Torontoist Love/Hate 2006: The Stage

By David Topping

Torontonians are, to say the least, an opinionated bunch. So instead of a simple “Best Of” list to cap 2006 off, the Torontoist staffers have racked their brains about everything (books, songs, restaurants, people, places, stores, newspapers, politicians, musicians, and a lot more) to bring you their choices for the very best and the very worst of our city this past year. It’s Torontoist Love/Hate 2006, and you can find a new one every day at noon from December 26th until January 1st.
Torontoist likes the stage! In our 2nd day of Love/Hate we bring you our choices for best and worst Comic/Comedian/Troupe/Comedy Show (including those on TV), Play, Theatre Festival, Theatre Company, and Theatre.

Comic/Comedian/Troupe/Comedy Show

Catch 23, R.I.P. On Monday, July 31st of this year, Catch 23 Improv ended its run in the back room of Clinton’s Tavern after over 150 hilarious Mondays. Well, ok, not every show was hilarious, but a very good chunk of them were. (What do you expect with improv?) Regular performers became a “who’s who” list of Toronto improv comedy, including Kurt Smeaton, Julie Dumais, Becky Johnston, Graham Wagner, Katie Crown, Martin Gero (now the show-runner on Stargate Atlantis), and many others who will resent me for not mentioning them. Regular audience members will always remember the show for its grumpy and abusive judge Graeme Bunton, friendly bar tenders Amy and Mike, and all-too-often creepy and terrifying interjections from Brendan Bane in the booth. (Love you Brendan. Don’t hurt me.) Aaaaaannnnnd….scene. – CHRIS TINDAL
Profane and boundary-trashing, Kenny vs. Spenny has become a worldwide hit and the largest selling format television series in Canadian history. The mortification by the highbrow CanCon set is only offset by extreme jealousy, and Showcase continues to prove themselves as one of the most bad-ass broadcasters in existence. – MARC LOSTRACCO
The cast of MuchMusic’s Video on Trial. Just about the only good thing left on the channel, it’s a consistently excellent 30 minutes. I even laugh out loud (or “LOL,” if it were). Too bad they replay it about six times a day, successfully killing even the funniest jokes. – DAVID TOPPING

CBC’s Royal Canadian Air Farce. I’m embarrassed to admit that I ever found this show funny (I was pre-pubescent, but that’s no excuse). Every time I tune in, they’re still reusing the same jokes that they always have with the same stale impressions, and the new people that they’ve added have only made it worse. In a country with a reputation for being funny, it’s disappointing that the CBC’s still wasting their efforts on the Farce instead of pouring their money into more deserving projects. – DAVID TOPPING

Play

Generous by Michael Healey. The Drawer Boy author triumphantly returned this fall with a smart, funny and poignant script, tightly directed and wonderfully acted by the likes of Jordan Pettle, Fiona Reid and Yanna MacIntosh. Full marks!– JOHNNIE WALKER
The Johnnie and Morgan Mystery Hour. Written and performed by our own Johnnie Walker (and the lovely Morgan Norwich), this was the best student production I’ve ever seen, and probably the hardest I’ve ever laughed in a theatre. – KAREN WHALEY
This was an easy category to choose. Forget all the big-budget musicals to grace city stages this past year; the year’s best play was a small-budget affair probably seen by only a few hundred lucky people. Real Time, which played the Fringe Festival, was a well-crafted, wonderfully-acted story about two outcasts who find love on the internet and their attempts to translate that into the real world. Please, please, please remount it. – MARK MEDLEY
I don’t see nearly enough plays this past year, but Fringe-hosted Real Time felt like everything that a play should or could be. The not particularly promising premise — an online relationship — was transformed into a great production that is justifiably called one of the “hits” of the Fringe Fest. – DAVID TOPPING

Theatre Festival

The Fringe Festival is the best theatre festival in the city; sure, some of the productions are downright lousy, but there are some gems to be found. – MARK MEDLEY
It’s probably a given, but The Fringe rules. Though it’s intimidating, it’s ultimately worth it. The worst thing that could be said for the Fringe is that you can’t help but leave the festival knowing that you’ve missed a boatload of great performances. I am all over this baby in 2007. – DAVID TOPPING

Theatre Company

Soulpepper features some of the finest stage actors in the country, but Albert Schultz and company get my vote for theatre company of the year for their continuing support of up-and-coming actors and playwrights through its Academy training program. – MARK MEDLEY
It seems appropriate to mention Da Da Kamera, who will be disbanding this spring after they conclude the Daniel MacIvor/Daniel Brooks show remounts they began this fall with Here Lies Henry. – JOHNNIE WALKER

Theatre

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre consistently produces some of the best theatre in the city within its season while managing to turn itself into a very popular gay dance club in the evenings and it certainly doesn’t get the kind of respect it deserves. – JOHNNIE WALKER

Canstage had a hugely disappointing season this year. Last spring’s 10 Days on Earth truly stood out among the other clunkers that rounded out the 05/06 season and began the 06/07 one. Fortunately, things are looking up for the new year with remounts of Half Life, The Overcoat and a Ted Dykstra-directed The Rocky Horror Show. – JOHNNIE WALKER