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Nine Plays We Liked in 2004
Torontoist has heard that end of year lists are generally tedious and irrelevant. Torontoist acknowledges the point. But Torontoist also only burst on the scene a couple of months ago and would like to take this moment to salute nine plays we liked in 2004. They weren’t necessarily the best plays, per se, but we liked them is all.
The Handmaid’s Tale (Canadian Opera Company)
You can call it an opera if you so desire, but it was without a doubt the theatrical event of the year in this city. Margaret Atwood’s dystopian tale translated well to the stage, the production design was gorgeous, and while the music was definitely weird, we dug it nonetheless. Absolutely stunning. Like, whack!
No Great Mischief (Tarragon)
Another stage adaptation of another great Canadian book. (Why, we ask, is CanLit so damn good, while CanTheat is so darn mediocre?) The critics were lukewarm on this one and we can see why, but we loved Alistair MacLeod’s story and his characters and enjoyed seeing them come to life. And we could listen to R.H. Thomson talk about whatever for hours. Seriously: Whatever.
Matt & Ben (macIDeas)
A fun play about male friendship as viewed by the female gaze. Held over for a couple months at the Poor Alex, it brought the youth (ie. us) into the theatre. No one but macIDeas would have brought us this play and we are more-than-eager to see what these Young producing Turks have up their dapper sleeves next.
Urinetown (CanStage)
A funny, smart, genuine musical hidden in a musical-making-fun-of-musicals musical. As Little Sally, Jennifer Waiser was the stand-out in a cast that was clearly having a ton of fun. It’s too bad it didn’t run longer, but maybe we should stop judging Toronto musicals by the length of their runs. Hail Malthus!
The Laramie Project (Buddies in Bad Times)
Torontoist didn’t catch Studio 180’s production of this documentary play about the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepherd last year. We’re extremely glad we caught the remount, however. Surprisingly forgiving, this is how all political theatre should be.
Provenance (CanStage)
Puppeteer Ronnie Burkett is a god. That’s all we have to say about that.
Restitution (Factory)
Nobody liked this dark and funny Michael O’Brien comedy but Torontoist. Yeah, it was too long, but gee, did it deserve such a bashing? No one appreciates a good cartoon here.
Nathan the Wise (Soulpepper)
Soulpepper’s productions of Waiting for Godot and Translations were a little overrated, frankly. But their production of this little-known German gem was a little underrated, so it all evens out. A) We’d pick watching William Webster over William Hutt any day, and B) while Nathan the Wise was written in 1769, it was nonetheless perhaps the most timely show of 2004.
Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love (Crow’s Theatre)
Crow’s Theatre’s tenth anniversary production of Brad Fraser’s break-out hit, starring the inestimable Damien Atkins, was shrugged at by critics and denounced by Fraser himself. But those of us who saw it for the first time were struck by how exciting, fun, smart and relevant the play is. Why has no Canuck written a play as good as this in the past decade?