Review — Kingston Theatre Alliance

Presence acts as the sustaining heartbeat to live theatre. In our lifetime, where the digital age brings distancing and screen barriers, I think we are all contemplating the multidimensional angles of presence. It’s easy to refer to it on the surface layer—‘just show up’—but as our experience of ‘just showing up’ becomes increasingly challenging, the need for presence becomes increasingly desperate. As someone who often feels apprehensive about the weight […]

A new drama by Chloë Whitehorn, Admit Two is a one act play presented by Bottle Tree Productions that uncovers the dark, hidden secrets behind a touring circus. Upon the beginning of the show, audiences meet Dante (Craig Norton), a knife thrower for the circus who has recently been released from prison, only to find that he has been replaced by a young and feisty aerialist, Glimmer (Syd Chinnick). He sees that Glimmer has been taken under the wing of Mama Rhea (Rosemary Euringer), a maternal figure whose partner, King, runs the circus. Refamiliarizing himself with his old home, Dante encounters his old flame and clairvoyant, Persephone (Shannon Donnelly). Her harsh demeanor towards him and the others drives the story along as the cast uncovers long-held secrets and attempts to fix the many things that are broken. 

In the quiet darkness of a theatre before the stage lights go on, the squeaky wheels of an IV pole are our first introduction to Dr. Vivian Bearing. “It’s not my intention to give away the plot,” she tells the audience in an opening monologue that immediately breaks the fourth wall, “but I think I die at the end.”  W;t, written by Margaret Edson and directed by Martha Bailey, is […]

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a theatregoer in possession of holiday spirit must be in want of a show—and Domino Theatre’s production of Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, directed by Craig Norton,is a perfect answer to that want.  Taking place a few years following the events of Pride and Prejudice, the happily married Lizzy (Madeleine Smith) and Mr. Darcy (William Anderson) prepare to welcome the Bennet sisters and […]

Have you ever read a book and wished you could change a character’s fate? My first introduction to Shakespeare was struggling to decipher Romeo and Juliet on my own, without the help of SparkNotes (mostly because I didn’t know it existed), and for years afterward, whenever I thought about the play, I caught myself wishing I could change the characters’ endings. But what if that’s actually possible? Goodnight Desdemona (Good […]

Welcome back to the Script Suggestion Series, where I take the opportunity to abuse my privilege as a theatre critic by getting paid to read and discuss plays from my very own bookshelf. This past summer I read Robert Icke’s Oedipus and was absolutely taken by the powerful adaptation. With that production just about to open on Broadway at the time of writing this article, I’ve been craving some more […]

Set in the bustling heart of New York City’s Times Square, Guys and Dolls opens with rumours of an underground crap game that Nathan Detroit (Jason McDonald) is desperately trying to organize. With the authorities trying to shut down the illegal gambling and no money to secure a venue, Nathan makes a bet he’s guaranteed to win with the always-lucky gambler Sky Masterson (Donald Mitchell). If Sky can convince the […]

The story begins in the city of Nuka, where war has suddenly erupted, leaving the townsfolk to flee. As danger gets closer, the ruling family prepares to flee, but it’s in this scene that we see their true colours. The governor (Daniel Gill) is too preoccupied with commenting on the weather to care for his family, while his wife, Natella (Charlize Diaz and Hayley Watson), opts to save her extravagant […]

Often described as the most legendary country music love story, Johnny Cash and June Carter’s music has remained a staple in the country genre. With joint hits like “Long Legged Guitar Pickin’ Man,” covers made iconic like “It Ain’t Me Babe” and “If I Were a Carpenter,” as well as their respective works, it is impossible to imagine what country music would look like without them. A final addition to […]

The best way I can describe how I Take Your Hand in Mine made me feel is this: like listening to your grandparents tell you the story of their lives on a slow Saturday afternoon. This cozy yet gripping production follows two real historical figures: Anton Chekhov (Richard Sheridan Willis), a renowned playwright, and Olga Knipper (Rena Polley), a famous theatre actor. In the play, they navigate the push and […]

Welcome back to the new Script Suggestion Series; I’ve recently pulled another play off of my ever-growing shelf, so now it’s time to introduce it to you, our readers, and share a few thoughts on the piece. The most difficult thing about having hundreds of options for what to review is that you have to choose one, so you force yourself to come up with small justifications of why one […]

It might seem impossible to bottle laughter, but if there ever was a place you could do that, it would be at the Baby Grand Theatre during this year’s production of DSS Daydream. Forming a comedy special is no easy feat, but thanks to the stacks of hilarious Queen’s students script submissions, Dan Studio Series co-producers Connor Houghton and Halli Hood had no problem crafting a production of pure lively […]