Teatro Live! Closes their Season with a very funny production of The Odd Couple!

Marc J Chalifoux Photography 

Summer is really such a great time for theatre for me! I love it when you leave the theatre and it's still a little light out. Even better when the show is a comedy, like Teatro Live's production of The Odd Couple, which I took in on Friday night. If you are around my age (and even younger since there was a reboot in recent history) you are no doubt familiar with Oscar Madison and Felix Unger (played in this production by Alexander Ariate and Andrew MacDonald-Smith), the mismatched roommates from Neil Simon's play. The two are physical foils, which ups the ante on their character's personality conflicts, and this production puts their physicality to good use, particularly with MacDonald-Smith's height and long legs making seemingly inhuman movements around the furniture and Ariate's flopping on couches. The physical humour alone makes this show tremendously entertaining!

Marc J Chalifoux Photography 

But it's the scenes with the accidental roommate's poker buddies and the Pigeon Sisters that had me the most entertained. Not surprising when you consider the group of assembles artists - all of whom could (and most have) anchor a Teatro show themselves! The poker buddies (Garrett Ross, Matt Busby, Bernardo Pacheco, and Oscar Derkx) give more depth to the recognition of the disparity of personalities between Oscar and Felix, and their banter is very fun to watch and listen to - particularly the contrast between the old (Oscar's toxic waste level of cleanliness) and the new (Felix's immaculate and antiseptic environment). From their reactions, you understand that neither extreme is particularly healthy. 

Marc J Chalifoux Photography 

The Pigeon Sisters, Cecily (Kristin Johnston) and Gwendolyn (Jenny McKillop), add for another level of tension between Oscar and Felix. Oscar is looking for a wingman, but Felix's impending divorce is too new to make him a suitable one. Johnston and McKillop are hysterical as the British girls from upstairs with backcombed hair and synced responses. I was very glad to see them return in the third act! 

There's a lot to laugh about and for those who were fans of the movie and the TV shows, I think it's well worth the nostalgic trip to the theatre. It's a nice reflection on friendship and compromise, but above all makes for a laughter-filled night of theatre on a summer evening! 

The Odd Couple runs until July 27, 2025 at the Varscona Theatre. Tickets range from $25-42 and there are also special event nights, like Pay-What-You-Can on Tuesdays. Tickets can be purchased here. 

Vidalia at Teatro la Quinicina! Onions that can make you laugh instead of cry!

I had a hoot of a time at Vidalia, the most recent production offered from Teatro la Quindicina at the Varscona Theatre. As promised in its promotional materials, it's a "ricochet romp, which ratchets things up further with three identical briefcases and a scintillating cast." The events begin in a coffee shop, where Girl in the Red Jacket (a playful and quirky Helen Belay) overhears Woman in Glasses (Belinda Cornish looking very severe - but that changes) on the phone. Spotting Man in Suit (the befuddled and confused Chris Pereira), the Girl makes contact and sets off a chain of events when Man in Trench Coat (an amused and focused Andrew MacDonald-Smith) enters the scene.

The plot involves 3 identical briefcases that go through a myriad of switches in an effort to get them to the right person. There's a threat of danger - never specifically outlined, but it's there. There's a budding romance, or two. There's much changing of clothes and hiding of identities and of course, there are onions! It's very silly and the cast runs full-tilt with the ridiculousness of it all. Belay is particularly charming as the unflappable Girl who seems to like to both create and solve problems. Pereira is similarly fun to watch, as he is like a pinball being bounced around with her every suggestion, many of which he is unsure of and much of which he is terrified by! Cornish is super fun, starting severe, shifting to sexy, and always underscored with insecurity, as she tries to solve her problem and maybe meet a nice guy in the process. MacDonald-Smith is the straight man in this cast - debonair and charming, with an underlying threat of violence (but only if necessary).

I don't want to give away too much of the plot because it's best that you just go in a see where it goes. It's silly and fun and full of laughs, and perfect to warm you up as we move into a chilly October!

Vidalia runs until October 12th at the Varscona Theatre
Click here for tickets!


Photo Credit:
Andrew MacDonald-Smith, Chris Pereira, Helen Belay, Belinda Cornish in Vidalia, Teatro La Quindicina. Photo by Mat Busby

Forever Plaid at the Mayfield - Fabulous Harmony!

Last night, the boys and I took Mark to the Mayfield Dinner Theatre to take in Forever Plaid, one of his favourite musicals. Lucky us that the timing was right to make for a terrific Father's Day present!

We had a great time! It's always interesting to revisit shows that you've seen before and hard not to reflect on the differences and just enjoy what the new production brings to it. This production had amazingly tight harmonies that showcased the superior vocal blend of it's four performers (Kaymar Pazandeh, Andrew MacDonald-Smith, Farren Timoteo, and Steven Greenfield). I've never seen Pazandeh onstage before and I have to say, his voice was a real treat, a beautiful bass-baritone that was incredibly smooth! I'm a big fan of  both Timoteo (Peter and the Starcatcher - Citadel) and MacDonald-Smith (Crazy For You - Citadel) so it was great to see them onstage together. The four of them worked together well to set up the jokes, and the show had a nice smooth flow. My favourite numbers were Chain Gang/Sixteen Tons and the Carribean (Kingston Town, Matilda, Jamaica Farewell) section. I also really liked Perfidia, because I love that song and these guys rocked it!

Here's what Mark and Gibson had to say... 

"The harmonies reminded me what I love about that style of singing and got me thinking about singing again." - Mark

"I liked the singing. I really liked the songs." - Gibson

The show is a wonderfully fun and nostalgic trip (I indicated to Gibson that you could tell who the older people in the audience were because they were laughing the most at the Ed Sullivan Show jokes), but also has the ability to create new fans as evidenced by Gibson downloading the soundtrack from Apple Music immediately following the show. 

Forever Plaid runs until July 29, 2018 at the Mayfield Dinner Theatre. It's a nice 90 minute show (no intermission) with a fabulous meal - perfect for a summer evening out!

You can purchase tickets here.