Once and for all we're gonna tell you who we are so shut up and listen

Not your usual piece of theatre. But fascinating and funny, once you get caught up in the rythmn and begin to see what is happening.
As parents, we could really appreciate the adolescent form - the rapid mood swings, the constant trial, the miserable linguistic habits, the sense that no one understands and nothing will ever be right.
This is a co-production with a Belgian theatre group Ontroerend Goed and Kopergietery - not something we are likely to run across and one of the great benefits of Worldstage at Harbourfront.

Intimate Apparel

The Canadian Stage partnership with Obsidian and Nightwood is bringing some interesting plays to a wider audience than might normally see them, and judging by the audience reaction, it is well received.
Obsidian's production of Intimate Apparel, by Lynn Nottage, portrayed a time and place that few in the almost all white audience could relate to, but dealt with issues that everyone can relate to - relationships, friendships and money. Raven Dauda's brought Esther to life - a plain, hardworking woman, so eager for love that she marries a man she barely knows. The result is disastrous - she loses her money and her husband. But she still has friends. The friendship with Mr Marks (Alex Poch-Goldin) is brilliantly developed by both actors. You feel such pain for the two of them, who are so clearly inlove, and so incapable of acting on thier desires. But they remain friends. When Esther touches his back, you want to cheer, or cry - the gesture is so moving.
A really great evening of theatre. Good play, great cast and excellent staging.

And so it Goes

A new play by George F Walker at Factory Theater. Loss of family - one daughter lost to schizophrenia, son who just leaves, father has lost his job, and mother feels she is losing everything.
Great cast - Peter Donaldson (bald) and Susan Coyne are the parents; Jenny Young played the daughter and Jerry Franken played Kurt Vonnegut - who acts as confessor andadvisor to the parents. When you can't afford a shrink an imaginary friend who happens to be a dead author will have to do instead.
A hard to show to watch as a parent - the destruction that Schizophrenia can cause is devastating.
I found the structure - a lot of little scenes and the use of black outs between scenes meant that the story did not build as well as I think it could have. The tension kept being interrupted.
But overall, an interesting discussion of a difficult subject.

Cloud 9

Another play by Carly chcurchill. We saw this in Melbourne a number of years ago and enjoyed it then. This time, the play was not as fresh and surprising (even though it was 20 years old then), but the cast was amazing.
Actually, we decided to go becuase of the cast, as so many are favourites from Shaw, Soulpepper and Stratford. And the performances were what held the play together. Anne Marie Macdonald played Eddie in the first act and Betty in the second half. As a blonde she was cmoppletely unrecognizable.
David Jansen was good as Clive, but fantastic as Cathy (the little girl).
Evan Buliungwas a great Betty and even better as Edward.
Ben Carlson loomed as Joshua and was tough and sexy as Gerry.
Megan Follows had a triple play, but was best as Lin.
Yanna MacIntosh seemed comfortable in both her roles,
Blair Williams still blends into the background.
The play is not likely to last forever, but the cast have long careers ahead.