From Little Willy by Ronnie Burkett | Photo by Dahlia Katz
Though my experience with him is relatively limited, Ronnie Burkett’s Theatre of Marionettes has enormous resonance, almost by reputation alone. Having only seen Little Dickens, his take on A Christmas Carol, the Daisy Theatre and its band of eccentric weirdos already seem so familiar to me. It helps that their history feels palpable, even without any excessive backstory. The interactions between these oddballs in their struggling theatre, and their offhand comments, paint a vivid portrait of inflated egos, thespian rivalries and endearing little snapshots of very specific lives. This latest instalment, Little Willy, presented by Canadian Stage, sees the beleaguered theatre manager trying to wrangle the disparate personae here into a performance of Romeo and Juliet. Continue Reading