Matilda The Musical - Theatre Review

By: Angela Guardiani

I've never seen a theatrical event with so much anticipation around it as Matilda The Musical. Part of it, of course, is nostalgia. Like Tim Minchin,  Matilda's  composer and lyricist, I can remember reading Roald Dahl's savagely funny book and cheering for its sweet-hearted, big-brained heroine. (Unlike Tim Minchin, I'm not an idiosyncratic genius, but I can appreciate a good bit of weirdness when I find it.) But a bigger part of it, I think, is how much the modern musical has become something so expressive of the way we live and create and consume art. Musicals today aren't necessarily campy or cheesy or over-the-top. They can be full of spectacle, like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, or they can be quiet and deeply personal, like Fun Home. Matilda is smack dab in the middle. It is exuberant and colourful and dazzling and snarky, but it is gentle and honest too. And that makes is something worth seeing.

Matilda is about a precocious six-year-old who loves to read. Ignored and unloved by her obnoxiously loud family and bullied by her horrible headmistress, Matilda stays serenely self-composed because of the bond she's formed with her teacher, Miss Honey, who sees and fosters Matilda's intelligence.

When a dark secret from Miss Honey's abused past threatens her beloved teacher, Matilda finds a strange talent within herself that saves the day. It doesn't sound realistic at all, and it's not meant to be – the story is a fairy tale, all extremes.

Miss Honey is everything good and kind and thoughtful and sweet, and Matilda's parents – the repulsive Wormwoods – are everything loud and trashy and gleefully ignorant. “You chose books and I chose looks!” Mrs. Wormwood announces scornfully to Miss Honey before launching into a breathtakingly athletic musical number (“Loud”).

Mr. Wormwood gets an entire song and a good ten minutes of the intermission break to scoff at children in the audience for their bookwormy tendencies and to (literally) sing the praises of cable and reality TV (“Telly.”) And in my very favourite bit of stage business, the evil headmistress Miss Trunchbull seizes a child by her long pigtails, spins her around, and literally flings her into the ceiling. I don't know how the director managed to launch a child actor up into the Ed Mirvish Theatre's proscenium arch and had her drop like a stone into the waiting arms of an adult – without any ill effects! - and I don't care. It's incredible. 

The plot's not realistic, but that doesn't mean it's not real. Matilda has brains, but she has heart, too. Although she's plucky enough to engage in a bit of mischievous revenge, her family's bullying isolates and hurts her. The scene where she imagines a loving father coming home to rescue his beloved daughter made my chest ache with sympathy (“I'm Here.”) 

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the supporting cast of child actors. Matilda is the star of the show (three girls share the role - Jamie MacLean was playing the role the night I saw it), but this is a show about childhood that's equally for kids and adults. You can't speak to children without including children, and this show gives them a voice. A lot of film/TV/theatrical productions have uncannily adult-like children parroting lines that I can never imagine a real child saying – basically well-trained ventriloquist's dummies. Not here! These children act their age. They are all really, really talented, but they are kids playing kids. It's lovely to see.

I wondered, as I watched the show, if the many young people in the audience were getting as much out of it as I was. Minchin's lyrics are dense with wordplay and metaphor, and there's an awful lot of “You maggot! Keep quiet!” low-level verbal abuse being hurled at kids. So at intermission, I asked a few of them.

“The dad is funny!” one of them said, grinning ear to ear.

“I liked the part where they hid the boy under the coats!” said another. (She's right. It's not as brilliant as the pigtail-enabled tossing, but it's pretty awesome.)

“I want to sing and dance too!” said a third, bouncing up and down with enthusiasm. 

The kids are all right, I thought, heading back into the theatre for Act Two. Matilda's got something for everyone.

Matilda The Musical is playing at the Ed Mirvish Theatre (244 Victoria Street) in Toronto until November 27, 2016. To purchase tickets, visit: mirvish.com.

Photos by Joan Marcus. 

Angela Guardiani is a lady of strong opinions who lives and teaches ESL in Toronto. She is a food lover, grammar nerd, book junkie, and will try anything once. Follow her enthusiastic but sporadic tweets at @minorgoddess.

A Look at LG's Latest Innovative Products

By: Natasha Williams

On a scorching hot summer day, I was more than happy to look ahead to Christmas at the LG Social Club preview of hot new items for the holidays. The second I walked through the door at The Spoke Club, I was blown away (and not just by the refreshing whoosh of air conditioning). From household appliances to razor thin televisions, LG specialists spoke passionately about the latest and greatest from LG. 

The Styler, which retails for $3,199 (and looks like it belongs in James Bonds’ bedroom) is a steam closet that will refresh, de-wrinkle and sanitize your delicate clothes and household textiles, eliminating the need for dry cleaning with one sleek looking unit that requires nothing more than a standard electrical outlet (steam provided by a refillable water tank). This unit will handle everything from your fur/leather trimmed garments to Daisy’s doggie bed.

I’m also deeply in love with the LG Sidekick Pedestal Washer (starting at around $949.99), an add-on mini washer that can be paired with any LG front loading side-by-side, and allows you to do two separate laundry loads at once. The practical applications are endless, such as new moms wanting to do a small load of tiny little onesies using delicate detergent in the Sidekick while doing a bulkier more heavy duty load in the main washer. Don’t want your delicates to snag on the zippers of your jeans? Bring in the Sidekick! Back from the gym and don’t want to let your sweaty gear stew while waiting to accumulate a larger load? Sidekick to the rescue. Better yet, all of the appliances being showcased can be operated by an app on your phone! This excited me to no end when I realized I no longer need to call my mom in a panic to ask how to get red wine out of my favourite blouse; just type the stain into the app, tap your phone to the washer and it sets everything for you!

Now while my comfort zone is situated within the domain of the domestic arts, even the televisions on display got me excited. LG’s OLED (Organic Light Emitting Display) is completely new with advanced and award-winning technology that essentially provides the truest blackest black allowing for greater contrast and clarity. They demonstrated this technology by playing a relatively dark movie (Batman vs. Superman) and you could distinguish the stitching and fibers and even black-on-black patterns that would otherwise be missed with standard LED or LCD displays. The models on display ranged from the moderately priced $3,000 to the extravagant $10,999.99, but even the more affordable models have added features such as anti-glare film (so necessary for binge watching Netflix on a sunny Sunday in your condo with floor to ceiling windows) and a central hub that will allow you download any app (Shomi, Crave, YouTube, Netflix, etc.) and control all your internet enabled appliances from one place.

The event was capped off by an exclusive cocktail party complete with athletic and culinary royalty in attendance including Raptors' General Manager Masai Ujiri, Raptors' #6 Cory Joseph and celebrity chef Chuck Hughes). Though if I’m being completely honest, nothing left me quite as star struck as the LG Styler. Sigh...sorry CoJo.

Product photos courtesy of LG Canada. 

WayHome VIP Preview Party at the Drake Hotel

By: Shelby Morrison

Although the WayHome Music & Arts Festival does not start until July 22, why not get pumped up a little early? With artists like Arcade Fire, Metric, Arkells and many more taking the stage, WayHome is sure to be loads of fun! The Drake Hotel hosted a VIP preview event of the festival to get us excited for what’s to come.

The atmosphere at the Drake was pulsating with DJ sets by Nino Brown and CRSB and a performance by River Tiber. I started off the night with a refreshing strawberry, sherry and Cointreau cocktail and made my way around the different stations. TopShop and TopMan were on site offering one-on-one consultations with personal stylists, while highlighting the top festival trends. After making my way over to the Equinox set-up, I was greeted with some fresh spa water with cucumber and mint. Massages were also being offered to guests, as well as free passes to the gym.

The Drake Hotel’s chef, Ted Corrado showcased some of his specially curated WayHome x The Drake VIP menu. A whole roasted suckling pig was offered at a create-your-own taco station with a variety of toppings such as guacamole, sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, cabbage slaw, and beans. Korean fried chicken lettuce wraps, as well as salmon fried rice was being passed out as well. These dishes were bursting with flavor and were the perfect accompaniment to the evening.

If you wanted to get creative, Paris-born, Toronto-based artist Jimmy Chiale was painting abstract art directly on people’s bodies. A photo wall by The Kit was set up to take selfies and pictures, while also informing guests about the 'Best Dressed' competition that will take place at the festival.

If concert goers weren’t hyped about attending WayHome before, this sneak peek definitely changed that!

Tickets to WayHome are on sale at wayhome.com. 

Shelby Morrison is a Toronto-based food blogger and freelance writer. She has a passion for food and living the most delicious life, while enjoying every step of the way. She eats her way through Toronto, yet loves to travel the world for unique and tasty finds.

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder - Theatre Review

By: Paul Lewkowicz and The Charming Modernist

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder is a Tony award-winning musical that tells the story of Montague “Monty” Navarro. A poor Englishman, Monty discovers that he was disowned by his wealthy royal family, the D’Ysquiths and is ninth in line to become the Earl of Highhurst. The comedy, which is loosely based on a 1907 novel by Roy Horniman, uses slightly dark humour to provide for an entertaining show as we follow Monty on his adventures to gain recognition from the D’Ysquith family and get closer to attaining the position of Earl. 

Monty goes on a tour of the D’Ysquith estate and begins to befriend each successor to the Earl, leading to him to gain the acceptance of the family. However, his sinister motives bring about tragic consequences in a wickedly humorous fashion. Monty is the unlikeliest of murderers and is after all, the protagonist in the story whom we cannot help but root for. Kevin Massey plays the leading role with earnestness and honesty. He brings charm and wit to his calculated, yet spontaneous plan to get closer to the title of Earl by eliminating his family members. 

Monty's mistress, Sibella is a self-interested woman who loves Monty, but marries another man for his wealth. Kristen Beth Williams plays a seductive woman we love to hate with brash confidence. Her over-the-top facial expressions and stinging one-liners make us giddy with laughter. Monty's cousin, Phoebe falls madly in love with him, which is all part of his big plan to become Earl. Adrienne Eller plays the prim and proper Phoebe with grace and elegance. Her soaring soprano voice is enchanting, delicate and matches perfectly with Williams' in many of their scintillating duets. Their stunning voices blend in perfect harmony. 

John Rapson is absolutely brilliant in all of the multiple roles he plays. Rapson switches from one character to the next with ease and does an incredible and hilarious job of portraying various female members of the royal family. He stole the show with his bravado and comedic timing. 

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder is full of hilarious situations, great duets, and dancing and an engaging story throughout. The show concludes with a surprising and ironic ending. There's plenty of scheming and duping one another to get rich quick in this extraordinarily farcical musical comedy that's a rip-roaring good time!

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder is playing at the Princess of Wales Theatre until June 26, 2016. To purchase tickets, visit: mirvish.com.

Photos by Joan Marcus. 

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

Much Ado About Nothing - Theatre Review

By: Angela Guardiani

Much Ado About Nothing sounds like it would be one of Shakespeare's lighter, fluffier pieces, and certainly it's been produced that way. Joss Whedon's 2012 film adaptation was a cheerful, modern screwball comedy, and way back in 1993, Kenneth Branagh directed and starred in a high-energy period piece. Both films are light-filled, set respectively in Los Angeles and Tuscany. This is a play about love, after all, about mistaken identities, about everything coming out fine at the end. It's no wonder the show has such an affinity for the sun. But what's happening in Unit 102 Actors Co. and Leroy Street Theatre's production is a little different. It's Much Ado with a shadow side. It's very funny and a little heartbreaking, completely entertaining but grounded in truth. Staged in the indoor/outdoor space of Majlis Art Garden, this play is a winner. 

First, the story. Hero, the lovely daughter of Leonato, is in love with Claudio, a handsome young soldier in the company of Don Pedro. He loves her, too. The young lovers are soon betrothed. To while away the week before they marry, their mischievous group of friends tries to reunite Beatrice, Hero's sharp-tongued cousin, with Benedick, Don Pedro's equally snarky right-hand man. Don Pedro's villainous half-brother Don John can't stand to see such happiness and arranges to smear Hero's virginal reputation by making it seem that she has been entertaining men in her bedroom (it was actually Hero's maid Margaret, but it's Shakespeare; everyone looks the same in the dark here). As the story unfolds, lovers are united and wrong-doers are punished.   

Much Ado lives or dies on the strength of its main couple. Beatrice and Benedick have lines and lines of quick-witted banter, wisecracks, and wordplay that need to be delivered with deft comic timing, but their characters have to carry emotional weight, too. They're well-served here. Anne van Leeuwen is tart but not bitter, throwing off zingers with a Beyonce-ish Single Lady verve – self-confident, take-no-guff, here for a good time. Scott Walker treats Benedick like everybody's best buddy who's just come off a bad breakup – funny, fast-paced, endlessly entertaining but with a streak of hurt running underneath everything. Both of them hurl witticisms at each other like plates at a Greek wedding, but after the spectacular crash, what really comes through in quieter moments is their wistfulness and yearning. Beatrice and Benedick try to talk themselves into confirmed singlehood, but are so quick to believe the exaggerated stories they're fed of how the other is pining for them. You can't help but see how ready they are to love and be loved again. 

That hint of sadness is carried through in the B-plot of Hero & Claudio's love affair. Unlike the film versions of these characters, director James Graham has made it clear that this couple is much younger than Beatrice and Benedick. Christopher Manousos is full of puppyish charm as Claudio while Clair Bastable's Hero is a fresh-faced girl, dancing with the sheer delight of being alive as the play opens. They love absolutely and completely, as first loves do – no shadows in their courtship. As the play progresses, though, their relationship becomes more complicated. I really appreciate the artistic choices Graham, Manousos, and Bastable made. 

This production is really funny. Chloe Sullivan and Melissa Williams steal the second act as a pair of jumped-up Girl Guides drunk on law and order (they're actually the constable Dogberry and her toady Verges, but trust me on this comparison). The whole cast, including the bit players, work well together and clearly get that fine line where physical humour crosses into high camp. They know how to goof around and they know where to stop. 

A quick word on the venue; Majlis Art Garden is hidden away in an industrial-ish area a bit south of Trinity Bellwoods. I've been visiting the area for years and had no idea that a small outdoor theatre was there. You enter through a garden gate into a petite stage with only three rows of seats. The actors are barely an arm's length away. As the sun sets, the fairy lights come on. It's all the good things of the Dream in High Park – the summer twilight, the thrill of outdoor theatre – but minus the crowds. You might want to bring a cushion – the show's about two hours and the seats have no padding – but in a nice touch, the company handed out blankets to anyone in the audience who felt chilly.

Much Ado About Nothing plays at The Majlis Art Garden until June 26, 2016. Tickets are $25 and are available at the door or at brownpapertickets.com. 

Angela Guardiani is a lady of strong opinions who lives and teaches ESL in Toronto. She is a food lover, grammar nerd, book junkie, and will try anything once. Follow her enthusiastic but sporadic tweets at @minorgoddess.