Bold new play turns The Simpsons on its head to create futuristic religion
Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play is a dark comedy written by Anne Washburn. It’s based on Cape Feare on The Simpsons (Season 5 Episode 2), which is a take-off of the 1961 Robert Mitchum thriller. In this one, Sideshow Bob tries to kill Bart on a houseboat. Mr. Burns is not just a satire of […]
LISTEN HERE: Tales of the Tomb keeps it real
“David Koresh, the master, the one who would save them all, destined to be a disaster, for he watched the buildings fall. The compound burned down. No one alive was found.” It’s weird to hear a death metal band be so literal. Then again, there’s plenty enough real horror in the world – why in […]
REVIEW: Waitress a sweet, satisfying confection
To everyone’s surprise, the modest but charming little 2007 movie rom-com Waitress turned out to be a sleeper hit. It told the story of a small-town waitress (and terrific baker) named Jenna who yearns to enter a pie-baking contest to win prize money so she can escape an unhappy life. The film gave TV star […]
Little Mermaid comes to life with wondrous St. Albert Children’s Theatre show
Back in 1989, The Little Mermaid set off a renaissance in the Disney world. The company had gone three decades without a hit. Indeed, Disney was seriously considering getting out of its signature animation business completely. Then a whole new set of animators were hired, new goals were set, The Little Mermaid was a hit […]
A PLAY FOR OUR TIMES: Wild Wilder Wonderfully Done by Bright Young Things
The Skin of Our Teeth, Thornton Wilder’s head-scratcher of a three-part allegory about the precarious life of mankind, debuted in 1942. The biting satire won a number of best play awards – including the Pulitzer Prize – and immediately became a hit in the early years of World War II. Watching it return in 2019 […]
Theatre Network season opener a smart two-hander with humour and heart
Mark Crawford’s Bed and Breakfast is one of those Canadian stage comedies that overcame small beginnings in a summer theatre in Ontario to take on a life of its own – and much like Kim’s Convenience, became the basis of a successful television series. Theatre Network begins its new season in the Roxy on Gateway […]
REVIEW: MacEwan Theatre tackles challenging ’70s musical to great success
The musical Pippin has been a long time coming to Edmonton. The Stephen Schwartz (music and lyrics) and Roger O. Hirson (book) opened on Broadway in a Bob Fosse production in 1972. The original ran for a long time (36th longest on Broadway) and in 2013 was revived in a successful production. The show is […]
INTERVIEW: Fun Facts About Steve Patterson, Master Debaters Moderator
Be it resolved! (Whatever that’s supposed to mean.) Steve Patterson is a gifted comedian who brings the perfect Canadian affable sensibility to CBC’s long-running radio show The Debaters. It’s their best comedy show. He is the best man for the job. (At least as good as the original host Shaun Majumder.) Arguing for this case […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Endless Bummer Showcases Edmonton Talent
This weekend features the return of the Endless Bummer festival, a diverse collection of gigs, featuring the best of the best of local and regional bands, taking place at a variety of venues throughout the city. There are two kickoff shows on Thursday night. There’s an all-ages gig at The Aviary, featuring art rock quartet […]
Spotlight Cabaret a Welcome Addition to Edmonton Entertainment Scene
Edmonton’s newest dinner theatre is in the lively Spotlight Cabaret that sprung up off Whyte Avenue last summer and became something of a fun place to be. It’s across the street from “Meat.” There’s a bar, a restaurant and a popular patio that presented cabaret shows for a ready audience. Co-owners Aimee Beaudoin and Jeff […]
LISTEN HERE: The Steadies live up to their name after tragic loss
Earl Pereira – the former Wide Mouth Mason bassist who set out on his own with the reggae-rock band The Steadies in 2010 – came close to quitting after the sudden death of his guitarist Justin Lee in 2017. “I’d been working my ass off so hard, and things were just starting to go, me […]
STARLITE, STAR BRIGHT: 94-Year-Old Building the Place to Be for Underground Music in Edmonton – 30 years later
In my first year as the woefully unqualified music critic for The Edmonton Sun, circa 1992, I visited the Starlite Room for the first time. It was called “The Bronx” in those days. It had a scary reputation, one of these dark dingy downtown “underground” bars we’d heard rumours about. Nirvana played there. There were […]
