Zaide's Shoes-new play produced in Toronto

[Alan Scheer]

As a relatively new member of this list (about four months)I am
surprised that
there is a lack of discussion of new productions of Canadian works that
are
being produced around the country. The membership of this listserv is
very large, and
I am sure everyone is busy with their individual areas of study, but I
think it would
be really helpful to periodically receive information on new Canadian
works (or
revivals of older Canadian works) that are being produced in cities
across the country.
It is difficult to know what is going on in Halifax right now, or
Calgary, etc and
I think this could be a great source of sharing this information.

So to start things off, I would like to mention the new Canadian work
currently
playing at the Factory Theatre Lab in Toronto-Zaidie's Shoes. This is
the first
full-length work by Jordan Pettle, a recent graduate of the National
Theatre school.
The play is extremely well written for a first attempt, the dialogue is
assured and
the dramaturgy is confident and exciting to watch. The production is
directed by
Jackie Maxwell, former Artistic Director of the Factory Theatre.
Factory has always been dedicated to the production of new Canadian work
and
unquestionably Mr. Pettle is a new voice in Canadian Drama who we must
recognize
and celebrate. The play isn't perfect, the second act tend to fall apart
towards the end,
but with future productions and perhaps workshopping it can be
strengthened. There
are similarities to George F. Walker in the work (without what I always
consider
to be the shrill hysterics of Walker's work)and a lot of the dialogue is
definitly in
the David Mamet school of writing.
I encourge all students of Canadian Drama to take in this show as it
officially opens
this week and runs until the beginning of February.

Alan Scheer

alan.scheer at utoronto.ca

p.s: On another note, tonight is the first preview of the much
anticipated new muscial
by Richard Ouzounian and Marek Norman, produced by the Canadian Stage
Company in conjunction with the NAC and the Manitoba Theatre Centre.
This new work, Larry's Pary, based of course on the novel of the same
name by
Carol Shields, is  a very exciting venture in the possibilities of what
contemporary
Canadian theatre can do. Whether or not the play is a success, I think
we have
to follow and encourage the work, and congratulate the creators on
producing
a major new work based entirely on a major Canadian literary source.