Glenn Sumi
@glennsumi.bsky.social
25 yrs @ Toronto's NOW Magazine covering theatre (mostly), comedy, film. Now freelance. Star, Globe, Variety. He/him. Blog: So Sumi, covering Toronto performing arts.
Exciting news out of Factory Theatre, which as @joshuachong.bsky.social rightly suggests in his @thestar.com interview has languished recently and lost its way amid legal, economic and programming issues. www.thestar.com/entertainmen...
Toronto's Factory Theatre appoints new artistic director with plans to expand organization's offerings
Kevin Matthew Wong has been tapped to lead the storied but now struggling arts institution.
thestar.com
Slowly catching up on SLOW HORSES and wondering why I slept on it for so long. Did Apple TV do a sh-t job of marketing it? Based on the premise, I thought it was some silly, flatulent satire, when really it provides all the thrills of spy/espionage entertainment with true underdog characters.
A four star review for this "must-see" show from @glennsumi.bsky.social! High energy and filled to the brims with laughs and ingenuity, this is a show you don't want to miss. Tickets are going fast, so secure yours now! Pictured: Kiana Woo, Georgia Findlay, Isaiah Kolundzic Photos by Raph Nogal
Jane Austen’s early novel NORTHANGER ABBEY gets an imaginative stage adaptation by @guildfesttheatre.bsky.social’s Tyler J. Seguin. My review of the delightful production is now up at my newsletter. www.goaheadsumi.com/review-jane-...
Review: Jane Austen’s powers ramp up in Northanger Abbey
You’ll have a ball at Tyler J. Seguin’s imaginative adaptation of the lesser-known Austen novel
goaheadsumi.com
All dressed up… with nowhere to go. My review of the Broadway national tour of THE GREAT GATSBY: A NEW MUSICAL is now up @thestar.com www.thestar.com/entertainmen...
The new ‘Great Gatsby’ musical has endless glitz, but its star-crossed lovers have zero chemistry
Linda Cho’s Tony-winning costumes dazzle, but forgettable songs and flat leads keep this Jazz Age tour from soaring.
thestar.com
This is basically my weekend. Oh, plus some theatre. But every non-theatre, non-sleeping moment will be spent with this amazing novel which I have somehow never read until now.
For @thestar.com I loved chatting w 2-time Tony-winning designer Linda Cho (raised in Toronto), actor Leanne Robinson (Jordan) and wardrobe supervisor Michael Turner about the clothes, cleaning & flying beads in THE GREAT GATSBY: A NEW MUSICAL @mirvish.bsky.social www.thestar.com/entertainmen...
'The Great Gatsby' costume designer, wardrobe supervisor and co-star on what it takes to dress the Toronto musical
The costume designer, wardrobe supervisor and co-star on what it takes to dress the musical.
thestar.com
Cars from the 50s lined up in the market. Gee, what film set in the 50s is currently being made in Toronto by an Oscar-winning writer/director? No idea.
Saw Hadestown Pro-Shot last night. Brings back the joy of seeing the OG cast just before COVID. Great camera work that moved with the music and wasn't afraid of a long shot (though I think the show naturally lends itself really well to be filmed). Read Glenn's review and go see it!
Glenn Sumi@glennsumi.bsky.social · 3w agoOver the weekend, the live capture of @hadestownmusical.bsky.social earned $10.2 million. It’s expanding to more theatres this week. I look at why it’s so damn effective - one of the best pro-shots I’ve seen - in my newsletter. www.goaheadsumi.com/why-the-hade...
Plus: @glennsumi.bsky.social on what makes HADESTOWN so cinematic @jenniepunter.bsky.social reports from Fantasia And more! 🍿 torontofilmcritics.com/features/tfc...
TFCA Friday: Movie Reviews for July 31 - Toronto Film Critics Association
Movie review for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, I Want Your Sex, Sheep in the Box, Everyone Calls Me Mike, and the Fantasia Film Festival.
torontofilmcritics.com
Over the weekend, the live capture of @hadestownmusical.bsky.social earned $10.2 million. It’s expanding to more theatres this week. I look at why it’s so damn effective - one of the best pro-shots I’ve seen - in my newsletter. www.goaheadsumi.com/why-the-hade...
Why the Hadestown live capture is so damned good
The pro-shot of the Tony Award-winning musical made box office history on the weekend and expands into more theatres this week
goaheadsumi.com
Loved speaking with emerging actor Georgia Findlay and Tyler J. Seguin, outgoing co-artistic director of the Guild Festival Theatre, about their upcoming production of JANE AUSTEN’S NORTHANGER ABBEY. www.goaheadsumi.com/the-road-to-...
The road to Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey
Director/adapter Tyler J. Seguin and star Georgia Findlay discuss bringing Austen’s early novel to the stage
goaheadsumi.com
Saw a few more shows at #HamiltonFringe which continues until Sunday at 16+ indoor and outdoor venues in the city. My fave was Kristi Boulton’s FELT CUTE, MIGHT OVERSHARE LATER, a solo show (with a puppet!) about life’s most cringeworthy moments. www.goaheadsumi.com/hamilton-fri...
Hamilton Fringe reviews: Felt Cute, Might Overshare Later, Church Boyfriends and more
Frequent Best of Hamilton Fringe winner Kristi Boulton’s show about life’s embarrassing moments is deeply “felt”
goaheadsumi.com
A four star review for Brontë: The World Without from @glennsumi.bsky.social, commending "a trio of passionate performances" and Director Helen Juvonen's work on this open-air production! Pictured: Hilary Scott, Laura Del Papa, Lara Lucia Photos by Raph Nogal
Really enjoyed The Guild Festival Theatre’s outdoor staging of Jordi Mand’s Brontë: The World Without, about literary Brontë sisters Charlotte, Emily and Anne. It’s on at the gorgeous Greek Theatre until Aug 2. www.goaheadsumi.com/review-bront...
Review: Brontë: The World Without works beautifully in open-air production
Director Helen Juvonen gives grandeur and spaciousness to Jordi Mand’s homage to the famous 19th century literary siblings
goaheadsumi.com
Saw five Hamilton Fringe shows yesterday. Loved works by Cassie Cao, Laura Piccinin and Izad Etemadi. Back there today for a few more. www.goaheadsumi.com/hamilton-fri...
Hamilton Fringe reviews: How to Love a Fascist, GO, Townsperson #3 and more
Two solo shows and a very funny send-up of musical theatre background characters are the standouts
goaheadsumi.com
Found a really cool newish bistro/wine bar in Hamilton’s Jamesville called Lucky Duck. I had a lot of questions about the menu.
Made it to Hamilton for opening weekend of Hamilton Fringe! Gonna start my 5-show day with some laughs, via Izad Etemadi, Julia Pulo and lots of theatre references!!!
On THE ODYSSEY 🐴 (cont'd) "struggles to strike a delicate balance between poignancy and authenticity" - Prabhjot Bains "Nolan handles the big set pieces masterfully" - @glennsumi.bsky.social "an epic scale with an epic runtime" - @joelipsett.bsky.social torontofilmcritics.com/features/tfc...
TFCA Friday: Movie Reviews for July 17 - Toronto Film Critics Association
Movie reviews for The Odyssey, Steal Away, and Remake from members of the Toronto Film Critics Association.
torontofilmcritics.com
I can’t wait to spend another 3 hours with Christopher Nolan’s epic and awe-inducing THE ODYSSEY, which in the current film moment feels like a miracle. www.goaheadsumi.com/review-the-o...
Review: The Odyssey is a miracle of a movie
Try to see Christopher Nolan’s epic account of the Homer poem on the biggest screen available
goaheadsumi.com
I wouldn’t call myself a Leonard Cohen fan, but the new theatre-concert hybrid @mirvish.bsky.social from Soulpepper, featuring an eclectic ensemble, is pretty amazing. www.goaheadsumi.com/review-leona...
Review: Leonard Cohen show will make you feel all the feels
An impassioned ensemble of musicians and artists sheds new light on the Montreal-born poet/songwriter’s work
goaheadsumi.com
It’s not in IMAX but I’m hoping this will still be an epic win.
Chatted yesterday with the composer/lyricist/book writer and the director/producer of HEATED RIVALRY: THE UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY. It has two more shows tonight at Soulpepper then heads to JFL in Montreal. Even if you don’t know the series, you’ll enjoy it. www.goaheadsumi.com/heated-rival...
The brains and brawn behind Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody
Canadian Alan Kliffer and composer/lyricist Dylan MarcAurele are pucking with the system of how to create new musicals
goaheadsumi.com
Today’s non-Fringe show. Slowly coming back to normal. This will be a discovery for me, since I only know a handful of Cohen songs.
