Reviews

The Orchard is loosely based on or inspired by Chekhov’s iconic play, The Cherry Orchard by Pony Cam which is an award-winning experimental theatre collective. Subversion, innovation, audience participation and challenging expectations are all characteristic of their work. An adaptation to such a classic text from an experimental theatre perspective sets up an interesting challenge.

19-year-old Thalia Osegueda Santas was plucked out of 300 odd video auditions to score the lead role of Ti Moune in this joyous musical, and with a spin and twirl of her long locks dazzled the opening night audience.

In a node to The Little Mermaid, Ti Moune is found washed up on a beach, and raised by a poor family in the French West Indies.

Once, years ago, Jo (Christina O’Neill) and Lia (Carissa Lee) were best friends.  And Jo and Simon (Kevin Hofbauer) were an item.  But Jo and Simon broke up – not because of Lia - and Lia started dating Simon – which caused a breach between Jo and Lia.  Now, Lia is with Simon and desperate to have a baby, but nothing’s working – well, her eggs aren’t working.  Who is determinedly single and not using her eggs?  Jo...

Once a year, Garrick Theatre’s youth group known as TAG for Teens at Garrick joins with experienced older performers for a Mainstage production. This year it is an adaptation of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales.

In this version, the pilgrims bound for Canterbury who “tell” the original tales meet up with a troupe of actors in a tavern (and in Act II in another tavern), and the actors help to act out each of the stories. With one exception, the pilgrims are played by adult actors with the teenage performers forming the acting troupe.