"The Tale of a Town - Queen West", Theatre Passe Muraille, Toronto, ON

Gord and I attended The Tale of a Town - Queen West this evening at Theatre Passe Muraille. It was opening night.

Based on Toronto’s most legendary strip, The Tale of a Town – Queen West is a truly unique look at this neighbourhood, merging live music, stock footage and oral histories of local icons to create a mulit-layered site-specific theatrical journey through the past 30 renowned years of Queen West.

The audience takes off with a promenade trip through the neighbourhood – starting from Theatre Passe Muraille, then winding around the new big box developments, through graffiti alley, past the fire site and into a devised model loft, a vintage clothing store and a local watering hole that resonates with the songs from the Cameron House.

I wasn't sure what to expect but it sounded interesting.

The "audience" of about 45 people started at Theatre Passe Muraille and walked a couple blocks southeast. We were led by Lisa Marie DiLiberto who was in character as a sales rep for the Champagne Flaming Feather Boa Eco Boho Legend Lofts, a dig at the condos that are now being built in the area.

The area where the fire on Queen Street W happened in 2008 still hasn't been rebuilt.

We then entered the building next door (the second floor).

There DiLiberto became Jane, a shop owner, who told stories of her experiences on Queen Street W over the years.

Here she is describing meeting and hanging with Handsome Ned ...

And reacting to the news of his death ...

An interesting box of props!

At the end ...

The audience was invited to stay and have a few beer at "the Cameron House" and listen to some tunes.

It takes place on the second floor of this building ...

It is excellent and very cleverly done with lots of audience interaction.

It runs 'til May 16 and I suggest you go check it out!