Theatre Review: New Jerusalem, on now at the Harold Green Jewish Theatre

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2:48 pm

Nothing says drama like 17th-century philosophy. But seriously, New Jerusalem by David Ives (whose Venus in Fur is returning to Toronto in December) is gripping. The great rationalist thinker Spinoza loved God and logic, and he just couldn’t keep his unorthodox ideas to himself. He was attacked, theologically and even physically, for being a heretic. Ives’s play imagines what was said during the historical but unrecorded 1656 interrogation which aimed at excommunicating this exceptional man and exiling him from his Jewish Portuguese-expat community in Amsterdam.

New Jerusalem, presented by the Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company, combines the tension of a courtroom drama with an exploration of the foundations of belief, straddling the line between philosophy and religion. The audience is made a part of the action without any overt audience participation as director Mitchell Cushman makes excellent use of the venue, the Studio Theatre at the Toronto Centre of the Arts (south of North York Centre subway station), staging the initial scenes in the “market place” (lobby), where Spinoza is free and exuberant, before moving the action into the “synagogue” (the theatre proper) where he finds himself under interrogation, accused of disseminating heretical thoughts. The set and lighting (Nick Blais) combine to create an atmosphere supporting interactions that are by turns sacred, conspiratorial, communal, and judgmental.

Earlier in the century, Amsterdam’s Sephardic Jews made an agreement with the city that they would deal with any unorthodox beliefs surfacing within their own community. Now in 1656, Amsterdam is peaceful and tolerant, compared to much of Europe at that time, and Jews who have fled persecution in Portugal and elsewhere are allowed to live in Holland as foreign residents, but “silence is the price”. They are forbidden to hold public weddings or funerals, or to discuss religion with Christians. A city official (Michael Hanrahan), who is Christian, calls Holland “a glorious New Jerusalem for all of us.” But he is concerned that Spinoza is exceeding the limits of their tolerance. Mortera, Amsterdam’s chief rabbi (Alon Nashman), will not let his star pupil Spinoza be “a sacrificial victim to frighten my people.” He defends him, saying, “He is at Sabbath every week. You call that an atheist?”

The name Spinoza means “thorn,” and Spinoza is a thorn in the sides of community leaders and in the minds of believers. His application of logic even to emotionally fraught issues provokes friends to ask, “Don’t you ever feel anything?” Delving deep into thoughts that a believer ought to avoid, Spinoza holds religious teachings up to the light of logic and observable truths, and his ideas plant seeds in people’s minds which shatter the peace of their unexamined faith. Ives packs an impressive amount of philosophy and scripture into the dialogue, and he keeps all of it both compelling and comprehensible. Spinoza’s ideas are so at home in the 21st century that it is altogether fitting the cast is costumed in modern dress (costume designer, Laura Gardiner).

As Spinoza, Aris Athanasopoulos succeeds unequivocally in the difficult task of playing a highly intelligent, unwaveringly logical, scrupulously moralistic man, and still letting him be likeable, engaging, and believable. In stark contrast to the image of a philosopher as a dowdy old man with his nose stuck in a book, this character is playful and dynamic, despite respiratory problems (likely related to his day job as a lens grinder) which troubled his short life. He delights in drawing, poetry, riddles, and of course thinking.

Mitchell doesn’t let his actors sit idle; by natural transitions, characters reposition themselves physically and philosophically. The whole cast is physically expressive, a reminder that this play is as emotional as it is intellectual. Sascha Cole is outstanding as Spinoza’s fiery sister.

Ives depicts Spinoza, only 23 at the time of this interrogation, making arrogant but rationally supported assertions like “some of Descartes’ ideas were wrong” and “the Talmud is wrong”, and claiming to be on the brink of uncovering “a great truth. The truth of God. The truth of all life”, but also admitting that he is “still working it out.” Rabbi Mortera can’t believe Spinoza has the audacity to defy him and his teachings, but Spinoza confidently accepts the rabbi’s challenge to “Convince all of us that you’re right and that we…all the way back to Moses were wrong.”

This is a play is about dogma and reason, acceptance and rejection. Whatever your beliefs, New Jerusalem is a play for lovers of drama and thought.

New Jerusalem runs until April 15 at the Studio Theatre, Toronto Centre of the Arts, www.hgjewishtheatre.com

Taste Test: Sticky Toffee Toronto

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Andrew Mannsbach

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12:30 pm

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The sweetest way to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day is to indulge in this traditional pub dessert. Top pastry chef Sophie Han from Bero joins chef Grant van Gameren to determine the city’s best sticky toffee pudding.

WINNER:
The Ceili Cottage, 1301 Queen St. E., $6
This sticky toffee pudding impresses from the get-go. “I like the height on it,” van Gameren says, “and it’s got just enough dark notes.” Han is taken with the cake’s texture: “It soaks up the syrup very nicely.” Both chefs would prefer less ginger but agree that it’s a winner.

FANTASTICALLY FIRM
The Monk’s Table, 1276 Yonge St., $8
“I really love the sauce,” Han says. “It’s definitely warm and hearty.” She applauds the firmness of the sponge, though van Gameren would prefer larger date pieces in the cake and personally wouldn’t pair citrus with sweet.

FANCY FIND
Falcon and Firkin, 10300 Yonge St., $7
“These ones look fancy,” van Gameren says. He enjoys the thickness of the cream though again would prefer larger date chunks. Han believes correctly that the cake has been baked, not steamed as tradition dictates.

INTOXICATING AROMA
High Street Fish and Chips, 55 Underhill Dr., $4.95
Right away, van Gameren is taken with the smell of the dessert. He notes that it’s sweeter than other picks and suggests adding some stout to the mix to get more malty flavours. Han would prefer less cinnamon.

CARAMEL BOMB
Beast, 96 Tecumseth St., $10
“Holy!” exclaims van Gameren, eyeing the dessert. “Conceptually, I think it’s cool to see it bobbing around in the caramel sauce like that,” he says. Han notes the base could be less cakey. Van Gameren agrees.

SPLENDID SAUCE
The Abbot pub and fare, 3367 Yonge St., $7
This sauce falls more on the thicker side of things, which van Gameren enjoys. Han finds the texture of the cake to be very even but would prefer if it were a touch more rustic, with visible date pieces.

TRADITIONAL TREAT
The Bristol Yard, 146 Christie St., $5
“It’s got a really nice dark flavour to it,” says van Gameren. “The thickness and consistency and texture are spot on,” Han notes. Both note it’s rather heavy and may be hard to finish, but determine it the runner-up.

TEXTURAL KNOW-HOW
L’Unità, 134 Avenue Rd., $10
“Jump in there!” says van Gameren. “You can go swimming in that!” Han loves that the cake soaked up the sauce, and the crunchy pecan crumble topping gets big points, too. “They put lot of thought process into the flavours and texture,” she observes.

How They Met: CBC’s Christine Tizzard and Big Wreck’s Ian Thornley

By

Andrew Mannsbach

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10:34 am

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The model who marries a rock star. Sound like a cliché? Well, consider this pair’s story, which is anything but. For Christine Tizzard, host of CBC’s Best Recipes Ever, and rock ’n’ roller husband Ian Thornley, there was no star-studded wedding or lavish honeymoon. They’re actually much more down-to-earth than your typical showbiz couple. Except, of course, for all of the travelling, all the time being on set, and.… Actually, we’ll let Christine explain:

How they met
Ian and my brother (Ken Tizzard, who is also a musician) were good friends. They used to tour together. Of course, I was familiar with Ian’s music (being on the radio and in the Canadian music scene), and I would run into him at my brother’s shows or music events. We had been very aware of each other for some time before we actually went on our first date. My brother would always say to me, “You know, Ian has been asking about you.” So much for the “hands off my little sister.”

Their first date
Barberian’s Steak House. I picked him up, he paid.

The courtship
After our first date that seemed to be it. We were pretty much together all the time (when he wasn’t touring).… People always ask me: “What is it like with him gone so much? How is it on the kids?” Well, it is all they know, and this is our normal. It can be hard for the first few days, but then everyone gets into a routine.

The marriage
We just celebrated 10 years last June. Maybe when we retire we’ll go [on a honeymoon]. There was always something more important than a honeymoon. We were married just down the street from where we live now, in his dad and stepmom’s backyard. It was very small and intimate, less than 30 people attended the ceremony. Then we rented out an old church for the reception after, with the usual catered food, and hired cover band. Sometimes we both wish we could do it all over again, differently. Maybe because it went by so fast it feels like we weren’t even there. It’s kind of surreal.

The kids
We have two kids: Ozzie, 13 (who is Ian’s stepson) and Sophia, 10. Yes, I was pregnant at the wedding, but it was intentional.

Their lives now
Our lives are much calmer. Ian has been very lucky and is still doing what he loves. I changed my career path a few years after having Sophia, taking the plunge and going back to school. I immersed myself in the food industry. We both did our fair share of “living” before having kids, him as the rock star, and I was modelling and travelling all over the world at 15. The high points now revolve around … Christmas, vacations and birthdays.

Their shared goals
To get away more often, take that trip to Hawaii, watch True Detective this week … financial stability and raising good kids.

Relationship advice
Either you’re in or you’re out. This is the first and most important question you have to answer. Then, if you’re in, well, you have to find ways to make it work. You have to make sacrifices, try not to sweat the small stuff and laugh … a lot.

Table Talk: Joanne Kates reviews Pukka

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lindsaylow

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3:23 pm

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Last year, when I went to India for the first time, I was shocked by the food. Even at the high end (which was fabulously snazzy), the food was somewhat disappointing. Not bad — never bad — but kind of blah, like what we get in a good curry house in Little India. Long-cooked stewed curries, food mostly green and brown, nothing even vaguely modern or fusion or light.

Which makes the nouvelle Indian of Toronto seem even more exciting. Amaya’s prawns and chaat and lamb are all far better than anything I ate in the fanciest hotels in India. And now we have Pukka on St. Clair West’s restaurant row, a pale grey bistro with painted bricks, red sconces and a clear commitment to modernize the cuisine of the subcontinent.

Gunpowder prawns are big fat shrimp rolled in garam masala for heat and barely cooked, sitting on a warm salad of mung beans and carrots with piquant pineapple salsa on top. Eggplant tartare has been smoked in the tandoori oven and cleverly spiced. Wow! Light, delicate, full of traditional Indian flavour but newly wrought.

And ditto the mains, which also tend towards Indian iconoclasm — with somewhat inconsistent success. Take, for example, the lamb lollipops, a classic of the nouvelle kitchen. Nicely cooked lamb chops (although for my taste they could be rarer) but they are sitting on a turmeric cream sauce (according to the server), which is what happens when good people make bad choices in the kitchen. An otherwise sane Indian chef might make a cream sauce for lamb chops because he’s aiming for fusion, and cream is French.

Bad call. The cream sauce is heavy and does no favours for the lamb. Better chef had used his restrained pomegranate coulis or his tomato chutney (which would be even nicer with less sugar) to set off the lamb lollipops.

Palak paneer is one of my perennial Indian favourites. Even when the spinach has been stewed to darkened perdition, I always appreciate the gentle counterpoint of fresh cheese against the intensity of cooked spinach. Pukka updates and refines it by pan-frying winter greens (usually a mix of kale, rapini and swiss chard) with small cubes of paneer (fresh cheese) and also of sweet gilded onion, with shards of young ginger on top. This is what nouvelle Indian should be.

As a long-time aficionado of Indian food, I cherish the chutneys and breads almost as much as the main event. Here Pukka has some work to do. I always drain the yogurt when making raita, so as to thicken and enrich it. They could do that — or for longer if they’re already doing it. The green chutney wants more coriander, but the hot pickle and mango chutney are both perfectly assertive. And the garlic naan, hot from the tandoori oven, is soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside, and redolent of enough garlic to awaken — and scandalize — my mother from the grave.

PUKKA, 778 St. Clair Ave. W., $80 Dinner for two

Joanne Kates trained at the Ecole Cordon Bleu de Cuisine in Paris. She has written articles for numerous publications, including the New York Times, Maclean’s and Chatelaine.

Shopping mall sale causes condo concerns

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12:51 pm

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Since Bayview Village Shopping Centre’s record-setting sale last year, the rumour mill has been in constant motion about what’s next for the upscale mall. The 440,000-square-foot property was purchased for $500 million by British Columbia Investment Management Corp. last November, after a bidding war. The sale was the city’s biggest of 2013, and now many in the area are speculating about what will be done with the property. Some real estate websites have reported that the mall will be expanded and will possibly be home to new condo towers.

Doug Stephens, of the Bayview Village Association (BVA), said he expects there will be some major developments at Bayview Village. He hopes the BVA has a chance to talk to developers about what locals want from the shopping centre.

“The concern is what shape the development takes,” he said. “We want to have early communication, so we can make sure their goals are compatible with our values and we don’t have our discussions at the OMB.”

Stephens said one thing the residents’ association hopes is maintained at Bayview Village is space for services in the mall, including doctors, dentists and physiotherapists that residents in the area rely on. Although more condo towers may be inevitable, he said he worries that too many new residents would worsen traffic in the already congested area.

“Parking is a huge issue. Even now there is not enough parking at Bayview Village, so the parking flows into the streets, and that’s a concern for our residents.” Stephens said the BVA members want to be “up front” about their expectations before they go “into defensive mode.”

When reached for comment, British Columbia Investment Management Corp spokesperson Gwen-Ann Chittenden said that the company “does not comment on speculation [but will] continue to operate Bayview Village as one of Canada’s top shopping malls.”

Gas leak in buildings owned by Alaska developer

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12:51 pm

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On the frigid morning of Tuesday, Feb. 11, a tenant at 2779 Yonge St. smelled a strange oder in her apartment building. Although others had detected the smell, they assumed it was coming from outside, but this tenant decided it was better to be safe than sorry, and called the fire department. Minutes later, the 11 residents in her building were evacuated due to a gas and carbon monoxide leak.

“This could have been a terrible tragedy,” said local councillor Jaye Robinson.

Daniel Simon, a tenant rep at the apartment complex said that although the potentially fatal gas leak was frightening, the evacuation into the frigid winter weather could hardly phase the residents who had, at the time, been living without heat or hot water in their apartment for five days. Central heating at the complex, owned by Bianca Pollack, has been inconsistent for over a year, Simon said. Last winter, the heat went out for 12 days. Although most of the tenants now own space heaters, the fuse boxes in the apartment are so old that if too many heaters are running at one the power goes out said Simon.

Simon said the residents formed a tenant association in order to a take their complaints to the tenant board where they are petitioning for financial compensation from their landlord.

The controversy surrounding the apartment complex may have further reaching implications for Pollack, who is behind the development application for the Alaska condominium planned for the site. She could not be reached for comment.

“This carbon monoxide leak was the dangerous result of negligence,” Simon said. “And we’re worried something worse might happen.

Davisville Village merchants band together

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12:51 pm

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Midtown might be getting a new BIA. Yonge Street from Soudan Avenue to just south of Merton Street, home to businesses such as The Art Shoppe, Grano and Coquine, will soon be applying to the City of Toronto to become a business improvement area.

Only 15 years ago, Yonge Street south of Eglinton Avenue was considered a dead stretch. Over the years, however, it has evolved into a neighbourhood in its own right. A new infusion of shops, restaurants and cafés has enlivened the street, and local business owner Diana Sederis believes that the area has the potential to turn into a destination for foodies.

“A BIA connects the community,” Sederis said. “Being part of one would allow us to hold street festivals, maybe improve the streetscape with flowers and benches.”

Sederis said she had thought about forming a BIA in Davisville Village two years ago, but at the time, the idea didn’t garner much interest. She was inspired to try again after she opened a second Tabülè location on Queen Street East and joined the Leslieville BIA, which gave her the personal experience she needed to promote the idea once more.

This time the idea was met with much more enthusiasm, and between 35 and 40 people said they were interested in joining a BIA. She called Ward 22 councillor Josh Matlow to inquire about next steps.

“Being part of a BIA means that you are part of a political entity that can finance and organize significant business improvements in your area,” said Matlow.

Sederis said that the group has a meeting at city hall next month, and they hope the BIA is officially created in the next year. She looks forward to tackling such neighbourhood issues as a lack of parking and streetscaping.

“All the neighbourhoods that people love in Toronto have BIAs,” Sederis said. “And we have so many great businesses in our neighbourhood now that we deserve one, too.”

Observatory saga rages on to municipal board

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12:51 pm

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It’s been a long and arduous battle for the Town of Richmond Hill, Corsica Developments and the David Dunlap Observatory (DDO) Defenders, determining the fate of the lands at the DDO. Though the parties reached an agreement on a development of 522 housing units on just under half of the observatory grounds’ 177-acre green space some time ago, the development is still at the stage of approving the plan of subdivision and zoning bylaw amendment.

Now a hearing at the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) is scheduled for those approvals, but DDO Defenders chair Karen Cilevitz said even that will not be a breeze.

“It could have been a very simple hearing,” said Cilevitz. “It could have taken just a couple of days to get the OMB’s approval for these two things because they completely follow on the decision that has already been made.”

However, last year another residents group, the Richmond Hill Naturalists, opposed the settlement agreed upon by the other parties in the interest of preserving the heritage property.

“From our perspective, the cultural heritage landscape is part of the raison d’etre for the property,” said Marianne Yake, former president of the naturalists.

“We have to have another full-blown OMB hearing that will last about two weeks.”

“By putting housing so close to the telescope, there’s going to be an adverse effect on it.”

That lack of consensus will make the process even longer.

“Because the Richmond Hill Naturalists are opposing the plan of subdivision and the zoning bylaw amendment, we have to have another full-blown OMB hearing that will last about two weeks, as opposed to just a hearing to approve the plan of subdivision and zoning amendment by-law,” said Cilevitz.

The parties expect to head to the board late this spring.

“The hearing is scheduled to commence on June 9,” said Jason Cherniak, the attorney for the DDO Defenders.

Power to gamer girls

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12:50 pm

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Working in the male-dominated tech industry, Cecily Carver knows how it feels to be the only woman in the room. It’s the same feeling she has when she comes home and partakes in her favourite hobby, online gaming, a world overwhelmingly populated by male characters fighting to rescue a passive woman. It’s an industry dominated by male stories, but the world of online gaming is not populated exclusively by men. In fact, of the 60 per cent of Canadians who say they play video games, 50 per cent of those are women, whose stories are not being told. So in 2012, Carver, who lives on the Dupont strip, co-founded Dames Making Games, a charity that teaches women how to code, so they are able to make the video games they want to play.

“Video gaming is ultimately an escape fantasy, it’s about wish fulfillment,” Carver said. “And if every game is targeted to a young, male audience, women are always going to be excluded from that.” Dames Making Games teaches women (and some men) from all different educational and working backgrounds how to design and code their own games where women can take charge of their destiny and finally be the hero. Their free courses and weekend “game jams” attract between 30 and a hundred people per session.

Although most participants make games for their own recreation, many have made games with a political focus, and one participant made an award-winning game about her struggle with depression.

“Video can introduce you to so many stories and issues,” Carver said. “And as long as the pool of people working on those games diversifies, the games themselves will encompass so many more human experiences.”

Bathurst Manor finally gets own voice

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12:50 pm

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Despite being a long-established and recognized neighbourhood in North York, Bathurst Manor has been without a residents’ or ratepayers’ association — until now.

Last month, the Bathurst Manor Homeowners Association (BMHA) became a recognized residents’ association with the city. Its co-presidents are Michael Anthony and Martin Dobkin.

One of the issues that prompted the residents to band together was the proposal of a six-storey, mixed-use development on Wilmington Ave. Coun. James Pasternak said the community is opposed to redeveloping such a central part of Bathurst Manor where retail and amenities are sparse.

“Many agree that the plaza, which is really just a concrete parking lot, has to be redeveloped,” said Pasternak. “The question is, at what cost?”

The BMHA has put together a counter-proposal with input from the community, which will be presented to planners soon.

Dobkin is no stranger to politics — he was the first mayor of Mississauga when the city was formed in 1974. He said beyond this one issue, the BMHA will be here for the long haul.

“It’s not a one-issue association,” said Dobkin. He’s also concerned about basement flooding and growing density on Sheppard. “It’s just one high-rise after another,” he said. “Traffic is getting worse and worse.”

Synagogue still in search of new home

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12:50 pm

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Last summer, the Shomer Israel congregation was asked to vacate the portable classroom they had been using as a synagogue on the Rockford School property for more than three decades. The congregation is still in search of a home, but several suggestions have been floated, including the establishment of a tennis clubhouse or community centre at Rockford Park, which could be used for services.

Shomer Israel congregation vice-president George Adler said he is still appalled at how unceremoniously the group was told by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) to pack up and leave the small classroom where they held Shabbat services on Fridays and Saturdays.

“It was really not causing any disruptions or any problems,” said Adler. The group’s Torah scrolls and prayer groups’ materials are now in storage.

Though he laments not being more aggressive, Adler said the TDSB was fairly unresponsive. “We couldn’t even get a meeting.”

Members of the congregation had to get through the High Holidays of the fall and winter without a place of worship within walking distance, which Adler said is essential, not only because of the aging population of the congregation. “A lot of people don’t drive on a Saturday,” said Adler.

Coun. James Pasternak is still actively searching for solutions, his preferred solution being the establishment of a community centre or tennis clubhouse at Rockford Park, just west of the Rockford School, which could serve as space for the group.

“We are hopeful that we might be able to use that facility for services on Friday nights and Saturday nights,” said Pasternak. He’s eager to see the congregation find a new home. “It’s been very hard for them.”

Adler said he and his group have become discouraged and he is not positive about an alternate arrangement being achieved. “I’ve become rather dejected regarding the possibility of that being resurrected.”

Pasternak is more optimistic that the community centre idea will pan out. “These kinds of ideas don’t happen overnight,” he said.