Parfumerie, written by the almost forgotten but joyously gifted Hungarian-American playwright Miklós László, was a huge hit for Soulpepper in the Distillery District two years ago, even grabbing a Dora for best production. How inspired to bring it back; how perfect is this adaptation by Adam Pettle and Brenda Robins; how sad that it is nearly entirely sold out until its last matinee on Dec. 31.
As Soulpepper rings out its 2011 season, dysfunctional families have been the theme du jour, from Arthur Miller’s The Price to Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple. So it’s rather fitting Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts — host to the mother of all dysfunctional families in dramatic literature — is helping to bookend the spellbinding season. With its closing date marked for Nov. 18, those who haven’t had the chance to watch this gripping production definitely should.
Soulpepper co-founders go from playing star-crossed lovers to living real romance
Alberta native Morris Panych is a veteran of all trades in Canadian theatre: he’s had over eighty of his productions and two-dozen plays shown across Canada, Britain and the United States. Now, the playwright, actor, director and winner of two Governor General’s Awards seeks to delight and enlighten audiences with his own adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s masterpiece, Ghosts. We caught up with Panych, who opened up about what it’s like to take on such a famous work.
The life of a theatre critic can be awkward and embarrassing. Consider that I only recently saw Soulpepper’s latest stab at delivering to us one of the finest, most moving American plays of the 20th century: Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie. It closes this coming Tuesday, Sept. 6, unless Soulpepper chooses to extend it. The superlative company now presents up to a half-dozen plays or more per month throughout the season, an admirable and wonderful thing.
Regular readers of my monthly theatre reviews in Post City Magazines must get exhausted from my frequent praise of Soulpepper as the most consistently exciting theatre company in Canada. But how can I stop raving? When one wants to experience deeply moving (and often very funny) Chekhov plays, or even Shakespeare (such as the delightful, music-filled version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream), the Distillery District is the place to go.
New mega-musical high on singing and dancing, but the real surprise is bold, new Shakespeare production
Plummer brilliant in Barrymore and Soulpepper has two new plays on tap this month
Soulpepper does well, but it’s the material that is lacking
