Review: (Toronto / Theatre) Belleville

Allan Hawco, Christine Home (photo - rotated - by Guntar Kravis)

Obscurity of meaning
Pscyhological thriller strives for cohesion
by Dave Ross

“City of lovers… city of lights? Is it both?” This quote from Belleville, a Company Theatre production in association with Canadian Stage, summarizes a feeling of confusion and uncertainty that runs throughout this play. Directed by Jason Byrne, with leads Allan Hawco and Christine Horne, this play contains a level of psychological darkness that was quite surprising but at times seems to struggle in its attempt to deliver a message.

Review: (Toronto) The Test

A Test of the Spectator

Mixed feelings about Company Theatre's offering

by Beat Rice

The English translation of Lukas Barfuss’ play The Test, premiered this week at the Berkeley Theatre. Presented by the Company Theatre in partnership with Canadian Stage, The Test featured a stellar cast of Eric Peterson, Sonja Smits, Gord Rand, Liisa Repo-Martell and Phillip Riccio. The play was translated by Birgit Schreyer Duarte and directed by Jason Bryne.

Barfuss’ sharp writing and Duarte’s translation, combined with Byrne’s direction create a world that is so real yet so strange, we don’t want to get too close. What starts off as the sheer need to know the paternity of one’s offspring creates a series of events with a tragic ending.