As with my new Criterion Collection blog, I have moved this one to Wordpress as well.
Until Blogspot sort out the errors with the site I will be staying on Wordpress.
I hope to see you there :-)
A View From The Cheap Seats
Welcome to my Blog. I have discovered the rich array of Art available. This includes films, ballet, orchestra, galleries and plays. I have decided to share my experiences with you and hopefully encourage you to go out and enjoy the wonderful world of the Arts.
Monday 12 August 2013
Sunday 28 July 2013
The Misanthrope
Once again I found a local play via the TO.Tix website. This time is was The Misanthrope by Molière. Unlike the last play I went to see (The Mousetrap) this one was
set outdoors. The setting was the Guild
Inn Gardens in Guildwood, on the outskirts of Toronto with the Guild Festival
Theatre staging the play.
Before purchasing my ticket I had quickly read a little
about the play. Phases and words like
“comedy of manners”, farce and satire instantly appealed to my taste. So for the price of $24.90 I click “buy”.
On with the play itself and I found it to be everything I
thought it to be. It was a hilarious
look at one man’s quest to not partake in any “folly” or fake niceties that was
prevalent in 18th Century French aristocracy. He decides that he will say nothing but the
truth. This leads to all sorts of
problems including a trip to court after he insults a fellow member of high
society when he writes a love sonnet.
Whilst the words of the sonnet were truly bad, the over-the-top way in
which it was delivered made it a highlight of the show.
The main problem our “honest aristocrat” faces is the fact
that one person who does enjoy a good gossip happens to be the lady he
loves. She enjoys the high society
lifestyle to the full, which means never saying no to a host of suitors who vie
for her love and attention.
As the story unfolds, we see all the backstabbing and
bitching that comes with putting on airs and graces instead of being
honest. In the end the truth comes out
and everyone is left in no doubt as to where they stand.
Tuesday 25 June 2013
Art Gallery of Ontario
I ventured out to this gallery for the first time a few weeks ago. I think I have been spoilt by the Art Galleries of the UK, both in terms of quality and price. Whilst I do not mind paying to see works of art, I do mind to paying $25. Included in this price was an exhibition of early Renaissance paintings from Florence (no photos due to ban).
All was not lost though, they have a few Impressionist paintings and others that I liked.
Here are a selection of the paintings that I enjoyed. Apologies for the quality, I had to take them on my iPhone.
All was not lost though, they have a few Impressionist paintings and others that I liked.
Here are a selection of the paintings that I enjoyed. Apologies for the quality, I had to take them on my iPhone.
Raoul Dufy – Hyeres Square, the Obelisk and the
Bandstand
Pierre Bonnard – Autumn Landscape
Pierre Bonnard – Table Laid for Dessert
Jan Van Goyen – Peasant Cottage
Alfred Sisley – Saint-Mammes, Grey Weather
Pierre Auguste Renoir – The Seine at Chatou
Claude Monet – Etretat L’Aiguille and the Porte
d’Aval
Alfred Sisley – Landscape near Moret
Claude Monet – Vetheuil in Summer
Camille Pissarro – Poplars, Grey Weather, Eragny
Alfred Sisley – View of Marly-le-Roi: Sunlight
Marc Chagall – Over Vitebsk
Hendrick Andriessen – Still Life (Vanitas)
Aelbery Cuyp – View of Dordrecht
Jan Van Goyen – View of Rhenen
Salomon Van Ruysdael – The Ferry Boat
Cornelius Krieghoff – Village Scene in Winter
Franklin Carmichael – Cranberry Lake
Franklin Carmichael – Houses in Servern Bridge
A.J Casson – Mountain Ash (Rowanberries)
J.E.H MacDonald – Laurentian County, Winter
Lawren S Harris - Houses, Richmond Street
A.Y Jackson – Red Barn, Petite Riviere
Lawren S Harris – Street Scene with Figures,
Hamilton & In The Ward, Toronto
Emily Carr - Gitwangak, Queen Charlotte Islands
Cornelius Krieghoff - The Narrows on Lake St
Charles
Cornelius Krieghoff - Sillery Cove, Quebec
Cornelius Krieghoff – Clearing Land near the St
Maurice River
Cornelius Krieghoff – Council, Lorette Indians,
Lake St.Charles Country
Cornelius Krieghoff – Ginger, the Colonel’s Dog
Cornelius Krieghoff – The Owlshead from Round
Lake, Lake Memphremagog
Kenneth Campbell Lochead – Dark Green Centre
Alex Colville – Elm Tree at Horton Landing
Jack Chambers – Meadow
Stewart Westmacott – The Falls of Niagara Taken
from the American Side
Guido Molinari – Green-Red Serial Mutation
Helen McNicoll – Interior
Mary Hiester Reid – A Study in Greys
F McGillivray Knowles – A Breezy Day
As you can see, I was rather fond of Cornelius Krieghoff. He was a member of the "Group of Seven".
Location:
Toronto, ON, Canada
Saturday 22 June 2013
The Mousetrap
What an excellent idea it was to decide to watch this local community performance of Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap. I can fully understand now why this is such a popular play the world over. I went to the Chicken Coop Theatre (excellent name) production at the Palmerston Library Theatre.
From start to finish, this play was marvellous, each actor was truly convincing in their role. I loved the fact that, due to the theatre being very small, the actors actually walked though the audience when going to the "kitchen" or "bedrooms".
I cannot of course give away the story, that is top secret, but I found the plot to be very convincing. It really is one of those stories that, when it finally all unfolds, has you going "oh yes, that makes sense".
I picked up a leaflet for the coming season from Stage Centre Productions, the play was produced with their cooperation. I quite fancy their upcoming staging of The Unexpected Guest, again by Agatha Christie. This is not until October though. If I do decide to go then I'll be sure to post a review here.
Carmen - A Disappointment
I should have looked into this a little more before purchasing my ticket. I must also learn the difference between what I deem Ballet and what passes for "modern" these days.
This performance was nothing like a Ballet, nothing at all. For me this was a dance production, a modern dance and not a very good one. Granted, I have never seen Carmen before and bar one piece of music, was not too sure on the music either, but this was just a mess. I have no idea what was going on when our ears had to suffer through minutes of almost Neanderthal type noises, that I think were supposed to represent the "passion" between the characters. It was hideous and most off-putting.
Thankfully I was in the same seats as my previous visit so only wasted $25 on this poor pretence of a Ballet.
Sunday 9 June 2013
Canadian Opera Company - Dialogues des Carmélites
It is time to revive this Blog. Now that I have a job I can start visiting the Arts once again.
On Saturday 25 May I went to the Four Seasons Centre for The Performing Arts to watch the final performance of Dialogues des Carmélites .
I bought my tickets via T.O.Tix Whilst they were Level 5 and one row from the very back they were fine, in no way too high up. My only complaint was the safety bar that ran along the seats in front. As the seating sloped downwards towards the middle of the row, the bar was in my sight-line. Thankfully there were empty seats nearby so I moved 3-4 seats along and the bar was out of the way.
The opera itself was very good, very few props but lots of people. The story was simple, nuns during the French Revolution being forced to abandon their faith, they stand true to their beliefs and are killed for it. The final scene, as they fall, one by one, to the sound of the guillotines blade was very chilling.
So for the cost of $25 I had a very satisfying first trip to the Opera.
Location:
Toronto, ON, Canada
Sunday 24 March 2013
Photos From Lake Ontario
Firstly, apologies for the lack of activity. I have been very busy these past few months as I have emigrated to Canada.
Now that things have settled down I have found time to walk down to Lake Ontario with my camera. Waterfront Trail is a series of paths that follow the shoreline of the Lake. Sections 2 & 3 are where I am so today & yesterday I went walking.
Whilst the weather was better on Saturday it was still not cold and both walks were nice scrolls, though my legs were glad to make it back to the sofa!
Here are some of the results from the walks.
The rest of my photos are available on my Flickr page here
Now that things have settled down I have found time to walk down to Lake Ontario with my camera. Waterfront Trail is a series of paths that follow the shoreline of the Lake. Sections 2 & 3 are where I am so today & yesterday I went walking.
Whilst the weather was better on Saturday it was still not cold and both walks were nice scrolls, though my legs were glad to make it back to the sofa!
Here are some of the results from the walks.
The rest of my photos are available on my Flickr page here
Location:
Lake Ontario
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