Tag: reviews

Guys and Dolls – A Must See at the Stratford Festival

by Richard Young

by Richard Young

Reviewed by Richard Young

(Pictured: Members of the Guys and Dolls company. Photo: David Hou.)

Full Disclosure: I’ve always been a sucker for full-scale Broadway musicals. And, before the “Drama Police” show up in my Facebook Comments, I appreciate drama and “serious issues plays” just as much as the next guy. But there’s something about musicals that attracts me to them every time.

From the opening chords of its first production number to the final bows of its outstanding Cast, the Tony Award-winning production of Guys and Dolls, now playing in previews at the Stratford Festival, is a spectacle that theatre-goers do not want to miss, if for no other reason than to allow them to escape the harrowing front-page news of 2026.

Let’s start with the stellar veteran Cast.

I would gladly pay to hear Stratford veteran actor Dan Chameroy read a phone book. His portrayal of Sky Masterson, a notoriously lucky gambler willing to bet on just about anything, is brilliant. Add to that Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane, the focus of his unrequited love, as the pious and beautiful Sergeant Sarah Brown of the Save-a-Soul Mission, and you have a winning combination.

The play’s other love story between small-time gambler Nathan Detroit, played masterfully by Mark Urhe, who runs a floating craps game in need of a location, and his long-suffering fiancée of fourteen years, Miss Adelaide, played by Jennifer Ryder-Shaw, is equally appealing.

(Pictured: Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane and Jennifer Ryder-Shaw. Photo: Dan Hou.)

The supporting cast of stereotypical small-time grifters adds an extra dimension to the story and further encourages the audience to suspend their disbelief. Characters with names like Nicely-Nicely Johnson (Steve Ross), Benny Southstreet (Gabriel Antonacci), Rusty Charlie (Devon Michael-Brown), Harry the Horse (Henry Firmston) and Big Julie (Juan Chioran) come and go on the stage with great aplomb.

(Pictured: Members of the company. Photo: David Hou.)

The ensemble actors shine in the show’s outstanding production numbers, choreographed by Stratford veteran, director Donna Feore. Stunning dance moves, accentuated by impossible gymnastic feats, leave the audience gasping for air.

The play’s costumes and sets are a joy to behold, as is expected of Stratford Festival productions. The men are dressed in garish vintage 1940s pinstripe suits, while the women look like they walked off the screen of a classic Hollywood film noir.

Sets range from a dingy New York City streetscape, a Havana nightclub, a lively cabaret, a mission, and a NYC sewer! Set changes are done quickly and seamlessly.

(Pictured: Members of the company. Photo: David Hou.)

And the music!

Under the baton of Music Director, Franklin Brasz, the cast and pit orchestra perform songs that have become part of the Great American Songbook, including If I Were a Bell, A Bushel and A Peck, Guys and Dolls, and, of course, Luck Be A Lady.

At the preview performance I attended on Saturday, May 23, audience members could hardly wait to jump to their feet to give the cast a well-deserved standing ovation amidst shouts of Bravo.

(Pictured: Devon Michael Brown with members of the company. Photo: Ann Baggley.)

To be sure, if you are a fan of musical theatre (and even if you aren’t), you don’t want to miss this outstanding production.

As a rule, the Stratford Festival presents two major musical productions each season. Last season’s box office smash, Something Rotten, returns to the Festival stage for a command performance. Featuring many of the cast members of Guys and Dolls, it’s definitely a show you want to see if you missed it last year.

Reviewed by Richard Young, Publisher & Content Manager of The Beat Magazine 2025.

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Dysfunction Done Right in The Family Creetin

by Richard Young

by Richard Young

Reviewed by Jo-Anne Bishop.

(Pictured: Cast & Crew of The Family Creetin. Photo by Ross Davidson)

Every so often, a local production comes along that makes you rethink your expectations entirely. The Family Creetin, presented by Banished by the King Productions, is one of them.

I’ll admit it, I went in cautiously. Locally written shows can be hit or miss, and sometimes the humour leans too heavily on inside jokes. Not here. Patrick Brennan has written something that feels bigger than that—and funnier, too.

The setup is classic: a group of siblings gathered in an English country house, all carrying a ton of baggage and very little patience for one another. From there, things unravel quickly (in the best way). The comedy comes from character, not gimmicks, and it lands because it feels familiar. If you’ve ever survived a tense family gathering, you are in on the joke.

It’s not without its bumps. A lot is going on, and at times the play can feel like a ping-pong match, your head constantly turning to keep up with the action. A bit of tightening would sharpen some of the bigger moments. That said, Brennan’s direction keeps things impressively controlled. The pacing is tight where it needs to be, and even when the script edges toward chaos (which it does – a lot!), the staging keeps it from tipping over. There’s a clear sense that this is a play that has evolved over time, and if this is the result of that evolution, it’s very much in the right direction.

(Photo by Ross Davidson)

The production makes smart use of the black box space in Procunier Hall at the Palace Theatre. The set is simple, tasteful, and exactly what it needs to be, no more, no less. It fits the space beautifully while leaving plenty of room for the performances to breathe. But if I’m to be honest, this is a show that feels ready for a larger stage; it has the legs for it.

And it’s the performances that really carry it. This is a strong cast across the board, and more importantly, they work as a true ensemble—feeding off each other, building momentum, and clearly enjoying the ride. That sense of connection translates directly to the audience.

A big part of what elevates the production is the physicality and facial work. Reactions are sharp, expressions are doing just as much work as the dialogue, and it adds an extra layer of comedy that keeps scenes lively even in quieter moments. The casting feels particularly well matched—these actors fit their roles in a way that makes the dynamics feel natural and fully lived-in.

(Photo by Ross Davidson.)

Dylan Rock as Frederic is a standout, with a strong physical presence and consistently engaging reactions. Ben Kennes’s Reginald is equally memorable, bringing excellent timing and expression that make every moment count. And Kevin Avram nearly walks away with the show as Bertrand. His portrayal of the perpetually drunk brother is fully committed and genuinely hilarious, especially with his repeated, perfectly timed “Oh mother” lines, which somehow get funnier every time. His final moment ties everything together beautifully.

The sisters—Sophie Thompson (Victoria) and Sue Harrington (Gloria)—land some big laughs with their sharp back-and-forth, while Jennifer Groulx’s Sybil provides a sweet, grounding counterbalance to the chaos. Rachel Sherret’s prim, all-knowing Mary (who has a quote for everything) is crisply timed and consistently funny, and Nicole McTeer nails the Hollywood starlet as Ginger.

(Photo by Ross Davidson.)

Luis Marin turns up the heat as Latin lover Raul, while Dustin Didham’s Nigel—a sooty, slightly suspect chimney sweep—adds another comic layer. Ryan Starkweather’s Roger, the curious banker, doubles as narrator, punctuating the action with a clicker that freezes the stage in well-executed tableaux—timing the cast delivers to hilarious effect. Rounding out the ensemble is Patrick Hoffer as Archibald, the family patriarch with a watchful eye.

Costumes by Tanis Daoust suit the period nicely, and the technical team—stage manager Jeremy Hewitson, assistant stage manager Eric Curtis, sound by Doug Deschenes, and lighting by Mark Mooney—keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes.

(Photo by Ross Davidson.)

What’s most impressive is how easily this play connects. It doesn’t feel small or niche. It feels like something with real staying power. You could see it on a bigger stage, in a longer run, or picked up by other companies around the globe—without missing a beat.

Bottom line:

A sharp, funny, and well-played ensemble comedy that proves local theatre can punch well above its weight. It is busy at times, but consistently entertaining, and the kind of show that makes you hope someone is already planning the encore.

IF YOU GO:

What: The Family Creetin, written by Patrick Brennan and presented by Banished by the King Productions

When: April 16th to 25th, 2026

Where: Procunier Hall, Palace Theatre, 710 Dundas Street, London, Ontario

Tickets:  Adults: $33 * Students/Seniors (55+): $30 * Youth (under 18): $20 Tickets | The Family Creetin | The Palace Theatre Arts Commons

*This is a wheelchair accessible facility.

Check out The Beat Magazine’s Q&A Interview with the play’s author and director, Patrick Brennan, at: Q&A Interview with Patrick Brennan, Author and Director of The Family Creetin. – The Beat Magazine 2025

Reviewed by Jo-Anne Bishop.

Tom Dunphy – Everything Was New Reviewed by Ian Gifford

by Richard Young

Released April 2025
Reviewed by Ian Gifford 09/27/2025

It’s been a while since I’ve penned an album review, but sometimes you just need the right album to come along to inspire the writing bug, and Tom Dunphy’s debut solo release, Everything Was New, is one such album. I’ve been thinking about it since I first dropped the needle and decided that it’s something that should be shared.

As one half of the husband and wife writing duo for London’s favourite Honky Tonk band, The Rizdales, Tom is no stranger to writing a great song. This collection features five fresh Tom Dunphy originals, as well as some reworked tracks and a single cover song. The album is a stripped-back classic country record with songs that sound like they could have been written by Marty, Merle, Hank, or Willie themselves, but with Tom’s unique vocal styling. Tom covers the acoustic guitar and upright bass duties deftly, with the added talents of Toronto session stars, Steve Briggs on electric guitar and Burke Carroll on lap steel (both of the Brothers Cosmoline/BeBop Cowboys).

This overall tone is in stark contrast to the rocking Rizdales sounds we are used to, but is reminiscent of the early writers that inspired that sound. The no drums approach, coupled with the lightly strummed acoustic guitar and twangy colourings of the Telecaster and the steel, takes you back to the early days of the Grand Ole Opry and the records that were getting the artists there! It feels like Tom could have been born in a different era, yet he writes with contemporary themes and issues at heart.

Highlights for me are the first single, the lively “You Make me Shake” or “September is Gone” which provides some vivid images of the autumn and the striking line “They say new life begins with the spring, ours will begin with the fall”; and the rework of Tom’s old band’s single The Juke Joint Johnny’s’ – “Leaving Train” which has had new life breathed into it by both Steve and Burke’s contributions.

This album is true country music that reaches the same passion and emotions as its American predecessors. While it contains the expected themes of breakups and beer drinking, it’s never hokey or kitschy, it’s just a good listen from front to back, of some well written and well executed tunes, where even the lone cover (“Song to a Dead Man” by T-Bone Burnett), which the album is named after a line of, doesn’t seem out of place.

If I had to give it a Star Rating, it would be 5 Stars, because I simply can’t find anything wrong with it. It’s a record I could play over and over again and be transported to some old diner in Nashville at 3:00 am, with the jukebox gently humming in the corner.

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Reviewed by Ian Gifford (Photo Credit: Paul LaTorre)