Reviews
The Segal Centre - Selected Highlights
“ The Segal Centre, if there was any doubt from previous seasons, took
over as the major professional English-language theatre in Montreal.”— The Montreal Mirror (Dec. 2009)
"International Yiddish Festival a success beyond expectations.'"
— The Montrealer (Jul. 2009) CLICK HERE to read more on The Montreal International Yiddish Theatre Festival
"...witness the Segal emerge as THE English-language venue to be reckoned with."
— The Montreal Mirror (Sept. 2008)
"The Segal Theatre is one of Montreal's best kept stage secrets."
— The Press Republican (Sept. 2005)
"I wouldn't hesitate for a minute to subscribe to the...season this year. Not only does it have the most interesting Anglo season, it has the most interesting season, period!"
— Hour (Aug. 2000)
"Pas besoin de ginseng, le théâtre anglo!"
— La Presse (Oct. 2000)
"...pulls off the theatrical coup of the year on Saturday when it presents the incomparable Uta Hagen in Donald Margulies's play Collected Stories. As the first production in what promises to be the...most exciting season ever, theatregoers are advised to reserve immediately to avoid disappointment."
— The Suburban (Sept. 2000)
"Bryna Wasserman has out-distanced any other artistic director in town."
— Hour (Aug. 2000)
Productions - Selected Highlights
Tryst
"This Tryst is Stratford-level, thinkers’ theatre (with a dash of soap), delivered to your Montreal doorstep. Don’t miss it."
— Pat Donnelly, Gazette Culture Critic (March, 2009)
"I can’t remember the last time I sat so completely mesmerized in my seat for the better part of two hours and did not flinch for a second. Tryst had me hanging from its every word."
— Toula Foscolos, The Monitor (March, 2009)
"Tryst is a riveting evening that blurs the lines between love and hate, romance and desperation all the way to the bitter end. This season, with each of its productions, the Segal goes from strength to strength."
— Alidor Aucoin, The Métropolitain (March, 2009)
Houdini
"Keep your eye on this show, it’s sure to end up on Broadway."
— 98.5 FM (Feb. 2008)
"Houdini himself would have been amused, spooked, titillated and entertained."
— The Globe and Mail (Feb. 2008)
"Houdini gives Montreal an air of Broadway."
— Le Journal de Montreal (Feb. 2008)
The Diary of Anne Frank
"Heart-rending dramatization of famous Holocaust diary leaves audience gasping at Segal Centre for Performing Arts season opening."
— The Gazette (Oct. 2008)
"The Diary of Anne Frank gives new performance centre something to write home about."
— The Hour (Oct. 2008)
The Satchmo Suite
"An irresistible meeting of music and drama. The Satchmo’ Suite really swings."
— The Gazette (Nov. 2006)
"If music is food for the soul, then the Segal Theatre’s current production of the Satchmo’ Suite has the right ingredients to keep you full and happy."
— The Suburban (Nov. 2006)
The Importance of Being Earnest
"Splendid, period theatre."
— La Presse (Nov. 2005)
"Brilliant entertainment."
— Le Devoir (Nov. 2005)
"I was sorry it was over."
— The Suburban (Nov. 2005)
"Don't miss the sparkling reading of Wilde's Victorian witfest."
— The Montrel Gazette (Nov. 2005)
Rose
"Rose is simply great theatre."
— The Montreal Gazette (Feb. 2005)
"Well worth going out of your way to see."
— The Suburban (Feb. 2005)
"Go now!"
— Montreal Mirror (Feb. 2005)
"A remarkable performance."
— La Presse (Feb. 2005)
Hedda Gabler
"You must see this production in order to savour Henrik Ibsen's dramatic genius anew, to understand the important work of a director presenting an original vision of this play and to witness the sheer excellence of the interpretation."
— Le Devoir, (Nov. 2003)
"This was the most satisfying evening I’ve spent at the theatre in years."
— Montreal Mirror, (Nov. 2003)
"This Hedda Gabler firmly establishes the...Theatre as one of Montreal’s most important English professional theatre companies."
— The Suburban, (Nov. 2003)
"Possibly the most brilliant and riveting play ever seen at the Centre."
— Canadian Jewish News, (Nov. 2003)
Collected Stories
"...slams the ball right out of the park with their very first show of the year. Uta Hagen, one of the greatest actors of this continent and this century, will be performing in a very unassuming play: Donald Margulies's Collected Stories."
— Hour (Aug. 2000)
"Une fleur au chapeau pour le Centre... qui a sonné tambours et trompettes pour annoncer le présence de cette actrice américaine (Hagen)."
— La Presse (Sept. 2000)
"C'est de l'art sans ostentation, à l'échelle humaine. Ce qui est la marque des grands."
— Voir (Sept. 2000)
"Elle (Uta Hagen) a brûlé les planches..."
— La Presse (Sept. 2000)
"Elle (Hagen) illumine de mille petites étincelles un univers dramatique..."
— Le Devoir (Sept. 2000)
Betrayal
"With each new production, it becomes clear that under the administrative and artistic direction of Bryna Wasserman, the...Centre has become Montreal's leading English-language theatre company. It's latest offering - Toronto's Soulpepper Theatre's production of Harold Pinter's Betrayal - offers further proof of that conclusion."
— The Suburban (Nov. 2000)
"À telle enseigne que cette production nous convainc aisément de la beauté que recèle l'infiniment petit, surtout quand quelqu'un d'aussi attentif à l'essentiel que Daniel Brooks tient le scalpel."
— Le Devoir, (Nov. 2000)
"Betrayal is a brilliant tour de force...."
— The Suburban (Nov. 2000)
Salt-Water Moon
"Salt-Water Moon slammed into me with its pure goodness the night I saw it. But even now, after a trip to New York, after a season's worth of shopping and after going through the entire year for this article, this production still glimmers, It is what the best of theatre should be: a very, very fond memory well after it's been seen."
— Hour (Dec. 2001)
"One of the bright gems of Canada's stage, David French's Salt-Water Moon is given fresh lustre in a flawless interpretation at the...Centre."
— The Montreal Gazette (Nov. 2001)
"... has done it again ... they're now offering a fresh interpretation of David French's Canadian classic Salt-Water Moon. It makes for bracing theatre."
— Montreal Mirror (Nov. 2001)
"Salt-Water Moon shines bright."
— The Montreal Gazette (Nov. 2001)
Grace and Glorie
"Viola Léger et Linda Sorgini triomphent dans Grace and Glorie de Tom Zeigler."
— La Presse (Oct. 1999)
"Linda Sorgini et Viola Léger, comédiennes exceptionnellement souples qui savent faire passer, à travers leur interprétation, toutes les nuances de l'angoisse et de l'humour, qui savent montrer comment le personnage évolue petit à petit et qui ont un sens du comique à toute épreuve."
— Le Devoir (Oct. 1999)
"Une pièce bouleversante qui est plus que cela. Il faut la voir."
— La Presse (Oct. 1999)
"En réalité, la pièce est dramatique : pourtant, on y sourit et on y rit beaucoup."
— Le Devoir (Oct. 1999)
A Streetcar Named Desire
"... une Blanche Dubois (Fiona Reid) dotée d'une telle présence qu'elle en éclipse souvent ses camarades de scène."
— Le Devoir (Nov. 1999)
"Il n'a fallu qu'une minute ou deux...Le temps que Blanche, corsetée dans son tailleur bleu poudre, valise assortie, débarque chez sa sœur et prenne la parole dans son 'southern drawl' soigné. Il n'a fallu que cette apparition et quelques mots pour retrouver immergés dans le romantisme lancinant du théâtre de Tennessee Williams."
— La Presse (Nov. 1999)
The Possibilities
"We're about to witness what promises to be the first momentous Montreal theatre event of the century: the birth of the Montreal Young Company, led by Bill Glassco and Chris Abraham, at the...Centre Theatre."
— The Gazette (Feb. 2000)
"The Montreal Young Company's presentation of Howard Barker's The Possibilities was nothing short of spectacular. The 'possibilities' are indeed endless for the Montreal Young Company, and a must-see for people looking for something different and fresh in theatre."
— The Hudson Times (Feb. 2000)
