So, as I write this, I have worked my last Summer, my theatrical road trip coming to a close.  It was a good time and ended on a high, but I’m still annoyed that it ended.  With just a few more days, I couldá seen EVERYthing.  But, them’s the breaks, eh? At least I had fun, and felt great thorughout…except for the pervasive sickness that’s been nagging me the entire trip, and came back with a vengeance last night.  Guess it wanted to say goodbye to Summerworks too. Can’t blame it.

Only made it out to one new play-piece last nite, actually, and that was my first stop of the day, Marion DeVries’ BIG FACE.  A one woman show (my fav’rit kinda show) about a lonesome woman dealing with her own failings, needs, wants, and not getting any younger all the while.  DeVries gives what you call one of those ‘bravura’ performances, punching a hole in your rib cage and giving your heart a few brutal squeezes.  It’s a bare-bones honest show, with DeVries laying this woman’s life out on the line for us to see, with just a perfect handful of her own songs tossed in to the mix.  Rock solid. 

By then, well, quite frankly I wasn’t feeling very well.  Is it normal to be dizzy and see spots when you’re already sitting down?  So I did what any nervously ill traveller would do…had a veggie dog and treated myself to a repeat of MISS CALEDONIA.  Sorry, but I’m just in love with that show, and it made me feel better!  Loving the interplay between Melody and Alison on her fiddle (not a violin as I previously misidentified), and the tweet and true story of Peggy Ann and her quest for the title is just about as fun and heartwarming as a lad could ask for.  Thanks, all.

With only one chance left now, I really wanted to hit the PERFORMANCE BAR at least once during the festival, so off I  trolleyed to the Lower Ossington and stepped inside.  A good crowd was there (likely because the Steam Whistle was 2 bucks cheaper here than at Factory, go figger), and local improv gang NATIONAL THEATRE OF THE WORLD  was hosting, teaming up with RIDE THE CYCLONE’s dandy troupe for the evening, ATOMIC VAUDEVILLE.  It was a pretty heartily hilarious show, and Toronto’s own Laura Harris joined the team onstage for a few bits.  I think there were a few other ‘Toronto’s own’ up there too, but as I’m not Toronto’s anything, I didn’t recognize them all.   The show was brilliant tho, and the followup concert by funkmeisters GRAND ANALOG was nice icing on that cake.  It was great fun, I danced with everyone else, I drank too much, and then, when it was all done, I missed my streetcar and walked the many blocks back to Clarence Castle for the last time this trip.  And now, it’s checkout time, and I still need to shower.  Trickier than it sounds as, due to the morphiong nature of hostel geography, my last night here was spent in a room filled with whispering, giggling Aussie girls. 
…nope, there’s no way the girlfriend could be troubled with THAT scenario.  Ottawa, here I come.  Toronto, it’s been a slice, and we’ll have a wrap-up once I get settled.  Thanks for the times,

The Visitor