Month’s end entertainment
picks for January
Lots of Irish streamed theatre among free listings this week
By Byron Toben
January 22 at 7:30 pm
The Chinese Lady
Toronto’s Studio 180 Theatre and Fu-Gen Theatre present a dramatic reading of this play by Lloyd Suh. In 1834, 14-year-old Afong Moy is brought to the USA from China as an oddity. She is the first Chinese woman known to have set foot on U.S. soil. For 50 years, she is on display as curious white people observe how she dresses and eats. This sideshow is inspired by a true story.
January 25 to 29 at 7:30 pm
The Woman Hater
New York’s Red Bull Theater continues its series of classic plays with contemporary aspects. This 18th-century play by Frances Burney is a proto-feminist satire done as a special benefit reading by eight talented actors.
redbulltheater.com/the-woman-hater
Red Bull Theater The Woman Hater promo – Actors: Bill Army, Arnie Burton, Veanne Cox, Rebecca S’Manga Frank, Cherie Corinne Rice, Matthew Saldivar, Jenne Vath, and Nick Westrate
January 26 to February 21
The Irish Repertory Theatre in New York City reprises nine of its 2020 shows in its Theatre @ Home Winter Festival. These screened shows are usually technically among the best of streamed theatre and have won accolades from both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.
Three of the nine were covered by us earlier – A Touch of the Poet, On Beckett/In Screen, and Meet Me In St. Louis.
The other six are Molly Sweeney, YES! Reflections of Molly Bloom, The Weir, Love, Noel, Belfast Blues, and Give Me Your Hand. A great way to while away the hours during the snowy sheltered-at-home coming months. Free. Those who can afford to are suggested to donate $25 per show or $100 for all nine.
irishrep.org/show/irish-rep-online/theatre-home-winter-festival/
January 28 at 1:30 pm
Sponsored by the Cummings Centre, noted film publicist David Novek resumes his series with The Black Experience in Early Hollywood – Part One.
Part Two concludes on February 4. These lectures include scads of film excerpts, much rare footage.
Feature image: David Novek, courtesy of David Novek
More articles from Byron Toben
Byron Toben, a past president of The Montreal Press Club, has been WestmountMag.ca’s theatre reviewer since July 2015. Previously, he wrote for since terminated web sites Rover Arts and Charlebois Post, print weekly The Downtowner and print monthly The Senior Times. He also is an expert consultant on U.S. work permits for Canadians.
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