Everyone should see this one man event because whether one agrees with the ideas expressed here or not,  it shows  how a fearless political activist turned performer goes straight for the theatrical jugular  – a rare occurrence in Canadian Theatre.

One could say that he has taken as  his model  Ric Mercer’s  style of political exposé, drowning his enemies in gales of laughter, although it is clear that Salerno is much more radical than our man from Newfoundland.  Rob Salerno tells all about the Conservatives, and their leader, at least we get Salerno’s perspective and it makes for an evening of surprises.  Gasps, gurgles, guffaws and muted giggles great the whole series of revelations that pop up on the screen at the back of the stage. . Ottawan’s are so polite but then it is also the kind of show that works especially well in  Ottawa where the main characters are the local MP.s

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Dealing with depression, abuse, suicide and drunk driving, Alain Chauvin’s Life takes on many of the heavy and important issues youth deal with every day. While the play did have some good elements – its use of music, lyrics and audio-visuals were quite touching- it ultimately did not achieve the depth needed for an exploration of such disturbing and ever-present issues as it strove to explore. The story of Jacob, a high school student dealing with the death of his mothers as well as questions of his own sexuality and place in the world, seems to be a run-through of problems that could affect a 17-year-old. The play bites off too much and, as such, the ultimate message is lost. Does the story deal with grief? Does it deal with questions of sexuality? Or does it deal with the perils of drunk driving? All are mentioned to some extent, but none are really explored. The play would have been better served by a more focused topic which would have allowed for more depth of feeling. The acting also left something to be desired. However, the topics Life deals with are all worthwhile and the play does hold potential for growth. The set in particular, was very well used and there was an believability to the script, even if it did lack subtlety at times. There was also a passion that came out of the play- it was evident the project meant a lot to all those involved. However, ultimately, the project did lack focus and subtlety which would have connected the story with the emotions.

Who in this world is sane? This is the question Kainz Players’ dark comedy Preshrunk asks. Five psychiatric patients who arrive for their usual Tuesday meeting with their psychiatrist. When he does not show up, mild chaos ensues as each of the patient’s problems are revealed both through their discussions with each other and monologues. Soon, it is revealed by a detective posing as a grief counselor that the doctor was killed, and the most likely suspects are those in the room. Disbelief soon turns into more revelations, this time with the spotlight turned on the doctor. As more information is disclosed, one truly begin to question just who in this world actually has it together or, in fact, whether this hallowed state exists at all. Directed by the New Ottawa Repertory Theatre Artistic Director Paul Dervis, the play is masterfully put together. The transitions from scenes and monologues are seamless and infuse the production with flow. One of the best performances came from Jerome Bourgault, who portrayed a patient, the sarcastic but insecure Len, with a precision that made it possible to hate and pity him at the same time. His skill was closely followed by Charlie Ebbs’ with his portrayal of narcissistic and hilarious patient Antoine whose monologue had the room in stitches. As more of us succumb to depression, anxiety and the like, questioning our own state of reason has become an increasingly common activity. Preshrunk helps put this sentiment into words and reveals the complexity not only of our own psyches but the nature of our relationships with each other.

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What stories did you create as a kid to help you manage the world? Were you a dragon-slayer? An hypnotically beautiful princess? And, now an adult, what stories help you navigate a smaller but no less puzzling world? Nicolas Di Gaetano and Emily Pearlman, the creative duo at the heart of Ottawa’s Mi Casa Theatre, invite us to ponder such questions – along with simply reveling in their fantastical style of theatre – in this new work in progress. Using a homemade armoire as the major set piece and enclosing the audience in a rough-hewn space like a child would make for a living room performance, Di Gaetano and Pearlman do what they do best: evoke memories, fragile hope, visions of fantasy and reality, and a profound sadness as they unveil a story about two young siblings. They also make some pretty good whale noises and sing original tunes. Is the new show as good as Countries Shaped Like Stars, their fringe hit of two years ago? It hasn’t yet found that same degree of lightness to buoy up the heavy stuff, but it’s well on its way.

Mi Casa Theatre

At Saint Paul’s Eastern United Church



Where is the line between obeying orders and following one’s conscience?

Should loyalty to “unit, corps, God, country” trump morality?

These are the underlying themes of Aaron Sorkin’s 1989 courtroom drama A Few Good Men. (The spark for the play — the attempt to cover up the death of an enlisted man resulting from illegal hazing delivered on orders from a superior — is apparently based on a case that Sorkin’s  lawyer  sister encountered in the JAG Corps.)

Interesting as this script is, it stops short of condemning blindly following orders, despite passing references to the Nuremberg defence of “just following orders” and the My Lai massacre.

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When Darko Tresnjak staged The Merchant of Venice, his intention was to generalize the antisemitic theme to include other marginalized peoples who suffer at the hands of the high-status in-group. He cast actors of color as the servants, Nerissa (Christen Simon Marabate) and Launcelot Gobbo (Jacob Ming-Trent).  Antonio (Tom Nellis), the only principal character who does not marry, is played as a homosexual, at least for the moment in Act IV when saved from death, he kisses Bassanio (Lucas Hall) full on the mouth. If seen as a homosexual in a homophobic society, his isolation makes more sense. But what of Bassanio’s reciprocal response?  More of that later.

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After many years of Ray Cooney farces, it appears the mantle of farce writing has fallen on to the shoulders of son Michael.

The younger Cooney has certainly learned the conventions of farce: confused situations, often rooted in a key lie, slamming doors, mistaken identities, semi-naked, dead or near-dead bodies, stereotypes and, if possible, satirical attacks on government institutions.

The recipe is in evidence in Cash on Delivery, but that does not make it a good play. And despite the fact that the Kanata Theatre production, which opened this week, is clearly the result of hard work and good intentions, it just isn’t very funny.

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Jackie Richardson (Gloria), Laara Sadiq (Carmen).Photo Bruce Zinger

The powerful opening is arresting. The curtain rises slowly to reveal a dozen pairs of legs belonging to a group of prostitutes and transvestites. All clad in red — underlining that this is a red light district — the stylized chorus is a visual bombshell.

Following the form of ancient Greek drama, violent acts will take place off stage, but there is little doubt from the beginning that Carmen, now a country and western star, is taking a risk in returning to her roots. There will undoubtedly be violence when she dares not only to come back but also to sing about these people (rather than the cowboy songs for which she has become known.)

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Greg Kramer as The Player.  Photo: Barbara Gray.

The Player’s Advice To Shakespeare constitutes an anti-Establishment rant — Elizabethan style. Ottawa playwright Brian K. Stewart has a provocative agenda in taking real-life historical events — James I’s ruthless suppression of the peasantry during the latter’s 1607 revolt against encroachments on their liberty and economic survival — in order to mount an attack on none other than William Shakespeare. In this rousing script, which also seems to be asking us to seek contemporary parallels, the Bard is fingered as an acquiescent tool of the system, an Establishment lackey who failed to employ his formidable dramatic powers on behalf of justice for his society’s underprivileged and in support of revolutionary action.

The vessel for this outpouring of wrath — and yes, this is a one-man play — is a cranky and garrulous Tower of London prisoner known only as The Player. We meet this ragged rebel in his dungeon along with a table and bench, a plain wooden bowl, a flask containing some unspeakable beverage — and a carrot. The carrot becomes a particularly useful prop — even being employed for a bit of swordplay as The Player rambles on about the events and issues which led to his confinement and possible death. The primitive furniture is put to good use too — witness how, under John Koensgen’s nimble direction, that table suddenly becomes a lurching cart as The Player embarks on a journey to Leicester and into the reality of civil unrest.

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