Ralph Fiennes’ titular bunch-backed toad is a man thoroughly damaged by years of abuse in Rupert Goold’s enthralling modern dress production. The production will be broadcast to cinemas around the world starting July 21.
Essays
Therapy for a Vampire: few laughs, little therapy
Aspiring to follow the hilarious What We Do in the Shadows, David Rühm’s Therapy for a Vampire bills itself as a vampire farce. Unfortunately, it isn’t funny.
Phaedra(s) is frustrating experimental theatre starring Isabelle Huppert
Phaedra(s) (or Phèdre(s)), a nigh four hour piece of avant garde theatre in French with English surtitles, starring Isabelle Huppert, is the centre-piece of the Barbican’s LIFT festival and coincides with a Huppert retrospective. Originally staged at the Odeon-Théâtre de l’Europe, Phaedra(s) runs June 10–18.
Much Ado About Nothing is a wonderful season opener for CalShakes’ new artistic director
Despite a rocky start with “additional text” consisting of embarrassingly bad rhyming couplets, director Jackson Gay’s Much Ado About Nothing proves a great night out at the theatre. It’s an unconventional but still hilarious take on one of the Bard’s most accessible plays.
HotDocs Review: League of Exotique Dancers celebrates burlesque stars of the past
Director Rama Rau’s League of Exotique Dancers follows several subjects who have been asked to perform at a special Burlesque Hall of Fame show in Las Vegas. The film screens at the Bloor HotDocs cinema on May 29, May 30, and June 2.
Cannes Review: American Honey discards real emotions for pointless objectification
Though American Honey took home the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, our Cannes correspondent Elena Lazic found it cliched and problematic — a disappointment from the very talented Arnold.