Latest news with #Stratford
Globe and Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
Kat Sandler's fresh take on Anne of Green Gables is a standout at the Stratford Festival
Title: Anne of Green Gables Written and directed by: Kat Sandler Performed by: Caroline Toal, Tim Campbell, Sarah Dodd, Maev Beaty, Helen Belay, Jordin Hall, Steven Hao, Josue Laboucane, Julie Lumsden, Jennifer Villaverde Company: Stratford Festival Venue: Avon Theatre City: Stratford Year: Until Oct. 25, 2025 Critic's Pick For perhaps the first time in the Stratford Festival's history, the show you absolutely, categorically cannot miss this summer was not written by William Shakespeare. It's not a musical, either, or even a restoration comedy. No – the play you'd be doing yourself an enormous disservice to skip is Anne of Green Gables, adapted and directed in a heartwarming, gut-wrenching, life-affirming production by Kat Sandler. The show, which opened on Saturday afternoon at the end of an unusually strong week of openings for the Stratford Festival, wasn't on my list of most anticipated productions in 2025. To be honest, it was barely on the list of my most anticipated productions last week. But Sandler's adaptation – some of her best writing in recent years – manages to have its cake and eat it, too, with a script that welcomes children and adults alike into its care from the very first line. It's both funny and achingly sad; straightforward yet nuanced and supple. Like Anne herself, Sandler's treatment of her is one of gripping contradictions that stretch the imagination and satisfy the soul. For the Anne purists in attendance, don't worry: The first act is a faithful adaptation of Lucy Maud Montgomery's classic tale about a gregarious young orphan living on Prince Edward Island in the 1890s. Anne is loquacious, adventurous and headstrong; she hates her red hair; she possesses a moral code comparable to that of a medieval knight. Behind the scenes with the Stratford Festival's artisans But Sandler's script is so much more than a one-to-one transcription of the classic stories. When she updates the story to a time that approximates now in the second act, the choice seems as obvious as a bottle of raspberry cordial on a hot summer day, the story as charming and timeless in modern dress as it is in bloomers and puffed sleeves. As if refurbishing those fabled gables by hand, Sandler builds a careful frame around Anne's story that lets the audience know what's what. When we meet the first-rate ensemble cast, they're not residents of Avonlea, but members of a book club eager to discuss the story's finer plot points. It's through this lens that Sandler is able to anticipate and reject the idea that Anne is untouchable – that she can't be reimagined by anyone with a big enough heart and a sharp enough pen. When actor Maev Beaty, novel in hand, chortles, 'That's not in the book!,' the laughs come easily: Superfans, it turns out, transcend centuries. (Beaty, as ever, is a treasure of the Stratford Festival stage, a joy to watch as she shape-shifts from concerned Anne stan to next-door neighbour Rachel Lynde.) And what's an adaptation without a spitfire Anne leading the way? Caroline Toal is that and more, spunky and sprightly as Canada's favourite redhead, as convincing in the play's darker moments as in its more lighthearted tales of tweenage girlhood. Watching Anne become bosom friends with Diana (Julie Lumsden) feels like watching a home movie, their love for one another timeless and sweet. Diana is the one person in Avonlea for whom Anne never needs to shrink herself or her heart, and Lumsden ably captures the child's sense of good humour. Two other important performances make this Anne sing: Sarah Dodd as Marilla, the woman who, after some prodding, accepts Anne into her home, and Tim Campbell as Matthew, Marilla's brother. Dodd and Campbell both possess the emotional dexterity these parts demand, the ability to convey complicated feelings of justice, pride and anxiety in a way that's accessible to the kids in the audience while also being deeply relatable to the guardians who bought their tickets. Campbell, in particular, is astounding – I'm certain his sensitive, iridescent portrayal of Anne's de facto father figure will stay with me for years. There are no weak links in the rest of Sandler's cast: Steven Hao, Jordin Hall, Jennifer Villaverde, Josue Laboucane and Helen Belay are phenomenal chess pieces in Sandler's vision, relentlessly believable and sweet as they weave in and out of Anne's orbit. One of the most poignant aspects of this production is Joanna Yu's set, complete with a peeling, emerald-green roof. It's easy to see how Anne falls in love with her home, the mismatched furniture pieces in her bedroom and kitchen that accompany her first experiences of family. Yu's costumes, too, conjure a universal childhood unconstrained by era – give or take a bad wig or two, the clothes themselves are nostalgic and sleek. (Fret not: The most important wig, with its iconic red braids, looks just fine on Toal's head.) 'I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers,' Anne memorably quips as the seasons turn cool in Avonlea. As summer descends upon Southwestern Ontario, I'm right there with her – but I'm equally glad I live in a world where there exists this gorgeous piece of theatre, the irrefutable standout of this year's Stratford Festival. Go see it.
The Independent
2 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Susanna Reid clashes with Robert Jenrick over fare dodgers video: ‘It's not about you'
Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid clashed with Robert Jenrick over a video of himself confronting alleged fare dodgers on the London Underground. The shadow justice secretary visited Stratford station last week, where he filmed several alleged fare dodgers appearing to break the law. In one scene he appears to confront a man, who claimed he had a knife on him. The GMB host confronted Mr Jenrick about his video during Monday's show (2 June), telling him: 'You made it all about you, the video was literally all about you"
CTV News
2 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Stratford Police say no shooting reported in the city
Stratford City Hall seen here on Feb. 4, 2021. (Dan Lauckner / CTV Kitchener) Loud noises were heard in a Stratford neighbourhood on Saturday but, according to officials, no shootings were reported to police. In videos posted to a public social media group, four bangs could be heard coming in quick succession. The poster said they came from a south-end street just before 4 p.m., followed about 10 minutes later by sirens. Stratford Police told CTV News they did not receive any reports of a shooting on Saturday. They said some kids in the area had been setting off fireworks the previous week and speculated it could have been a similar situation.
National Post
2 days ago
- Business
- National Post
Ontario strong mayor powers has some councils concerned about local governance
A month after Ontario's government extended strong mayor powers to a swath of new municipalities, some leaders are promising never to use the measures — but a chorus of small-town councillors warn that local democracy is under threat. Article content Article content As of May 1, another 169 mayors in the province can now veto bylaws, pass new ones with just one-third of council in favour and hire or fire municipal department heads unilaterally. Article content Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack said last month that the province decided to more than triple the number of mayors who can access the powers in an effort to build housing faster and streamline local governance. Article content Article content The measures were first introduced in 2022 and initially only applied to the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa, Ontario's two most populous cities. Article content Several municipalities are taking active steps to reject the powers now that they have been granted more widely. Article content Mark Hunter, one of 10 city councillors in Stratford, recently got unanimous support for his motion to reject the new powers. Hunter said it was symbolic and designed to show that municipal democracy shouldn't be 'subject to provincial whim.' Article content 'What it effectively does is get rid of majority rule in our council,' he said. Article content 'It's the expectation of the residents in our community that their representatives are able to fully represent them, and this change puts some level of diminishment on that.' Article content Article content Hunter said his fellow councillors can have strong disagreements at council, but lively discussions result in better decisions for the community. Anything that diminishes that discussion is worse for residents, he said. Article content Article content Councillors aren't concerned about Stratford's current mayor abusing his power, said Hunter, but they are worried about what could happen in the future. Article content 'It's another example of concentrating power in fewer hands. Unfortunately, in human history, that doesn't always work out so well,' he said. Article content David O'Neil, a councillor in Quinte West, said he is also concerned about strong mayor powers, adding they represent 'a real misdirection' by the province. Article content 'I think this decision is on par with the crazy idea of building a tunnel under the 401,' O'Neil said, referring to Premier Doug Ford's promise to add a tunnel under the major Ontario highway. Article content He added he is skeptical that strong mayor powers would lead to new housing being built in his community, and thinks the province should waive development fees if it wants to see more housing built.
CBC
2 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Ontario councillors push back as strong mayor powers reach small towns
A month after Ontario's government extended strong mayor powers to a swath of new municipalities, some leaders are promising never to use the measures — but a chorus of small-town councillors warn that local democracy is under threat. As of May 1, another 169 mayors in the province can now veto bylaws, pass new ones with just one-third of council in favour and hire or fire municipal department heads unilaterally. Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack said last month that the province decided to more than triple the number of mayors who can access the powers in an effort to build housing faster and streamline local governance. The measures were first introduced in 2022 and initially only applied to the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa, Ontario's two most populous cities. Several municipalities are taking active steps to reject the powers now that they have been granted more widely. Mark Hunter, one of 10 city councillors in Stratford, recently got unanimous support for his motion to reject the new powers. Hunter said it was symbolic and designed to show that municipal democracy shouldn't be "subject to provincial whim." "What it effectively does is get rid of majority rule in our council," he said. "It's the expectation of the residents in our community that their representatives are able to fully represent them and this change puts some level of diminishment on that." Hunter said his fellow councillors can have strong disagreements at council, but lively discussions result in better decisions for the community. Anything that diminishes that discussion is worse for residents, he said. Councillors aren't concerned about Stratford's current mayor abusing his power, said Hunter, but they are worried about what could happen in the future. "It's another example of concentrating power in fewer hands. Unfortunately in human history, that doesn't always work out so well," he said. Worries about democratic processes David O'Neil, a councillor in Quinte West, said he is also concerned about strong mayor powers, adding they represent "a real misdirection" by the province. "I think this decision is on par with the crazy idea of building a tunnel under the 401," O'Neil said, referring to Premier Doug Ford's promise to add a tunnel under the major Ontario highway. He added he is skeptical that strong mayor powers would lead to new housing being built in his community, and thinks the province should waive development fees if it wants to see more housing built. Zack Card, another councillor for Quinte West, said he believes the expansion of the strong mayor powers will "erode the democratic traditions of municipal councils in Ontario." "I believe effective councils work collaboratively and with an understanding that all voices carry equal weight. Tipping that balance could potentially hinder governance and make solving issues within our communities more difficult," Card wrote in an email. Neither O'Neil nor Card would speak to the recent dismissal of the municipality's chief administration officer, which was described on the municipality's website as a "mayoral decision" pursuant to the legislation, made on the first day the powers were available. Quinte West Mayor Jim Harrison said in an email to The Canadian Press that "the decision was made in close collaboration and consensus with council, utilizing strong mayor powers to move forward." Less than a week after the decision, he told a council meeting that he wasn't planning to make use of the strong mayor powers. O'Neil suggested his concern is more future-oriented: it's unclear what could a different sort of mayor do with these powers five, 10 or 20 years down the road. 'It's changed the dynamic' for non-partisan staff David Arbuckle, executive director of the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario, said unilateral power threatens a local government's administrative authority and staffers' ability to give non-partisan, evidence-based advice. "It's changed the dynamic where (a city staffer) now has to be mindful of the fact that they could be hired or fired by the mayor at any point in time," Arbuckle said in a recent interview. "The advice they're bringing forward may not be as neutral as possible because ultimately they are now responding to one individual." Corey Engelsdorfer, a councillor from Prince Edward County, said he's worried the powers will exacerbate existing divisions on his council and, should they be used, could "sideline" constituents even as the community experiences a boom in development. The traditional model of majority rule is already divisive, Engelsdorfer said — especially when it comes to housing decisions — so decisions being made with even less support could lead to even more public cynicism. "The way we build homes is by working together as a council and not by one person or a third of council pushing through what they want to push through," he said. "I always hear Premier Ford say that these changes cut red tape, but democracy to me is not red tape. I don't think it's something that needs to be in place at all." Mayor Steve Ferguson said in an interview that he was working to defer several of the strong mayor powers, including personnel decisions, back to council. The council also unanimously passed a resolution asking the province to rescind strong mayor legislation, Engelsdorfer said. 'Underwhelming' uptake of new powers Despite the concerns, Matti Siemiatycki, director of the University of Toronto's Infrastructure Institute and a professor of geography and planning, said the uptake of the powers has been "fairly underwhelming." Before last month, there were only 46 so-called strong mayors in Ontario. Only a few made use of their powers. High-profile examples include Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath advancing affordable housing development on two municipal parking lots in April 2024, and Mississauga's former mayor Bonnie Crombie passing bylaws to build fourplexes in October 2023. But Siemiatycki said he fears there's greater risk for strong mayor powers to go unchecked in smaller municipalities, where there is less oversight and, often, less journalistic scrutiny. "We've seen an erosion and a decline of the local presses across Canada, and it's no more visible than in small communities," he said. "If you're concentrating powers, what's really needed is external oversight bodies. And the media is one of those, so smaller communities might struggle to have that accountability and people being aware of what's happening." Siemiatycki said while he sympathizes with the province's desire to tackle a housing and infrastructure crisis, he agrees with the councillors who have raised concerns. "It doesn't necessarily mean you'll go further just because you're aiming to go faster," he said. "The thing that's more sustainable over the long term is acceleration through processes that have very clear accountabilities and timelines to them."
