Henrik Ibsen’s classic feminist play shocked and galvanized audiences when it first premiered in 1879, and this new adaptation by American playwright Amy Herzog promises to sharpen it for the modern day. Dora Award–winning actor Hailey Gillis stars as Nora, a woman in a seemingly ideal marriage that in reality conceals oppression, deception and intrigue. One hundred and forty-six years since it was written, Ibsen’s commentary on marital inequality still carries urgent force. January 17 to February 1, Bluma Appel Theatre
As anyone left carrying the rent after a break-up knows, it’s not cheap to be single in this city. In her new book, The Singles Tax, journalist Renée Sylvestre-Williams argues that, since so much of our society is designed for couples, the financial burden of living alone equates to an onerous tax on singlehood. The author, who also writes the Substack The Budgette, offers trenchant social critique as well as practical advice on navigating taxes, retirement and will-writing for lone wolves in a world built for twosomes. Out January 6
Shoegaze, the ’90s alt-rock genre named after rizzless musicians who spent sets staring at their feet, has undergone a massive renaissance in recent years thanks to TikTok, where a new generation has been exposed to the powerful pull of fuzzy guitar-fronted bands like Slowdive and Ride. Now, AloneKitty, a brand new Toronto-based band fronted by Michelle Kojder, joins their ranks. Their debut album, Sad Not Sad, treads familiar gloomy territory. Recorded over six days, it chronicles the slow unravelling of Kojder’s life as she loses her job and mourns the end of a long-term relationship. Influenced by My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth, AloneKitty’s wall-of-sound approach was crafted by Josh Korody, a Toronto producer who has worked with Gord Downie, the Beaches and Tanya Tagaq. The band plays Houndstooth—a café by day, hard-as-hell punk bar by night—in Little Portugal on January 21. January 21, Houndstooth
Few film scores are as epic and wide-ranging as Howard Shore’s soundtrack for The Lord of the Rings, with its charming Shire fiddles, soaring strings for perilous mountain crossings and ominously off-kilter marching drums evoking legions of evil orcs. For two nights and one matinée, Canada’s own Filmharmonique Orchestra will score The Fellowship of the Ring as the movie plays overhead, bringing to life the hobbits, elves and wizards of Middle Earth. They’ll be joined by the Amadeus Choir and the Toronto Children’s Chorus, who, given the soundtrack, will have spent a lot of time learning Sindarin. January 23 and 24, Meridian Hall
The devil walks into Edmonton (a borough of London, not the capital of Alberta) ready to strike a deal: give him your soul for your deepest desire. A modernized version of a 17th-century English Jacobean play, Witch tells the story of Elizabeth, a woman accused of witchcraft and scorned by her neighbours. Hoping to exact her revenge, she takes the devil up on his deal. Alas, the townsfolk are all too happy to sell their own souls, foiling Elizabeth’s plans. Dora-winning performer Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster, known for her sweaty, physical performances, directs and stars in this Toronto premiere. January 29 to February 15, Soulpepper
Marie Kondo’s 2010 book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up forced declutterers to ask themselves, “Does this spark joy?” But what if we asked the same question not about tchotchkes and kitchen utensils but about subway stations and public parks? For years, city-building expert Jay Pitter has been doing just that around the world, including in her native Toronto. Her work advising US cities on how to repurpose the sites of toppled Confederate monuments and creating the cultural district plan for Toronto’s Little Jamaica has led her to lecture at Cornell, MIT and Princeton. In her debut book, Black Public Joy, Pitter creates a powerful argument for how claiming joy can contribute to social equity. She calls on readers to become stewards of joy for ourselves and others. A great read for urban-planning nerds who also love Brené Brown. Out January 27
Seattle-born violin virtuoso Kishi Bashi is one of the few people who can claim to have done both an NPR Tiny Desk Concert and a track for Rick and Morty. In addition to his proficiency in the classical genre, he also has serious pop cred. He performed alongside Regina Spektor and was briefly a member of the experimental indie rock band Of Montreal. Bashi’s brand of showy, cosmic chamber rock blends plaintive, plucky melodies with unexpected elements like beatboxing to create what he calls “pocket symphonies.” For one night only, he’ll play Koerner Hall accompanied by the Royal Conservatory Orchestra. January 22, Koerner Hall
Anthony Milton is a freelance journalist based in Toronto specializing in long-form magazine writing. He previously worked as an assistant editor at Toronto Life, where he launched the Front Row newsletter. He regularly contributes all sorts of stories to the magazine, including deep dives on sports, business and housing as well as short-form commentary on our ever-changing city, from its obsession with cherry blossoms to its maddening NIMBYism. His work has also appeared in Maclean’s, Ricochet, TVO, the Trillium and more.
The July issue of Toronto Life features the monster cottages of Muskoka versus the resistance. Plus, our obsessive coverage of everything that matters now in the city.
