All stories by J. Kelly Nestruck on BroadwayStars

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Massive layoffs and mediocrity: How Cirque du Soleil tied itself in knots - The Globe and Mail by J. Kelly Nestruck

Call it Cirque du Soleil’s quarter-life crisis. Back in 2008, the Canadian circus conglomerate – known for its animal-free thrills and aesthetic –was enjoying a completely charmed e…

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 10:01AM
Friday, June 1, 2012

Stratford's Cymbeline: Like Game of Thrones, but slower by J. Kelly Nestruck

Antoni Cimolino’s production is a well-acted ensemble piece but lacks standout performances

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 05:09PM
Thursday, May 31, 2012

Charlie Brown: The Original Snoop dog preferred jazz by J. Kelly Nestruck

The first in a series of kids’ plays, Stratford’s Charlie Brown boasts a stellar cast

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 05:13PM

Tarragon show, B.C. musical win big at Toronto theatre awards by J. Kelly Nestruck

Toronto reviewers present second-annual awards to honour the best of the city’s 2011-2012 theatre productions

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 12:11AM
Wednesday, May 30, 2012

42nd Street: One giant wink and some tip-top tap by J. Kelly Nestruck

42nd Street is all about hoofing, and not so much about plot

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 06:08PM
Tuesday, May 29, 2012

French Without Tears - and many laughs by J. Kelly Nestruck

This could be an enjoyable romp, but it misses the comedic mark

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 05:57PM

Stratford opening: Much ado about Deborah Hay by J. Kelly Nestruck

In her turn as Beatrice, Hay finds an aching balance between sass and longing

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 02:59PM
Monday, May 28, 2012

Misalliance: A 'superabundance' of comic talent by J. Kelly Nestruck

Thom Marriott’s performance as John Tarleton, one of Shaw’s most inspired blowhards, is unmissable

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 02:31PM

A 'Ragtime' sapped of modern day relevance by J. Kelly Nestruck

Jackie Maxwell’s ambitious pageant about America, both the place and the idea, slightly out of tune

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 10:15AM

A Man and Some Woman: Enjoy the claustrophobia by J. Kelly Nestruck

Alisa Palmer’s hard-to-categorize play a fascinating look at family conflict

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 10:10AM
Friday, May 25, 2012

Gilbert and Sullivan: They are the very model of a modern music art form by J. Kelly Nestruck

It’s easy to pooh-pooh Gilbert and Sullivan as dusty English relics, but as The Globe’s theatre critic observes, the operetta-writing duo are not only surprisingly influential but …

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 05:04PM
Thursday, May 24, 2012

Present Laughter: A production that needs to come out of the closet by J. Kelly Nestruck

The central character in the Shaw Festival’s 2012 season opener suggests a homosexual lothario in disguise, though the rest of the characters seem entirely oblivious

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 03:50PM
Friday, May 18, 2012

Terence Rattigan: master of middle-class emotions by J. Kelly Nestruck

Contrary to popular belief, Terence Rattigan’s plays are works of substance and sexual frisson

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 05:08PM
Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Stockholm: A lively voyage into relationship hell by J. Kelly Nestruck

As spring arrives, Toronto theatre turns to thoughts of love - in dark and disturbing tones

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 05:01PM
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Friday, May 11, 2012

West Side Story: Alarmingly charming, stumbles aside by J. Kelly Nestruck

It’s not perfect, but this West Side Story scratches the itch one gets every couple of years for this classic American musical

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 03:46PM

Des Femmes: Oration versus naked mud wrestling by J. Kelly Nestruck

A Sophocles-a-thon that gets the ratio off

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 02:25PM
Thursday, May 10, 2012

The Shipment turns identity politics on its head by J. Kelly Nestruck

Watching an all-black cast skewer African-American stereotypes is unsettling but the awkwardness is part of the appeal

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 05:44PM
Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Impressive introduction to an up-and-coming U.S. playwright by J. Kelly Nestruck

With Gruesome Playground Injuries, BirdLand Theatre presents the Canadian premiere of a 2009 play by Ravij Joseph, and audiences should try to catch it while they can

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 02:51PM
Sunday, May 6, 2012

NAC's all-aboriginal King Lear begins to take shape by J. Kelly Nestruck

Set in Shakespeare’s time but relocated to the Algonquin nation of what would become Canada, an ambitious new production of the playwright’s greatest tragedy tackles themes of patr…

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 05:07PM
Friday, May 4, 2012

Time for theatre to get past the first stage of grief: denial by J. Kelly Nestruck

In the wake of the demise of the Vancouver Playhouse and Dancap productions, we should be asking some serious questions

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 04:03PM

From harrowing to alienating: Two plays, different results by J. Kelly Nestruck

Two plays take audiences on two very different trips

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 03:11PM
Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Two Tony nods for Stratford's Jesus Christ Superstar by J. Kelly Nestruck

Broadway transfer gets morale and probable financial boost, and chance to showcase one of its songs on live Tony broadcast

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 06:31PM

Stratford's Jesus Christ Superstar gets two Tony noms by J. Kelly Nestruck

Musical that transferred to Broadway up for best musical revival

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 10:05AM
Friday, April 27, 2012

Dated, yes, but delightfully performed by J. Kelly Nestruck

The 1936 Hart and Kaufman play is an early prototype of the wacky family comedy genre

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 04:33PM
Monday, April 23, 2012

This Dancing Queen stumbles by J. Kelly Nestruck

This juxtaposition of dance and theatre is frustrating

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 05:03PM
Friday, April 20, 2012

Second wind saves this classic gem by J. Kelly Nestruck

This stylish and stylized production is a treat

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 04:43PM
Thursday, April 19, 2012

When oil and water mix, the results can be inspiring by J. Kelly Nestruck

Robert Chafe tells an uplifting story of a shipwreck, a rescue, and open-hearted enlightenment set against the backdrop of the civil-rights struggle

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 02:35PM
Thursday, April 12, 2012

Prisoner of Tehran compelling, but too fast-paced for its own good by J. Kelly Nestruck

Marina Nemat’s extraordinary memoir has been adapted for the stage by Maja Ardal

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 05:04PM
Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Canadian theatre finally takes on the Afghan war by J. Kelly Nestruck

While American and British playwrights have already mounted plays about the post-9/11 wars, all has been quiet on the Canadian theatrical front. That silence is about to be broken as three n…

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 05:41PM
Friday, April 6, 2012

Was Spring: Women of different generations tell a story that doesn't quite add up by J. Kelly Nestruck

There are three actresses in Daniel MacIvor’s new play, but it’s soon apparent there’s only one real character

Linked From The Globe and Mail at 05:06PM

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