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Fringe 2016: A sexy and liberating performance in Hymns in Hearses’ Gary

June 20, 2016 by Joseph Hutt

Fringe 2016: A sexy and liberating performance in Hymns in Hearses’ Gary

“A sexistential crisis.” “A fucking celebration.” These are just a couple ways that this liberating tour de force has been described over the past week, and I couldn’t agree more with the enthusiasm behind them.

The show begins after the poorly attended funeral of the eponymous Gary, the openly gay uncle of Mel (Chelsea Young) who had been renounced by his religiously judgmental family. In the aftermath of this show of familial disrespect, Mel and her friends Shawn (Cory Thibert) and Gregg (Tony Adams) wonder why Gary allowed himself to keep making the mistakes that drove his family away and ultimately cost him his life. It isn’t until they unearth a pile of letters addressed to Gary that they realize Gary had more love, more excitement, more life in his life than all of them combined.

Gary’s complete lack of fear, of embracing each moment for what it is, inspires each of these characters to dive into the unknown, to risk the big mistakes in life, and, as it happens, to explore their own relationships and sexuality.

Read the full review.

Hey Mama Welcome to the 60s!: GCTC Presents a Retro-Themed Season Closer

April 22, 2016 by Caitlin Oleson

Hey Mama Welcome to the 60s!: GCTC Presents a Retro-Themed Season Closer

Let’s go back, way back, to 1969, a time of Vietnam War draft dodgers, the emergence of contemporary feminism, astronauts landing on the moon, hippie-driven free love, and the crumbling façade of domestic bliss. Janet Wilson Meets the Queen shows us these issues and more in a darkly comic coming of age tale that will have you questioning your own politics from start to finish.

Read the full review.

BLITHE SPIRIT: Some lighthearted laughter to open Ottawa Little Theatre’s 103rd.

September 23, 2015 by Allan Mackey

BLITHE SPIRIT: Some lighthearted laughter to open Ottawa Little Theatre’s 103rd.

Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit is the perfect set up for a late 60s sitcom. Charles and his wife Ruth invite a medium over for an evening dinner and seance – partly as a laugh, partly to gather information for his next novel. As it unfolds, they unintentionally conjure the ghost of his seven years dead wife, Elvira. Who only he can see.

A befuddled husband living with his new wife and the ghost of his dead wife. It would be the perfect fit for an evening of supernatural comedies along with I Dream of Jeannie and Bewitched.

Chances are good, of course, that you’ve seen it all before in some movie or TV show. And that’s okay. Blithe Spirit isn’t trying to break new ground or give any deeper understanding of the human condition. It aims to be a lighthearted evening with some good laughs and it succeeds splendidly. Read the full review.

REVIEW: PACHIV! @ Ottawa Fringe 2015

June 24, 2015 by Matthew Champ

REVIEW: PACHIV! @ Ottawa Fringe 2015

Two struggling illegal immigrants want to invite you to their lantern party to get to know you in Pachiv! Should you see it?


Two RatedPachiv! if anything is truly inconsistent. While both Tony Adams (Grease) and Chelsea Young (Ewe) are quite strong and entertaining actors who can hold a show together, the content really falls flat on its face because the audience doesn’t know if it’s supposed to be laughing or crying or whether we’re about to reach a new level of emotional depth or if it’s just a setup for another big joke.

The two take command of their outdoor venue and truly do make the audience feel at home, but it’s the moments of melancholy that come out of nowhere while everyone is laughing and smiling and having a great time that drags this show down. You can usually tell when one of these transitions are going to happen because the two start to sing to each other, yet neither are particularly strong in the vocal department.

Pachiv_Web-640x640I’m not sure if this show was supposed to a comedy, a drama or the film Indecent Proposal, but it was all over the map, and the two strong actors could not save mediocre content that just couldn’t flesh out exactly what it was meant to be.

The best part of the show was actually before the show began and the two pranced introducing themselves and talking, laughing and sharing drinks with audience members. They had an amazing ability to banter and think on their feet, but once we hit the scripted content things went downhill fast.

For more information on Pachiv! (times and tickets) click here!

But that’s just my opinion and I’d love to know what you think. What did you think of how the show balanced itself between being a comedy and a drama? What was your favourite character quirk? Join the discussion and tell me what you think in the comments below!

REVIEW: Trois

February 28, 2014 by Valerie Cardinal

REVIEW: Trois

Three local theatre groups take Arts Court by storm with three nights of three brand new short plays. GRIMprov and Dead Unicorn Ink join May Can’s fifth anniversary celebrations for Trois, a mini-festival of original and creative theatre.Read the full review.

JOSH’S REVIEW: The Tragicall Historie of Nick Wade (And Other Fuck Ups) @ Ottawa Fringe 2013

June 26, 2013 by Josh Chenoweth

This show surprised me with how engaging it was. Even if you’re not a fan of heavy metal, this is a show worth checking out for its great performances, humour, and surprisingly well-done story.Read the full review.

JOSH’S REVIEW: Nebraska @ Ottawa Fringe 2013

June 26, 2013 by Josh Chenoweth

While pretty enjoyable with some solid performances all around, Nebraska just didn’t wow me. There are also some cliche elements in the play, but there’s still enough here to give it a look. Read the full review.

JOSH’S REVIEW: Happiness™ @ Ottawa Fringe 2013

June 25, 2013 by Josh Chenoweth

Happiness™ is wonderful experience. Hilarious with some surprising (in a good way) darker moments, this is one of the best plays showing at the Fringe, hands down. It’s also organized in a way that features some very enjoyable audience interaction. You need to get out and see this show, now! Read the full review.

REVIEW: Carousel

June 1, 2013 by Allan Mackey

REVIEW: Carousel

For Orpheus Musical Theatre Society’s third production this year, they’ve chosen Rodgers & Hammerstien’s Carousel about a carousel barker named Billy Bigelow. Can Carousel match up to the success of Footloose and The Drowsy Chaperone from earlier this season? Read the full review.

REVIEW: Princess Ivona

March 7, 2013 by Allan Mackey

REVIEW: Princess Ivona

Running in Academic Hall at the University of Ottawa is a sordid tale of beauty gone wrong and true colours bubbling to the surface. Are the pretty people really the ugliest people? Princess Ivona, directed by MFA candidate Ekaterina Shestakova, runs until March 9th. Read the full review.

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