Jo Ledingham Theatre Reviews

Theatre Replacement’s East Van Panto: Beauty and the Beast

York Theatre to January 7, 2024
Theatre Replacement’s East Van Panto always features a reworked fairy tale that takes place in and around The Drive but this time, co-written by Christine Quintana and Jivesh Parasram, it’s really specific: all the action happens on the corner of Clark and Venables at Fujiya Japanese Foods, across from Mr. Mattress.

The cast of Theatre Replacement’s East Van Panto: Beauty and the Beast. Credit: Emily Cooper

Hurricane Mona

The Cultch to December 3, 2023
A comedy about the climate crisis? You’ve got to be kidding. But playwright Pippa Mackie isn’t kidding and yet Hurricane Mona is very funny. It’s also more than a little surreal; one of the characters is a human-sized frog.

Alex Gullason as Mona in Hurricane Mona. Credit: Pedro Augusto Meza

Elf: The Musical

The Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage to December 31, 2023
Is this Arts Club production fun? Oh, yes! Is the set design by Brian Ball fantastic? Absolutely. Lights by Itai Erdal? Bright and beautiful. Christine Reimer’s costumes? Amazing. And there are tap-dancing Santas. What more could anyone ask?

Andrew McNee as Buddy in Elf: The Musical. Credit: David Cooper

Dr. Suess’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical

The Centre in Vancouver (777 Homer Street) from November 14-18, 2023
On the highly unlikely chance your kids aren’t already vibrating with excitement as Christmas approaches, Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical might just do it.

The Ensemble of Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical. Credit: Jeremy Daniel

Troika: 3 Short Comedies by Chekhov

Jericho Arts Centre to November 12, 2023
What’s especially interesting in these short one-acts is that they give us a glimpse of Chekhov’s thoughts on marriage and relationships in general: never peaceful, loving or supportive. Always fractious, complicated, burdened by miscommunication.

Assembly Hall

Vancouver Playhouse. No more performances
Assembly Hall, the latest collaboration between Jonathon Young and Crystal Pite once again yields strange but beautiful fruit.

Renée Sigouin in Assembly Hall. Credit: Michael Slobodian

Peace Country

Firehall Arts Centre to October 22, 2023
Fresh. Real. Relevant. Inclusive. That’s Peace Country, written by Pedro Chamale, and the Firehall Arts Centre’s 23/24 season opener. A rice & beans theatre production, presented by the Firehall, this is theatre that really matters. To us.

Angus Yam, Sofia Rodriguez, Manuela Sosa, Kaitlyn Yott and Sara Vickruck in Peace Country. Credit: Pedro Augusto Meza

Someone Like You

Newmont Stage at the BMO Theatre Centre to October 29, 2023
“Sticks and stones may break your bones but words will never hurt you”. Thus did my parents console me when some school yard bully called me names. What hogwash!

Steffanie Davis as Isabelle in Someone Like You. Credit: Moonrider Productions

Fairview

The Cultch Historic Theatre to October 8, 2023
If you’re up for a challenge and your brain can go two ways at once, check Fairview out.

Yasmin D’Oshun as Keisha in Fairview. Credit: Mark Halliday

Caído del Cielo: Fallen from Heaven

SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts
Twelve hours later I am still exhilarated, wrung out and simply awestruck. Flamenco dancer Rocío Molina (Compañía Rocío Molina, Spain) will do that to you.

Rocío Molina. Credit: Simone Fratini

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