Capital Critics Circle, Author at Capital Critics' Circle / Le cercle des critiques de la capitale

Timothy Vernon: New Artistic Director of Opera Lyra

By Capital Critics Circle | June 29, 2015

Renowned conductor begins immediately

“Timothy Vernon will bring a lifetime of opera success to audiences in the National Capital. His outstanding productions and innovations have won ovations across Canada and the world. What a musical coup for all of us!” – Victor Rabinovitch

Victor Rabinovitch, Chair of the Board of Opera Lyra, and John Peter Jeffries, General Director of Opera Lyra, announced today that Timothy Vernon has been appointed new Artistic Director of Opera Lyra, starting immediately with the 2015-2016 season. Maestro Vernon is one of the leading figures of the Canadian operatic scene and brings to Opera Lyra an exciting new artistic vision for the future of the art form in Ottawa.

“I am fully committed to Opera Lyra. As a conductor, I am very excited to work with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, that glorious orchestra. As Artistic Director, I can’t wait to present opera with guts and imagination to Canada’s Capital.” – Timothy Vernon

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The Elephant Girls….Critics’ pick for the Ottawa Fringe Festival 2015

By Capital Critics Circle | June 29, 2015

Best show: The Elephant Girls: this original show was the result of historical research which could possibly become an important text in the Canadian repertoire. Margo Macdonald’s excellent interpretation took the actor into an area of solo performance that was uncharted for her and could be the beginning of a new orientation of her own stage work.

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Odd Version of G&S “Pirates of Penzance in Gananoque

By Capital Critics Circle | June 25, 2015

Photo Jay Kopinski.

This production should be titled “Canadian Smugglers on the St. Lawrence in 1926.” It’s an extremely loose adaption of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance” by Ashlie Corcoran and Andrew Kushnir. Since the season brochure doesn’t mention that it’s an adaptation, if you’re expecting the original, prepare for a shock.

For example, there’s an extended original rhyming prologue, the girls enter in 1920s beach clothes and end up doing the Charleston with the smugglers to the tune of “Sweet Georgia Brown and instead of policemen, it’s the US Coast Guard in US Navy uniforms. Ukuleles abound and the Finale version of the lovely “Poor Wandering One” morphs into “Makin’ Whoopee.” There’s lots more, but you get the idea.

That said, there are some terrific voices in this cast. However, the unnecessary over-micing of both the cast and the excellent musicians tends to distort the sound. Some of the tempos on the group vocals are so fast that the lyrics are unintelligible, especially the women. On the other hand, the group vocal on the “Hail Poetry” section is wonderful.

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Critics’ Short List for Critics’ Picks award for the Ottawa Fringe, 2015.

By Capital Critics Circle | June 25, 2015

Best show                                                  Bursting into Flames
                                                                      Inescapable
                                                                      The Elephant Girls
                                                                      Three Men in a Boat
                                                                     Weird: Witches of Macbeth

Best performers in Fringe                     Martin Dockery (Inescapable/Bursting into Flames
                                                                John D. Huston (Screwtape)
                                                              Margo Macdonald (The Elephant Girls)
                                                             Daniel Tobias (The Orchid and the Crow)
                                                           Gemma Wilcox (Magical Mystery Detour)

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Beer garden opening of the Ottawa Fringe Festival: Watch for reviews on the CCC

By Capital Critics Circle | June 16, 2015

photo, Andrew Alexander. http://ottawafringe.com/?gclid=CIrqve_Ul8YCFRCoaQodd68AuQ for more info…

Gladstone launches biggest season ever as J.P. Kelly takes on the Norman Conquests!

By Capital Critics Circle | June 15, 2015

Highlights: 40 solid weeks of theatre August 27 – May 28) 12 companies, 18 shows: musicals, award-winners, family shows, premières, Canadian & local works and tons o’ comedy!
Newcomers: the Canadian tour of Menopause The Musical®, Theatre Kraken with the real Steve Martin’s The Underpants, Ottawa legend Pierre Brault with his new solo show WIll Somers, and more! www.thegladstone.ca and call 613-233-4523, email boxoffice@thegladstone.ca or drop in at 910 Gladstone Ave.

The Shows
The 2015-16 season consists of the 3-show Norman Conquests trilogy, several stand-alone offerings, and the 8-show 2016 Subscription series. In 2015, we have the Norman Conquests mini-season and several stand-alone offering:

The Norman Conquests comedy trilogy by Alan Ayckbourn, Aug 28-Oct 10, consisting of Table Manners Aug 28-Oct 10; Living Together, Sept 11-Oct 10 and Round and Round the Garden, September 25 – October 10.
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“The Public Servant” at the GCTC: Entertaining staging and good performances

By Capital Critics Circle | June 8, 2015

Photo: Courtesy GCTC. Sarah McVie,Amy Rutherford and Haley McGee

“The Public Servant” written collectively by Jennifer Brewin, Haley McGee, Sarah McVie and Amy Rutherford and directed by Jennifer Brewin, is a comedy that depicts the often frustrating lives of those who work in government. You don’t have to be Canadian to empathize with the frustration of dealing with bureaucracy. Unfortunately the three strong ladies in the cast and first rate direction can’t hide the rather pedestrian script.

Madge, played by Haley McGee, is beginning her first day of work and writing her first memo which of course requires 35 signatures. Her initial challenge is her entertaining struggle to set up a bi-lingual voice-mail message. The always solid Sarah McVie plays both Lois and Janice. She’s the knowledgeable old hand who leads Madge through the office labyrinth to her cubicle, advising all the way. Amy Rutherford plays a number of roles, but primarily that of the protocol-conscious supervisor of the other two.

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A Hypnotic “Needles and Opium” at the NAC.

By Capital Critics Circle | June 1, 2015

Photo Nicola-Frank Vachon

“Needles and Opium,” written and directed by Robert Lepage in an English translation by Jenny Montgomery, is nothing short of mesmerizing. Lepage, often referred to as a theatrical wizard, has used mixed media to combine the stories of three characters’ search for relief from their various addictions.

The three are Jean Cocteau, who returned to Paris in 1949 both fascinated and disenchanted by his first visit to New York, Miles Davis, who in the same year made his first visit to Paris and fell in love with French chanteuse Juliette Greco, and forty years later Robert, a lonely Quebecois desperately trying to free himself from his addiction to his former lover. He needs, as the script says, “sentimental detoxification.”

Well, that’s the gist of it, but referring to “Needles and Opium” as mixed media doesn’t do it justice. The action takes place in a large cube with three sides open that rotates and turns. Walls become floors which become ceilings, windows and doors open, close and disappear. Projections magically transform the cube, among other things, to hotel rooms, recording studios, deserted alleys and what looks like outer space.

The brilliant Marc Labreche plays both Cocteau and Robert, who appear and disappear through doors, windows and mid-air. He’s especially good in Robert’s scene in the recording studio. Unfortunately Cocteau’s very heavy French accent makes him difficult to understand. One line that struck me, though, was his comment on addicts who, get treatment just to get treatment and refuse to heal.” Wellesley Robertson III appears as a physically adept Miles Davis. He doesn’t speak, but we hear plenty of music.

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Closer Than Ever: A production that sparkles

By Capital Critics Circle | May 20, 2015

Cast of Closer Than Ever. Photo: Jay Kopinski

The 1000 Islands Playhouse has opened their season with a sparkling production of “Closer Than Ever,” the revue by lyricist Richard Maltby, Jr. and composer David Shire. I’m dating myself, but I was at the opening night of the New York production 25 years ago and have never forgotten some of these songs.

I appreciate them even more now, as the show is a series of songs about different aspects of middle age, both funny and moving. Each song is like a miniature play about parenting, parents, dating, looking back at teenage years, second marriage, etc. The music is interesting and the lyrics perceptive and smart, so don’t just bring your eyes and ears, bring your brains.

The four performers are all first-rate singers and actors. The group numbers have a great blend in spite of the actors’ differing vocal qualities in their solo numbers. Patricia Zentilli is especially effective on ”Patterns” and “I’m Not Complaining,” while Leon Willey does a great job on “One of the Good Guys,” one of my favorites.

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Bilingual Critics’ Panel in Montreal for the Festival TransAmérique : Tartuffe

By Capital Critics Circle | May 12, 2015

Die Schauspieler Lars Eidinger (Tartuffe) und Regine Zimmermann (Elmire) saßen bei der Fotoprobe des Theaterstücks "Tartuffe" am 17.Dezember 2013 auf der Bühne der Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz in Berlin. © dpa

Die Schauspieler Ingo Hülsmann (Organ – l) und Lars Eidinger (Tartuffe) saßen bei der Fotoprobe des Theaterstücks "Tartuffe" am 17.Dezember 2013 auf der Bühne der Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz in Berlin.

Martin Morrow writes to the CTCA

Dear CTCA members,

It’s a rare occasion when members of both the Canadian Theatre Critics Association and our sister (brother?) organization, the Association Quebecoise des Critiques de Theatre, get to meet and debate. It’s happening this month, courtesy of Montreal’s Festival TransAmeriques, which is hosting a joint critics’ panel on Saturday, May 23 at 5 p.m. EST.

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