Openings We're Tracking This Week, November 7-13, 2011

Jitters at The Belfry

Ride The Cyclone

Everyone who has seen it is a fan of Ride the Cyclone and it is coming back to the city where the white-hot buzz began, Toronto (specifically: Passe Muraille). Its tour, which began in Vancouver and went on to Whitehorse, has been playing to packed houses, so you'd be a numbskull if you waited to buy tickets. (That's why we're here...to remind you...GIT!) (You can hear co-creator Jacob Richmond talk about it on episode 10 of This Is The CPC or read his first-person piece about the show's creation.)

As we move forward toward the first anniversary of his death, it is nice to remember the genius of David French with his lighter works like the NAC's recent production of Salt Water Moon or, especially, his terrific backstage comedy, Jitters, opening at the Belfry. The company's poster art (above) says it all: a playwright can't get a break. (BTW: we happen to think it's one of the greatest pieces of poster art ever.)

Well, the Tony-winning God of Carnage is everywhere, innit? And this week it's at Montreal's Centaur. It's a hilarious/bleak night of the theatre as seen through the eyes of a Frenchwoman, Yasmina Reza, who doesn't much love the BoBos (Bourgeois-Bohemians).  Two kids fight, four parents go mad.