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Communion
By Daniel Macivor (Grad 1985)
Review by Robert Cushman
Tarragon Theatre
March 2010
Athena Lamarre’s (Grad 2003) Ann has few problems of credibility and none of consistency; hers is a one – note role but it’s a very entertaining note. Ann has no self – censoring mechanism, and this kind of forthrightness, a pain in real life, feels irresponsibly liberating at a safe distance. As Carolyn, Sarah Dodd (Grad 1996) offers the best of both worlds, vocational restraint underpinned by private passion. She almost justifies her emerging position as the play’s protagonist.
February 4, 2010
Wedding Crashers at Theatre Passe Muraille
by Richard Ouzounian THEATRE CRITIC
Sometimes you have to learn how to live apart before you can learn to live together. That’s just one of the many lessons playwright Julie Tepperman
(Grad 2001) and her husband director Aaron Willis (Grad 2001), have discovered by working on Yichud [Read
more...]
The Toxic Avenger
Review by J. Kelly Nestruck
Dancap Productions
November 2009
A solid Evan Alexander Smith (Grad 2009) plays Melvin Ferd the Third, who those of you with your rhyming dictionaries handy will have no doubt deduced is a nerd.
The Toxic Avenger
Review by Richard Ouzounian
Dancap Productions
November 2009
You’re not going to find a more screamingly funny quintet on a Toronto stage than the five supertalented performers in The Toxic Avenger, which opened on Saturday night at The Music Hall. The original 1984 film by Lloyd Kaufman has acquired cult status with its story of a nerdy boy form Tromaville, New Jersey who winds up being dumped into a vat of industrial waste for trying to expose the city’s evil mayor. He turns into The Toxic Avenger, a superhero who looks like the “before” panel of a Clearasil ad, but wins the heart of a blind librarian and eventually sees that good triumphs. Evan Alexander Smith (Grad 2009), who plays “Toxie” is a young man with leather – lungs, boundless energy and considerable charm.
Toxic Rocks It
Scrawny guy gets to play hulkin’ hero
By Jon Kaplan
October 2009
Tall, thin actor Evan Smith (Grad 2009) never thought he’d play a superhero. But in The Toxic Avenger, he’s nerdy Melvin Ferd the Third, transformed into a 7-foot,
T-shirt-busting righter of ecological wrongs. Too bad the icky sludge also turns Melvin into a slimy green mutant: The Toxic Avenger. I first saw Smith last year at George Brown Theatre. He was a standout in the graduating class, performing four shows that included classical and contemporary plays and musicals. (Read the article on the Now Magazine website)
Sootoday.com
Patricia Fagan knocks 'em dead in Ottawa
By Rick McGee
SooToday.com
October 07, 2009
A talented Sault Ste. Marie native has helped Ottawa’s Great Canadian Theatre Company open its 2009-10 season in fine fashion.
Patricia Fagan (Grad 2000) impressed audiences and reviewers alike with her impressive performances in The Syringa
Tree.
The one-woman play by Pamela Gien ran from September 15 to October 4 at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre in the national capital’s newest
arts district.
Fagan's solo performance required her to play 24 different characters in a story about the relationships between two South African families -
one black and one white.
Ottawa Citizen reviewer Patrick Langston described Fagan's performance as “stunning.”
The production’s director offered more high praise.
“Patricia’s performance in The Syringa Tree was poignant and powerful,” said Lise Ann Johnson, who also
serves as the company’s artistic director.
“At every performance audiences leapt to their feet to give her a much-deserved standing ovation. We credit her talent for leading us to
the Great Canadian Theatre Company’s fourth-highest selling show in our 35-year history.”
Johnson emphasized that the play presents an “enormous challenge” for a performer.
“One woman has to play it all - old and young, male and female, black and white. Patricia mastered every element of the play in an incredibly
short amount of time - the characters, the accents, the physicality, the storytelling.”
Patrons added their enthusiastic compliments without hesitation.
“The vibrant performance of Patricia Fagan was riveting and there was not a moment for the mind to wander," noted one audience member. "Congratulations
to you, Lise Ann, Patricia and all the GCTC team!"
Added another: “Patricia Fagan puts her heart, soul, blood and tears into the performance. She picks up each of the 24 masks and brings
them to life with her own heart beats.”
Fagan is a member of the Soulpepper Theatre Company in Toronto.
She has appeared in over 20 stage productions.
Film and television credits include Flashpoint (CBS/CTV), as well as The Rules and Aruba on
Bravo.
The actress attended Algoma University before going on to study at George Brown College in Toronto.
September 2009:
Krystal Meadows (Grad 2005) has been nominated for a Gemini Award for Best Ensemble
Performance in an Animated Program or Series for voicing the lead character of Abby Archer on YTV's GROSSOLOGY. She
also had a recurring role on Teletoons new adult animated comedy THE DATING GUY.
Bartholomew Fair
Review by Richard Ouzounian
Stratford Festival
*** out of 4
June 2009
Ben Jonson's Bartholomew Fair is just the kind of play the Stratford Festival ought to be producing, which
is why Antoni Cimolino's production of it, which opened last night, ought to be fully embraced, warts and all. Almost every
member of the cast has been encouraged to perform at a level that is dazzling at the still too frequently staid Stratford Festival. Space
prohibits mentioning them all, but attention, as they say, must be paid to Cliff Saunders (Grad 1984) as
a deftly skilled puppeteer.
The Importance of Being Earnest
Review by Richard Ouzounian
Stratford Festival
**** out of 4
June 2009
The best thing accomplished by the totally delightful production of The Importance of Being Earnest, which
opened at the Stratford Festival last night, is to remind us again that Oscar Wilde’s play is one of the wittiest and
best-constructed comedies in the English language. Brian Bedford has trained his cast perfectly and although each one
is acting in an individual style, they all bear the mark of having been trained by a master who has taught them how to think,
speak and act like Wilde’s unique characters. Ben Carlson’s (Grad 1993) Jack
is the perfect uptight British gentleman, with plenty of compromising secrets at his core. Sarah Dodd
(Grad 1995) is a treat as the imperious Miss Prism.
The Dora Mavor Moore Nominations for 2008 – 2009 Season:
Outstanding New Musical Opera:
- Marjorie Chan (Grad. 1996),
librettist for Sanctuary Song
Outstanding Production of a Play:
Festen, featuring grads:
- Alexandra Paxton Beesley (Grad. 2008) and Phillip
Riccio (Grad. 1999)
Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Play:
- Phillip Riccio (Grad 1999), Festen
Outstanding New Play / Musical:
- The Gladstone Variations by Brendan
Gall (Grad. 2000) and Julie Tepperman (Grad. 2001), and others
Outstanding Production:
- The Gladstone Variations Artistic Directors: Julie
Tepperman (Grad 2001) and Aaron Willis (Grad. 2001)
Outstanding Direction:
- Rebecca Benson (Grad. 2000) and Aaron
Willis (Grad. 2001) for The Gladstone Variations.
April 2009
Judas is a deserving Sellout – The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
****out of 4
By Robert Crew
It scooped up five Doras during a five performance run in 2005. And now The Last Days of Judas Iscariot is back for another short stint at the Fermenting Cellar in the Distillery District. Don’t miss it this time around. It’s extraordinary, unforgettable theatre…..Director David Ferry has upped the “star power” with a couple of (Canadian) Broadway stars: Louise Pitre as Iscariot’s mother and Adam Brazier (Grad 1996) as Butch Honeywell and St. Peter. Aviva Armour Ostroff (Grad 1997) is a winning Mother Teresa, while monologues by Pitre and Brazier open and close the show in a moving style. Another newcomer is Janet Porter (Grad 2001), who steps into the role of Cunningham. It’s an impressive performance, with Cunningham’s tightly reined emotions finally crumbling under Satan’s diabolical determined assault.
February 2009
The Pilot Season Diaries: Jamie Spilchuk heads to L.A.
By Brad Frenette
Toronto actor Jamie Spilchuk (Grad 2006) – recognizable from his spots on CBC's Being Erica and the ongoing Rogers WIreless commercials – is in Los Angeles making the rounds for pilot season. He'll be keeping an occasional diary of his eight week Hollywood invasion on the National Post's The Ampersand. (Read the article on the National Post website)
February 2009
Patient’s View of a Hospital Drama – The Patient Hour
Tarragon Theatre
***out of 4
By Richard Ouzounian
Patricia Fagan (Grad 2000) gives the wandering patient a sense of deep pathos and loss that is truly touching.
February 2009
A Hard Story Told Honestly – Binti’s Journey
Theatre Direct
***out of 4
By Richard Ouzounian
Along with her bossy but loving sister, and her ingenuous brother, Kwasi, given real charm by Patrick Amponsah (Grad 2008), Binti is sent to live with relatives who abuse her, and the family splits apart.
January 2009
Blood and sex, a close-up of the heart of darkness– MACBETH
Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
By Richard Ouzounian
Yes, it’s full of sound and fury, but it also signifies a hell of a lot. We’re talking about the larger-than-life production of Macbeth that artistic director Barbara Gaines has staged at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, starring Canadians Ben Carlson (Grad 1993) as Macbeth and Evan Buliung (Grad 1996) as Macduff. Carlson’s maniacal thane is key here. Carlson is magnificent to watch as he embraces evil, clutches it close to his bosom and then starts to question the horror of what he has done ….
Also of note, the sensitive and noble performance of Buliung as Macduff, finding strength in his remorse and purifying passion in his need to revenge against the hated Macbeth. It is Carlson who lifts this production into the sublime.
A VERY POLITE GENOCIDE OR THE GIRL WHO FELL TO EARTH
NNN
Native Earth Theatre
December 2008
By Jon Kaplan
The strength of the show lies in its acting. Josie, the university student who discovers her Metis heritage and a new family, goes through
the biggest journey, and Falen Johnson (Grad 2005) captures her anxious determination and tenderness.
Festen
***1/2
Company Theatre at Canadian Stage
November 2008
By J. Kelly Nestruck
And on the servant side of the household, Gray Powell makes a strong impression as the chef Kin, as does recent George Brown Theatre School grad Alex Paxton-Beesley (Grad 2008) as the sympathetic and sultry Pia.
Festen
Company Theatre at Canadian Stage
November 2008
By Jon Kaplan
One new face for most viewers is Alex Paxton-Beesley (Grad 2008), who plays the maid Pia, involved with Christian on several levels. The recent grad from George Brown Theatre was a standout in last year’s school productions, where her work included the title character in The Madwoman Of Chaillot (directed by Byrne) and the pert maid Foible in The Way Of The World. (Read the article on the Now Magazine website)
Fall 2008
The Miracle Worker
Chemainus Theatre Festival
"Aviva Armour-Ostroff (Grad 1997), a gifted Toronto actor, makes Anne simultaneously bossy, likeable, earnest, funny ... and somehow, absolutely
true"
"During Friday's performance, it was impossible to believe she was not Anne. Armour-Ostroff is the real deal; her performance alone makes
The Miracle Worker well worth the drive from Victoria"
"Armour-Ostroff gives a compelling performance as the avant garde teacher who must not only battle Helen's demons but also the mindset of
the family if she is to succeed. Her brashness alienates the pompous father (Garry Davey) who prefers his women more submissive and her practical
toughness frightens Helen's mother who is deftly portrayed as helpless with fear for her daughter."
"The cast is very competent overall and the quite stunningly good performance by Armour-Ostroff puts it over the top. She wins over the
audience as skillfully as she does her challenging charge”.
"Particularly astounding and tiring is a scene between Helen and her teacher, Annie Sullivan (Aviva Armour-Ostroff). It's a physical and
emotional wrestling match and Annie attempts to break Helen's bad eating habits. The battle of wills is fantastically portrayed in a battle of
strength as Annie forces Helen to eat like a human, instead of a wild child, stealing off others' plates. The battle is heartbreaking, but funny
as each tries to get the last word, so to speak."
Armour-Ostroff brings forward a delightfully spunky Annie. The Miracle Worker brings forward some of her past, which adds an interesting element
to the play. Annie struggles to cope with her past, while being thrust into a very stressful situation."
"But this is the story of teacher Anne Sullivan, played with great é lan by Aviva Armour-Ostroff. Here is a very young woman - "I'm
not a teen-ager!" - a northerner to boot, thrown into her very first job far from home in what to her must have seemed almost an alien culture.
September 2008
The Crackwalker
Theatre Passe Muraille
By Gord McLaughlin
From the first moment, this is riveting theatre: semi – retarded Theresa (Marie Jones – Grad 2007) is detailing her trashy sex life,
like blowing old queers for cash behind a seedy hotel or sleeping with a friend’s boyfriend right on the freakin’ couch. Marie
Jones is immediately impressive with a difficult role. More impressive still is Rick Jon Egan (Grad 2007) as Alan, Theresa’s good – hearted
but troubled admirer. Egan gives a heightened performance that nevertheless remains transparent and unaffected.
September 2008
The Crackwalker
Theatre Passe Muraille
By Jordan Bimm
This November marks 28 years since Judith Thompson burst onto the scene with The Crackwalker at Theatre Passe Muraille. As the chronically
immature Theresa, Marie Jones (Grad 2007) seems natural in rattling off Thompson’s immaculately constructed hoser dialogue. The arrival
of Joe, (Craig Pike – Grad 2007), Sandy’s abusive boyfriend, who like a schoolyard bully on crack, takes the energy to a whole new
level. Pike’s abrasive performance commands attention; Joe’s unfettered rage operates on a hair trigger. Later, it’s
Theresa’s doting fiancé, Alan, who becomes increasingly volatile and violent. Rick Jon Egan (Grad 2007) gives Alan’s
most revealing moment – a monologue where he calmly tries to explain the horrifying symptoms of his mental illness – extra impact,
perfectly capturing Alan’s stutter and meek yet likeable personality while setting up his macabre meltdown.
July 2008
The Secret Garden
Resurgence Theatre
By Sean Pearce
Alison Deon’s (Grad 2005) Martha is sweet, gentle and her Yorkshire accent goes a long way toward selling the part. Every scene she enters shines with her truly genuine and heartfelt performance.
June 2008
The Taming of the Shrew
Stratford Festival
By Richard Ouzounian
The return of Evan Buliung (Grad 1996) to the classics is one of the many things to celebrate about the opening week of the new regime at the
Stratford Shakespeare Festival. His performance of Petruchio in the production of The Taming of the Shrew that opened on Saturday night
manages to combine strength, charm, wit, and textual clarity with a welcoming dose of swaggering machismo that has been conspicuously absent from
the festival in recent years. Buliung is a fine Petruchio, capable of genuine anger as well as sudden compassion. And the sexual tension
he shares with Poole (Kate) is real.
May 2008
Romeo and Juliet
Stratford Festival
By Richard Ouzounian
Evan Buliung (Grad 1996) is such a dashing and charismatic Mercutio that it leaves the play feeling empty after he dies. McAnuff has perhaps
included one too many of the man’s numerous sexual jokes, but Buliung knows how to carry them off with panache.
May 2008
Prince among Hamlets.
Kind of Performance That Comes Once in a Lifetime – HAMLET
STRATFORD FESTIVAL
***1/2 out of 4
By Richard Ouzouonian
Last night’s opening night production of Hamlet was a tantalizing demonstration of how close the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, under
its new management, is coming close to delivering its promises.
I am willing to bet you couldn’t find a better Shakespearean performance in all of North America – maybe in all the English speaking
world – than that of Ben Carlson (Grad 1993). It possesses all the qualities you dream of in a Hamlet: energy, intelligence, virility,
charm and a brilliant way of speaking the text.
We really shift into high gear with Carlson’s first soliloquy which shows this is a man who can actually make thought seem visible and
give intellectual concepts a muscular identity. It’s the kind of thrill you imagine people must have felt when they saw Christopher
Plummer perform the part 51 years ago. As far as I was concerned, the evening built to its climax at the first act curtain, with Carlson’s electric rendition of “How all occasions do inform against me,” with its modern political overtones ringing through stronger than
ever.
All in all, it’s a more than worthy night, and Carlson’s Hamlet is the kind of performance that comes along once in a lifetime. Don’t
miss it!
May 2008
Strong Cast Tempers Horrible Topic – MY FELLOW CREATURES
Theatre Passe Muraille / Buddies in Bad Times / Omen
Theatre
*** out of 4
By Bruce DeMara
The three member cast is a strong one. Kelly, played by Benjamin Clost (Grad 2002), a much younger offender convicted of the same crime,
an angry, haunted presence whose antagonism towards Arthur conceals a certain curiosity. It’s the performances that really matter,
with a climactic showdown between the two inmates, Bryant and Clost, that is memorably gripping and powerful.
May 2008
Ten Reasons to Look Forward to the 2008 Season at the Stratford Festival
By Richard Ouzounian
BEN CARLSON (Grad 1993)
I
saw Ben Carlson play Hamlet at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre 18 months ago and it was one of the greatest performances I've ever
seen. Is
there any reason to doubt he won't scale the same heights in the same role this summer at Stratford?
Apr 24, 2008 04:30 AM
The gall to pull it off
by Richard Ouzounian
THEATRE CRITIC
If you had to ask Brendan Gall (Grad 2000) to pinpoint the beginning of the playwriting career that has led him to the opening of Alias Godot at Tarragon Theatre on Wednesday, he'd probably trace it back to one of the most bizarre performances he ever gave. [Read more...]
February 22, 2008
Playwright honours Nanjing holocaust
by MICHAEL POSNER
From Friday's Globe and Mail
Marjorie Chan's (Grad 1996) play explores the
Japanese atrocities inflicted in the late 1930s on hundreds of thousands
in
the Chinese city [Read
more...]
Feb 21, 2008
Dying to tell a story: Marjorie Chan's journey
by Richard Ouzounian
THEATRE CRITIC
L.P. Hartley once wrote, "The past is a foreign
country; they do things
differently there. "
But for Marjorie Chan (Grad 1996), it's in that very different place that she hopes
to understand the way we live today.
Her first full-length play, 2004's China Doll, was a look inside the
foot-binding culture of Shanghai at the start of the 20th century, and
through it she examined contemporary issues of female empowerment.
Her newest script, A Nanking Winter, has its first preview Saturday
night at the Factory Theatre in a Nightwood Theatre production
and it also works on two closely related levels. [Read
more...]
October 2007
New Role, New City
By Laura Stradiotto
It didn't take long for this Acadian to feel at home in Sudbury. Moving to Sudbury to take the leading role in the upcoming television series "Meteo +" was like returning to the Maritimes for Martin Albert (Grad 1993). Albert was born in Moncton, N.B.. and raised in a francophone family. "I wanted to be an actor, I wanted to be an actor in both languages," said Albert, who studied theatre arts in French at the University of Moncton and then in English at George Brown College in Toronto. Albert spent four seasons at Stratford, staring in plays such as "A Midsummer's Night Dream" and "Richard II." From there, he did commercial and voice work in Toronto and acted at Theatre Francais de Toronto. "Then, there was the audition for Bernard and I got it," he said, "and I've been having a blast, on- and off-set. I love the city, the people and all the (ethnic) communities living together." Filming of the first season of the French-language comedy television show "Meteo +" wraps up at the end of this week.
October 2007
Not another Holocaust Drama – EAST OF BERLIN
Tarragon Theatre
**** out of 4
By Richard Ouzounian
Brendan Gall (Grad 2000) is fascinating as the son of a Nazi who seeks redemption through a Jewish girl. The cast is a winner! Special mention must be made of Gall, whose Rudi is one of the most fascinating, fully realized performances I’ve seen in a long time. Bravo to him for acting him so well.
October 2007
Toronto Actors Light Up Chicago Stage - Passion
The Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
By Richard Ouzounian
The Windy City’s gain is our gain, too. The Chicago Shakespeare Theatre plucked two of Toronto’s finest leading men – Adam Brazier (Grad 1996) and Juan Chiroran – to star in its productions of Passion and Cymbeline and I think you are going to be thrilled to see what they come back to us with … Chicago Shakespeare Theatre has given each of our lads a considerable dramatic stretch and they have risen to the occasionally beautifully. Take Brazier, for example. He’s been great as a cute boy (Mamma Mia!), a naughty boy (Pal Joey) and a crazy boy (The Rocky Horror Picture Show), but most of us have never seen him go deeply into pain and suffering. That’s what happens to him in Passion and he proves he’s more than up for the task. Brazier is superb as a decent young man trying to go where his heart takes him, but not ready for the destruction that ensues. Passion is worth a trip to Chicago to see!
October 2007
Perfect Example of ‘didn’t see it coming’ Humour – The Melville Boys
The Globe Theatre
By Nick Miliokas
If it’s true that, in the theatre, casting is 90% of the battle, the artistic success of this production was guaranteed months ago. Lisa Norton (Grad 1997) gives an outstanding performance.
September 2007
Physicality inspires a deeper connection to a well – known tragedy – APRIL 14, 1912
Theatre Rusticle at the Harbourfront Centre
**** out of 4
By Paula Citron
Theatre Rusticle's April 14, 1912 is a work of sheer brilliance. This year is the 95th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, and artistic director Allyson McMackon has been inspired to rework this magnificent show which first appeared at the San Francisco Fringe Festival in 1998. The beautiful and poignant images that sweep across the stage, created in collaboration with an excellent cast, fire the imagination and stay with us long after the curtain has rung down. The company's signature is the fusion of movement with text to create original theatre pieces of poetic realism. The words ring with truth, but the movement takes them to an altered space that bypasses the brain to touch the heart and the soul. The actors' very bodies are conduits to a deeper understanding of the mere meaning of the words.
Director Allyson McMackon's point of departure is the ship's two radio operators, Second Marconi Officer Harold Bride, Patrick Conner (Grad 1991) who survived the catastrophe, and the senior Jack Phillips (actor/dancer Matthew Romantini) who did not. The third character is the ship herself (dancer Lucy Rupert). The cast is superb. Conner's remarkable performance as the traumatized Bride anchors the show, always trying to bring things back to reality.
April 14, 1912 is everything theatre should be. It takes us on a compelling journey that is as emotional as it is thought-provoking.
August 2007
DICKENS OF THE MOUNTED
Saskatoon Fringe Festival
**** out of 4
By Joanne Paulson
It’s a great day when you learn something, and how many of us knew that Charles Dickens’ son was a Mountie? What a fantastic idea for a Fringe play, to bring this strange, sad and funny character to life. Kristian Bruun (Grad 2004), a terrific Toronto actor, makes Frank a very sympathetic character – and believable, too. He nails the English accent, tears around the stage changing costumes and riding horses (two trunks piled high), confronting First Nations leaders and nearly dying in a scow made of planks. The use of the properties is great and very creative …. It’s very good, very educational and Bruun is wonderfully engaging.
September 2007
Chekhov’s Sisters pushed to the limits - THE THREE SISTERS
Soulpepper Theatre Company
*** out of 4
By Richard Ouzounian
Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters is one of a handful of great plays against which any ambitious theatre company is probably duty – bound to test itself. Soulpepper’s turn came last night at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, with the company’s favourite foreign director, Hungarian Laszlo Marton, in charge of proceedings …. Patricia Fagan (Grad 2000), as Irina, is contemporary and naturalistic and it’s not hard to enjoy Sarah Wilson’s (Grad 2002) studiously nasty Natasha.
2007 Dora Mavor Moore Awards
George Brown Theatre School Graduates Claim Top Acting Awards for the 2006–2007 season
- Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Leading Role in a Musical: Adam Brazier in The Rocky Horror Picture Show
- Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Leading Role in a Play: Sarah Dodd in Marion Bridge by G. B. grad Daniel Macivor
May 2007
Third Time's Best for Better Living - BETTER LIVING
Factory Theatre
(***1/2) out of 4
By Richard Ouzounian
Ron White even modulates his well - honed menace to fine effect as
the ominous Tom, allowing Irene Poole's Elizabeth and
Lisa Norton's (Grad 1997) Gail to provide the jet propulsion
the script needs.
April
2007
Making Sweet Music - WHALE MUSIC
Tarragon Theatre
(***1/2) out of 4
By Richard Ouzounian
What a beautiful sound six women opening their hearts can make! Anthony
Minghella's Whale Music, which opened this past weekend,
may have some problems, but I have no trouble at all
highly recommending it to you
as a showcase for some fine acting indeed. Caroline,
played with a wonderful consistent honesty by Mika Collins (Grad
2003) has returned to her home
on the Isle of Wight to give birth to a child... The
six totally diverse characters keep us riveted as they
demonstrate the complex
variety of
ways that women can care for each other. Men are omnipresent
in the background, but are best noted by their absences:
the fathers, lovers,
and friends who all somehow failed to care enough to
show up for any aspect of Caroline's childbirth.
George Dandin at Theatre de Francais de Toronto - April 2007
Molière's George Dandin may be the darkest farce you'll ever
see. The title character, a rich peasant who weds the daughter of impoverished
aristocrats, knows from the start of the play that he's made a mistake,
for he's still treated like a low-born country boy by his in-laws and
cuckolded by his wife, Angélique.
It's the stuff of humour, true, but in the hands of director Guillaume
Bernardi and actor Martin Albert (Grad 1993) this production by Théâtre
français de Toronto provides a strong element of sympathy for
Dandin, even a touch of tragedy. Albert's Dandin is a figure we really
care about, even if his fixation has its roots in classic comedy.
April 2007
WE WILL ROCK YOU
at the Canon Theatre
Among the others, I was impressed by Evan Buliung's (Grad 1997) blond-coiffed
comic-book villain in dark glasses.
There are two outstanding performances form the two real actors in
the cast: Evan Buliung (Grad 1997) and Jack Langedijk.
...says the evil henchmen Khashoggi, played to Aryan
perfection by Evan Buliung (Grad 1997)
March 2007
The Rocky Horror Show
Canadian Stage Company
*** (out of 4)
By Richard Ouzounian
...Then we have Adam Brazier (Grad 1996), who has
the sheer psychosexual chutzpah to reinterpret the role
of Dr. Frank 'N' Furter
for the 21st century. No Tim Curry imitation here; he
shaves his head, swivels his
hips, bulges his eyes, and gives us a fresh and arresting
character who is more alienated alien than transcendental
transvestite.
March
2007 Cross Dressing Antique Collector from Berlin Wins Them
Over - I Am My Own Wife at the Saidye Bronfman Centre
By Matt Radz
What's an old German transvestite like Charlotte
von Mahlsdorf doing in a nice place like the Leanor
and Alvin
Segal Theatre at the Saidye Bronfman Centre?
Taking about
two hours to demonstrate why the von Mahlsdorf story,
a spanking theatrical edge in black lace, is not
only worthy of the intriguing title, I Am My Own
Wife,
but also deserves its top four prizes in American Theatre
- the Critic's Circle award, the Drama Desk nod, the
Tony, and the might Pulitzer.
Such honours alone ought
to be worth the price of admission. But there is much
more. Written in 2004 by Doug Wright,
I Am My Own Wife is a fact based monodrama and it's
performed by Toronto actor Brett Christopher
(Grad 2001) in the
Segal production, directed by St. Bruno native Chris
Abraham. According to the programme, Christopher acts
out "more than three dozen characters." The Segal apparently
knows its audience, which tittered at all the naughty
bits and gave Brett Christopher a mighty standing ovation
at the end.
March 2007
This Old House Holds Up Well - House
Buddies in Bad Times
Theatre
**** (out of 4)
By Richard Ouzounian
To borrow a phrase from Stephen Sondheim, I'm sorry
- grateful.
Last night, House opened at Buddies in Bad
Times Theatre. It's the final production in the glorious
20-year history
of da da kamera, the partnership between Daniel
MacIvor (Grad 1985) and Sherrie Johnson that
has been responsible for so many fine works of theatre
that to merely enumerate
them would take up the rest of the space available to
me. (Read
the article about Daniel MacIvor...)
February 21, 2007
The Sheep and the Whale
Theatre Passe Muraille
Andy Velasquez (Grad 1993) brings real humanity to the role of Hassan.
February 8, 2007
The Threepenny Opera
Soulpepper Theatre Company
Other standouts in the cast are Sarah Wilson
(Grad 2003) whose chilling, troubled Jenny gets the
Pirate Jenny song usually sung by Polly.
February 6, 2007
Danny, King of Youth Theatre
Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People
**** (out of 4)
Can a great show get even greater? It can, if it's Danny, King
of the Basement, which opened on Monday at the Lorraine Kimsa
Theatre for Young People. What's different is the cast,
or at least three of four members.
With no offence to the original excellent company, these
actors are so skilled they could read a provincial
policy paper and make it sound
intriguing. Give them a script as good as this and they
soar. Jordan Pettle plays Danny, the self styled "king
of the basement", who has
had to move eight times in two years thanks to the economic
misfortunes of this single mom, Louise, played with
just the right amount of heartbreak
by Jacklyn Francis (Grad 1992). Completing the quartet
is Cliff Saunders (Grad 1984), hilarious and touching
as the klutzy buddy Angelo, whose
inability to score a hockey goal turns his dad into a
raging dinosaur. Danny, King of the Basement is a great
show for kids to see; it's a
great show for adults to see. Best of all, it's a great
show for adults and kids to see together.
January 2007
Theatre Aquarius' production of Amadeus
Benjamin Clost's (Grad 2002) Mozart is most successful adhering to the scatological aspects of a man who brays out dirty words with a whiff of childish innocence.
Head Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
December 2006
Unspun Theatre/Young Centre for the Performing Arts
The collectively written piece, directed by co-creator Brendan Gall (Grad 2000), is full of physical as well as textual life. Gall blends the sometimes overlapping scenes with skill, especially the transitional moments, and the energetic cast, add a nicely gritty realism to their four figures.
Much of the production works, thanks to the strong visuals and spirited performances, including Trish Lahde (Grad 1999).
October 19, 2006
Staging Steinbeck
Nice actor Benjamin Clost plays nasty Curly in
Of Mice And Men
Classics of fiction rarely make it to the stage crafted
by the original writer. John Steinbeck didn't let that
happen with Of Mice And Men; he wrote the script for
the 1937 Broadway production. The emotional, ultimately
tragic tale of friends Lennie and George, a pair of drifters
during the Depression, has become an American classic.
"And it's a classic for a reason," enthuses
Benjamin Clost, who plays the explosive Curley in the
CanStage season opener. "It's told with incredible
simplicity and unfolds with the feel of Greek tragedy. [Read
the article...]
October 2006
Dynamite Debut -Tiny Dynamite
Tarragon Theatre Extra
Space
NNNN (out of 5)
By Jon Kaplan
Tiny Dynamite is an explosively good show. Strong performances,
direction and design contribute to Theatre Smash's outstanding
debut production. Abi Morgan's script follows two childhood
friends who spend their summers together. This summer
they meet Madeleine (Perrie Olthuis - Grad 2006), a woman
who reminds them of a haunting figure from their past.
You won't get a better cast. Olthuis has the most difficult
role as the open-hearted Madeleine, drawn to both men
but realizing that being with them makes her happy and
lonely. You never doubt the sexual tension in her relationship
with the men, a tension that hums like the sizzling power
lines that are part of the set.
October 18, 2006
Shakespeare in 2 Houses, Bloody and Plain
By Charles Isherwood
A Canadian actor with 20 productions at Canada's Shaw Festival behind
him, Mr. Carlson, as Hamlet, is superbly trained and
so at ease with Shakespeare's language.
A 'Hamlet' that's full of power,
focus
September 2006
By Chris Jones
Ben Carlson's (Grad 1993) "Hamlet" lives to share his neuroses
with an audience. But whereas your typical Hamlet lollygags like an
overgrown schoolboy delaying the start of class, Carlson's first entry
is a powerful diagonal cross straight toward the paying customers of
the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
His noir-clad visage set in a scowl and his lips set to chatter, he
and his trench coat move so fast toward his first exciting soliloquy,
he almost skates on the slick, mirrored stage-surface inhabited by Claudius,
Gertrude, Ophelia and the rest of the sleazeballs put on earth mostly
to get in his way.
By the time this Hamlet starts yakking about how "weary, stale,
flat and unprofitable" he finds the world, we're already nodding
in empathic agreement. Nobody appreciates us either. And we don't even
get to see a ghost.
But, boy, does this show know what to do with Hamlet. Rarely has one
looked forward to Shakespearean soliloquies with the intensity with
which one anticipates them here. Carlson - an actor new to Chicago
Shakes but with a basketload of credits from Canada's Shaw Festival
Theatre - delivers a distinguished performance that's reason alone
to see this production. Soliloquies are dispatched with thrilling pace
but are easily grasped. And if one of the keys to Hamlet is the delivery
of the sardonic bon mot, Carlson has those withering asides down colder
than poor Yorick's corpse.
September 25, 2006
Courageous Takes On Shakespeare
By Richard Ouzounian
Ben Carlson at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
It's easy to envy the theatregoers of this city. They now have
two major productions of Shakespearian tragedies (Hamlet and King
Lear)
on their stages. They couldn't be more different and, while each
has flaws, they're pitched at a level of bravura that's
absolutely breathtaking. And one of them stars an actor
we know very well. Ben Carlson (grad 1993) a
mainstay of the Shaw Festival for many years, plays Hamlet in the version
now on view at the Chicago Shakespeare
Theatre as part of its 20th anniversary season.
In a word, he's brilliant.
Over the years, I've seen a lot of first-rate Canadian Hamlets
(Albert Schultz, Paul Gross, Colm Feore, Brent Carver), as well as a
pretty full role call of international greats (Richard Burton, Nicol
Williamson, Derek Jacobi, Ralph Fiennes, etc) Carlson belongs right
up there at the top of the list. His secret weapon is very simple: he
plays the part that Shakespeare wrote. Director Terry Hands has presented
a virtually uncut Hamlet (although it whizzes by in 2 ¾ hours)
that concentrates on the text above all else. And for an actor who combines
incisive intelligence with verbal dexterity, as Carlson does, this means
all the many levels of the role can be explored. Carlson gives us every
side of Hamlet: the courtier (devilishly charming), the scholar (profoundly
philosophical), the soldier (physically adept) and the lover (heartbreaking
romantic).
Carlson's Hamlet desperately wants to be part
of the world, but can't figure out how to find his way in. He
tries to be a son, a friend, a sweetheart, a hero, but
somehow he keeps missing. Only at the end, when he realizes
that "the readiness is all", does a sense of serenity come over
him, which makes
his end truly tragic.
The Comedy of Errors
August 2006
Shakespeare by the Bay
The curly-haired, crowd-pleasing Dromios, Kyle Horton (Grad 2000) and Michael Rubenfeld, are nimble-footed enough to wring chuckles from the work's pratfalls.
Napoleon vs. the Turk
July 2006
Toronto Fringe Festival
Taking its cue from a historical event, Napoleon vs. The Turk is about a machine that faked its way through chess matches with human aid: think Deep Blue but with gears and pulleys. The actors are exceptional, especially Kristian Bruun (Grad 2003) as the showman Maelzel.
July 2006
Auto Show - Toronto Fringe Festival
Review: NNNNN (Highly Recommended)
Featuring the talents of: Brett Christopher (Grad 2001);
Keith Barker (Grad 2000); Rebecca Benson (Grad 2000);
Dana Fradkin (Grad 2001); Reni Kratka (Grad 1996); Brendan
Gall (Grad 2000); Julie Tepperman (Grad 2001); and Aaron
Willis (Grad 2001)
In the framework of a car-dealership pitch, the audience
takes a walkabout tour and watches seven short plays
by different authors, all focused (literally) on cars
and their passengers. There's a surprise around every
turn in this unique theatrical experience, splendidly
staged, filled with laughs and a few thoughtful, upsetting
moments. (Jon Kaplan)
July 6, 2006
Desperate Housepets
"Animal Tales a Fringe Triumph"
Highly Recommended
If you want an example of the kind of thing that the Fringe
does really well, then take yourself down to the Robert
Gill Theatre to meet the exceptionally funny critters
lurking in Robert
Watson's
(Grad 2003) inspired piece of insanity called "Desperate
Housepets" This
smart and sassy comedy is actually three playlets in
one, each treating a different facet of human behavior... Watson knows
how to work the concept for maximum hilarity. In the
first section, a flighty rabbit, played in superb camp
style by Watson,
tries to rekindle his
relationship with a body-building hamster.
June 9, 2006
The Importance of Being Earnest
Soulpepper Theatre Company
Patricia Fagan (Grad 2000) has never been funnier or more attractive
than she is here as the self-willed Gwendolyn, bending
the world to behave just as she wants it to. Barnes has set the show
in the 1920s,
and while David Boechler's Jazz Age costumes aren't as
equally successful with everyone, they certainly do wonders for Fagan,
who slinks around
the stage like the flapper of your dreams.
March 1, 2006
Past Perfect - Tarragon Theatre
Jeffrey R. Smith (Grad 1994) flamboyant but poignant as the gay
brother, and Brendan Gall (Grad 2000) makes Alex the
most empathetic person in the play.
February 1, 2006
The Gambler
Only the charming Brett Christopher (Grad 2001), of
all the protean spirits, succeeds in giving nice sketches of an arrogant
count, a devoted Englishman and a satanic croupier.
January 4, 2006
"HAIR" CAST FINALLY GELS
The Age of Aquarius is finally getting ready to dawn. Canadian Stage
officially announces the casting for its final production of the year.
Cast includes: Ryan Field (Grad 2003).
January 1, 2006
"10 ACTORS TO WATCH THIS YEAR!"
Evan Builing (Grad 1996), playing Aragorn in the much anticipated stage
version of The Lord of the Rings, is touted as a young
actor to watch this season. "It's a sure bet that this production - The
Lord of the Rings - will be the impetus this promising talent
needs to secure a place on the road to stardom. "
Evan received his training at George Brown Theatre School, then went
into the initial class of the Stratford Conservatory and spent five
seasons with the Festival, culminating in his 2002 performance as Edgar
opposite Christopher Plummer in King Lear. The last three years have
found Builing at the Shaw Festival, dividing his time between upper-class
twits and brooding intellectuals, but he showed the Rings' creative
team that he had the right stuff to tackle heroic Aragorn.
November 21, 2005
Adam Brazier (Grad 1996) woke up Friday morning to the classic good
news / bad news scenario. The bad news first: New York critics were
sharply divided about the merits of The Woman in White, Andrew Lloyd
Webber's latest musical, which had opened the night before with
Brazier playing the romantic lead. But then came the more cheerful stuff:
the critics were universally enthusiastic about the 30-year old guy
from Unionville who was playing the heroic lead, Walter.
"Extremely appealing", said the New York Daily News
"Amiable high tenor ardor",
pronounced Newsday
"Strongly sung",
said the Associated Press
"A vigorous, youthful romantic lead",
said Variety.
If
that wasn't enough to turn a young man's head, no less
than five reviewers, including the New York Times' decided to
single him out as "handsome". Critics praised Brazier for his sense of Victorian style, which he
eagerly attributes to his training at George Brown Theatre
School, where "we
studied period movement, posture, behaviour, etiquette.
It gave me all the tools I needed. "
Ottawa, October 17, 2005
The Canada Council for the Arts announced today the names of the finalists
for the 2005 Governor General's Literary Awards, in
English and in French, in the categories of fiction,
nonfiction, poetry, drama,
children's literature (text and illustration) and translation.
English-language finalists
Drama:
- Marjorie Chan*, Toronto, for China Doll (Scirocco Drama, an imprint
of J. Gordon Shillingford Publishing)
- Don Druick, Elmira
(ON), for Through the Eyes (DC Books)
- Daniel MacIvor**,
Toronto, for Cul-de-sac (Talonbooks)
- John Mighton,
Toronto, for Half Life (Playwrights Canada Press)
- Richard Sanger, Toronto, for Two Words for Snow (Red Deer Press)
* Marjorie Chan graduated in 1996
** Daniel
MacIvor graduated
in 1985
August 7, 2005
Adam Brazier Cast as Romantic Lead in Broadway's new Lloyd Webber musical:
The Woman in White.
Adam Brazier (grad 1996) is well known to Toronto audience's for having
created the role of the bridegroom Sky in Mamma Mia! as well as having
played numerous roles at Stratford, Shaw and the annual Ross Petty pantomimes.
On June 15, the 30 year old Unionville native flew down to New Your
to audition for the romantic lead of Walter in the American premiere
of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Woman in White. He must have impressed
the powers that be mightily, because 10 days later, he found himself
in London, working on another project, The Likes of Us, with the cream
of British musical theatre .... Based on Brazier's performance in The
Likes of Us, he has just been cast as Walter, in Lloyd Webber's The
Woman in White, scheduled to open on Broadway on November 17, 2005.
July 23, 2005
And the Gollum goes to ... Exclusive Casting News for Lord
of the Rings Stage Production. Ring Leaders revealed:
Even
though an official announcement of who's appearing
in what roles is not expected until a news conference
at the Canon Theatre on
Monday morning, reliable sources within the theatre
community have revealed some of the major casting
choices. The courageous hero
Aragorn will be played by Evan Buliung (Grad 1996),
who is currently at the Shaw Festival in Journey's End and Major
Barbara. Before coming to Shaw, he spent several seasons at
Stratford, where his most memorable role was as Edgar
opposite Christopher Plummer's King Lear. Also in the cast
are Joel Benson (Grad 1997), Brent Buchanan
(Grad 2003) and Cliff Saunders (Grad 1986).
July 4, 2005
Zesty Time of a Summer Night
Much Ado About Nothing - Canadian Stage Company
It's much ado about Jackie and Juan ... Jacklyn
Francis (grad 1993) and Juan Chioran are both completely delightful
as Beatrice and Benedict in the streamlined production
of Much Ado About Nothing that James MacDonald has directed
as this summer's CanStage Dream in High Park .... This
talented but underrated actress (Francis) has never really
had the chance to shine that she deserves until now and
she makes the most of it. She embraces the 1930's style
with gusto, giving us the wit of Kate Hepburn, the feistiness
of Barbara Stanwyck and the sensuality of Carole Lombard
.... Brett Christopher (grad 2001) is a memorably complex
Claudio. [Read
the entire review...]
June 29, 2005
 Adam Delves Into Webber World
From buffed boy - toy to Victorian social reformer in one short
year. It was only twelve months ago that Unionville - born Adam
Brazier was playing the naughty title role in the Shaw
Festival's
hit, Pal Joey. And on Monday he started rehearsals in
London for The Likes of Us by Andrew Lloyd Webber and
Tim Rice....
Brazier graduated from George Brown Theatre School and
went right to the Stratford Festival
... [Read the article about
Adam Brazier...]
The Montreal Gazette
May 15, 2005
Long Day's
Journey Into Night - Centaur Theatre
Brendan Murray (grad 2000) brings the touch of the poet
to his portrayal of the younger Edmund, the playwright's consumptive
alter ego.
June 26, 2005
Major Barbara - Shaw Festival
Evan Buliung (grad 1997) makes something memorable out
of the silly ass Lomax, taking him into John Cleese country
with divinely surreal results. Ben Carlson (grad 1993)
is wonderful here and throughout
the show.
June 26, 2005
Much Ado About Nothing - Canadian Stage Company
Husband and wife, Juan Chiroan and Jacklyn
Francis (grad
1992) have appeared in plays together before. It's just that they
haven't spoken to each other yet. (Read
the article about Jacklyn Francis and Juan Chiroan )
 George
Brown Theatre School Graduate BEN CARLSON in the news again!
Ben Carlson
delivered the best theatre
performance of all in 2004!
Evan Buliung and Ben Carlson tackled
the mammoth Man and Superman at
the Shaw Festival. About Ben's performance, the Toronto
Star's Richard Ouzounian wrote: "displays virtuosity
and magnetism that should secure him a place at the very top rank of
classical
actors".
Evan had the added chore of starring as Jack in the Festival's
production of The Importance of Being Earnest.
Photo by David Cooper.
May 19, 2005 A Hedda its time
HEDDA GABLER by Henrik Ibsen, adapted by Judith Thompson, directed
by Ross Manson, with Yanna McIntosh, Alon Nashman, Tom
McCamus and Ann Baggley (Grad 1989). Presented by Volcano
in association with Buddies in Bad Times
(12 Alexander).
[Read the article...]
January 18, 2005
Locker-room humour that works...
In Coaching Matters the stats guy, played perfectly low-key by Brian
Bisson (Grad 2003), does come up with something that could affect
the outcome of a game, and one wonders if Leonard did something like that in
the real-life match between the Canucks and the Rangers. [Read
the article...]
January 17, 2005
A Whistle in the Dark
Sarah Dodd (Grad 1995) plays Betty with a combination
of toughness and vulnerability that she brings off admirably ....
The youngest brother, Des, could have been played as a cliched juvenile,
but Philip Riccio (Grad 1999) takes a bolder tack, making him tense
and spiky, with a hint of psychosis.
January 15, 2005
New twist in Kink's story
Anthony wrote Da Kink after working for several years
in stand-up comedy. It began life as a one-woman show,
a series of monologues written partly
to showcase herself, partly as an emotional outlet.
[Read the
whole article...]
January 13, 2005
Sarah Dodd takes on Irish Classic
During her six seasons at the Straford Festival, Sarah Dodd (grad
1995) worked her way up
to some substantial roles - Sibyl in Noel Coward's Private Lives, Varya in
The Cherry Orchard and Electra in the Greek trilogy presented in 2003 [Read
the whole article about Sarah Dodd...]
January 6, 2005
Andy Massingham finds his inner clown:
Rough House is the vaudevillian's term for slapstick and pratfalls, a kind
of theatrical practice Andy Massingham (grad 1986) has always
studied, and sometimes even engaged
in. Massingham learned his movement skills from Richard Pochinko, the genius
who brought modern clown technique to Toronto. Before that, Massingham trained
at George Brown College. [Read
the whole article about Andy Massingham...]
December 27, 2004
Ben Carlson's Man And Superman among Top 10 Shows of 2004:
Ben Carlson (grad 1993) gave the single best acting display
of the year in the Shaw Festival's full
six-hour marathon production of Man And Superman,
which showed how exciting theatre can be. [Read
the article...]
December 13, 2004
"Aladdin" at the Elgin Theatre:
In this version, Aladdin is played with an endearingly
offbeat appeal by Adam Brazier (grad 1996). It would
have been easy for Brazier to coast through on his good looks and superb
signing voice,
but he tossed them aside to give us wonderful broad comedy.
In this summer's Pal Joey at the Shaw Festival, there were moments when
he seemed
to be summoning up the spirit of Jerry Lewis. The possession
is complete here, and Brazier has the pratfalls and mugging down perfectly.
November 2004
"BEST OF TORONTO"
BEST EMERGING CLASSICAL ACTOR: BENJAMIN CLOST
We first saw Benjamin Clost (Grad 2002) in his last year
at George Brown, where his skilled handling of Shakespearean text made
some difficult speeches in Love's Labour's Lost as comprehensible
as everyday dialogue. He's since impressed in Restoration and
modern scripts, too, and gone on to play Puck in A Midsummer Night's
Dream, Touchstone in As You Like It and Mercutio in an adaptation of
Romeo and Juliet. His strength? Presenting the text with clarity and
backing it up by physically juicing the words and ideas.
October 18, 2004:
Haunted Masters
An accomplished cast and skilled staging from Patrick
Conner (Grad 1991) combine to create a miniature gem
of an evening. Soo Garay (Grad 1987) is splendid going
from repression of James to the sensuality of Lawrence,
and Jacklyn Francis (Grad 1992) cleverly differentiates
her assortment of victimized heroines.
October 9, 2004:
Daniel MacIvor (grad 1985):
It's the perfect mood to get the 42-year-old theatre artist to discuss his
one-man show Cul-de-sac, which starts performances at Buddies in Bad Times
next Wednesday. His latest feature film, Wilby Wonderful, also opened across
Canada yesterday, making the month of October a Mini-MacIvor Festival. [Read
the whole article about Daniel MacIvor...]
September 1, 2004:
"Pal Joey" at the Shaw Festival:
The production of "Pal Joey" has sass and bite to spare. Adam
Brazier (grad 1996) defined charm in the title role.
"Man and Superman" at the Shaw Festival:
Ben Carlson (grad 1993) turned the
wordy but wise central character John Tanner into one
of the major personal triumphs any Canadian actor has
enjoyed in recent
years, and every bit of it was fully deserved. [Read
the whole story about Ben Carlson...]
Thursday, August 26, 2004
AS YOU LIKE IT (Theatre By The Bay):
The show wouldn't work without an engaging pair of actors playing Rosalind
and Orlando, and Jacklyn Francis (Grad 1992) and Brett Christopher (Grad
2001) have chemistry from the start. Christopher captures
the boyish young lover with total believability, while Francis touches
on the rich
and varied notes that make up Rosalind, for most of the
play disguised as a man and instructing Orlando about love's true meaning.
Their
scenes in the second act are some of the show's best,
as Francis - mining
the work's truths as well as its laughs - swiftly shifts between
the infatuated Rosalind and her brusquer male disguise
as she teases, teaches and woos Orlando. There are several other fine performances, among them those by Benjamin
Clost (Grad 2002) as a vaudevillian Chaplinesque Touchstone.
TIMON OF ATHENS (Stratford Festival)
Among Timon's fair-weather friends, Robert Persichini and Ron
Kennell (Grad 1992) stand out.
FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE / WHEN THE RAINBOW IS
ENUF (Theatre Passe Muraille)
.... while Pasha Mckenley (Grad 1996) is heartbreaking as she recounts
how a trio of friends breaks up fighting over the same man.
George Brown Theatre School Graduate BEN CARLSON
in the news.
In his July 5th, 2004 Toronto Star review of Man and Superman Richard
Ouzounian wrote:
"Forget about Clark Kent. The
real Superman is Ben Carlson (grad
1993).
In the six-hour marathon called Man And Superman
that had its opening performance at the Shaw
Festival on Saturday afternoon, Carlson displayed
the kind of virtuosity and magnetism that should
secure him a place at the very top rank of classical
actors on the North American stage. "
[Read
the article... ] |
 |
| Ben Carlson takes off
into the stratosphere as Don Juan, in the 90-minute "Don
Juan In Hell" philosophical debate in George
Bernard Shaw's 1905 play Man And Superman.
Carlson delivers the character's soaring tirades
with such bravura that the audience actually broke
into cheers after one of them. |
VARIETY / TORONTO STAR
August 2004
TRANSLATIONS (Soulpepper Theatre Company)
Patricia Fagan (Grad 2000) strikes a perfect note of
repressed sensuality and burning emotion as the young
Maire.
July 23, 2004
Much Ado About Nothing at Resurgence Theatre
I can't honestly remember the last time I laughed so
heartily at a Shakespeare comedy as I did in this Much Ado. Stephen
Guy-McGrath, for example, plays it to the rafters with his malapropism-prone
Dogberry and his delight in the role is infectious without being offensive
or grotesque, and Brendan Gall (Grad 1999) is a treat as his sidekick
Verges.
After the Fall
March 2004
Equity Showcase Theatre
Standouts include Lara Berry (Grad 2001) as the flirtatious wife and Kyle Horton (Grad 2000) as a lawyer who betrays his friends to the feds investigating the Communist menace.
MONTREAL MIRROR
March 2004
WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF (Saidye Bronfman Centre)
These two characters, Nick and Honey, are far more dated than George and Martha,
and yet these young actors make them real for us. Patricia Fagan (Grad
2000) in particular, though not afraid to play for laughs, ultimately makes Honey
plausibly neurotic and even sympathetic.
CENTRESTAGE, CHICAGO
November 2003
THE LION KING (Disney Productions / Cadillac Theatre,
Chicago)
Timon, beautifully played by Benjamin Clost (Grad 2002),
a puppet built into a costume, which is so lifelike that
you actually forget there's someone behind it.
Summer 2003
PERICLES (Stratford Festival)
There's lots of strength throughout the
company, including Sarah McVie's (Grad 2000) Bawd.
June 2003
MOTHERS (Toronto Fringe / Factory Theatre)
From an acting point of view, there's quality work all
around here, but Athena Lamarre (Grad 2003) is particularly impressive.
November 2002
 BIG BENJAMIN (by JON KAPLAN)
Benjamin Clost is one of those actors you can't stop watching. It's
not just the energy he generates onstage -- though he has loads of that,
as his performance as the romantically suicidal Joey in Road amply demonstrated
-- but also his facility with language. Last year, in his graduating
year at George Brown, he juggled meaning and emotion in Shakespeare,
Restoration comedy and 20th-century works.
Clost followed all that up over the summer with a splendid Puck in
Daryl Cloran's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Now, the Ottawa-raised
performer (he used to be part of a clown duo called Pork and Beans)
gets down and dirty as Toilane, obsessed with a neurotic woman in Judith
Thompson's gritty, disturbing I Am Yours.
"This is the first script since Shakespeare where I feel I can
just give myself over to the words," says Clost. "Each character
has a huge stake in every scene, which makes for an exhausting roller-coaster
experience."
Given Clost's skills, he's sure to give audiences a great ride.
King Lear
Stratford Festival
Summer 2002
Sarah McVie's (Grad 2000) Cordelia is so effective in relaying her
honesty in the first scene.
|
PROGRAMS AND COURSES 
