Category Archives: Play

“GAME SHOW” – more Jeopardy™ than Wheel™ Reply

Play, Theatre

Review by Danny GaisinreviewerDJG

The newest event at STAGE WEST IS an event. “Game Show” does have a rather minimal plot about the star’s psychological salary negotiations, but it’s the game that makes the evening so much fun. Adding Charles Shaughnessy to the mix is pure apple-polishing. Remember his suave imperturbable ‘Sheffield’ opposed to Fran Drescher’s shrieking shenanigans; he still projects that charismatic, twinkle-eyed demeanor as Troy, the host of the game.
Audiences are insinuated into the evening as the on-stage crew start prepping for a performance.

Shaughnessy quizzing his 1st round contestants

Shaughnessy quizzing his 1st round contestants

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The Emperor’s New Clothes; by Becker & Adamczyk! Reply

Play, Theatre

Review by Danny Gaisin

♫ The king is in his altogether…he’s altogether as naked as the day that he was born♫. That’s how Danny Kaye sang the punch-line in his musical movie about Hans Christian Anderson. Waterdown’s Village Theatre may not have original music, or a Danny Kaye star power; but it does have Gwendolyn Starks as director, and over two dozen adorable kids to interpret the allegorical children’s fable about greed, selfishness and indulgent dissipation.

The folks of 'Glump' including the royal family & court

The folks of ‘Glump’ including the royal family & court

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Avenue ‘Q’ – revisited Reply

Musical, Play, Theatre

Review by Danny Gaisin

To find Avenue ‘Q’ on a map of Manhattan, look for the intersection of Lymph Road and Axilla Blvd. In other words, the ‘armpit’ of NYC! It’s the downtrodden locale for the 2002 Lopez/Marx/Whitty collaboration of non-PC dialogue & lyrics; music and puppetry…satire, but with a message.
HAMMER Entertainment’s take on this off-Broadway—gone mainstream hit does not try to re-invent the wheel, but rather amuse and charm the audience, all the while subtly educating. The plot deals with three separate relationships;

The folks of "AVENUE Q,; real & otherwise!

The folks of “AVENUE Q,; real & otherwise!

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The music still lives; “BUDDY” Reply

Musical, Play

Review by Danny GaisinreviewerDJG

Early February 1959; Montreal was in a deep freeze, constantly around -27°F.  My car-poolers kept commenting that my Studebaker had a central heater so the back seat also received warmth. Tuesday February 3rd was just another frigid day; too cold to pay much attention to the CFCF news about a crash in Clear Lake. Charles Holley -22; Jiles Richardson aged 28; and 18 year-old Richard Valenzuela, failed to register.
The afternoon’s Montreal Star gave more details…The Bopper; Buddy & Richie Valens were dead.

Bleyendaal, Sorochan & Knowles; the early days!

Bleyendaal, Sorochan & Knowles; the early days!

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Haven’t got a “CLUE” about ‘whodunit’ Reply

Play, Theatre

Review by Terry GaisinreviewerETG

Was it Col. Mustard in the lounge or Mrs. Peacock in the Study? Maybe it was Miss Scarlet in the Kitchen. Obviously, the above tip-offs suggest we’re talking about ‘CLUE’… the iconic board game.
In the ‘did you know’ department…Did you know the game originated as a time-passer during the WWII London Blitz?  Post-war, it was marketed a couple of years later and then modified for the American market.

                                                                       'CLUE" cast
                                                                                                                      ‘CLUE” cast

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“Merrily we roll along”… to Theatre Sheridan Reply

Musical, Play, Theatre

Review by Danny Gaisin

When Stephen Sondheim tackles a subject; he goes straight for the jugular…and not just in Sweeney Todd! The psychoses in ‘Company’; the underlines in ‘A little Night Music’; and the prejudices of ‘West Side Story’; while never negating the music, are nevertheless intrinsic to the plot. Ditto for MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG.
The narrative concerns a successful Hollywood producer, his two best friends; wives 1 & 2, plus an A-List of acquaintances & hangers-on. The audience is taken from contemporary (circa 1976) back to the mid-fifties when the trio first meet.

Nethersole, Rorabeck & Agnew during better days

Nethersole, Rorabeck & Agnew during the early days

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