Meet a Comedy Troupe: 2-Man No-Show

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2-Man No-Show has certainly carved out a pretty big carbon footprint for just a two-person comedy troupe. Since its inception only three years ago, improvisers Ken Hall and Isaac Kessler have appeared in festivals from Edinburgh to Winnipeg (with Toronto and Chicago in between). We caught up with the dynamic duo while they were in New York for the first annual N.Y.C. Improv Fest to chat about Jurassic Park, cheating on exams and of course, improv.

How did your duo come about?
IK: We met at The Second City in the Conservatory program, and by chance we got into the Toronto Fringe Festival in 2009. Two days before opening night, 2-Man No-Show was born.

Why are there only two of you? Don’t like working in groups?
IK: You see us as you choose to see us. You see us as two, but two is an illusion. We produce the energy of a much larger group… and there’s more profit when you go halfsies.
Signed,
The Breakfast Club

What can people expect from your show?
IK: A lot of sweat, occasional profanity and Ken suspended mid-air magically by a large Jewish force he calls Isaac.

What do you love most about improv?
IK: The money. Also, the feeling of joy and play we experience in the moment is the best feeling in the world.

Which one of you is funnier?
IK: Ken Hall. No question. Just ask everyone.

You spend a lot of time together. What’s something about the other that no one else knows?
KH: Well, Isaac has seen Jurassic Park 13 times in theatres, and he also cheated on his Grade 12 Jewish Ethics exam.
IK: On the topic of school, Ken dropped acid before an OAC finite exam. He passed finite but not calculus.

Describe each other’s most memorable/bizarre/crazy/funny moment on stage.
KH: Isaac dropped a line in a set that can’t be repeated for awkward/inside-joke reasons that I can’t explain. It brought me and the house down for the count.
IK: In a scene where I played his wife, Ken (and his “huge” erection) jumped up, straddled me, and started having the most ridiculous and awkward sexual relations I’ve ever experienced. It was physically and anatomically impossible.

Biggest achievement so far?
IK: Define achievement. It could mean our standing ovation at the Montreal Fringe, headlining the N.Y.C. Improv Festival with Scott Adsit and Jet Eveleth, surviving the Edinburgh Fringe, or those amazing pancakes at the San Francisco SketchFest.

What’s next on the agenda?
IK: We’re excited to teach our sold-out improv duo workshops in April, and then we’re off to the Chicago Improv Festival for the third straight year. After that, DuoFest in Philly, and then hopefully we’ll get money, women and power! (But right now we’ll just settle for money.)

The details

Year established: 2009
Cast Members: Ken Hall and Isaac Kessler
Influences: Looney Tunes, Middle Age Comeback, Jurassic Park, and a really really tasty brunch (or at least a massive meal 20 minutes before we hit the stage).
Catch them at: The Imperial Pub, 54 Dundas St. E., 416-977-4667, April 3 (part of Pageant Feathers).

Bicyclette launches a new collection of dresses — we’re guessing they’ll be gone before summer

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2:48 pm

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In celebration of its very first birthday, Bicyclette Boutique has launched a capsule collection of dresses titled Bespoke. Perched around the corner from Trinity Bellwoods, Paige Boersma’s shop is filled with stylish garb for the downtown gal who feels more than at home in trendy florals, polka dots and the odd pop of neon.

Of the four dresses — each designed with a different girl in mind — our favourite styles are Chloe and Phoenix. The former is a turquoise lace frock with a scalloped hem and a vintage feel, perfect for racing around the park in; the latter — done in a lightly dotted sheer black chiffon — features a studded collar and an exposed back and is suited for a slightly edgier gal.

Each dress has been manufactured in the city and costs $178. With only six of each style produced, we don’t think they’ll make it to summer.

Bicyclette Boutique, 880 Queen St. W., 416-532-8048

Jump on the 501 streetcar for a Twitter tour of Queen St.

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1:53 pm

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Tomorrow evening (March 27) the 501 Queen streetcar will be making an unusual trip through downtown Toronto. It'll be following its usual route, using one of the usual vehicles, only this time everyone aboard will have taken a vow of silence. Instead of talking, they'll be Tweeting.

The journey is a piece of public theatre that’s part of this year’s Free Fall performance art festival. Called “Route 501 Revisited,” the piece will see members of the public jump aboard the streetcar for a guided tour of Queen Street that’ll be entirely conducted through Twitter. Toronto journalist Jonathan Goldsbie will act as a guide during the tour, Tweeting out points of interest to the hashtag #Route501. Passengers will be encouraged to chip in with their comments and observations — but only by using Twitter on their cellphones. There'll be no talking allowed.

Explaining the idea behind the special streetcar ride, Goldsbie says, “I’ve always had an interest in theatre and I’m also pretty well known for Tweeting.”

Goldsbie has over 5,000 followers on Twitter.

“Route 501 Revisited” aims to mimic the experience many TTC users have each morning, of sitting inches away from someone but never communicating with them. “The goal is for no one to speak at all, but have a running discussion on Twitter,” says Goldsbie. “It’s really interesting to see how you can maintain people’s interest just by having a conversation.”

Goldsbie says he chose the 501 route because, “It’s the longest one in the city and it goes more or less in a straight line.” He adds, “I love the idea that passing a certain point, like Lakeshore West, is like passing through unexplored territory.”

In mixing technology and performance, the piece aims to explore ideas of public and private spaces, pitting the openness of being on a streetcar against the privicy expected of a cellphone.

Goldsbie was first approached by festival co-curators, Michael Wheeler and Franco Boni, who told him about American groups that had done performance art using Twitter.

“They gave me a budget to work with and I thought, ‘What would I do with a budget?’ I would charter a street car!”

The “Route 501 Revisited” journey will start from Neville Park and run east to west. There will be a stop at Dover Court to pick up passengers. Tickets are available to the public and can be purchased online. The Free Fall festival runs until March 31.

501 Queen Streetcar, Neville Park, March 27, 7 p.m., $20 (festival pass $23-$45), 416-538-0988

25 storeys proposed near Casa Loma area

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12:31 pm

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A 25-storey tower has been proposed on the southeast corner of Bathurst Street and St. Clair Avenue West. It’s the last corner of that intersection that does not have high-rise development or at least approval to build high-rise development. The mixed-use building would have a six-storey podium, 324 residential units and 283 parking spaces. At 88 metres, it exceeds the current zoning, which permits a height of up to 16 metres.

But Coun. Joe Mihevc said that the zoning is out of date. Taking this into consideration and the fact that the site falls outside of the recent St. Clair Avenue West Study, Mihevc has taken the opportunity to initiate a planning review for the area southeast of Bathurst Street and St. Clair Avenue West.

“I want to go through the community process and figure out if we can find the right compromise,” he said. “I do feel that 25 storeys is too high.”

Shane Fenton, vice-president of Reserve Properties, said that he feels they’ve come forward with an appropriate proposal. He welcomes the planning study, which he believes will reinforce this.

“We have a large piece of property, and we didn’t try and come in with two towers, we came in with one tower,” Fenton said. “And that’s why we located the tower where we did on the site — to be as least impactful as possible on the residential community.”

Robert Levy, president of the Casa Loma Residents Association, said his group is receptive to an honest dialogue with the developer. Sensitivity to the historic neighbourhood, characterized by single-family homes and sprawling green space, will be key. “It really is very much a transition corner, and the southeast corner is very much the Casa Loma corner and cannot be compared to any other corner on that intersection,” Levy said.

After a recent community consultation meeting, where traffic concerns dominated the discussion, it’s up to the developer to decide whether or not to revise the application before city staff issues a final report.

Toronto FC season opener: a new fan's guide

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12:22 pm

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Since Toronto FC zipped past David Beckham’s MLS-trophy-winning L.A. Galaxy earlier this month to make it to the semi-finals of the Champions League, the city’s sports fans have sat up and taken note of the team in red.

As TFC kicks off its sixth MLS season today (March 24) with its home opener against San Jose, perhaps now’s the time to wander over to Exhibition Place and get into what much of the world calls “the beautiful game.”

But before you get carried away on a sea of soccer chants, it's probably worth remembering that in its five-season existence, TFC has never made the playoffs (nor broken through the 11th-place-finish barrier). Luckily, as any scarf-adorned footy supporter will tell you, the action on the pitch isn't the only reason to go to BMO Field. Here, some off-pitch highlights to look out for.

For the aspiring soccer nut

Families with kids wouldn't want to sit next to them, but for the would-be hardcore soccer fan, the club’s rowdy supporter sections are certainly worth a closer look.

The Red Patch Boys (sections 111 and 112) stand out among a passionate south-end crowd for their clever (and sometimes crude) chants, their bevy of musical instruments and the sheer volume of their support. An added bonus from hanging with the Red Patch Boys comes at the end of the (ahem, rare) home wins when team approaches the stadium’s southeast corner to salute their fans.

The North End Elite (section 127) bring a similarly passionate presence to the north end, albeit to a lesser extent (and without the instruments). Perhaps the most musically pleasing supporter experience comes from a visit to the Tribal Rhythm Nation (section 117, wheelchair platform), from where a group of Caribbean-themed musicians provide a soundtrack to the game that makes you want to get up and dance.

(Image: Flickr; End User)

For the stadium gourmand

As at many stadiums, you could be forgiven for walking around and assuming the only foods available are hot dogs, nachos and pizza. However, a closer look reveals some options that are both interesting and decent value.

The signature item offered at BMO is the chip butty, an English specialty comprised of fries sandwiched between two pieces of buttered white bread. Yes, we know that sounds bland. Luckily, at BMO Field they also have a spiced up twists, like the chicken chip butty, and newly introduced poutine, garlic and Buffalo versions.

The North End offers a couple of unique dining choices, including a Real Sports barbecue pit (where the burgers and BBQ chicken sandwiches will satisfy the most demanding palate) and a Smoke’s poutine truck. The downside: Both options are among the most over-priced at the stadium, but hey, sometimes you have to pay for quality.

For those not inclined to shell out big money for their food, you won’t find much better value than the Montreal smoked meat sandwich, a generously-portioned meal for just five bucks which is offered behind second 107. Other new offerings include a taco stand and a Burkie’s hot dog stand.

For the sporting aesthete

Connoisseurs of footy will tell you that the best place to appreciate the team tactics is from a midfield vantage point. The west and east sidelines are among the stadium's best options, with the east also offering the best value throughout the venue. For $49.50, you can get yourself a seat close to midfield. And, if things are looking ugly on the pitch, from the west stand you can turn your eyes to a beautiful view of the downtown Toronto skyline.

For the cash-strapped fan

The south end features accessible seating, which on game day is made available to all fans. Not only do these seats offer ample leg room and a close-to-the-action perspective, but they are actually among the cheapest in the house. Just be sure to stay alert for any potential errant strikes that sail your way.

Toronto FC, BMO Field, 170 Princes Blvd., 416-360-4625

What the Fashion Tweeps are Saying: March 23

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5:31 pm

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Every week, we gather our favourite tweets from in and around Toronto’s fashion scene. This week features deep thoughts from Fashion Magazine’s Bernadette Morra, Plaid Magazine’s Odessa Paloma Parker, photographer Steven Lee and more.

Plaid Magazine’s @OdessaPaloma recently discovered a new trend in Toronto teen style:

Literally every teenager in my subway car looked like an extra in Oliver. Is this a thing now?

How to rock everything from the white shirt to print-on-print this spring, from @TheHudsonsBayCo’s fashion director:

Spring Edit | Check out our trends for spring + @Suzanne_Timmins shares tips & how-tos https://www2.thebay.com/fashionoffice/en/trendswomens.html#/?slide=1

Off duty models are always great street style subjects (of course), and Steven Lee of @silhouettedsky caught the best from Fashion Week:

Oh how it must be nice to have good genes #torontostreetstyle #WMCFW https://www.silhouettedskyline.com/2012/03/models-off-duty.html

The cropped top is a must have piece for spring and summer, but it can be tricky to wear. @Shoppalu offers some tips in their latest styling guide:

Check out our Ab-Fab Crop Top Styling Guide… https://shoppalu.tumblr.com/post/19781122318/ab-fab-by-kandriko-featuring-cropped-tank-tops

Deep in tweets this morning, Fashion Magazine’s @BernadetteMorra gave us something to think about:

I can't decide whether constant tweeters are living in the moment or not.

New Sofia Coppola movie? A quote from Nicole Richie? We can’t think of a better combo. Thank you, @pasqualecasullo, for bringing this to our attention:

Rather. RT @vulture Sofia Coppola movie to open with quote from @NicoleRichie’s Twitter. This is perfection. https://nym.ag/GQC4UE #BlingRing

In the final one-month-left countdown to the Prada and Schiaparelli exhibit at The Met, read this via @FlareFashion’s @TrucNguyen:

“If I have done anything…it was making ugly cool.” – Schiaparelli https://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/03/26/120326fa_fact_thurman?currentPage=all

Oh! We just love a looksie at beautiful shoes and this little interview with one our fave designers. Thank you @holtrenfrew!

Check out the @Brian_Atwood Spring 2012 shoes you need now & read our interview with the designer! https://www.holtsmuse.com/accessories/5-minutes-with-brian-atwood/ https://pic.twitter.com/lefJQdQT

Philip Sparks brings crisp vintage fashion to Ossington

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12:37 pm

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After its Ossington pop-up shop exceeded expectations this winter, Philip Sparks has opened a stylish permanent store in a space just off the fashionable strip.

Philip Sparks has been designing since 2007 and recently collaborated with leather-goods label Danier. At the pop-up, which ran from November to January, Sparks’ vintage aesthetic struck a chord with folks in the hood and the designer decided to stay in the area.

The store occupies a small space behind I Deal Coffee. Sparks initially thought it seemed a bit hidden, so he went on a treasure hunt for a sign to show people the way to the store. After some searching, the perfect sign was finally found. It's a large arrow that now hugs the exterior of the shop and points the way in. With its many light bulbs and sandy-coloured interior, it’s suggestive of Vegas.

Though the main floor of the shop is rather small, a few steps lead down into the more spacious basement area. Vintage curiosities dot the shop: a Victorian paper dispenser used for gift-wrapping is perched up front; reclaimed wood from a hangar at Pearson Airport is used on shelving; a large trunk — once used by Sparks’ grandfather when he crossed the Atlantic to Canada from The Netherlands — is displayed next to the change rooms.

The racks are lined with printed and patterned gear from the spring collection. For men, we liked a navy-and-white polka-dot button down ($235) and a three-button blazer in a cheery plaid ($595). Made from cotton, it’s only half-lined to ensure that gents keep cool while looking crisp. Covetable ladies gear included a floor-length blue-and-white striped shirtdress ($450) and a silk jumpsuit boasting a dreamy ocean print ($495).

A multicoloured braided belt is a fun accessory ($120) though a sunshine-yellow leather satchel, exclusive to the store, is the real pièce de résistance ($595). Crafted in a WWII-era factory north of the city, the bags are made using the same techniques and tools as were used over half a century ago. True contemporary vintage, if you will.

162 Ossington Ave. (entrance on Foxley St.), 647-348-1827

Tony Aspler’s Weekly Wine Pick: Tenute Loacker Corte Pavone Brunello di Montalcino 2005

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9:54 am

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Yes, it’s costly — but once in a while you’ve got to spoil yourself and taste a wine at the top of its game. Dense purple ruby in colour, it offers an elegant nose of blackberries and spice. Medium- to full- bodied on the palate, it has that firm, dry, majestic flavour of mature Sangiovese. Food match: osso buco or veal chop.

$49.95. Vintages #237263.

Post City Magazines’ wine columnist, Tony Aspler, has written 14 books on wine and food. Tony also created the Ontario Wine Awards. He can be heard on 680News.

This End Up joins Dundas West’s new restaurant craze

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5:12 pm

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Food lovers in Little Portugal are a lucky lot these days, with a cluster of new spots having recently opened a stone’s throw from each other near Dundas and Gladstone. The latest, This End Up, joins neighbours Midfield Wine Bar and The Federal on the strip.

Housed in the old Kilo Buffet Restaurant space, This End Up opened last week as a venture between life partners Karen Young and Adam Urquhart, who both recently left careers in the film industry to open their first restaurant.

“We spent about a dozen years in film, and always, every waking moment, every weekend, we’d be obsessing about food,” Young says. “We realized that was our passion. We knew we would, at an older age, own something. So this is now. It happened.”

Quietly, that is. The restaurant is currently in a soft opening stage, but it wasn’t so quiet when we were there at noon — a steady stream of patrons made its way through the doors.

Young says the menu will expand, and hopes to always offer at least one chicken, beef, pork, grilled cheese, vegan and vegetarian sandwich on the menu, as well as a burger. Those options will remain constant, but This End Up will provide continually different takes on those sandwiches.

Suppliers include Beer Barons and the The Butcher Shoppe, while Urquhart shops at the Ontario Food Terminal daily.

The fare offered so far is intriguing. The Buffalo meets Seoul chicken wings ($10), for example, are already a popular item.

“We wanted to do a chicken wing that was sort of unique,” Young says. “We love Buffalo wings, but we love the Korean sauces, and we wanted to marry the two.”

Also noteworthy is the pork belly bahn mi ($12), smoked in-house, which comes with salad (a concoction of arugula, shaved cucumber, white balsamic and lightly pickled onions) or fries as a side.

The house-made sodas ($3) come in a variety of flavours, such as salted caramel, “tastes like pink” and pineapple sage soda. We tried the latter, and there was no going back. The soda had the right amount of sweetness with just a hint of sage essence.

Taking advantage of the retro restaurant signage left over from previous occupants, Young and Urquhart decorated the space on their own, scouring vintage sources and creating a balance of old and new in their space.

They commissioned local graffiti artist Adrian “Sawtay” Hayles from Toronto Graffiti for a “This End Up” mural, while photography is diplayed for sale on the walls.

“We’ve always had our aesthetic,” Young says. “We always envisioned a restaurant this size. And over the years, we’ve been collecting ideas on the way.”

This End Up, 1454 Dundas St. W., 647-347-8700

This Weekend in Toronto: Jane Goodall, Juno Music Lab, supercross at Rogers Centre and more

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4:09 pm

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Our round up of the best things to see and do in Toronto this weekend. In this edition: Canadian singing stars reveal the science behind music, a comic book store launches on College Street, legendary primatologist Jane Goodall is at the science centre, and extreme motorcycling comes to the Rogers Centre.

Junos live Music Lab

To mark the start of Juno week, Canadian recording artists Raine Maida, Chantal Kreviazuk, Carly Rae Jepsen, JRDN, Down With Webster and Kardinal Offishall will give live performances and workshops on the science of song writing. The event will be hosted by Much Music’s Lauren Toyota and Liz Trinnear.
Ontario Science Centre, 416-696-1000. March 24 & 25, 12 p.m.-2 p.m.

Comic Book Lounge & Gallery launch party

Comic book fans have a new place to call home. The recently opened Comic Book Lounge & Gallery is having its official launch party on Friday night. A live DJ will be spinning tracks all night and drinks will be available for purchase. On display will be the work of Marvel cover artist Mike Del Mundo.
587A College St., 647-345-1035. March 23, 7 p.m.

Jane’s Journey: An evening with Dr. Jane Goodall

Let’s talk about monkeys! The Ontario Science Centre will be screening Jane’s Journey, a documentary about the life and studies of primate scientist Dr. Jane Goodall. The primatologist, who has travelled from Africa to the polar ice caps, will be on hand at a cocktail reception in her honour before the the film, and for a Q&A session and book signing afterwards.
Ontario Science Centre, 416-696-1000. March 23, 7 p.m., $60-$160.

Monster Energy Supercross

If you fancy a bit of extreme sport, check out the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship’s first visit to Toronto. Top riders like current champ Ryan Villopoto will be competing in this off-road racing competiton. Fans can watch the competitors practice and compete in the qualifying rounds from 12:30 p.m.
Rogers Centre, March 24, 7 p.m.. $15-$40.

Cinefranco

Starting Friday,the TIFF Bell Lightbox plays host to Cinefranco, the 15th annual international francophone film festival. Among the titles set to be screened, keep an eye out for opening night’s La Sacrée, the story of a poor con man on a mission to marry a rich cosmetics heiress and the burlesque-style comedy Ni A Vendre, Ni A Louer (Holidays by the sea), a short film made up of a series of skits depicting a family’s hilarious trip to the beach.
TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King St. W., 416-599-8433. March 23 – April 1. Adults $12, senors $10, under 18 $8.

Theatre Review: The Small Room at the Top of the Stairs

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1:30 pm

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The fairy tale has been one of the magical — but unsung — glories of literature over the centuries. Sadly, productions by Walt Disney and others have too often watered them down, reducing powerful, mythic, meaningful stories into empty pablum.

What an unexpected pleasure, then, to see The Small Room at the Top of the Stairs at the Tarragon Theatre, a gripping and powerful re-telling of Charles Perrault’s classic fairy tale, Bluebeard. John Murrell superb translationFrench-Canadian playwright Carole Fréchette has written a striking 90-minute, intermission-less evening of theatre, which provides more thrills than a roller-coaster ride. (Fréchette's work has been superbly translated into English by John Murrell.)

I am torn between raving about the acting, especially that of the two major stars, Nicole Underhay (best known for her always top-notch performances at the Shaw Festival) and Rick Roberts (who has graced Soulpepper with his myriad talents many times), and Fréchette's extraordinary writing skills. Also making this a near-perfect evening of moving, thought-provoking theatre are the terrifying and terrifyingly crisp set by Astrid Janson, the eerie sound design by Thomas Ryder Payne, and the Dora Award-demanding direction by Weyni Mengesha (of Da Kink in My Hair fame). They combine to create a near ecstasy of pleasure, insight and shudders.

Perhaps a quick recap of Bluebeard is in order, for those who are unfamiliar with Perrault's century-old tale. The French writer is best known for his Cinderella, and one can quickly see why it has been far more popular and more often read to children than his frightening story of a dream lover (Bluebeard/Henry) who marries his head-over-heels-in-love young bride, Grace. Mysteriously, he forbids his lady the right to enter one single, small room at the top of the stairs of his giant, 28-room mansion. What on earth could that forbidden room contain? The murdered bodies of earlier wives? Who knows? But the image of a handsome groom who is hiding awful secrets from his purported beloved is enough to give any spouse shivers — especially when acted so brilliantly by Underhay and Roberts, with the other key roles played by Claire Calnan, Sarah Dodd and Raquel Duffy.

This is truly live theatre at its most lively and at its most challenging — just like the best fairy tales. The Tarragon has rarely presented a quality play so perfectly, and how marvellous that some of the best performers in Canada today are presenting such excellence from one of our finest French-Canadian playwrights. My very safe prediction: The Small Room at the Top of the Stairs will sweep most of the top Dora Awards this year. How could it not?

Tarragon Theatre, 30 Bridgman Ave., 416-531-1827. To April 8.

As a result of an error during editing, an earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that John Murrell had translated Bluebeard.

Grab of the Week: a ceramic pin to commemorate the first taste of spring

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11:44 am

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Seal a promise to love warm Toronto weather forever with a pin. Why? Because spring has arrived early (with summer-high temperatures) and we don’t want it to leave any time soon. We say, mark your commitment to this dedicated, fun-loving relationship early.

And what better way to do that than with a summery, ceramic daisy made by local Toronto artist Julie Moon? If flowers aren’t your thing, you can always get one of her quirky doppelganger face pins instead. Because nothing says you’re in a committed relationship like wearing someone else’s face on your chest.

To the summer of love!

Ceramic pins by Julie Moon, $35-$75. Available at Magic Pony.

Grace Carroll is a Toronto-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in ELLE UK, ELLEcanada.com, Plaid magazine and FILLER magazine. Keep up with her daily blog at www.graciecarroll.com.

For the aspiring soccer nut

For the stadium gourmand

For the sporting aesthete

For the cash-strapped fan

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