September - November 2022
Royal Alexandra Theatre

Martha’s Vineyard, 1974: shooting on ‘Jaws’ has stalled. The film’s lead actors – Robert Shaw, Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss – are stuck on a boat, at the mercy of foul weather and a faulty mechanical co-star. Awash with alcohol and ambition, three hammered sharks start to bare their teeth.
Nominated for Best Comedy Play at the 2022 Olivier Awards, The Shark is Broken received both critical and audience acclaim when it ran at the Ambassadors Theatre, West End from October 2021 – February 2022. Co-written by Robert Shaw’s son Ian Shaw (who also stars in the show) and Joseph Nixon, this brilliantly funny play, directed by Guy Masterson, reveals the hilarious and moving behind-the-scenes drama on one of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters.

The Shark is Broken
...And so am I! (Remember what happened to me in D.C.)
So much for the first play of the season. Both Lisa and I gave it 5/10. Glad it was only 90 minutes cause not sure if I would have stayed for a second half.
The Robert Shaw character (his son) was brilliant and loved the throwaway to other films (American Graffiti, Duddy Kravitz) as well as what the characters were doing next, like some alien film (Close Encounters)
Also loved the prediction about the future of films... (sequels and remakes). And Brody's character saying he would never do a sequel when, in fact, he did two more Jaws films.
Throughout the play, the Robert Shaw character drinks. I thought, wouldn't it be so much easier to enjoy this if we could all drink while watching it as some parts were simply boring.
Overall, a bad start for the new season.

October - November 2022
Princess of Wales Theatre

Direct from Broadway, Mean Girls is the hilarious hit musical from an award-winning creative team, including book writer Tina Fey (30 Rock), composer Jeff Richmond (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), lyricist Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde) and director Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon).
Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. Soon, this naïve newbie falls prey to a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung.

My November 27 review for Mean Girls started over a week earlier when our daughter, Jordana, went to see the play with a friend. Both rated the production 7/10. While it was funny, she said there were parts you couldn’t hear what they were singing. This, despite the fact they had good orchestra seats near the front of the theatre.
Now to my view of Mean Girls. First off, Lisa rated it 8/10, while I was not as generous, giving it 5/10. I agree with Jordana about the problem with the sound. The worst case was when “Regina George” was singing. I think the orchestra drowned out too many in the cast.
I was particularly put off by the “funny part” where Regina is hit by a school bus. I could not believe it, but some in the audience were laughing. I know the scene is part of the original story, but it hit too close to home for me. I cringed and wanted to run from the theatre. Fortunately, I stayed in my seat. I think the show should have been updated, maybe even taking that scene out.
So, with the three Rosens having seen the play, the average review score comes to 6.7.

November 2022 - January 2023
Royal Alexandra Theatre

Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical tells the story of the world’s most unlikely buoy-band!
Based on the true story of the chart-topping Cornish singing sensations and their hit 2019 movie, Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical is a feel-good voyage about friendship, community and music that will give any land-lover a mighty pair of sea legs.
When a group of Cornish fishermen came together to sing the traditional working songs they’d sung for generations, nobody, least of all the fishermen, expected the story to end on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury. They are spotted by a fish-out-of-water music manager on a trip from London, who must learn that there is more to life than selling your sole for fifteen minutes of fame.

That concludes live theatre for this family in 2022. Both Lisa and I gave this one a 6/10, an upgrade over the last production, in my eyes, but not as good, in Lisa’s opinion. Actually, my grade is better than my original assessment. Watching it during the first act, I thought I would give it a 4, but I found the second half more enjoyable. We were amazed, though, as there were so many empty seats scattered around the theatre. How many, you are wondering? So many that during intermission, we could move seats from row F to J, where we had the entire row to ourselves. The reason is the woman sitting beside me was coughing a bit, kept talking to her friend beside her and was occupied with her cell phone. So far, this season has not been a great one. Given that we have only two more shows in 2022-23, this season will not go down as one of the better ones.

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT

December 2022 - February 2023
Princess of Wales Theatre

The sensational brand-new production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat comes to the Princess of Wales Theatre for a limited North American premiere engagement!
Joseph is the musical that launched the Rice-Lloyd Webber collaboration, becoming a multi-award-winning show performed in over 80 countries and recognized as one of the world’s most beloved family musicals. It features many songs that have gone on to become pop and musical theatre classics.

Wow,the play was amazing. Both Eliza and I rated it 10 out of 10. The narrator did an amazing job. At the beginning,they told everyone to put away their phones but at the end they could take it out and everyone was on their feet and dancing and clapping at the end. It was a great play!
Now, let us return to the beginning...

January - March 2023
Royal Alexandra Theatre

D-Day, June 1944. The Allied forces led by General Eisenhower are poised to launch. 350,000 lives are at stake and the decision of whether to attack comes down to the most important weather forecast of all time.
Award-winning director John Dove (Farinelli and the King, Broadway starring Mark Rylance) directs Kevin Doyle (Downton Abbey, Royal National Theatre) as Scottish meteorologist Group Captain James Stagg, in this true story and critical smash hit direct from London’s West End.
Olivier nominee Malcolm Sinclair (Casino Royale, Royal National Theatre) and Laura Rogers (The 39 Steps, West End) reprise their roles as General Eisenhower and Kay Summersby to bring this remarkable story to life.

Finally, a play both Lisa and I thoroughly enjoyed. While it took a while to get involved in the play, it became more interesting as the story unfolded. The story itself was interesting, as were the characters. The acting was top-notch. We both gave Pressure, 8/10. Although it is already March, this was our first production of 2023, so it was a great way to start the new year.

HAMILTON

Begins February 2023
Princess of Wales Theatre

Hamilton is the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, Hamilton has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre—a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education. With book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography. It has won Tony®, Grammy®, and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors.

No review for this one. We saw Hamilton a week before COVID forced Mirvish to close it's doors. We could have seen it again, but decided to take the credit instead.

July - August 2023
Royal Alexandra Theatre

Welcome to Hadestown, where a song can change your fate. Winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theatre Album, this acclaimed new show from celebrated singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and innovative director Rachel Chavkin (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) is a love story for today... and always.
Hadestown intertwines two mythic tales — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — as it invites you on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers and singers, Hadestown is a haunting and hopeful theatrical experience that grabs you and never lets go.

What a great way to conclude a season of Theatre Mirvish with a great play on Lisa’s birthday. Of course, it was a great week with Lisa getting a new computer and being reinstated as a volunteer at Baycrest. Then there was the surprise to end all surprises when Jordana magically appeared on our doorstep yesterday, July 29. Of course, it wasn’t really magic since GO Transit played a bit part in bringing her to Thornhill. However, I’m way off topic with reviewing today’s theatrical production. Basically, Hadestown was fantastic. I must admit it took me a while to get into the show, but by the end of the first act I was enjoying it, and my love for Hadestown grew as the second act progressed. The music, acting, the entire production was perfect. I can see why it won so many awards. So, I have to give the play 10/10, a rare offering for me. Lisa was a bit more restrained, with an 8/10. That means the final show for the 2022-23 season has a 9/10 rating.

That's it for our 10th season. Overall, I would say not one of the best with a few "stinkers." However, the shows got better as the season progressed and it was great that it ended on a high note with a Tony Award-winning production. All the votes have been tabulated and the 2022-2023 season concludes with a 6.9/10 rating. We are only including shows that were part of the official subscriber season and including Jordana's vote.
This now concludes all reviews for this season. See you in the fall for the 2023-2024 season opener of Six.