In my last post, I discussed some of the more frustrating events of the weekend, along with the oasis of spending time with the actors from Hogtown. I also said that the negatives might be ameliorated and in time I would dwell on them less. I can report back that I was able to get my mobile phone service turned back on, though it meant going to the Eaton Centre and then getting on the phone with a service rep for almost half an hour before finally succeeding. I'm more than a little worried the same thing will happen next month (I say it is better than 50%), and, if so, I am switching phone companies, but for now I am back in business.
I didn't want to go to the gym, as it was grey out and even a little damp, but I did push myself and I went for a shortish workout. Those are the important times to go, where you really make it a habit (and not give in to temptation to take it easy). I'll be doing more biking and maybe even some swimming this week, but I should still try to make it over a couple more times. It will be a while before I see any positive results, but my core strength seems to be better.
And in fact yesterday ended on a positive note, as I managed to recruit the last of the actors I need for the staged reading, so I am in business. I've got a lot of writing I need to do over the next few weeks, some technical and some creative, so I should probably wrap this up. I do have a few too many distractions, so I'll probably have to cut back on the blog for the time being.
Coda: Probably it's just as well that I didn't open the mail over the weekend, since I just found out that my bank is summarily cancelling my Mastercard and switching me to Visa in a few months. This is completely unacceptable, since several stores in the neighbourhood are Mastercard only. So I'll be going through updating my credit card and monthly payment options one way or another (and probably struggle with the mobile company yet again). I'll probably be switching banks as well. I was actually leaning towards Tangerine, but it seems there is no way to actually deposit a foreign currency cheque with them, so that probably rules them out. Just in general, I am fairly annoyed at the banking options available -- and don't get me started on the usurious charges that credit cards are now allowed to charge. It is truly shocking that in my lifetime they have gone from under 10% (which at the time was astonishing) to hovering around 20%. I think this probably is better regulated in Europe (with the notable exception of the UK), but perhaps not. Anyway, just thinking about how few decent banking and credit card options are available to me always puts me in a funk.
To top it all off, I went from work to the Regents Park Aquatic Centre. I don't think I'll ever time it as perfectly as today. I got there at 6:25 (the lane swim starts at 6:30). I changed and was one of two people ready to get in some laps. And my goggles had snapped in half. I tried to swim without them, but it was a complete non-starter, so I went into the whirlpool for a short time and then went home. So frustrating. Basically, all my good intentions were for naught, and I'm in an even worse mood now.
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
Monday, July 24, 2017
Frustrating day with bright spots
Yesterday was definitely a difficult day for me, though the afternoon was not a complete waste.
It started out with taking the kids to the Humane Society. I've been thinking more and more seriously about getting a kitten or even a youngish cat (under 5 years), and the kids were interested in tagging along. The cat that I was most interested in had quite a few behavioral problems that were not listed on the website, so it felt a bit like a bait and switch. After pondering things a bit longer, I decided to wait until the fall when all the vacations were over, and I would have a chance to decide if I really could clean up the house enough to find room for a couple of litter boxes. It's possible I'm not really ready to upend my life to fit a pet in.
Coming back we had quite a bit of trouble getting home, waiting on the King streetcar (only to find out that it was a Cherry streetcar -- and then missing 2 Queen buses before we could get back to the other stop). I was generally pretty stressed, as I needed to get back downtown in time to volunteer at Hogtown.
Indeed, the TTC had totally upended transit from the east side, so the Gerrard/College streetcar only went to Parliament and then you had to transfer. I just think this was a bad decision, since they also had shut down the 2 subway. In the end, I made it with 15 minutes to spare, but it was still annoying and I was stressed almost the whole trip.
The show itself was very fun, and I saw a few different things on this performance, though I still missed some of the scenes. I have a pretty good idea of the main events, but I think you need to see it 3 or perhaps 4 times to truly see everything. I also got to hang out with the actors after the show at their post-show gathering. They were a nice bunch, and that (and volunteering at the show itself) was definitely the bright spot of the day. Then it was back to reality.
I went to work briefly and tried to deal with my cell phone company. While I absolutely updated my credit card info, the information didn't "take," which actually happened before. Their on-line systems are quite poor in my opinion. This led them to completely suspending the account (without warning mind you). After calling customer service, they said I would have to visit a store with ID in hand before they would even think about restoring service. I gave them a few choice words and hung up, though I don't really have a choice. I'll have to deal with it tomorrow over lunch. But if this auto-payment thing fails again next month, I am through with them and will migrate to a different mobile company.
Then the TTC screwed me again on the way home, and I barely got back in time to get to the grocery store before it closed. I was too upset (and tired) to go to the gym, which then put me even further in a bad mood, since it doesn't take too many missed trips to the gym before you fall out of the habit. I'll just have to make the effort to go tonight. The rest of the week I should be biking again, so it won't feel quite so urgent.
So that was my day of highs and lows. On the whole, the bad outweighed the good, but maybe I won't feel the same tomorrow if I get the phone working again and I do make it to the gym. Then it will be more of a bad (but passing) dream.
It started out with taking the kids to the Humane Society. I've been thinking more and more seriously about getting a kitten or even a youngish cat (under 5 years), and the kids were interested in tagging along. The cat that I was most interested in had quite a few behavioral problems that were not listed on the website, so it felt a bit like a bait and switch. After pondering things a bit longer, I decided to wait until the fall when all the vacations were over, and I would have a chance to decide if I really could clean up the house enough to find room for a couple of litter boxes. It's possible I'm not really ready to upend my life to fit a pet in.
Coming back we had quite a bit of trouble getting home, waiting on the King streetcar (only to find out that it was a Cherry streetcar -- and then missing 2 Queen buses before we could get back to the other stop). I was generally pretty stressed, as I needed to get back downtown in time to volunteer at Hogtown.
Indeed, the TTC had totally upended transit from the east side, so the Gerrard/College streetcar only went to Parliament and then you had to transfer. I just think this was a bad decision, since they also had shut down the 2 subway. In the end, I made it with 15 minutes to spare, but it was still annoying and I was stressed almost the whole trip.
The show itself was very fun, and I saw a few different things on this performance, though I still missed some of the scenes. I have a pretty good idea of the main events, but I think you need to see it 3 or perhaps 4 times to truly see everything. I also got to hang out with the actors after the show at their post-show gathering. They were a nice bunch, and that (and volunteering at the show itself) was definitely the bright spot of the day. Then it was back to reality.
I went to work briefly and tried to deal with my cell phone company. While I absolutely updated my credit card info, the information didn't "take," which actually happened before. Their on-line systems are quite poor in my opinion. This led them to completely suspending the account (without warning mind you). After calling customer service, they said I would have to visit a store with ID in hand before they would even think about restoring service. I gave them a few choice words and hung up, though I don't really have a choice. I'll have to deal with it tomorrow over lunch. But if this auto-payment thing fails again next month, I am through with them and will migrate to a different mobile company.
Then the TTC screwed me again on the way home, and I barely got back in time to get to the grocery store before it closed. I was too upset (and tired) to go to the gym, which then put me even further in a bad mood, since it doesn't take too many missed trips to the gym before you fall out of the habit. I'll just have to make the effort to go tonight. The rest of the week I should be biking again, so it won't feel quite so urgent.
So that was my day of highs and lows. On the whole, the bad outweighed the good, but maybe I won't feel the same tomorrow if I get the phone working again and I do make it to the gym. Then it will be more of a bad (but passing) dream.
Sunday, July 23, 2017
Outdoor Entertainment
It has been pretty difficult this summer to predict what will work out or not, given that it has been raining or threatened to rain most of July. I already mentioned how I went to the Music Garden by the Waterfront but they cancelled the concert without telling anyone. Shabby. I still don't understand why they don't relocate the concerts to the covered stage near The Power Plant, particularly if it is only going to sprinkle (I can see this wouldn't work in a thunderstorm). About the only thing I got out of it was a few photos of the Music Garden.
The following week, I ran up to Casa Loma with my daughter to see the Toronto Concert Orchestra playing Haydn. She had wanted to see the castle again, so I thought it was a good enough reason to go.
But she started to get fairly antsy as we sat down and waited for the music to start. I was actually feeling a bit cramped myself and there was still 45 minutes to go before the concert started. And the piece I really wanted to hear was placed after the intermission. I knew there was no way we would make it, so we just left, even though we had pretty good seats. I am doubtful I will try this again next season, but never say never.
I have probably gone to my last Shakespeare in High Park, however. The reviews for Twelfth Night were generally quite good (here and here and here). I had wanted to take my son, since Twelfth Night is definitely one of Shakespeare's best comedies. I hadn't expected the weather to clear up, as the forecast had called for rain up until the day before, but it did. I was then really surprised there were still a few reserved seats left, but I snagged a couple. I was kind of worn out from work and dealing with the last day of my daughter's camp, so we started off 15 minutes late. Also, I had wanted to show my son how cool it was that there was a streetcar stop literally in a park (well, just on the edge).
However, the streetcar was quite slow (at least 10-15 minutes slower than taking the subway over would have been). We had maybe 12 minutes before they were going to release our reserved seats! While I have been doing a fair bit of exercise, I don't jog anymore, so running was quite difficult for me. We got to the gate, quite sweaty in my case, at 7:46, but they took pity on us and took us to the reserved seats.
We were able to get two together, but we were pinched on both sides by people who had brought their oversized cushions. So we had no choice but to huddle together in a very uncomfortable position. I think perhaps years ago, everyone sat on the steps and let their legs hang down, but that isn't possible anymore. I think the only way to do it now is to reserve 4 or 5 spaces, and bring a blanket and then you can get a bit more comfortable. But I was in agony at about the hour mark. It's really a shame, as there were some very lovely scenes, particularly Orsino and Viola/Cesario dancing, and this was one of the better Sir Toby's I have seen. I was so glad when we finally hit 85 minutes (since these shows only run 90 minutes), but wait -- there were still several key plots that had to be resolved. It actually clocked in at 105 minutes! I really had stopped paying attention at that point (though I did note it was a little strange how quickly Sebastian moved on from Antonio, despite how they were emphasizing gender fluidity a fair bit at the end), as I was just too uncomfortable.* It took me quite a while before I could roll to my side and then to my knees to get back up. I think if they can't get it back to the proper run time any other way, they need to cut out the musical interlude at the beginning and then probably cut the bit where they get someone from the audience to play the priest. On the whole, I am glad my son saw the play and enjoyed it (it was a solid production), but I think this is the last time I go, just based on my discomfort and getting old. I was still in a bit of pain the next morning.
It's a little hard to tell, but it does appear that we'll have clear skies on July 29th, so I can plan to see Othello in Withrow Park. Driftwood does a nice job, but just as importantly, they have lawn chairs, so seeing the show isn't such a challenge. I'll most likely take my son to this as well.
I haven't decided about She Stoops to Conquer out in Scarborough, though this review is positive. I really have to look into the set-up more, including what the transit options are. However, the fact that they don't have weekend matinees (only Wed. matinees!) and the fact that it takes at least an hour to get there by transit makes it somewhat unlikely I will actually go. I guess in general, I am getting pickier and more set in my ways as I get older, but there is still quite a bit to do outside in the summer. Now if the weather would just cooperate a bit more...
* I think it is largely due to the actor playing Malvolio kind of stringing out his scenes. He just had a recent health scare, and I'm glad he is back in the play, but he is not the best Malvolio I've seen. He's probably the 4th best, or actually the worst. He starts out so disdainful and angry, and he doesn't have a lot of room to go from there. Now partly I am just upset that the show ran long, but Shakespeare Bash'D had the best Malvolio earlier this year. That show ran over 2 hours and could have used a few cuts, but at least I wasn't in pain throughout!
The following week, I ran up to Casa Loma with my daughter to see the Toronto Concert Orchestra playing Haydn. She had wanted to see the castle again, so I thought it was a good enough reason to go.
But she started to get fairly antsy as we sat down and waited for the music to start. I was actually feeling a bit cramped myself and there was still 45 minutes to go before the concert started. And the piece I really wanted to hear was placed after the intermission. I knew there was no way we would make it, so we just left, even though we had pretty good seats. I am doubtful I will try this again next season, but never say never.
I have probably gone to my last Shakespeare in High Park, however. The reviews for Twelfth Night were generally quite good (here and here and here). I had wanted to take my son, since Twelfth Night is definitely one of Shakespeare's best comedies. I hadn't expected the weather to clear up, as the forecast had called for rain up until the day before, but it did. I was then really surprised there were still a few reserved seats left, but I snagged a couple. I was kind of worn out from work and dealing with the last day of my daughter's camp, so we started off 15 minutes late. Also, I had wanted to show my son how cool it was that there was a streetcar stop literally in a park (well, just on the edge).
However, the streetcar was quite slow (at least 10-15 minutes slower than taking the subway over would have been). We had maybe 12 minutes before they were going to release our reserved seats! While I have been doing a fair bit of exercise, I don't jog anymore, so running was quite difficult for me. We got to the gate, quite sweaty in my case, at 7:46, but they took pity on us and took us to the reserved seats.
We were able to get two together, but we were pinched on both sides by people who had brought their oversized cushions. So we had no choice but to huddle together in a very uncomfortable position. I think perhaps years ago, everyone sat on the steps and let their legs hang down, but that isn't possible anymore. I think the only way to do it now is to reserve 4 or 5 spaces, and bring a blanket and then you can get a bit more comfortable. But I was in agony at about the hour mark. It's really a shame, as there were some very lovely scenes, particularly Orsino and Viola/Cesario dancing, and this was one of the better Sir Toby's I have seen. I was so glad when we finally hit 85 minutes (since these shows only run 90 minutes), but wait -- there were still several key plots that had to be resolved. It actually clocked in at 105 minutes! I really had stopped paying attention at that point (though I did note it was a little strange how quickly Sebastian moved on from Antonio, despite how they were emphasizing gender fluidity a fair bit at the end), as I was just too uncomfortable.* It took me quite a while before I could roll to my side and then to my knees to get back up. I think if they can't get it back to the proper run time any other way, they need to cut out the musical interlude at the beginning and then probably cut the bit where they get someone from the audience to play the priest. On the whole, I am glad my son saw the play and enjoyed it (it was a solid production), but I think this is the last time I go, just based on my discomfort and getting old. I was still in a bit of pain the next morning.
It's a little hard to tell, but it does appear that we'll have clear skies on July 29th, so I can plan to see Othello in Withrow Park. Driftwood does a nice job, but just as importantly, they have lawn chairs, so seeing the show isn't such a challenge. I'll most likely take my son to this as well.
I haven't decided about She Stoops to Conquer out in Scarborough, though this review is positive. I really have to look into the set-up more, including what the transit options are. However, the fact that they don't have weekend matinees (only Wed. matinees!) and the fact that it takes at least an hour to get there by transit makes it somewhat unlikely I will actually go. I guess in general, I am getting pickier and more set in my ways as I get older, but there is still quite a bit to do outside in the summer. Now if the weather would just cooperate a bit more...
* I think it is largely due to the actor playing Malvolio kind of stringing out his scenes. He just had a recent health scare, and I'm glad he is back in the play, but he is not the best Malvolio I've seen. He's probably the 4th best, or actually the worst. He starts out so disdainful and angry, and he doesn't have a lot of room to go from there. Now partly I am just upset that the show ran long, but Shakespeare Bash'D had the best Malvolio earlier this year. That show ran over 2 hours and could have used a few cuts, but at least I wasn't in pain throughout!
Saturday, July 22, 2017
The end of summer camp
This year, we put the kids into 2 different camps, but staggering the weeks they went to maximize peace in the house. However, this year, the camps were both downtown, not far from my work, so I ended up taking the kids to camp for the past 3 weeks (and not being able to bike to work at all obviously). But it all worked out, not to say that there weren't some stressful moments, particularly once when I was running late and just barely signed out my daughter before the end of the after care period.
What was a bit surprising is that my son didn't feel that he got too much out of the stop-motion animation, partly because there was too wide an age range in the class and too much of the time was just filler (playing outdoor games rather than building the clay sets).
On the other hand, he did get some good experience in navigating the city. He was allowed to sign himself out of camp after the first day and walk over to my workplace. On the second week, he was allow to take the subway home by himself twice.
My daughter was not happy about getting up early, but I think she got more out of the camp activities, and ultimately enjoyed it more. She wanted to take everything she made home. On the last day, I left work early to see the show and tell period. Then we walked over and tried to see inside Osgoode Hall, but apparently the tours are far more limited than what is described on the internet. We clearly weren't going to be able to see anything, and then she decided she wasn't that interested in seeing the building when she realized it just housed lawyers and their law library. We stopped in at Campbell House, and they showed us just a bit, though it is in some disarray due to Hogtown. I'll take her back some weekend in Oct. when it is back to normal. It was just as well we left slightly before the peak of the peak, since I was carrying so much stuff from the camp, including this model of a hotel room made inside a cardboard box.
All in all, it was a decent camp experience, though I am glad I am not going to be responsible for getting them to and from camp on time for the rest of the summer. I actually am hoping that the older one go off to "away camp" next summer; I was doing that a lot by the time I was 12 or so, but that may be a step too far.
What was a bit surprising is that my son didn't feel that he got too much out of the stop-motion animation, partly because there was too wide an age range in the class and too much of the time was just filler (playing outdoor games rather than building the clay sets).
On the other hand, he did get some good experience in navigating the city. He was allowed to sign himself out of camp after the first day and walk over to my workplace. On the second week, he was allow to take the subway home by himself twice.
My daughter was not happy about getting up early, but I think she got more out of the camp activities, and ultimately enjoyed it more. She wanted to take everything she made home. On the last day, I left work early to see the show and tell period. Then we walked over and tried to see inside Osgoode Hall, but apparently the tours are far more limited than what is described on the internet. We clearly weren't going to be able to see anything, and then she decided she wasn't that interested in seeing the building when she realized it just housed lawyers and their law library. We stopped in at Campbell House, and they showed us just a bit, though it is in some disarray due to Hogtown. I'll take her back some weekend in Oct. when it is back to normal. It was just as well we left slightly before the peak of the peak, since I was carrying so much stuff from the camp, including this model of a hotel room made inside a cardboard box.
All in all, it was a decent camp experience, though I am glad I am not going to be responsible for getting them to and from camp on time for the rest of the summer. I actually am hoping that the older one go off to "away camp" next summer; I was doing that a lot by the time I was 12 or so, but that may be a step too far.
Sunday, July 16, 2017
Wrapping up the Fringe
It was kind of a strange day. It threatened to rain, and perhaps it did rain a bit on the east side of the city, but I managed not to get rained on, which was great since I was in line outside of Tarragon for quite a while. We got over to Tarragon about half an hour early for About Time, which was a series of humorous sketches about different eras (the repressed Victorians, the groovy 60s, the 90s, i.e. the dawn of the internet age). It was fun, and it was over in an hour, which was good. Sometimes good ideas do drag on a bit too long.
I grabbed a postcard for Lanford Wilson's Burn This, and it turns out it isn't part of the Fringe at all, but will be playing the two weeks after Fringe. Apparently, this is one of those plays where the acting pretty much makes or breaks the play. I was kind of leaning towards going, but it doesn't look like there are any tickets less than $40, and that is a bit steep for a play I probably won't fully enjoy. I have been trying to impose just a bit of fiscal discipline on my entertainment spending, so unless I find a discount code, I'll probably pass.
We went to a vegan place right past the Dupont subway station for lunch after the performance. I have to admit, the food was a lot better on a previous visit. I didn't like my entree much at all. And I particularly disliked that we were asked to move to make space for a completely obnoxious family. I watched as both parents submerged themselves into texting on their phones and their two children started squabbling (mostly the fault of the little one, who then started walking on the table). My mood was completely spoiled, and I shan't be going back. I made a very clear point of not taking my children to restaurants if they couldn't behave, and so I don't have any tolerance for the selfish, self-absorbed parents you see everywhere today.
I had quite a bit of time to kill, since I had another show at Tarragon at 5:45. If I had had a bit more cash on me, I probably would have caught one more show at the Tarragon, but instead I went down to the AGO to check out some art. It was probably the right choice.
I went into the O'Keeffe exhibit. It was more crowded than it had been on the last visit, since people are waking up to the fact that it will only be around for another 2 weeks. It was good seeing some of the paintings again. This will probably be the last time I drop in.
I was mostly there to see the new contemporary exhibit on the 4th floor (Every Now Then), and also Rita Letendre. Unfortunately, I didn't have a camera or even a phone on me, so I'll have to go back and take pictures later in the summer.
The Letendre exhibit was really quite interesting, though it seems as though I prefer her early work to her later work, with some exceptions. My favorite piece was Victoire, which is actually in the AGO collection, though I don't recall ever seeing it before. It reminded me a fair bit of Norman Lewis, though when you get close up, the surface is far more built up (than Lewis's flat, controlled surfaces) with paint almost erupting from the canvas.
Perhaps after the exhibit closes, they will put this back into regular circulation. Interestingly, in the main Canadian section there are two Letendre's (added fairly recently, if memory serves me). One is quite nice, so I'll put up a picture of that soon. Neither of these are in the catalogue.
I wasn't sure I was going to buy the catalogue, but the second half is quite intriguing, as it shows different murals that Letendre did around Toronto, with basically all of them out of commission now. However, Letendre did have a piece of art in the Glencairn TTC subway station. It looked like this, but was removed over a decade ago.
The good news is that the subway art is being refurbished and replaced. I'll try to make a visit when it is back in place. The show may come a bit too late for Letendre, as she is suffering from macular degeneration, and she is largely blind now, though she was still pleased that they had put together a good overview of her work. Sadly, my grandmother also suffered from macular degeneration, and it is something I worry about getting one day, though perhaps there will be better treatment in another 15-20 years.
Even after a fairly thorough visit to the AGO, I still had some time to kill, so I sat down and read for a while before finally heading back up to Tarragon. The second time around the wait in line wasn't quite so long. I was a bit surprised that there were no artists trying to sell me on the merits of seeing their show, but it was the last day and pretty much all the shows were over. I didn't have the time to try to see any of the Patron choice awards, also that same evening. (I think the last two years, some of the best of the Fringe migrated up to North York, but it isn't clear to me if that is happening or not. While I was poking around, I saw that in early November, one of the Jewish theatre companies is doing Arthur Miller's Broken Glass. This is fairly heavy and also got mixed reviews on Broadway (but better reviews in London), so I'm a bit more likely to go to Broken Glass than Burn This (even though I still am looking for a better deal on tickets).)
Anyway, I was there to see George Walker's Adult Entertainment, which is one of the Suburban Motel plays, produced by Triple Bypass. It has his trademark mix of caustic wit, violence, darkness and nervous laughter. Very little turns out quite right for Walker's characters, particularly in this cycle of plays. I thought it was quite well done, particularly the cynicism on display when one person objects to a kid being called scum and everyone else (including a criminal defense attorney) says, no he is just scum. I will say that this one and Problem Child are a bit more plausible than Risk Everything where aspects of the plot are a bit too cartoon-ish. At this point, I've seen 3 of the 6. Somehow I missed Triple Bypass doing The End of Civilization in 2015, which is a bit annoying. I probably need to get on their mailing list. It looks like Factory Theatre did the whole cycle in 1997-98. I was already gone from Toronto at that point. Perhaps had I gotten into the doctoral program at UT, I would have been in town and plugged in enough to see them at that point. I passed up a really great opportunity to see the whole cycle in Vancouver in an actual motel room, but the timing was bad and I was very stressed at that point. It will just have to remain a decision I regret, although perhaps if Triple Bypass gets big enough they will stage the whole series at some point. On the whole, it was a good Fringe for me, but I didn't indulge quite as much as I might have. Maybe next year...
I grabbed a postcard for Lanford Wilson's Burn This, and it turns out it isn't part of the Fringe at all, but will be playing the two weeks after Fringe. Apparently, this is one of those plays where the acting pretty much makes or breaks the play. I was kind of leaning towards going, but it doesn't look like there are any tickets less than $40, and that is a bit steep for a play I probably won't fully enjoy. I have been trying to impose just a bit of fiscal discipline on my entertainment spending, so unless I find a discount code, I'll probably pass.
We went to a vegan place right past the Dupont subway station for lunch after the performance. I have to admit, the food was a lot better on a previous visit. I didn't like my entree much at all. And I particularly disliked that we were asked to move to make space for a completely obnoxious family. I watched as both parents submerged themselves into texting on their phones and their two children started squabbling (mostly the fault of the little one, who then started walking on the table). My mood was completely spoiled, and I shan't be going back. I made a very clear point of not taking my children to restaurants if they couldn't behave, and so I don't have any tolerance for the selfish, self-absorbed parents you see everywhere today.
I had quite a bit of time to kill, since I had another show at Tarragon at 5:45. If I had had a bit more cash on me, I probably would have caught one more show at the Tarragon, but instead I went down to the AGO to check out some art. It was probably the right choice.
I went into the O'Keeffe exhibit. It was more crowded than it had been on the last visit, since people are waking up to the fact that it will only be around for another 2 weeks. It was good seeing some of the paintings again. This will probably be the last time I drop in.
I was mostly there to see the new contemporary exhibit on the 4th floor (Every Now Then), and also Rita Letendre. Unfortunately, I didn't have a camera or even a phone on me, so I'll have to go back and take pictures later in the summer.
The Letendre exhibit was really quite interesting, though it seems as though I prefer her early work to her later work, with some exceptions. My favorite piece was Victoire, which is actually in the AGO collection, though I don't recall ever seeing it before. It reminded me a fair bit of Norman Lewis, though when you get close up, the surface is far more built up (than Lewis's flat, controlled surfaces) with paint almost erupting from the canvas.
 |
| Rita Letendre, Victoire, 1961 |
Perhaps after the exhibit closes, they will put this back into regular circulation. Interestingly, in the main Canadian section there are two Letendre's (added fairly recently, if memory serves me). One is quite nice, so I'll put up a picture of that soon. Neither of these are in the catalogue.
I wasn't sure I was going to buy the catalogue, but the second half is quite intriguing, as it shows different murals that Letendre did around Toronto, with basically all of them out of commission now. However, Letendre did have a piece of art in the Glencairn TTC subway station. It looked like this, but was removed over a decade ago.
The good news is that the subway art is being refurbished and replaced. I'll try to make a visit when it is back in place. The show may come a bit too late for Letendre, as she is suffering from macular degeneration, and she is largely blind now, though she was still pleased that they had put together a good overview of her work. Sadly, my grandmother also suffered from macular degeneration, and it is something I worry about getting one day, though perhaps there will be better treatment in another 15-20 years.
Even after a fairly thorough visit to the AGO, I still had some time to kill, so I sat down and read for a while before finally heading back up to Tarragon. The second time around the wait in line wasn't quite so long. I was a bit surprised that there were no artists trying to sell me on the merits of seeing their show, but it was the last day and pretty much all the shows were over. I didn't have the time to try to see any of the Patron choice awards, also that same evening. (I think the last two years, some of the best of the Fringe migrated up to North York, but it isn't clear to me if that is happening or not. While I was poking around, I saw that in early November, one of the Jewish theatre companies is doing Arthur Miller's Broken Glass. This is fairly heavy and also got mixed reviews on Broadway (but better reviews in London), so I'm a bit more likely to go to Broken Glass than Burn This (even though I still am looking for a better deal on tickets).)
Anyway, I was there to see George Walker's Adult Entertainment, which is one of the Suburban Motel plays, produced by Triple Bypass. It has his trademark mix of caustic wit, violence, darkness and nervous laughter. Very little turns out quite right for Walker's characters, particularly in this cycle of plays. I thought it was quite well done, particularly the cynicism on display when one person objects to a kid being called scum and everyone else (including a criminal defense attorney) says, no he is just scum. I will say that this one and Problem Child are a bit more plausible than Risk Everything where aspects of the plot are a bit too cartoon-ish. At this point, I've seen 3 of the 6. Somehow I missed Triple Bypass doing The End of Civilization in 2015, which is a bit annoying. I probably need to get on their mailing list. It looks like Factory Theatre did the whole cycle in 1997-98. I was already gone from Toronto at that point. Perhaps had I gotten into the doctoral program at UT, I would have been in town and plugged in enough to see them at that point. I passed up a really great opportunity to see the whole cycle in Vancouver in an actual motel room, but the timing was bad and I was very stressed at that point. It will just have to remain a decision I regret, although perhaps if Triple Bypass gets big enough they will stage the whole series at some point. On the whole, it was a good Fringe for me, but I didn't indulge quite as much as I might have. Maybe next year...
Canadian History Plays at Soulpepper
It is definitely Canadian history month at Soulpepper. In addition to the 2-part Confederation plays by Video Cabaret, there is another remount of Eric Peterson in Billy Bishop Goes to War and then another play about WWI - Vimy. I'm not planning on seeing Vimy (and the reviews have been middling at best), but the other three were quite good.
I've consistently been blown away with the Video Cabaret plays. Depending on how they split them up and mount them, it looks I have 8 to go. If they only put on one or at most two a year, it will certainly be a while until they finish the cycle, and there is no guarantee they will get back around to the War of 1812 for instance. (I'm a bit more concerned about their longevity than my own.) I'm most disappointed that they haven't been able to come up with the funding to film the series, since this is something that deserves to be properly recorded. Mac Fyfe was quite brilliant as Pierre Elliott Trudeau. I would have to say that the biggest stand-out this time around was Michaela Washburn as Louis Riel, though the others were quite good as well.
Billy Bishop Goes to War has been kicking around for quite some time, and, indeed, around 2011 John Gray and Eric Peterson revised the script to make it more of a memory play, i.e. Billy Bishop is an old man, thinking over his youthful exploits. Oddly, the Toronto Library only has the original edition, not the revised edition. I'm not quite sure how different the two versions are, but I will try to get ahold of the revised edition (Pratt Library has a copy but they are on restricted summer hours) and then I'll do a comparison (and publish a more comprehensive review at that time). There is also a DVD from 2013, so it captures the revised version, and preserves Eric Peterson in one of the roles of a lifetime. This actually makes the 3rd time I've seen Peterson. While I was impressed with him in The Model Apartment, he takes it to another level with Billy Bishop, since he has to impersonate a Scot, several upper-class Englishmen (and a wealthy English heiress) and even a cabaret singer! Interestingly, this review suggests that in the first act he is bumbling a bit but he was totally sharp in the second act, and that it may have been an intentional strategy. I'm not really sure if either Peterson was just much better this afternoon or if they decided to tweak the show and rein in any bumbling or indeed if I am just more forgiving, but I didn't notice anything like Peterson forgetting his lines or running out of breath. That said, there are only a few more times that they can remount this show (with the show's creators that is), so I am very glad I had this opportunity to see it. I was a little surprised that they didn't go into any of Bishop's adventures and misadventures after he returned to Canada and married Margaret, the girl back home. Not only did he go back to the front and win well over 20 more air battles (far surpassing England's Albert Ball), but then he had a long career promoting Canadian aviation, and he was pressed into service as a kind of cheerleader during WWII. I don't know if the first version of the show touched on this more or not. I think some of the critics who aren't as thrilled with the show, probably would have wanted to hear about Bishop's ambivalence (if any) of promoting another war after having lived through the hell of war himself. Anyway, here is a general article about his life.
I would recommend all three shows, though Billy Bishop is essentially a simpler show, not capturing quite as many sides to history as the Video Cabaret Confederacy plays do. On the other hand, it is a prime showcase for a very special actor worth celebrating.
I've consistently been blown away with the Video Cabaret plays. Depending on how they split them up and mount them, it looks I have 8 to go. If they only put on one or at most two a year, it will certainly be a while until they finish the cycle, and there is no guarantee they will get back around to the War of 1812 for instance. (I'm a bit more concerned about their longevity than my own.) I'm most disappointed that they haven't been able to come up with the funding to film the series, since this is something that deserves to be properly recorded. Mac Fyfe was quite brilliant as Pierre Elliott Trudeau. I would have to say that the biggest stand-out this time around was Michaela Washburn as Louis Riel, though the others were quite good as well.
Billy Bishop Goes to War has been kicking around for quite some time, and, indeed, around 2011 John Gray and Eric Peterson revised the script to make it more of a memory play, i.e. Billy Bishop is an old man, thinking over his youthful exploits. Oddly, the Toronto Library only has the original edition, not the revised edition. I'm not quite sure how different the two versions are, but I will try to get ahold of the revised edition (Pratt Library has a copy but they are on restricted summer hours) and then I'll do a comparison (and publish a more comprehensive review at that time). There is also a DVD from 2013, so it captures the revised version, and preserves Eric Peterson in one of the roles of a lifetime. This actually makes the 3rd time I've seen Peterson. While I was impressed with him in The Model Apartment, he takes it to another level with Billy Bishop, since he has to impersonate a Scot, several upper-class Englishmen (and a wealthy English heiress) and even a cabaret singer! Interestingly, this review suggests that in the first act he is bumbling a bit but he was totally sharp in the second act, and that it may have been an intentional strategy. I'm not really sure if either Peterson was just much better this afternoon or if they decided to tweak the show and rein in any bumbling or indeed if I am just more forgiving, but I didn't notice anything like Peterson forgetting his lines or running out of breath. That said, there are only a few more times that they can remount this show (with the show's creators that is), so I am very glad I had this opportunity to see it. I was a little surprised that they didn't go into any of Bishop's adventures and misadventures after he returned to Canada and married Margaret, the girl back home. Not only did he go back to the front and win well over 20 more air battles (far surpassing England's Albert Ball), but then he had a long career promoting Canadian aviation, and he was pressed into service as a kind of cheerleader during WWII. I don't know if the first version of the show touched on this more or not. I think some of the critics who aren't as thrilled with the show, probably would have wanted to hear about Bishop's ambivalence (if any) of promoting another war after having lived through the hell of war himself. Anyway, here is a general article about his life.
I would recommend all three shows, though Billy Bishop is essentially a simpler show, not capturing quite as many sides to history as the Video Cabaret Confederacy plays do. On the other hand, it is a prime showcase for a very special actor worth celebrating.
Saturday, July 15, 2017
Austen-mania
I didn't realize that this was the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's death until today. There are a variety of events set to mark this occasion, including putting Austen on the UK's 10 pound note. Of course, the best way to honour her is to read her works. I've read Northanger Abbey and either Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility (back in my undergrad years). I know it is kind of crazy not to know which I've read,* but it was a long time ago... I have several Austen novels on my long reading list, but I will have to move them up to ensure I get to them by the end of the year. In terms of pacing, I'll make sure I read both Sense and Sensibility (1811) ✓ and Pride and Prejudice (1813) ✓ in 2017.
I'll see if I can get through the rest: Mansfield Park (1814) ✓, Emma (1815) and Persuasion (1817) in 2018. I don't intend to either reread Northanger Abbey or to read her unfinished novel Sanditon (although this commentator makes a strong case for it). I've also been intending to reread Barbara Pym, and I'll sneak a couple in along the way, since I've often thought of Pym as one of the chief successors to Austen. In general, I'm making more of an effort to fill in those gaps in my reading (like Jane Eyre, which I'm starting this week for the first time!), so the Austen project comes at a good time.
* I had actually convinced myself that we read Pride and Prejudice for my Honors English course in university, but a few pages into Sense and Sensibility I realized that we had read Austen's first novel instead. Definitely looking forward to the next one, which I should be wrapping up by (US) Thanksgiving.
I'll see if I can get through the rest: Mansfield Park (1814) ✓, Emma (1815) and Persuasion (1817) in 2018. I don't intend to either reread Northanger Abbey or to read her unfinished novel Sanditon (although this commentator makes a strong case for it). I've also been intending to reread Barbara Pym, and I'll sneak a couple in along the way, since I've often thought of Pym as one of the chief successors to Austen. In general, I'm making more of an effort to fill in those gaps in my reading (like Jane Eyre, which I'm starting this week for the first time!), so the Austen project comes at a good time.
* I had actually convinced myself that we read Pride and Prejudice for my Honors English course in university, but a few pages into Sense and Sensibility I realized that we had read Austen's first novel instead. Definitely looking forward to the next one, which I should be wrapping up by (US) Thanksgiving.
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