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Local Guides
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BEST THEATRE
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by Declan Kelly
December 30, 2004 — January 5, 2005 |
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While I didn’t see every show in the area this year — an
impossibility with more theatre companies than Tim Horton’s in
these parts — I saw more than most years and was, by and large,
quite impressed. For the most part, local theatre avoided
unnecessary smoke and mirrors and let the pieces speak for
themselves. And typically to good effect.
What follows is by no means a definitive ‘best of,’ but rather
a look back at the year that was in theatre.
Best New Theatre Company
The MT Space
Enjoying a fledgling start with their workshopped piece Nijinsky,
through a window back in August, The MT Space went on to enjoy
rave reviews with the final product at Festival du Monde Arabe de
Montréal in November. More importantly though, the troupe
brings a much–needed multicultural focus to theatre in the area.
Best New Play
The Elephant Song, Stratford Festival (August–September)
Nicolas Billon’s The Elephant Song had all the hallmarks of a great
play: brimming with blistering wit, compassion, comedy, and,
above all, high drama. While often lauded for his treatment of The
Bard, Richard Monette might well have unearthed one of the
country’s best new playwrights in Billon.
Best Monologue
Art, Next Level Theatre (October)
I’m no great fan of rodeo, but watching Will Kernohan (as Yvan)
deliver a full–on rant over his friends’ petty bourgeois opinions
on, what else, art, was akin to watching someone hang on for
their life around the neck of a raging 500–pound bull. Only this
one lasted a lot longer than eight seconds.
Best Double–bill
The Duck Variations/The Zoo Story, Theatre 311 (October)
For whatever reason, theatre double–bills are invariably
mismatched and one show almost always outshines the other,
resulting in an imbalanced evening of entertainment. Theatre
311’s pairing of Mamet and Albee, however, could’ve been two
sides of the same park bench as it were.
Best Spectacle
Metamorphoses, Theatre & Company (September–October)
I was very skeptical going into this one that a 23,000 litre pool
could very easily have gotten away from them, both literally and
figuratively. But it didn’t, and drier patrons prevailed.
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