The Judas Kiss - Theatre Review

By: Saema Nasir

From the first provocative scene to the final, heartbreaking act, The Judas Kiss will have you glued to your seat and riveted by the action unfolding before you.

A retelling of Oscar Wilde’s last years, the play deals with the themes of loyalty, love, betrayal, and friendship as it explores his run from the authorities who wanted to punish him for his sexuality. Depicting Oscar Wilde’s relationship with his long-time advisor and former lover Robert Ross and his current lover Lord Alfred Douglas, we see the external factors that Wilde had to contend with, while simultaneously struggling with his internal impulses on whether to escape prosecution by fleeing England or staying to face certain imprisonment. 

The star attraction is Rupert Everett who plays Oscar Wilde with gusto. Relishing in every quip, with witty repartee rolling off his tongue, Everett creates a Wilde who is infuriating as well as sympathetic. Portraying Wilde’s downfall from wealthy and fêted raconteur and socialite to an impoverished expatriate, Everett showcases Wilde’s weaknesses with subtlety and his legendary spirit and wit vividly.

Under Neil Armfield’s skilled direction, each actor shines, adeptly showing how their characters impacted Wilde and his decisions as they enter and exist in his life.

Charlie Rowe as Lord Alfred Douglas is arrogant and easy to dislike. In spite of all his shortcomings, Wilde truly loved him. 

Alister Cameron as a musty butler brings a lively touch to the scenes he is in while Cal MacAninch shines as a loyal and spurned former-lover of Wilde. He brings a raw intensity to the character whose heartbreak is worn on his sleeve.

The Judas Kiss asks very important questions around the importance of loyalty, the sting of deceit and the value of love. More poignantly it depicts the cruelty of a society so capable and willing to ruin a brilliant man simply for who he was.

See The Judas Kiss for its superb acting, engaging dialogue and entrancing action, as well as for the important lesson it teaches on the perils of letting the law into the bedroom.

The Judas Kiss is playing until May 1, 2016 at the Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto. Tickets can be purchased online at mirvish.com.

Photos: Cylla von Tiedmann

Saema Nasir is a communications professional who blogs, writes, paints & explores her beautiful city of Toronto. She has a Masters in Public Relations and also blogs at thecityquill.com. Follow her on Twitter @saemanasir. 

The Crackwalker - Theatre Review

By: Paul Lewkowicz

The Crackwalker, written and directed by Judith Thompson, tells a powerful story of characters Theresa and Alan, and Sandy and Joe, as they live a life of poverty, abuse, and addiction in Kingston, Ontario. Throughout the play, the demons and challenges faced by the two couples is shadowed and met by a mysterious man known as the The Crackwalker.

The cast delivers strong and powerful performances. Yolanda Bonnell did a masterful job of portraying Theresa, a young and innocent woman who is cheerful and positive despite being subject to constant insults about her weight, sexual activity, and learning disability. Stephen Joffe plays the character of Alan (Al), a young man who looks up to the older Joe and who is a follower desperately seeking to fit in. Greg Gale portrays Joe, a tough guy addicted to alcohol and persistently looking for work while regularly parading around with the mayor of Kingston. He relishes telling stories of music and bars that are dear to his heart.

Waawaate Fobister portrays The Crackwalker, a man who appears as the voice and tells the stories of the four characters through dance. In the background is the mysterious Bonnie Cain, the town gossiper who spreads numerous rumours about the promiscuousness and mistakes of the Theresa, Joe, Al and Sandy.

The play has many key themes that haunt the characters and draws emotion from the audience. Theresa and Al are so innocent and desperate to fit in and to be accepted by others. They constantly worry about what Joe and Bonnie Cain think, despite the fact that these individuals have hardly been good to them. Theresa is so easy to please, as she leaves her troubled home and seeks a better place to stay. This results in her being taken advantage of and a quick marriage and pregnancy that have tragic consequences. The theme of sexual assault and abusive relationships confront Theresa and Sandy. Their stories of pain, abuse, denial, anger, submission, and a desire for happiness are painful reminders of the tragic situations that many individuals constantly face, particularly women.

Bonnell and Armstrong deliver outstanding performances that show their characters confronting their innermost demons that complicate and harm their lives. Their performances were particularly poignant as it came on the same day of the verdict of a major sexual assault trial in Canada and also amidst the attention that domestic violence and sexual assault has received from the media, politicians and legislators.

Joe’s addiction to alcohol and abuse towards Theresa and Sandy makes him the villain throughout the play, until the end when he demonstrates a small glimpse of his humanity in trying to wrestle with the tragic consequence facing Al and Theresa. Al’s struggle to grieve the loss of his father, his questioning of his sexuality, and his desire to fit in puts him in a place of vulnerability. Lastly, one cannot help but feel compassion for the plight of Al and Theresa, who question and grapple with “the system” that is the constant backdrop to their lives. Whether it be Al’s blame of doctors for the death of his father or Theresa’s persistent reference of the judgements and directions from her social worker (some of which are insulting), the audience gets the feeling that the system and society as a whole could have done more to help these four characters. It also makes one question how many children are in the care of families facing similar tragic situations.

The Crackwalker is a powerful play that is definitely worth seeing. As articulated by The Crackwalker character, the play showcases the intersection of two rivers: a river of poison (demons and stories that haunt the characters) and a river of purity (innocence and joy). The cast portrays complex characters that tackle sensitive issues that resonate with the audience in different ways. It forces us to reflect on how we as a society can help those in need and mitigate or avoid tragic events that plague so many lives such as those of the characters in the play.

The Crackwalker runs until April 10 at the Factory Theatre in Toronto. https://www.factorytheatre.ca/tickets.

Photos by Joseph Michael Photography.

Paul Lewkowicz is a fan of politics, the arts, travel and tennis. He lives in Toronto.

A Night at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra: New Creations Festival

By: Saema Nasir

As the lights in Roy Thompson Hall dimmed and the excited chatter around me quieted, I wondered what to expect from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s concert, Two Memorials: Anton Webern & John Lennon. As it turned out I should have expected the unexpected. The concert was part of the TSO’s 12th annual New Creations Festival, which celebrates avant-garde contemporary music.

The evening started with Australian composer James Ledger’s tribute to Anton Webern and John Lennon. I expected some covers of John Lennon’s songs to be accompanied with some pleasant classical compositions. Instead, as the conductor raised his arms and as his body began to sway to the music, it was jarring, distinctive and powerful. Grandiose cacophony evoked emotions of fear, apprehension and excitement. The music sounded like it would have been perfect for the soundtrack of an Alfred Hitchcock thriller – mysterious and enthralling.

I had to rethink my perception of what I considered a symphony and it also opened my eyes to the work of Webern and Lennon. As the music crescendoed, I felt totally immersed in a musical world that was exuberant and anything but subtle. Lined up next was From the Vortex Perspective, a TSO commission in which the music of composer Paul Frehner and a film by Peter Mettler  were played simultaneously. What was unique about this segment of the evening was that the filmmaker and composer worked together to highlight the often close relationship between film and music and it strived to create music and visuals that worked hand in hand, complimenting each other. They certainly attained this, as both the film and the music matched in their eerie, heart-thumping and electrifying qualities. The audience seemed hypnotized by the artistic imagery that floated across the screen and by the raw and rousing beats they were hearing.

Next came Brett Dean’s trumpet concerto, which was performed by a Swedish soloist for whom is was specifically created. This piece of music aimed to explore the concept of the heroic figure and it did so wonderfully. The music rose, seemingly highlighting the soaring heights the hero reached with his or her victories. Then it took a softer tone, lulling to perhaps convey the hero’s more introspective moments where he or she contemplated the nature of their existence. This was a superbly performed piece and was highly stimulating.

This surprising evening at the TSO was worth it. This concert wasn’t Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor; indeed, the TSO truly opened my eyes (and ears!) to the various forms of music and aroused my senses with the electrifying nature of all the compositions. I was most impressed and can’t wait to hear what the TSO has in store for the future!

Photo by Malcolm Cook.

Saema Nasir is a marketing communications specialist who blogs, writes, paints & explores her beautiful city of Toronto. She has a Masters in Public Relations and also blogs at thecityquill.com. Follow her on Twitter @saemanasir. 

Theatre Review: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike - Toronto

Prolific playwright Christopher Durang's popular play, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is about the dysfunctional lives of three siblings. In his Tony Award-winning play, Durang pays homage to Anton Chekhov by using the playwright's melancholic themes and names of characters in his play. The similarities in Chekhov's plays, The Cherry Orchard, Uncle Vanya, and The Seagull are quite apparent. The premise of Durang's play centers around the possibility of siblings Vanya and Sonia losing their family home complete with cherry trees, as their movie star sister, Masha returns with ideas of wanting to sell their beloved home. In dramatic fashion, she comes home to her family with her much younger and handsome boyfriend, Spike and announces that they will be going to a costume party. The family argues, hilarity ensues, and a dramatic cleaning lady, Cassandra who happens to be psychic, is thrown into the mix for good measure. 

Fiona Reid is a veteran actress of the Canadian stage and screen. Her comedic timing is impeccable and she is able to take the pathetic, self-effacing character of Sonia and convince us to root for her. I howled with laughter at Reid's impression of Dame Maggie Smith, which is spot on. In Act two, when Spike (Luke Humphrey) rudely interrupts Vanya's (Steven Sutcliffe) play reading, he becomes enraged and gives an impassioned monologue, yearning for a simpler time when Facebook and Twitter were unheard of. Vanya's outburst was unexpected as it was out of his complacent character for him to react so vehemently. Watching Sutcliffe deliver his monologue was one of the most intense experiences that I have witnessed on stage in recent memory. He was absolutely breathtaking and held my attention, as he bared his soul on stage. While Durang's play is certainly a side-splitting comedy, Vanya's monologue is serious and poignant. 

Jennifer Dale's Masha is over the top dramatic and is an attention-seeking lady that has to have it her way or the highway. As an aging actress, she tries to revive her youth by dating her superficial boy-toy, Spike. Spike's nonchalant arrogance and flagrant disregard for decorum is at once irksome and playful. Humphrey portrays Spike as uncouth and selfish and his upbeat demeanor is in stark contrast to the other characters' woe is me attitude. Much to the titillation of the audience, one of the most memorable moments of the play was when Spike performs a reverse striptease.

Even if some of the allusions to Chekhov's plays evade you, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is a delightful comedy that all of us can relate to. The cast of quirkily named Chekhovian characters are exceptional as an ensemble and will have you bursting into peals of laughter! 

Starring Steven Sutcliffe, Fiona Reid, Jennifer Dale and Luke Humphrey.
Playwright Christopher Durang
Directed by Dean Paul Gibson
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike plays at the Panasonic Theatre until April 5, 2015.
Photos by Jeremie Andrew

Salt-Water Moon - Theatre Review

By: Saema Nasir

Anchored by a love story, David French's award-winning play, Salt-Water Moon is a raw look at Newfoundland’s history post-World War I. The story takes the audience through the trials and tribulations suffered by working class men and women both during and after the war. The heart of the story centers around a rocky reunion between two former lovers, Mary Snow and Jacob Mercer. Delving into the experiences of Newfoundlanders through their lenses, the play explores the former couple's passionate past, tempestuous present and uncertain future. 

Ravi Jain’s adaptation gives us an intimate look into the lives of Jacob and Mary by creating an ethereal, romantic space where their story unfolds. The bare-bones stage is alight with candles strewn all over and the young lovers are illuminated by them. The cast truly shines; from Kawa Ada’s charismatic portrayal of Jacob to Ania Soul’s moving narration and enigmatic singing voice. However, it is Mayko Nguyen who truly stands out with her depiction of a young woman coming into her own. She is both bitter and hopeful, steely and soft, hard-headed, yet a dreamer. Nguyen adds a level of depth to the character with her authentic and emotionally charged performance. 

Soul's narration of French's stage directions is a unique artistic choice that Jain employs. Almost everything she recites is contradicted by the actions of the characters. This element adds to the layers and complexities of the characters. While audiences may grapple with the thread-bare set design, it is the heart of the story that captures our imagination and holds our attention. French has created characters that we can truly care about. We wonder about their struggles, aspirations and potential. 

The rich storyline coupled with outstanding acting makes Salt-Water Moon a moving production that will tug at your heartstrings and remind you of your first love. 

Salt-Water Moon plays at the Factory Theatre (125 Bathurst Street) until March 13, 2016. Tickets can be purchased online at www.factorytheatre.ca.

Photos: Joseph Michael Photography

Saema Nasir is a marketing communications specialist who blogs, writes, paints & explores her beautiful city of Toronto. She has a Masters in Public Relations and also blogs at thecityquill.com. Follow her on Twitter @saemanasir.