Remember that Johnny Depp gem of a movie? Oh, wait, maybe there was more than one. I'm speaking specifically of the movie Edward Scissorhands. Well, it has been adapted for the stage and is playing in Toronto for 4 days only (which means that by the time you read this there will only be 3 days left).

One thing you should be forewarned of before you rush out to recapture those lost feelings of when you saw the movie for the first time, this production has no words. It's all music and movement, kind of like The Overcoat, only based on a story that is probably more familiar to more people.

The show was a solid production with lots of great visuals and clever set design, but I have to say, it really wasn't my kind of thing. Apparently it wasn't really my show-partner's thing either.

For this show, it was Diana, a "teacher librarian with a flare for the dramatic". When I asked her for an overall impression of the show she said it was "less than stellar".

That was kind of the feeling I walked away with too, but the truth is this kind of theatre, the wordless kind, it's not really my favourite. But, that's really just a matter of taste and preferences, I have no doubt there will be people out there who adored the show, in fact I heard some of those people talking as I left the theatre.

Diana did say that she really enjoyed the "flawlessness of the set changes" and confessed to me that she was always amazed at the way such complex set changes can be made without "making a ruckus". When it comes to technical aspects it really was a clever and well put together piece, costumes, props, makeup, the way Edward can create topiaries before our eyes, it was all very well executed.

When I asked her what she enjoyed the least Diana told me "the choreography of the big production numbers was too scattered, it made my brain hurt". We talked about that for a bit and she said she felt like her eyes were darting across the stage back and forth and that she wasn't really absorbing any of it as a result.

I couldn't tell you what I enjoyed the least, it really isn't that the show was bad per se, just not my kind of thing. But the dancing was fun to watch and the production overall was certainly pretty.

Details

- Edward Scissorhands runs until April 7 (So, this Saturday, it is a 4 day run, it opened on Wednesday...) at 8pm, with an additional show on Saturday at 2pm
- Showing at the Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts, 1 Front St. E
- Tickets range in price from $40 - $80

Photo by Bill Cooper