String Extravaganza – “Couples”
Review by Judith Caldwell
Jan. 23^rd, ‘12
               On Sunday afternoon at 1^st Unitarian Church in Hamilton we were treated to six very accomplished string players introducing us to some  new music and a lovely older work by Brahms.The concert began with Caitlin Boyle, viola and Rachel Desoer, cello, playing a Duo by Walter Piston, a 20^th century American composer who taught at Harvard.  This work is in three movements ending with a lively playful Molto vivace.Our next Duo were Yehonatan Berick, violin and Rachel Mercer, cello who playedTwo Choros bis (1928) by Heitor Villa-Lobos.  These represented a new form of musical composition, synthesizing different types of Brazilian, Indian and popular music’ according to the composer when he first showcased the pieces. 

the Berick Mercer duo

“Goodnight Desdemona; good morning Juliet”, @ UTM
Review by Danny Gaisin
Jan. 21st, ‘12  
              “If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything!” Marty McFly – ‘Back to the Future’.

      In the 1988 comedy GOODNIGHT DESDEMONA, GOOD MORNING JULIET, author Ann-Marie MacDonald has her pathetic heroine fall down a rabbit-hole à la ‘Alice in Wonderland’ to confront Othello’s wife and Romeo’s love in hopes of proving that their stories should have been comedies if only…! 
              THEATRE ERINDALE’S innovative rendering of the story is directed by Daniel Levinson in what is a most creative and re-focused progression. The result is sexy, vulgar, very contemporary and overall –funny. Knowledge of the original Shakespearean tragedies is certainly an asset, but Levinson and his extremely competent cast imbue the presentation with a stand-alone quality that is both entertaining and even has a somewhat Coles Notes™ acquiescence to Eng. Lit. 101.  Photo courtesy of  Jim Smagata 

Nash keeps Lloyd from jabbing Cresswell

Jan.27th '12