A theatre festival in the middle of the winter is a curious thing. Not quite the party of the Fringe, not quite the artsy break from beach time of Summerworks, Next Stage has its own log-cabin vibe. The bar/box office tent in Factory Theatre's courtyard provides warmth while you wait for the doors to open and a pleasant kind of forced socialization--you'd be shivering if you waited by yourself off on the sidewalk, so you might as well have a glass of wine. The performers I've recognized seem more likely to drop by the tent before and after shows. Conversation starters--"You're about to be dripped on"--abound.
As for the theatre--I've been impressed. The four shows I've seen are more developed than Fringe shows (though probably not as ambitious as many Summerworks productions). In its second year, Next Stage's identity isn't fully formed but, considering the black cultural hole this second week in January, there should be lots of room for it to grow.
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