By Michael Crabb Revolving stages, originally introduced to effect speedy scene changes, have been a popular mechanical device in the theatre for more than a century. It did not take long for directors to discover they could also be used to create a variety of visual illusions such as that of an actor seemingly walking
By Michael Crabb The last time the National Ballet of Canada unveiled a new Swan Lake, in May 1999, it bore the unmistakably dystopian thumbprint of then artistic director James Kudelka, and was played out against the backdrop of a public scandal. The previous December, principal dancer Kimberly Glasco had sideswiped the Toronto-based company by
By Michael Crabb As the pandemic’s most recent quasi-lockdown ended and the provincial government began a phased return to “normal,” there was a welcome blossoming of live, in-person events. Friends and admirers of the late Patricia Beatty, co-founder of Toronto Dance Theatre, were finally able to gather for a celebration of her life and art.