Category Archives: Politics

887: a quest for redemption for Robert Lepage

Posted on April 2, 2019 by barczablog

There is some irony that Canadian Stage are bringing back Robert Lepage’s 887, both because it’s a powerful piece of theatre that you must see if at all possible, but also as an exploration of memory. Throughout the work Lepage is … Continue reading →

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The Woods are Dark and Deep: is good

Posted on March 25, 2019 by barczablog

You will laugh, you will cry, and you will certainly enjoy The Woods are Dark and Deep, a new work I have just seen today at the Factory Theatre, from Pulse Theatre. When you go see a new work performed … Continue reading →

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Unsafe

Posted on March 15, 2019 by barczablog

There are nights when the theatre reminds you how lucky you are. You may think that I say this too often, but I don’t believe we say it often enough, especially the entitled white upper class twits I think of … Continue reading →

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Evolving past jealousy in opera

Posted on March 13, 2019 by barczablog

I was thinking about jealousy today.  It’s funny how sometimes a word can come up over and over again. I confessed to some envy in my last review, admiring the way Stephen Walsh wrote about Debussy.  I don’t know if … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Politics, Psychology and perception | 1 Comment

Questions for Mladen Obradovic: The Woods are Dark and Deep

Posted on March 7, 2019 by barczablog

A few years ago I saw a Feydeau farce starring Mladen Obradovic. He was a startlingly good actor, playing two distinctly different roles, a bit of a tour de force really, and totally unforgettable. So this week I see that … Continue reading →

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Pollyanna and the lessons of 2018

Posted on January 5, 2019 by barczablog

In past years my annual review was out in December, but this time it’s later than usual: because I’ve had a real holiday this year, more sleep and more silence than usual, dodging the viruses & germs pursuing other members … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Politics, Reviews, University life | 3 Comments

BOUND v. 2: power struggles

Posted on November 20, 2018 by barczablog

Against the Grain Theatre premiered version two of BOUND at The Great Hall on Queen St W or as Joel Ivany called it “an ongoing process”.  I didn’t see version 1, and perhaps this summer or next year there will … Continue reading →

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Helen’s Necklace via Canadian Rep Theatre

Posted on November 11, 2018 by barczablog

I knew what I was going to see when I got to the upstairs space on Berkeley St. Oh sure, it was Canadian Rep Theatre’s staging of Carole Fréchette’s play Helen’s Necklace in John Murrell’s translation, directed by Ken Gass. … Continue reading →

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Remembering Kristallnacht

Posted on November 8, 2018 by barczablog

Today’s concert at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre as part of the Canadian Opera Company’s noon-hour series was a special program titled “Remembering Kristallnacht”,  presented in partnership with the German Consulate of Toronto and the Neuberger’s 2018 Holocaust Education Week. It’s … Continue reading →

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Closing matinée for Onegin

Posted on November 4, 2018 by barczablog

This afternoon’s late matinée at 4:30 pm was the final performance for Eugene Onegin in the Canadian Opera Company’s fall season. Weekend audiences can be a bit of a challenge especially in the afternoon. Oh sure, we’re all relaxed in … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments