What to Watch at TIFF 2013: day nine

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The Toronto International Film Festival has descended upon the city, and with hundreds of choices, picking the right film to see can be overwhelming. We’ll be bringing you recommendations every day, from major Hollywood features to compelling docs — the best from around the world. These are films that deserve to be seen, either during the festival or after.

Prisoners

Rating: 4/5

Montreal director Jacques Villeneuve presents Prisoners, one of the more anticipated films of the festival. It’s a dark, moody and tense crime drama that follows the aftermath of the kidnapping of two young girls. Everything seems ominous as the film opens on a dreary Thanksgiving Day in suburban Pennsylvania, especially the peculiar RV parked on the street in this quiet neighbourhood.

When two young girls go for a walk and never return, their respective parents are sent into their own private tailspins. Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) increasingly loses control of his mental and emotional states, trying to assume the duties of the police when he believes they have failed him.

Jake Gyllenhaal is Detective Loki, the hard-nosed cop on the case. He and Jackman make up some of the tensest scenes in the film. Prisoners doesn’t feel like its two and half hour runtime, and it’s hard not to be pulled in to this heavy, serious thriller.

What’s more, the two leads are supported by an impressive ensemble, including Maria Bello, Viola Davis, Terrence Howard, Melissa Leo and a very creepy Paul Dano.

Sept. 13, Visa Screening Room (Elgin), 2:30 p.m.

Cold Eyes

Rating: 4/5

A fun, entertaining and smart thriller finally makes its appearance at the festival this weekend, as Friday kicks off the first of three days of showings of Cold Eyes. This entry from South Korea is taut and stylish, following a group of savvy surveillance operators tracking a deadly criminal.

There is a sort of buddy-cop aspect to the film, though with less clichés. A folksy veteran codenamed Falcon recruits a young, auspicious woman to join the crew. The film smartly rests its success on the shoulders of these two characters and their colleagues, instead of hi-tech toys and dizzying action sequences.

Granted, there are both of those, but you may be surprised to suddenly realize you care about the characters as they romp around an urban playground. Cold Eyes is beautifully shot, sharply-edited and peppered with subtle, charming wit. It flies by, keeping the pace throughout, building towards one exceptionally exciting finish.

Sept. 13, Roy Thomson Hall, 9:30 p.m.
Sept. 14, Scotiabank 2, 5:15 p.m.
Sept. 15, The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, 2:45 p.m.

R100

Rating: 3.5/5

Now for something completely different. This entry into the Midnight Madness programme comes from Japan, and it definitely adheres to the “madness” part of the category’s description.

It’s probably better to not know anything specifically about the plot of the film — the title and the director are telling enough. Hitoshi Matsumoto is known for some outrageous, subversive, wild, and well, weird stuff. R100 is especially odd, as whimsy blends with sex in this provocative film.

Centered around one seemingly normal man (well, he stops being normal pretty fast), it’s a steady escalation of absurdity. In Japan, movie ratings start from G, go up to PG-12, and then hit R-15 and R-18. So you can imagine where Matsumoto wants to go with a film called R100.

Sept. 13, Scotiabank 9, 11:30 a.m.
Sept. 14, Scotiabank 10, 9 p.m.

Taste Test: Toronto’s best delivery pizza

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Andrew Mannsbach

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Everyone loves to talk artisanal pizza, but sometimes, a night in with some delivery ’za is where it’s at. Chef Grant van Gameren tells us which delivery goods check all his boxes.

WINNER:
CLASSICO LOUIE’S, 2549 Yonge St., $13.60
Chef is instantly taken with this pick, noting the crispy pepperoni and the thin crust, which folds nicely. “It’s got this nice semolina on the dough, which is something we do at the restaurant. It’s more artisanal.”

Salami success
DANTE’S, 8707 Dufferin St., $21.99
Van Gameren comments that he likes a light saucing, and unfortunately, this ’za is a bit heavy-handed with it. He would prefer fewer toppings, too, though commends the inclusion of salami instead of pepperoni.

Old-school Italiano
MIMI GOURMET BY CAMARRA’S, 8700 Dufferin St., Unit #18, $21.35
Chef instantly points out the classic dried herbs dotting the top of the pie. “This is pretty, old-school Italian stuff.” But the lack of crust makes the pizza lose points.

Terrific toppings
ABRUZZO PIZZA, 9010 Yonge St., $14
“The quality of toppings is great,” chef notes. “I like that the green peppers are nice and small, and they’re using real bacon.” The crust is properly crispy to boot, and overall, this pie is a strong contender.

Cheesy choice
BOCCONE, 1378 Yonge St., $18.25
“This looks like your traditional takeout pizza,” chef says, pointing out the cheese caramelized on the crust. For him personally, the cheese overwhelms slightly, but for a late-night pick, it’ll do the trick.

Veggie love
BROOKLYN PIZZA, 3016 Bathurst St., $14
Although van Gameren enjoys the tomato sauce, he finds that the crust crumbles too much and has more in common with a cracker than it should. As the only vegetarian pick, chef notes that he has a lot of love for vegetarians, but a nice dough would up its standing.

Quality sauce
MEZZA NOTTE, 5304 Yonge St., $16.50
Chef is taken with the tomato sauce on this number. “The seasonings are not cheap or synthetic,” he points out. White onions pepper the ’za, and chef notes his preference for them over red onion. “I really like the flavour profile.”

Pepperoni party
FRANK’S PIZZA HOUSE, 1352 St. Clair Ave. W., $15.50
“There’s nice pepperoni on this one — they’re not skimping out, and it’s really nice and crispy.” However, chef would prefer it if the cheese were underneath everything, caramelizing not steaming the veggies.

Weekend Warrior: Toronto Beer Week, Murder at the ROM, Junction Farmers Night Market, Gluten Free Expo

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It’s Thursday, and the weekend is fast approaching. Need stuff to see or do? We’ve got you covered. In this edition, a beer festival, solving a murder at the ROM, hanging out with live reptiles and more.

Toronto Beer Week

When: Sept. 13-21
Where: Various Locations
Details: Attention beer lovers: whether you were aware of it or not, it’s very possible that one of the most enjoyable weeks of your year is upon you. Featuring beers from 30 of Ontario’s craft breweries, Toronto Beer Week kicks off on Friday at venues all around the city. Events include pub crawls, tastings and food and drink pairings.

Murder at the ROM

When: Sept. 14
Where: The Royal Ontario Museum
Details: Try channelling your inner Sherlock (didn’t know you had one did you?) this weekend with a good old fashioned game of cat and mouse. Here’s the scenario: a curator has been murdered, and you (plus a team of other participants) are responsible for solving the mystery by following clues around the ROM.

Junction Farmers Night Market

When: Sept. 14
Where: The Junction Train Platform
Details: The promise of $5 food and $5 beers is only one good reason to check out the Junction Farmers Night Market. The event raises money for the Junction Farmers Market Food Voucher Program and The Stop Community Food Centre.

Canadian Reptile Breeders’ Expo

When: Sept. 14-15
Where: International Centre
Details: For a truly unique family outing that is sure to be entertaining and memorable, try a visit to this reptile breeders’ expo, which is Canada’s largest reptile and exotic pet specialty event. Featuring vendors, specialty educators and live animals, this won’t be an excursion you’ll be forgetting about anytime soon.

Gluten Free Expo

When: Sept. 14-15
Where: Metro Toronto Convention Centre
Details: Educate yourself on a gluten free lifestyle while spending the day snacking on free samples at Canada’s largest gluten free event. Health enthusiasts can sample and buy products from over 100 exhibitors, and while you’re at it, do some good by bringing a donation to an on-site food bank drop-off.

First Draught: Tailset Ginger Ale, a beer for the last breezy days of summer

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11:54 am

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Only hardcore calendar pedants really believe that the days between Labour Day and Sept. 21 are summer. That’s until a heat wave hits, like the one we had this week, and our air conditioners are forced back into service for one last, weezy victory lap.

The Tailset Ginger Ale from Grand River Brewing is well suited to the weather between summer and fall. It has just enough lively interest to extend a glass over a contemplative, chilly evening, and it also has a refreshing sun-fighting base.

From the bottle, this ginger beer pours a hazy orange-gold with a bright white head. Its fresh ginger aroma is backed up by notes of lemon peel and bread malt.

The first sip is candied ginger (without the sweetness), and warm spices and baked grains complete the flavour profile of a subtle ginger cake. The low alcohol (4.5 per cent) and the crisp, dry finish reinforce the refreshing side of this beer. It doesn’t have a whole lot of ginger burn.

To pair the Tailset with food, look for somewhat rich dishes — roast chicken, grilled pork chops or baked beans — that will act as contrast to the dry ginger spice. But stay away from anything that actually has ginger in it, because the flavours are bound to clash, and one will overwhelm the other.

Even if the last blast of summer is behind us, the Tailset Ginger Ale will still find a place in my rotation for the last (breezy) days on the dock. There is still quite a bit of inventory for this beer in LCBOs across the province.

Grand River Brewing’s Tailset Ginger Ale, $3.95 for a 500 ml bottle, LCBO #349142

In addition to covering beer, new restaurants and food trucks for Post City, David Ort writes about food and drink for several Toronto publications including his own site, Food With Legs. He is also the author of the upcoming Canadian Craft Beer Cookbook. For more of his thoughts on food, beer and life in general, follow him on Twitter or get in touch at [email protected].

What to Watch at TIFF 2013: day eight

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10:30 am

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The Toronto International Film Festival has descended upon the city, and with hundreds of choices, picking the right film to see can be overwhelming. We’ll be bringing you recommendations every day, from major Hollywood features to compelling docs — the best from around the world. These are films that deserve to be seen, either during the festival or after.

The Love Punch

Rating: 3/5

A fun, comedic piece of popcorn fare to enjoy between some of the heavier dramas at the festival, The Love Punch exists in order for us to watch two very charismatic stars — Pierce Brosnan and Emma Thompson — trade bards, play dress-up and have fun in the French Rivera.

As a divorced couple, Richard (Brosnan) and Kate (Thompson) find themselves working together on a haphazard mission to reclaim millions of dollars lifted from Richard’s company by some young Frenchman. They set out on a caper that includes lots of costume changes, accents, acrobatics and a very anemic car chase.

It’s all a bit of good from writer and director Joel Hopkins, and the two stars light up the screen in every single scene. There are the expected jokes about old age, and a few that are more in the childish category, but there is enough to satisfy throughout. Cute and fluffy and not without its earnest moments, The Love Punch is a definite crowd pleaser.

Sept. 12, Roy Thomson Hall, 9:30 p.m.
Sept. 13, Visa Screening Room (Elgin), 11 a.m.

The Face of Love

Rating: 3/5

The always charming Annette Bening stars along the equally winning Ed Harris in this peculiar romance that is infused with all the hope, sorrow, confusion and fear that comes with dealing with love and loss.

Five years have passed since Nikki (Bening) lost her husband; he drowned in Mexico on their wedding anniversary after a night of partying. Still recovering — it really never ends — she one day spots a man that appears to be her late husband’s doppelgänger (Harris). Once you grant that premise, the film explores many varied emotions, as Nikki befriends the gentleman and starts to date him, at times reluctantly and at times crazily.

Nikki, however, doesn’t exactly tell the truth to this new man in regards to her ex-husband and his physical appearances. The Face of Love goes to some dark places, though it stays mostly light and thoughtful, exploring what it means to be in love and what lengths one is willing to go to for happiness.

Sept. 12, Visa Screening Room (Elgin), 6 p.m.
Sept. 13, Scotiabank 14, 3 p.m.

Brazilian Western

Rating: 3/5

After two suggestions that certainly fall under the category of “romance,” here comes something completely different. This debut film by Brazilian director René Sampaio is engrossing and shocking right from the start, when a gunshot and a death grab your attention.

Another follows, and we find João (Fabrício Boliveira), a young man who has a life of hardship, released from prison and heading for the big city of Brasilia. Set in the ’80s — and a sort of homage to a famous song by Brazilian band Legião Urbana — the journey of João is stirring. He finds an honest job, but only if he takes on a dishonest one as well. In the midst of a trying to carve out a new existence, he falls in love. Once again though, a positive step is paired with a negative one, as the woman is the daughter of a senator.

Cinematic and nostalgic, Brazilian Western is unlike anything in else the festival. There are pushes and pulls throughout, and it’s an inventive, experimental and fascinating piece of work.

Sept. 12, Scotiabank 2, 8:45 p.m.
Sept. 14, Scotiabank 4, 4 p.m.

Concert Review: Queens of the Stone Age at the ACC

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4:54 pm

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It had been some time since the Air Canada Centre bore witness to the type of pure, no frills rock show that the Queens of the Stone Age delivered at the venue on Tuesday night. In front of 8,000 passionate fans, the Queens took a few risks but generally delivered the goods over the course of an energized set as part of their …Like Clockwork tour.

Risk number one came in the form of the venue itself. The band is accustomed to playing smaller halls (their next show takes place at Detroit’s 2,000-seat Fillmore), so taking on an ambitious arena like the ACC proved somewhat daunting. While the arena certainly wasn’t full (numerous sections were left empty or blocked-off entirely), the energy of those on hand made for a more intimate, lively feel that took away from any lingering sense of emptiness.

Risk number two was the playlist, with fan response dipping noticeably during some of the lighter fare off the recent album. Songs like “Kalopsia” and the album’s titular track deflated some of the show’s electricity and took some of the wind out of the sails of a crowd that was firmly in an uptempo mode.

Fortunately for the crowd (or, perhaps, because of it), uptempo was the order of the day more often than not. Starting off with an explosive trifecta of “My God Is The Sun,” “You Think I Ain't Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire” and “No One Knows,” lead singer Josh Homme wasted no time in getting fans amped up and on their feet. Beyond a few sidebar comments between songs (including an admission that he had spent the past three days on a bender through Toronto), Homme let the music do the talking for him and carried momentum from one song into the next.

Dystopian cartoon illustrations often served as the backdrop, but they never took away from the quintet’s full-throttle sound. New drummer Jon Theodore, introduced to a loud ovation late in the set, enjoyed a brief moment of individual spotlight but mostly blended seamlessly into the band. During the night’s best moments, the band connected harmoniously with the fans, who were more than willing to offer full-throated song lyrics on “Burn the Witch” and “I Appear Missing.”

All told, the Queens of the Stone Age show wasn’t a perfect offering, but its few down moments helped further accentuate the fantastic frenzy and hysteria of the predominant times when things were really rolling.

Seven types of TTC commuters who suck

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3:37 pm

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It’s nearing that horrible time of year when I admit to myself that I am too wimpy to cycle and I hang up my bike in favour of a Metropass. Accordingly, it seems only fair that I issue advance notice to those people who have always made my ever-delayed commute the claustrophobic hell that it is. Offenders, consider yourselves warned: here are seven TTC commuters that I want to punch in the face.*

1. Lollygaggers. Allow me to congratulate you on the fact that you clearly have nowhere to be today. It’s evident, as I rush to get to my office by 9 a.m., that you’ve made better choices in life, affording you either a boss who doesn’t care what time you show up or the ability to spend the day bird watching and/or picking wildflowers. Have a fantastic day, but for the love of God, please consider that the people walking behind you might have to be somewhere. Find second gear or get out of the way. Better yet, just stay asleep for an extra hour in the morning. Surely the non-thing you don’t have to do today will still not be there later.

2. Creepers. Remember the girl who stood up in the middle of a crowded subway, approached the guy with sunglasses who was pretending not to stare at her and made passionate love to him right there? No. You don’t remember that story, because it never happened and never will. So stop staring at that girl. She’s not interested, you’re not being subtle, and everyone is creeped out.

3. Megaphones. In addition to being a supporter of early Mormon fundamentalism, Nathaniel Baldwin was an electrician who invented the first set of modern headphones and sold them to the US Navy. Given that that was roughly 103 years ago, there’s literally no reason you can’t have your music pumped directly into your ear instead of playing it out loud — unless, of course, you simply want to be a jerk. Furthermore, hang up the cell phone. It’s obnoxious. There’s one acceptable conversation to be had on your phone while on transit. It is this: “I’m on the streetcar. I’ll call you back in a bit.”

4. Groomers. Most people think makeup is something to be put on before one leaves the house. Not you! “Yes, I wear makeup,” you tell the world. “Foundation, blush, lipstick, eyeliner — it’s all here and you can watch me put it on!” Well this isn’t the powder room, it’s public frigging transit. If you can’t do it at home, maybe you don’t deserve to have curled eyelashes today. And you, sir, the man whose understanding of nail care flies so blatantly in the face of convention that you opt to clip your fingernails in public, well there’s a special place reserved for you in hell.

5. Hungry hungry hippos. A sandwich? Are you serious? I know, you’re thinking, “I’m running late, I’m hungry, why not just eat my meal on the go?” Well, I’ll tell you. In addition to grossing us all out by forcing us to smell your food and watch you shovel it into your face, you might consider Bacillus, Micrococcus, Staphylococcus and the roughly 37 other genera of bacteria that live on subways — roughly five per cent of which are borne by human skin. Still hungry? That’s just the airborne stuff. Factor in the poles, seats and handrails and you’re touching hundreds of thousands of microorganisms well before you stuff that pickle back in your sandwich. Mmm.

6. Grinders. To you folks who insist on standing too close to other commuters, allow me to offer you some advice: take a step away from me. I don’t care if your stop’s next, if there’s a nice breeze near me or if you’re trying not to step in gum; there’s no need for me to smell you or feel any parts of your body pressed against mine. If it helps, just imagine we’re peeing. Would you stand this close to me if we were both urinating? No. So take a step back (note: if you’re actually peeing, please take two steps back).

7. Space cadets. Conversely, to the people who can’t appreciate that our personal space-bubbles need to shrink during rush hour, please note that the seat currently occupied by your feet/backpack/laptop/Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in a sweater should be vacated in favour of allowing a fellow commuter to sit down. There are no dated curtains or Ikea coffee tables in here. This is not your living room. Make room for others.

*Please note that I don’t intend on actually punching anyone in the face. Realistically, the worst these seven types of people might expect from me is an exasperated sigh and/or eye roll. But man will it ever be one peeved eye roll.

In addition to complaining about transit, Ben Johnson also writes about beer on his blog, Ben's Beer Blog. You can follow him on Twitter: @Ben_T_Johnson.

Drink This: The Beverley Hotel’s take on the mint julep

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12:54 pm

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TIFF is well under way — or so we’ve heard — and between the star-sightings, screenings and, well, screams, a cocktail is a welcome respite from the madness. At The Beverley, Toronto’s swishiest new boutique hotel, guests nibble on eats from chef Eric Wood against a cool backdrop of silver and grey.

Drink-wise, the signature is the Beverley’s Hillbilly ($13). Last week we featured The Cocktail Parlor’s take on the mint julep; this week, we’ve got the hotel’s version of the classic tipple. Bar manager Chris Cooper muddles raspberries, then layers in lime and cane syrup before adding Grand Marnier and Woodford Reserve bourbon.

The drink is finished with packed ice, making for a boozy, grown-up slushy that’ll cool anyone down pronto.

The Beverley Hotel, 335 Queen St. W., 416-493-2786

Karolyne Ellacott is a features editor at Post City Magazines. She pedals around town in heels, eating sandwiches and drinking cocktails. She writes about that, and about about other stuff too. She is also on Twitter.

For more must-try Toronto cocktails, check out our Pinterest page

Alt-J ride success of An Awesome Wave to Echo Beach

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11:30 am

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The members of Alt-J didn’t set out to be overnight sensations. It actually took a lot of work. But they are here now and basking in the glow of their seemingly out-of-nowhere success. The boys in the band — Thom Green, Joe Newman, Gwil Sainsbury and Gus Unger-Hamilton — met while attending University of Leeds.

Newman had written some songs heading to university and was intent on meeting some like-minded people to jam with. After the first year, the foursome evolved into a serious musical wolf pack, jamming in their dorm rooms at all hours.

The freedom that comes with all good university experiences trickled down into the newly formed quartet’s song choices.

Even as news of the band’s progressive, guitars-to-the-rear sound began to make its way to a wider audience, Alt-J (named after a Mac computer keystroke combination for the Greek symbol delta) didn’t allow their faces to be shown in photographs or promotional material. It was all about the music.

“We had no pressure to write pop songs,” says Green. “We just did whatever we wanted. We tried to make music we found interesting and [that] was not generally on the radio. That was the environment in which we wrote songs for the first album.”

The result, An Awesome Wave, sounds like the product of a seasoned group exploring new and adventurous sonic territory rather than a debut.

Thanks to the band’s unorthodox approach, the album is as original and fun as it is well crafted. Lyrically, it is nothing short of brilliant. An Awesome Wave is so good the band took home the prestigious Mercury Prize in 2012.

“The Mercury Prize is something we all really respect as music fans,” says Green. “In Cambridge, the year before, we went to our friend’s house and watched PJ Harvey win the prize. Twelve months later, we won and it felt like a massive achievement.”

But don’t call them overnight sensations.

“It was three or four years before the album came out, and we spent a long time working,” Green explains. “It was really important, as we were trying to make our entrance onto the music scene, to come up with songs we were really happy with. So taking our time was really important.”

Although reluctant to play live shows in the beginning, the band did manage a very memorable private show in Sainsbury’s bedroom that attracted 40 to 50 people.

“It was one of our best gigs ever,” says Green.

“We realized how fun it was to be playing, and we just decided to carry on and we started playing a few towns around Leeds.”

This summer, the band continues to tour and has made a big splash in North America showcasing their Radiohead-esque sounds at all the big festivals, from Bonnaroo to Osheaga.

The band returns to Toronto on Sept. 11 for a show at Echo Beach (Ontario Place) with opening act Lord Huron.

What to Watch at TIFF 2013: day seven

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11:24 am

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The Toronto International Film Festival has descended upon the city, and with hundreds of choices, picking the right film to see can be overwhelming. We’ll be bringing you recommendations every day, from major Hollywood features to compelling docs — the best from around the world. These are films that deserve to be seen, either during the festival or after.

Gravity

I must say that I have yet to see this film, mainly because too many people want to. And it seems justified; however you feel about Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity once you see it, whether you’re astounded or bored, it would seem more important that you just see it and talk about it. Without question, it’s one of the most — if not the most — anticipated films of the festival.

George Clooney and Sandra Bullock are lost in space in this tense sci-fi drama. An early trailer suggests visually stunning images and intense thrills, and a longer, more recent one reinforces that. Try to get there early, as this is one you want to see on the big screen in a packed house.

And if you do miss it this time around, you have a month to regroup before its Oct. 4 release.

Sept. 11, Scotiabank 12, 9 p.m.
Sept. 15, Ryerson Theatre, 12 p.m.

Don Jon

Rating: 3/5

The writing and directing debut by Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a film full of ideas, thrown to the screen at rapid pace. We follow Jon (Levitt), a Jersey Shore playboy of sorts who cares about his family, his faith, going to the gym, hanging with his guys and picking up girls. Oh, and he also really enjoys pornography.

It’s a forceful, frenetic comedy that makes a lot of attempts at humour, many of which hit (though not all of them do). The film also dips its toe into interesting notions about love, lust, family dynamics and gender roles. When Jon meets a woman he thinks is a “10” (Scarlett Johansson), he is forced to quit his addiction to online porn — or at least hide it.

In doing so he confronts some personal and familial issues while also wondering where he fits in this newfound relationship.

The film is a bit messy, but it’s not short on entertainment and effective directing.

Sept. 11, Ryerson Theatre, 3 p.m.

How I Live Now

Rating: 3/5

Similarly, How I Live Now, a tense drama about a group of kids living freely on the cusp of World War III, has a lot of ideas going on. Saoirse Ronan — with an American accent — plays an angsty teen sent from the U.S. to England live with her unfamiliar cousins, who happen to live mostly unsupervised in a beautiful retreat.

Her name is Elizabeth, but she prefers Daisy. She also prefers not to swim or run or play or generally be around the group. She is a fish out of water, and just as she starts to warm up, Europe finds itself on the brink of war, and Englanders are forced from their homes.

It’s this second sudden change in her living environment that makes Daisy realize what she really wants in life. This at times romantic and at times disturbing drama has both laughs and shocks, and the tense moments are balanced out with light ones. Daisy’s first journey is an emotional one, and her second is a physical and mental one as she seeks to find a place she can truly call home.

Sept. 11, The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, 3 p.m.

Top picks from Toronto’s new theatre season

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Toronto theatre-goers have a lot to look forward to this fall. From Mirvish mega-musicals to silly scenes from The Second City, we’ve got a busy theatre season ahead of us. Here are our top picks.

The return of Les Misérables
Even though we can probably thank the success of the Oscar-winning 2012 film for the musical’s recent resurgence, Les Mis has always been pretty popular around these parts since making its Canadian debut in 1989 at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. To mark the musical’s triumphant return — and its 25th anniversary — the Cameron Mackintosh production promises to be different than the original, and the all-Canadian cast features Richmond Hill native Ramin Karimloo as Jean Valjean.

Les Misérables, Sept. 27 to Dec. 22, Princess of Wales Theatre, www.mirvish.com.

Anything thrice is nice
The acclaimed Soulpepper Theatre Company is trying something a little different this fall with its production of Alan Ayckbourn’s trilogy of plays The Norman Conquests. Each of the plays, which as a unit depict the same six characters over the same weekend in a different part of the house, will be shown as its own production, so that the comedic stories can either be consumed individually or as a whole.

The Norman Conquests, Sept. 27 to Nov. 16, Young Centre, www.soulpepper.ca.

The prodigal son returns
Award-winning playwright Daniel MacIvor pulls double duty — writer and actor — with his latest play, The Best Brothers, at the Tarragon Theatre from Sept. 17. A hit at last year’s Stratford Festival, the bittersweet comedy wrestles with the fundamental themes of love and family after a freak accident kills the Best brothers’ mother at the Toronto Gay Pride Parade.

The Best Brothers, Sept. 17 to Oct. 27, Tarragon Theatre, www.tarragontheatre.com.

MacHomer no more
Toronto’s Rick Miller, who travelled the world for the past decade in a series of one-man shows, including the very successful MacHomer, gets serious in the Canadian Stage production of Venus in Fur, opening Sept. 29. Apparently, this play, also starring Carly Street, was the talk of Broadway last year on its way to a Tony Award nomination for Best Play. Expect fireworks.

Venus in Fur, Sept. 29 to Oct. 27, Bluma Appel Theatre, www.canadianstage.com.

Power to the Petty
There is only room for one pantomime in this town, and as long as Ross Petty is at the controls, that is just fine. His annual holiday production this year is The Little Mermaid, and it kicks off on Nov. 22. Good news for Petty fans, the show marks another appearance by long-running character Dame Plumbum played with serious gusto by Dan Chameroy.

The Little Mermaid, Nov. 22 to Jan. 4, Elgin Theatre, www.rosspetty.com.

Cookin’ with Gass
When artistic director Ken Gass left Factory Theatre, a huge part of Toronto’s theatre community was taken away. But he’s back with his own Canadian Rep Theatre company. This January, Canadian Rep Theatre kicks off its season with the English language premiere of Wajdi Mouawad’s Pacamambo. Two big plays by former Factory Theatre loyalists Judith Thompson and George F. Walker follow in 2014.

Pacamambo, Jan. 17 to Feb. 2, The Citadel, 304 Parliament St., www.canadianrep.wordpress.com.

One woman some cry
Musical theatre icon Louise Pitre hits the stage at Theatre Passe Muraille with her one-woman show for four dates only, beginning Sept. 25. The show features mostly original songs and is described as a “mixed cocktail of raw emotion.”

On The Rocks, Sept. 25 to 28, Theatre Passe Muraille, www.passemuraille.on.ca.

We need a hero
It might be hard to top the Second City’s last production, The Meme-ing of Life, which was one of the company’s most popular revues to date, but the funny folk at Canada’s top comedy institution are going to give it a go anyway. We Can Be Heroes is the title of the 2013 fall revue, and though not much is known about the new sketch show, we’re sure that, like the Dark Knight, it rises to the comic challenge.

We Can Be Heroes, runs until Jan. 12, The Second City Mainstage, www.secondcity.com.

Have a heart
The Pulitzer Prize–winning, Tony Award–winning musical Next to Normal is hitting the LOT (Lower Ossington Theatre) to help kick off the new season. And with the new season comes two new collaborators to the LOT, director Heather Braaten and musical director Paul Moody, who are working together on the project in support of CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health). The partnership is fitting since the musical explores how a mother’s worsening affliction with bipolar disorder affects her family. A thrilling musical for a good cause? Sign us up.

Next to Normal, Aug. 29 to Sept. 29, The Lower Ossington Theatre, www.lowerossingtontheatre.com.

Toronto chainsaw massacre
Another production to make its return to a Toronto stage is Evil Dead: The Musical and its unique “splatter zone.” The made-in-Toronto show, created by George Reinblatt, is slated to take over the Randolph Theatre with its original star, Ryan Ward, back in the lead.

Evil Dead: The Musical opens Oct. 24, Randolph Theatre, www.evildeadthemusical.com.

Also this fall:
Night of the Living Dead Live returns to Theatre Passe Muraille in October, just in time for Halloween.

Everyone’s favourite redhead — Lucille Ball — has some ’splainin’ to do when her beloved TV series gets the live-stage treatment with I Love Lucy — Live on Stage in October at the Royal Alex.

Toronto will be home to a “whole new world” when Disney’s Aladdin has its world premiere at Ed Mirvish Theatre in November.

Eating Gross Things: garbage from the streets of Toronto

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The life of a gross food columnist is not always peachy. Every time I think I’ve found something gross, it ends up being delicious. The sense of failure, really, is unbearable. Well, this week I got serious. I literally (as in actually) ate Toronto garbage. Garbage, for God’s sake. And the stupidest part about it is that I enjoyed it. I feasted on it. Relished it.

This past weekend, I had a nighttime picnic with two new friends. We gorged on some of the tastiest baked goods in the city, sampling all manners of delicately layered pastries and cream-filled desserts. All of it was fresh. Our “mmms” were loud and frequent. We could have spent well over $100 on that stuff, but we spent nothing, because it all came from the garbage.

This wasn’t really garbage though. I mean, OK, we did take it from a green bin on the sidewalk. But we had loitered near the bakery for about an hour before it closed, and we watched the staff take unsold goods, place it into bags and set it outside. The food was simply moved from one spot to another. Not eating it would have been silly.

_{Dumpster desserts}

My fellow picnickers were Dorian Douma — dumpster diver extraordinaire — and a friend of his who is “new to the scavenging scene in Toronto.” Douma is currently unemployed, but he’s a web designer by trade. His friend is a PhD student living off of $15,000 for the next year. We were all grateful for our free picnic, and we had scored way more food than we could have eaten in one sitting (I saved some for breakfast).

In between bites, Douma observed that this particular bakery is very responsible with its garbage. He would know, since he has spent the last year as a salvager, becoming well acquainted with Toronto’s waste. It turns out that many businesses across the city throw out near-pristine food for various reasons. The trick is finding the places that don’t wreck it all by throwing it out carelessly.

Earlier that day, I had been online trying to find a Toronto “freegan,” which is a simplistic but convenient label for those who philosophically support the idea of salvaging food from other people’s garbage. With help from Reddit, I came across Toronto’s chapter of Food Not Bombs, an organization that feeds people for free. On the group’s Facebook page I saw that Douma had led several food-salvaging missions, the bounty of which he shared with others. I knew right away that this was the guy I needed to speak to.

Douma was happy to take me scavenging with him. My first impressions of him were that he was polite, intelligent and articulate. He doesn’t self-identify as a freegan, but he is one. For him, scavenging is equal parts philosophy and necessity: he probably wouldn’t do it if he didn’t need to, but he also wouldn’t do it if he wasn’t actively against wastefulness.

I went on two food-scavenging adventures with him. The first was at the aforementioned Toronto bakery (Douma requested that I refrain from specifically naming any of the establishments we visited). We also went to Kensington Market, which on garbage day is an absolute treasure trove for freegans.

_{Edible produce in a Kensington Market green bin}

Dumpster diving in Kensington was certainly more rustic than doing it at the bakery. Some of it required serious digging through garbage, and some of our finds were indeed gross, such as slimy beef patties and rock-hard pastries. But our bounty was plentiful, and much of it was good.

Our first round through the market yielded seven Trini doubles, three bags of banana bread and a carton of slightly overripe Ontario blue grapes, which were delicious. We brought our dinner to the perpetually strange Bellevue Square Park on Augusta, where curious denizens crowded around within minutes. Douma had no problem sharing the food. We sat down, the whole scraggly hodgepodge of us, and ate for free.

“Why would anyone throw these out?” someone indulging in the doubles asked, mystified.

_{Trini doubles from the trash}

Our second pass through the market yielded some slightly blemished but easily edible produce from various green bins, including spaghetti squash, rutabaga and zucchini. Other bins offered oranges, mango, cabbage and kale. There was edible bread up the wazoo. All told, there was enough food to feed many people. The wastefulness of it all was overwhelming.

As we wandered around the market peering into bins, I was curious about how the cops would feel about what we were doing, because you never know. So I got in touch with Wendy Drummond, a media relations officer with the Toronto police.

“Only for malicious purposes is it a problem,” she says, referring to identity theft and that sort of thing. “If you’re scavenging for food, not so much.”

So, yeah, dumpster diving is just generally pretty awesome. Nobody loses. Everyone wins. How often does that happen? And when society finally collapses, having a little scavenging experience will probably come in handy.

Conclusion: the grossest thing about Toronto’s garbage is the sheer quantity of good food that goes to waste.

Jon Sufrin is the editor of PostCity.com. For his column, Eating Gross Things, he eats things that are widely considered to be gross and writes about it. He has no scientific method to determine what “gross” means. The article is just meant to be fun, so relax. For more of his thoughts on stuff, gross and not, follow him on Twitter. If you would like to suggest a gross food item for him to try, email him at [email protected].