Review: (Toronto) Weather the Weather

Photo by Jacqui Jensen-Roy

The Snow Glow Queen or How I Learned to Just Enjoy the Show
Weather the Weather to see Weather the Weather
by Christopher Douglas

Haley McGee crafts a wintery tale about a brother and sister after the hail.
A storm’s thrown the pair into a mess:  one that requires warm winter dress.

See, the play takes place outside in the snow;
For an hour, audiences are told where to go.

The story? You know it, it’s The Snow Queen with light, taking place in a magical Toronto park night.
Brother’s struck by lighting but Sister sticks with her map. She yearns to get home and won’t take a nap.

They fight while Brother sparks and glows (neat effect and it shows)
Before being seen by the Troll of the Sky, a Canadian Glow Queen.


Encountering some very strange people indeed:
A two-headed troll, a prince in need
Of a wife and a home,
Cackling monarch, bumbling henchmen,
And a talking gnome.

Standouts in the cast include Colin Doyle and Amy Lee,
And the very cute script by Miss McGee.

Jennifer Brewin directed with care, planning and plotting precisely where
The audience should stand and the scenes take place, showing us most of the performers face
With travelling lights and speakers that travel, nothing about this show can unravel.

Except one location where it became confusing,
With the prince up a ladder, a lost sister, then the trolls – it was amusing.

Beautiful scenic elements added to the natural scrub,
Designer Catherine Hahn did not let them flub.

Definitely a show meant for the family to enjoy,
The final scene warms (literally) every girl and boy.

My only real qualm was that the climax was flat,
So much build-up for a simple “don’t do that.”
I wanted a battle, a whimsical touch,
Like the shrinking potion we adored so much.

And a small shout out to the composer and our live musicians
(Oh darn… how am I going to rhyme that?)
It can’t be easy playing the trombone outdoors without being chilled,
But the beat you provided allowed us to march and be thrilled.

But please, when you take off to see this show,
Dress very warmly, or you might lose a toe!

Weather the Weather or how we make it home together runs Dec. 6 - 30 at the Evergreen Brick Works.