The Two Gentlemen of Verona

At Bard on the Beach. Held over until September 20, 2017
Finally someone has the wit and the nerve to do something about the unsatisfying conclusion of The Two Gentlemen of Verona, making it palatable for a contemporary audience. That someone is director Scott Bellis.

Nadeem Phillip as Valentine and Charlie Gallant as Proteus in The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Credit: David Blue

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In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play)

At Jericho Arts Centre in repertory with Master Class and A Prayer For Owen Meany until August 17, 2017
I encourage you to see In the Next Room. Tell me I’m wrong and that you were rolling in the aisles. Or tears filled your eyes as the snow, Kroon’s underpants and the curtain fell.

Lindsay Nelson (as Mrs. Givings), Alexis Kellum-Creer (Annie) and Christine Reinfort (Mrs. Daldry) in In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play). Credit: Javier Sotres

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This Is Our Youth

At the Red Gate Revue Stage (Granville Island) until July 23, 2017
The inaugural production of Midtwenties Theatre Society, This Is Our Youth might be “brilliant, darkly humorous and bittersweet” but, for me, it was deeply disturbing.

Zack Currie as Dennis and Quinn Hinch (foreground) as Warren in This Is Our Youth. Credit: Ken Thorne

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The Drowsy Chaperone

At Theatre Under the Stars until August 19, 2017
There’s nothing snoozy or sleepy about this TUTS production of The Drowsy Chaperone: it’s flat-out, full-on fun. Plus it’s wickedly clever.

Shawn Macdonald, Caitriona Murphy, Peter Stainton and Sheryl Anne Wheaton in The Drowsy Chaperone. Credit: Tim Matheson

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City of Angels

At Performance Works until July 17, 2017
City of Angels, the musical, is so meta-theatrically clever it almost gets itself tied in knots but it’s a whole lot of film noir fun.

Donal Thoms-Cappello as Stine and Michael Lomenda as Stone in City of Angels. Credit: Rhonda Dent

 

 

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The Merchant of Venice

At Bard on the Beach until September 16, 2017
I should probably never see The Merchant of Venice ever again: it makes me crazy.

Warren Kimmel as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice. Credit: David Blue

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