It’s great to see that Elizabeth-Darcy: An Adaptation Of Pride And Prejudice is still a going theatrical concern.
Created and performed by Hallie Burt and Kate Werneburg and directed by Tom Arthur Davis, the show premiered at the 2013 Toronto Fringe. In addition to the writers’ fine performances in a dozen or so parts, some of the pleasure in seeing Elizabeth-Darcy was the setting: Campbell House, at the corner of Queen and University, which has the right period feel for the romantic tale involving the initially warring Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy.
Burt and Werneburg revived the show at Campbell House last December, and now it’s booked for other site-specific venues around Ontario. If you’re in Perth today or tomorrow (August 28 and 29), it’s playing at the early Victorian Matheson House. In early 2015, Elizabeth-Darcy is part of Theatre Kingston’s season, running at the historic Frontenac Club Inn.
You can also catch the production when it returns to Campbell House for a welcome remount next December. See burtandwerneburg.com.
Fringing TIFF
You may remember the AlleyPlays during the Toronto Fringe – rotating performances that took place in several tents set up at the Fringe Club.
The Fringe is taking the idea to TIFF this year as part of the festival, with a pop-up shed on King West at Duncan the venue number is 14.
You’ll have a chance to watch a variety of Fringe artists perform short works that have a film flavour or theme. All performances are free.
Theatre Mischief (Mark Shyzer and Jessica Moss) present CinemaTrope, a series of favourite film moments, while Shakey-Shake and Friends (Tom McGee) offers Cave Stories, in which Yebert, a puppet sage, tells tales from the fabled Age of Film, suggested by cave drawings on the tent walls.
Also in the filmic mix are Monkeyman Productions’ Ask Lovecraft, a show in which horror writer H.P. Lovecraft returns from the dead to answer viewers’ questions Man In Shed, featuring comedian and storyteller Faisal Butt and Cookies, Ice Cream And Gumbo, in which Kanika Ambrose portrays several Hollywood heroines seeking happiness.
We don’t want to miss two of our favourite clowns, Morro and Jasp, as they fight for Equal Rights For Clowns. The show includes a clownumentary, Behind The Nose, and free popcorn.
Performances are September 5 to 7. See details at fringetoronto.com/fringe-festival/shed-plays-at-tiff.
QueerCab grows
Buddies in Bad Times has always been a nurturing environment for young queer artists, and one of the key elements of that cultivation is QueerCab, a youth open-mic night that’s been around for the past 10 years.
This season QueerCab, led by Chy Ryan Spain, expands to run the first Wednesday of every month in Buddies’ Cabaret space.
Performers get five minutes onstage, the theatre providing a microphone, CD player, video projector and piano. Performer sign-up is 7:30 pm, with the show at 8.
The next QueerCab is Wednesday (September 3). See buddiesinbadtimes.com.
stage@nowtoronto.com
