A juried festival of independent theatre, Toronto’s Summerworks blooms in August every year, offering a bouquet of dramatic delights. Here are a few reviews.
Susan Down

Susan Down
has seen some extraordinary theatre at Fringe Festivals in Canada, Ireland and Scotland. She is a former daily newspaper arts reviewer who lives in Toronto.
- Books & Theatre
Summerworks reviews: ‘Little One’, ‘Hooked’, ‘White Rabbit, Red Rabbit’
by Susan Downby Susan DownThe new work by acclaimed playwright Hannah Moscovitch (The Russian Play) doesn’t disappoint as it leads the audience through an uncomfortable story that, like the car accident, we can’t turn …
- Books & Theatre
Toronto Fringe 11: ‘Bloom’, ‘Sparrow and the Mouse’ and more
by Susan Downby Susan DownTheatre critic Susan Down continues her reviews from the 2011 Toronto Fringe Festival, which runs until July 17 in venues across Toronto. Reviews include: The Sparrow and the Mouse: Creating …
- Books & Theatre
Toronto Fringe 11: ‘Pitch Blond’, ‘Finally: An Epic Cycle’ and more
by Susan Downby Susan DownTheatre critic Susan Down wades deep into the 2011 Toronto Fringe Festival, which runs until July 17 in venues across the city. Reviews include: Pitch Blond, Finally: An Epic Cycle, …
Attending the Toronto Fringe Festival is not like going to a regular theatre production. To get the most out of it you need a strategy for picking the right plays. …
Edward Albee’s seminal play about the degradation of American marriage and ethics is another vehicle for a successful Soulpepper event. It’s a supremely difficult task to follow an act like …
It’s no surprise that Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnar’s popular tale, which premiered in Budapest in 1910, was translated and has been embraced by the English theatre. The story of disguising …
Although it’s been over 30 years since Billy Bishop Goes to War debuted in 1978, the play continues to fit perfectly, delivering the timeless message of the bloody cost of …
- Books & Theatre
Toronto Fringe 09: ‘Icarus Redux’, ‘Weaverville Waltz’ & many more
by Susan Downby Susan DownTheatre critic Jory Brophy takes a look at a collection of plays from the 2009 Toronto Fringe Festival, which runs until July 12 in numerous venues across the city. Reviews …
Clifford Odets’ kitchen sink drama, first produced in 1935, revolves around a Jewish family’s struggles to survive in the Bronx during the Depression. Odets’ play was back on Broadway in …