I wish I’d been able to have this post up last week as planned, in time for you to go see the excellent play that I had the pleasure of seeing a week ago Sunday, but alas, my computer decided this was not to be. So, here I am working on a brand new computer, two days too late for Toronto theatre fans to see the final performance The Alexander Showcase Theatre’s production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
It was a musical based on the Victor Hugo novel, featuring the songs from the Disney film, and it was really well done!
This was the second show put on by this 30 year old, not-for-profit community theatre group, that I’ve seen. Their talented cast includes my friend Andrea’s friend, Matthew.
Of course, you’ve met Andrea on these pages before. By coincidence, Matthew’s charming fiancée is also named Andrea. So, I got to spend a lovely afternoon with two delightful ladies with the same name!
We met at “the second” Andrea’s apartment, which she shares with Matthew. He wasn’t there though, because he had to be at the theatre early.
↑ Two Andreas ↑
We had some snacks and a bottle of the darkest pink bubbly wine any of us had ever seen. It was Juve y Camps, so intensely coloured because it’s a Pinot Noir Brut — a bubbly red wine, rather than the paler rose or white wines we usually find here. I’m not sure if sparkling red wines are a new thing in wine-making or if it’s just something that isn’t often seen in Toronto. Either way, we all agreed that it was very good. It’s a dry wine, that went perfectly with the raspberries and thin chocolate cookies that Andrea served.
As mentioned, she and Matthew are engaged. They’re getting married in the fall. Andrea has just chosen her dress the day preceding our get-together, so she was pretty excited about that.
↑ A very pretty pink sapphire engagement ring on the right. ↑
↑ I admired Andrea’s collection of antique china teacups. The blue and white one is something like 150 years old! ↑
The play was staged at The Fairview Theatre, located in the City of Vaughan, north-east of Toronto.
We took the subway train, a ride that included transferring onto the newly opened six-stop extension going eastward from Sheppard and Yonge. I won’t lie, we’d anticipated that getting there would be a hassle, but it really wasn’t. Not next door, no, but the new system is good and the stop was within walking distance of the theatre.
↑ Matthew is third from the left, wearing a white shirt. His character was “Phoebus de Martin”. ↑
I found it funny that, on my way home, I saw a woman wearing a cool looking, unique jacket, on the platform at the Don Mills station. Then, I spotted her again as we transferred to the Yonge line at Sheppard. And, again while we waited at University and King West, to get the streetcar westward. Then, after an hour of travelling on public transportation, we ended up getting off at the very same stop! In hindsight, I should have said something to her … at least I could have told her I liked her jacket!
Thanks very much for reading. I hope you have a great week.
xo loulou
