#jonathan robbins

The world has been ravaged by vampires. A group of survivors band together to search for loved ones who may be alive, dead or something in between, eventually taking shelter in what may be the only safe hideout left to them. But well defended hideouts have a way of becoming prisons. And prisons aren’t the safest place to be when your friends can turn on you at any time.

The Stage

Pantages Theatre, Toronto

My Stage Story

It was hard to choose which stage story to tell about, for one way or another the stage has been part of my life since I can remember. Do I talk about sitting in the front row for the Young People’s Theatre season at the age of 9, not knowing whether to be more afraid of the sword swinging battles, or the saliva spraying soliloquies?

Maybe my most memorable stage moment is seeing the Phantom, then Ciaran Sheehan, fall from the twelve foot grave set and keep going with the scene, hurling his fireballs from all fours as he fought off the pain? Or perhaps the time I was doing improv and asked an audience member for a suggestion, only to see it was Mr. Whose Line himself, Colin Mochrie? We killed it that night.

Between acting, directing and working as an usher turned Front of House Manager for Mirvish Productions in Toronto, I’ve had my share of stage experiences. More highlights flash before my eyes, as if I was staring down the hood of an 18-wheeler headed my way.

The time Billy Crystal talked to the theatre staff about how important a pin drop quiet auditorium was to him for 700 Sundays, and then raved about respectful Toronto audiences on Letterman (boo ya we did it!); Mel Brooks climbing to the back of the mezzanine, to make sure the worst seat was still good, before we opened The Producers; feeling the rush when Brian May and Roger Taylor played the encore for We Will Rock You, even though it was a show I had grown tired of long prior; Paul Stanley bringing us Timbits (think donut holes) during his run as the Phantom; Colm Wilkinson telling me he loved my take on Threepenny Opera which I had directed; drilling the lid of a coffin shut with an audience member inside (yes, you read that correctly… there was a contest during Ghost Stories to survive the night in a coffin in the theatre, our job was to freak them out so they’d call chicken).

Alas, all of these moments were amazing, but there is one that stands out as the most important I have had in the theatre.

It was Christmas Eve, I don’t even remember what show. I was working then as usher captain, anxious to get home. The 2300 seat theatre was nearly clear, there was just one woman in a wheelchair waiting by the door. Wheel-Trans was due to pick her up, but running behind. I sent the last of the staff home and waited with her.

Time passed, and passed, and passed. Midnight approached. Inside I was almost in tears, having missed any chance of seeing family for the night, and wanting nothing more than to go home and enjoy the holiday.

Nonetheless, we talked, about all things: other shows, life in Toronto, the intensifying snow outside, and how beautiful the lobby spaces of The Pantages were, empty for all eyes but ours. The next thing I knew it was two in the morning, and she was finally being picked up. In that time I realized that it actually couldn’t have been a better Christmas. I got to have a conversation with a woman full of experiences, to whom I never would have spoken otherwise, and more importantly, I was able to be a friend to her when she had none.

That is the magic of theatre, the ability to affect someone on a meaningful level. It can happen from the work of the cast, the stagehands, the creative team, and even the front of house workers.

Jonathan Robbins is an actor, director, writer and Front of House Manager in Toronto, Canada.

Image credit: Jonathan Robbins

★★★★½

4.48 stars for Jonathan Robbins’s 555‑word review of “The Counselor” on Film Comment Magazine

http://www.filmcomment.com/entry/review-the-counselor-michael-fassbender-brad-pitt-javier-bardem

In Jonathan Robbins’s “Review: The Counselor”, the author creates a work of art that is as dynamic as it is absolute. Conclusive admonishment and witty reparte go hand in hand in this suprisingly engaging piece. If the true mark of genius is something that can be admired long after it is release, this is Robbins’s “Picasso”. But unlike Picasso’s offerings that were not appreciated until years afterwards, this work is sure to garner praise almost immediately. The fluidity with which he moves from stark critique one minute, to jovial tongue-in-cheek sarcasm the next entraps the soul and captures the imagination. Readers will be hard-pressed to find a similar work to compare this to… that is if they can suppress their bias (Review: The sets the bar rather high). However, even genius is not above making mistakes from time to time. Case in point: the last line. It’s usually not wise to contradict an entire argument in your conclusion. Luckily, the tone Robbins established leading in, combined with the “give credit where it’s due” phrasing, make this blunder largely forgivable. Audiences should relish the opportunity to read such an invoking soliloquy. Solid consensus is hard to come by, especially when aiming to amuse and admonish simultaneously. It’s a dying art form to be sure, and few authors truly understand the craft. It’s fortunate indeed to have someone like Robbins who does.

Buy Tickets: fandango.com/themarriagecounselor_v474369

Original Post: e.xst.ma/tm/6PHT

More Reviews: e.xst.ma/t/m/771324694

Rotten Tomatoes: rottentomatoes.com/m/771324694

Steven (Pai): “Nós só queremos que você seja feliz. Queremos que seja você mesma” Vanessa (Filha): “Então me deixe ser!"     –>   Finalmente, Vanessa!  <3 … Kenny: ” Você a ama? “ Kate: "Quem?” Uau. Adorei o trailer da terceira temporada, pelo visto ela será sensacional. Se for seguir os passos da segunda (que superou a primeira em gênero, número e grau, será ainda melhor). E esses dois diálogos dizem tudo. Espero que Vanessa tenha alguma chance nessa nova temporada. O sofrimento dela é legítimo! Foi uma cena incrível a interpretação de dor na escada! Ela é apenas fraca. E obviamente está inserida em uma família bastante disfuncional, diferente da Kate que tem um ótimo pai lhe dando suporte incondicional. Além disso, até por uma questão de ordem de chegada ao meu coração, eu não consigo deixar de shippar ela com a Kate. Claire é legal, divertida, e tudo mais, mas não acho que conseguirá competir com todo o pacote que o primeiro amor, fantasias e sensações, trás… Kate e Vanessa tem uma bonita história, e elas estão sendo impedidas de viver isso, mas está bem claro que não é por falta de amor. Todas as boas vibrações para esse casal na próxima temporada! ______________

  Steven (Dad): “We just want you to be happy. Want you to be yourself” Vanessa (Daughter): “So let me be!"    –>  Finally, Vanessa! <3 …

Not too long ago I blogged about filming some Clutch interviews with the cast. That was a great experience. I also said in the same post that I would upload my video from attending the Clutch Screening Finale back in May to help hold everyone over.

Well the wait is over! The video is currently uploading, and I'm very excited to release it over the Internet. It's basically some cool interviews with Jonathan Robbins the creator of Clutch, Matthew Carvery one of the actors, and Jeff Burns and John Schnurr from Super Knocked Up.

Now starting Wednesday I'll be on vacation in Vancouver to visit my family. But in the meantime I'll be working hard on a brand new feature article on Matthew Carvery and his new project Asset.

So to follow up on my Clutch post a few days ago, I said I would tweet the crap out of it, and then didn't.

I will tell you why. I thought I left my apartment with tons of time to transit to the filming location that Jonathan Robbins had secured for the interviews. This place, close to the West End of Toronto, known as the dungeon wasn't hard to get to - but the traffic was terrible. I made the mistake of taking the streetcar and sitting in what felt like gridlock.

Now I remember why I don't own a car, or know how to drive.

But despite starting incredibly late, the interviews went incredibly well. The entire cast was fantastic, and I can't wait to have them be launched onto the Internet.

Speaking of which, I'm hoping to edit and upload my coverage of the Clutch Screening that was back in May. I couldn't get onto it before now because of my living crisis (which is now taken care of).

I'm also going to be traveling! My mom, being the coolest mom ever, decided to book me a flight to Vancouver to visit the family. So of course I can't say no, because I've missed the West Coast with a passion. If anyone connected to web series happens to be around I'd be happy to connect! I'll be hanging out from the 29th to the 31st!