Luminato 2011
I'm reviving the Luminato thread; it provides an interesting contrast, and a reminder of the dreaded G20. That freakin security fence was the most disturbing art installation I've ever seen in this town.
This year, they've moved the heart of Luminato down to the newly christened David Pecaut Square, (formerly Metro Hall Square), and that may have been a mistake. It's a beautiful venue, surrounded by the tall buildings we write about so much, the trees and grass lending a park-like setting, but the vibe is completely different. At Dundas Square, located at the busiest corner in the country, there were always crowds of people. Not so at the new location; the L'Oreal tent, that had line-ups at its former location, was nearly empty everyday I've gone to the square.
I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but the box office had no line-ups either, and every performance had tickets available. This at 2:30 in the afternoon on three separate days. In past years, if I wasn't at the Tix office when it opened, there was nothing left. Again, not looking at that horsey mouth, the location of the rush seats available this year is superb; these are seats that would have been snatched up at top dollar well before the festival in years past.
One Thousand and One Nights: I saw Part A and loved much of it, seduced by the story ( and there are many of them). Definitely not Disney; it opens with an orgy scene, and is filled with sex, violence, some terrific acting, and a great deal of humour. Spoken in Arabic and French, this play is as much read as watched, thanks to the screens located around the stage. It falters when the actors switch to English; the accents are so thick I couldn't understand them.
Tout Comme Elle: Fifty, yes, fifty women on stage! An English Premiere, thanks to Necessary Angels. An examination of the mother-daughter relationship, explored in movement, word, and sometimes, song. Some touching observations, but I think this was for the benefit of the actors, who got to meet and work with each other, some of the best in the business. Nothing like networking.
There's a singular lack of in-your-face art installations this year. “Sargasso” at Brookfield Place, is a feathery, shimmery piece that is too small for the building it's in. I saw “Habit” at OCAD, where you could spy on the actors living in house, and saw “My name is Raj” at TIFF. Saw, and was not moved.
If Year One of Luminato is the festival to beat, then Year Five is the one not to repeat.
http://www.luminato.com/2011/