The Matchmaker of Montreal

At the Firehall Arts Centre until June 2, 2013
There are times when I don’t like this job. This is one of those times.

Robert Moloney, Lisa Bunting and Kirsten Robek in The Matchmaker of Montreal.
Credit: Tatiana Balashova

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Dissolve

At CBC Studio 700. No more performances
If the future really is going to be friendly, maybe Telus or some other big corporation would like to step up to the plate to take Dissolve on the road to every highschool in the country.

Emmelia Gordon in Dissolve. Credit: Pink Monkey Studios

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Mump & Smoot in Something

At The Cultch until June 2, 2013
Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt. No, really. I do have the Mump & Smoot t-shirt. And I wear it proudly.

John Turner and Michael Kennard in Mump & Smoot in Something. Credit: Gary Mulcahey

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Big Shot

At the Vancity Culture Lab at The Cultch until May 26, 2013
Tour de force is the phrase that comes to mind when considering Jon Lachlan Stewart’s performance in Big Shot. Written and performed by Stewart as part of Upintheair Theatre’s rEvolver Festival and directed by Georgina Beaty, Big Shot is poetry in motion.

Jon Lachlan Stewart in Big Shot. Credit: Tim Nguyen

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Kayak

At The Cultch until May 26, 2013
We’re all in the same boat. And it’s rocking. What to do? What to do?

Susan Hogan in Kayak. Credit: Chena San Martin

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Dreamgirls

At The Stanley until July 7, 2013
Just how glitzy is this show? Wear your sunglasses, folks. There’s so much silver lamé on the Stanley stage you could apply your makeup in the reflection.

Crystal Balint, Karen Holness and Starr Domingue in Dreamgirls. Credit: David Cooper

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Never Shoot a Stampede Queen

At Arts Club Granville Island Stage until May 25, 2013
Mark Leiren-Young is ballsy, I’ll give him that. Not until opening night of Never Shoot a Stampede Queen did I understand his shameless self-promotion – facebooking for weeks, posting audience and critical response every day from Western Canada Theatre in Kamloops where the show premiered: “Standing O” and “Sold out houses”. “Funnier than the book”, he promised.

Zachary Stevenson in Never Shoot a Stampede Queen. Credit: Tav Rayne

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Cucci & Cabana

At Studio 16 until May 11, 2013
Cucci & Cabana is a clown show in the style of Mump & Smoot but, rather than speaking in gobbledygook as Smoot and Mump do, Cabana and Cucci speak French which, I’m ashamed to say, I understand only marginally better than those other two clowns. Thank goodness for surtitles in English.

Emilie Leclerc in Cucci & Cabana. Credit: James Loewen

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Highgate

At The Cultch until May 4, 2013
“Oh, Death, where is thy sting?” It isn’t at The Cultch from April 30-May 4 where brilliant dancer/choreographer Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg and four dancers perform the world premiere of Friedenberg’s new work, Highgate.

Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg in Highgate. Credit: clancy

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