After Albert Schultz, Soulpepper goes to Britain to find its new executive director by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Emma Stenning comes to Toronto, after scandal drove Schultz from his post, after serving as chief executive at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre in England.

A trio of female theatre friends tackle a play about an intimate female relationship by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Everything came together to allow Maev Beaty and Liisa Repo-Martell to appear in A Beautiful View, directed by Andrea Donaldson.

Portia’s Julius Caesar finds women’s story in remixed Shakespeare by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Outdoor Toronto show’s fresh perspective, partly created by writer Kaitlyn Riordan, shows us an unseen side of ancient Rome.

At SummerWorks, shows can learn from the audience, at an early stage by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

The theatre festival for works in development shows its merits as, while still evolving, two shows got valuable exposure to an audience’s responses and opinions.

Bed and Breakfast a satisfying farce with food for thought by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Real-life couple Gregory Prest and Paolo Santalucia play about 20 characters in Soulpepper run of Mark Crawford’s hit comedy.

Rick Miller’s Boom delivers boomer nostalgia in a slick package by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Shaw Festival’s Hound of the Baskervilles struggles to find its footing in genre and tone by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Is it melodrama, spoof, romp, homage, experiment in onstage cinematic storytelling, exploration of male friendship, or celebration of Holmes as a fact-based hero for our fake news era? write…

These lovebird Mamma Mia! stars aren’t just acting — they’re really in love by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Lucy May Barker and Phillip Ryan, who play Sophie and Sky in the ABBA musical now playing in Toronto, talk about their on- and off-stage relationship.

Shaw Festival’s Henry V is high concept but emotionally remote by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Actors portray soldiers who are rehearsing the title Shakespeare play, thus the whole production is kept at a consistent ironic remove, writes Karen Fricker.

Oh What a Lovely War’s ambitions pay off in dramatic fashion by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Shaw Festival production’s embrace of variety of perspectives makes century-old sacrifices and struggle resonate powerfully now.

New Stratford show Napoli Milionaria! has comedy, tragedy and a lot of Italy by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Festival’s artistic director has personal affection for his parents’ homeland and a beloved playwright there, Eduardo De Filippo.

Rosalynde cast and outdoor setting overcome any problems with tweaked Shakespeare by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Josephine Ridge explains her sudden departure from Luminato by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

“I still have a lot of ideas and energy to give,” says Ridge, who resigned last week as the festival artistic director, in an interview with the Star.

Got World Cup withdrawal? Watch this classic rivalry by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

It’s Montagues vs. Capulets in Shakespeare in High Park’s enjoyable soccer-inspired take on Romeo and Juliet, writes Karen Fricker.

Soulpepper’s Orlando comes to life with Sarah Afful’s lustrous performance by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

The production gains energy in the second act, as the title character becomes female and realizes she’s expected to behave the way she previously expected women to be: “obedient, chaste …

The man who put The King and I back on its musical throne by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Director Bartlett Sher dusted off the dated musical for an acclaimed revival that played Broadway and London before arriving for a run at Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre.

Shakespeare’s Coriolanus brought to the present at Stratford by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Director Robert Lepage re-invisions William Shakespeare’s play Coriolanus in his latest production at Statford.

Brontë sisters get written into a corner in Stratford play by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Creative choices mean the lives of famed English writers seldom get very lively, writes Karen Fricker.

Shaw Festival’s O’Flaherty V.C. goes short and silly on a long and serious war by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Kimberley Rampersad’s charming production revives the tradition of a short lunchtime show at the Shaw Festival, writes Karen Fricker.

Pussy Riot’s Maria Alyokhina takes the Toronto stage in the urgent Burning Doors by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Burning Doors at Luminato, in part, tells the story of Oleg Sentsov, a Ukrainian filmmaker imprisoned in Russia on a hunger strike since May 14.

Clever play Nassim lets audience and performer experience it for the first time by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

While the play is not overtly political, writer Nassim Soleimanpour is making points about freedoms we have in the West that we may take for granted.

Stephen Fry tells great stories in Mythos: Men, but just what is he trying to say? by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Stephen Fry’s account of the Trojan War is typically gripping, but Karen Fricker wishes for more personal commentary on the ancient mythology he knows so well.

Stephen Fry’s ‘pure storytelling’ enlivens Mythos: Heroes at Shaw Festival by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

“He’s taken his love of these myths and translated it and helped me understand why they’re amazing,” marvels our critic’s companion for part 2 of her Mythos diary.

Mythos: Gods engages Shaw Festival audience with the mythology of Stephen Fry by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Unlike some of his ancient Greek source material, Stephen Fry really knows how to spin a yarn, writes Karen Fricker in part 1 of her Mythos trilogy diary.

Stratford’s twist of Rocky Horror plays on nostalgia by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Donna Feore’s production brings top-notch musical theatre talent to the plate.

Stratford’s The Comedy of Errors takes fun risks with LGBTQ twist by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Gender and queer desire take spotlight in this adventurous spin on Shakespeare’s classic mistaken-identity story.

‘We’re in a culture war here’ — two fierce shows boldly represent the new Ireland by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Two acclaimed productions kicking off Toronto’s Luminato Festival, RIOT and Swan Lake/Loch na hEala, are brash representations of modern-day Ireland’s break from tradition.

Why To Kill a Mockingbird needs to be onstage in 2018 by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

The racism of 1935 is still happening today and young theatregoers need to talk about it, says Nigel Shawn Williams, directing for the Stratford Festival.

The Music Man reminds us of the joy of the Stratford Festival in wake of bomb threat by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Just one night after a bomb threat cancelled season opener The Tempest, Donna Feore’s staging of this beloved 1957 musical captivates the audience, writes Karen Fricker.

Innocence Lost: A Play About Steven Truscott is a well-done portrait of how a country lost its innocence by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

Soulpepper Theatre production demonstrates that the lines of truth and fiction, goodness and evil, can never be drawn definitively, writes Karen Fricker.

Shaw Festival production of two of Bernard Shaw’s romance and marriage plays don’t always inspire love by Karen Fricker - Theatre Critic

The actors in How He Lied to Her Husband don’t go full-tilt at the farce while acting styles vary in The Man of Destiny, writes Karen Fricker.