Review: (Vancouver) Daisy Theatre

(Schnitzel)

Wonderfully, lovably, hilariously Canadian puppets
Ronnie Burkett’s latest work ramps up the silliness
by Chris Lane

Ronnie Burkett is a true master of puppets, and with his latest work, The Daisy Theatre, he’s just plain having fun, and leaving the audience in stitches.

The production is a series of 'playlets' involving one or two marionettes, which are only roughly scripted and vary substantially from night to night. They all make up The Daisy Theatre, which is the kookiest and crassest travelling theatre troupe this side of the 49th parallel. The marionettes make so many snarky asides and Vancouver-oriented jokes that each performance feels like a special treat just for that night’s audience.

Review: (Montreal) Penny Plain

(photo credit: Trudie Lee)

WICKED SCENES FROM THE END OF THE WORLD

Montrealers are lucky that their city is where Penny Plain is finishing its cross-country tour.

joel fishbane

A tour-de-force constructed out of wood and string, Ronnie Burkett’s Penny Plain is the must see show of Montreal’s Spring season. Burkett, who has gained international acclaim with his Theatre of Marionettes, has again hit the ground running with a show that is at once prophetic, heart-wrenching and delightfully absurd. Such is his skill that at the curtain call, it seemed a crime that the marionettes didn’t take a bow: they seemed as real as any cast of humans. 

Review: (Ottawa) Penny Plain

(photo credit: Trudie Lee)

The Puppet Master

Ronnie Burkett's piece gets a second opinion

by Jim Murchison

I went to see Ronnie Burkett’s brilliantly executed marionette play Penny Plain. It examines our impending Armageddon with humour and wit from a particularly Canadian perspective. The play looks at the impending apocalypse by examining Government and media spin, resource depletion, survivalism and the inevitability that all things must pass. All of this is seen through the eyes of characters peregrinating through Penny Plain’s boarding house.

This is the first time I have gone to see a play that has already been reviewed by CharPo. This creates a different challenge for me and an opportunity to do a bit of a comparative analysis. I will start where our Toronto critic, Dave Ross left off. Certainly do not pass up the opportunity to see a production from the Ronnie Burkett theatre of marionettes. It would be difficult to imagine anyone making a credible argument denying the skill and artistry involved in creating and executing such a performance. 

Review: (Toronto) Penny Plain

(photo credit: Trudie Lee)

Burkett's Folk

Penny Plain reconfirms Ronnie Burkett's genius, but...

by Dave Ross

Ronnie Burkett’s Penny Plain, now running at the Factory Theatre, has received glowing reviews, as has much of Burkett’s earlier work. A play performed by one man, rendered only in puppets, is such a unique opportunity. However, the plot of the play, revolving around the characters in the boarding house of Penny Plain, leaves much to be desired, almost leaving me with the feeling the story was haphazardly assembled to showcase the puppets, rather than tell a tale.