not that a seven-year-old child might find much to argue with in that that proposition – there's plenty to enjoy and admire about this touring production. ]]> http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/31469 2008/06/20 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/31469 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/31461 2008/06/20 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/31461 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/31177 2008/06/19 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/31177 Don Giovanni (1787), not the one by Mozart but one by his contemporary Giuseppe Gazzaniga (1743-1818), and Renard (1922), a 15-minute burlesque by 20th-century master Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971). The two works are entertaining if not particularly profound but they do provide a fine showcase of the talents of the next generation of opera singers.

]]> http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/30846 2008/06/17 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/30846 The Sisters Rosensweig may have been pioneering in its day, now, after 16 years including six seasons of Sex and the City, the play seems to suffer from an identity crisis of its own. It veers uncomfortably between a sitcom-like style where everybody has quick comebacks and funny exit lines and a more realistic portrayal of characters as complex, sensitive people rather than joke-machines.  ]]> http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/30733 2008/06/16 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/30733 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/comedy/article/30735 2008/06/16 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/comedy/article/30735 Uncle Vanya, the acclaimed production directed by Hungarian Laszlo Marton. Chekhov’s bitter stew of failed lives and regret has become only tastier and more filling after several years in the fridge. Marton’s affinity for the Russian master’s pathos and humour once again draws out the best in actors like Diego Matamoros, Albert Schultz and Kristen Thomson. Their scenes come to life with emotional veracity and superb physicality.
]]> http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/30731 2008/06/16 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/30731 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/comedy/article/30355 2008/06/11 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/comedy/article/30355 Blink is a one-hour play collectively created by the first graduates of The Soulpepper Academy, a two-year paid residency for young theatre artists. Inspired by the accounts of real-life war photographers, Blink tells the story of freelancer Joshua (Mike Ross), who can’t escape the horror of his work. The technically polished play and the unaffected, detailed performances reflect well on Soulpepper’s mentorship process. Helped along with slick production values that appeal to the senses, Blink delivers invigorating theatre. ]]> http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/30171 2008/06/10 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/30171 Sanctuary Song, an “opera for all ages,” is as likely to bore well-meaning parents as well as the children they’ve taken with them for a dose of “art.” The flaw is certainly not Abigail Richardson’s ever-fascinating music or Lynda Hill’s imaginative production. Instead it lies with Marjorie Chan’s libretto that strives for universality through generalities and platitudes. ]]> http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/30173 2008/06/10 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/30173 A Midsummer Night’s Dream was created in India by British director Tim Supple with a cast and creative team from India and Sri Lanka. It’s a view of a western classic as seen from the other side of the world. As if to emphasize this, the play is performed with about a third of the lines in English mingled with the rest in untranslated Hindi, Tamil, Mayalam, Marathi, Bengali, Sanskrit and Sinhala. If you have never seen the play before, you may find this production confusing or frustrating. If, however, you’ve already seen several conventional productions, this one will strike you as fascinating and exhilarating.  ]]> http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/30139 2008/06/10 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/30139 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/30164 2008/06/10 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/30164 Footloose: The Musical at Alumnae Theatre. This should probably be a two-star review, but their “let’s put on a show” charm serves them well in the Broadway version of the '80s flick, about plucky kids who want to overturn their town’s ban against dancing. ]]> http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/30089 2008/06/09 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/30089 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/29774 2008/06/05 http://eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/29774