Growing up, one of the things I looked forward to each week was the Sunday night airing of Theatre of the Mind. For those of you not familiar with it, it was a radio program that aired the best of the radio plays from the 1930s and 40s. Full of drama, suspense and sound effects, the radio plays were a great way to pass the time, especially on long car rides.
Yesterday at the Fringe Festival, I discovered Duotang Chesterfield's Mystery Theatre. A group based out of Toronto, they are keeping the tradition of radio plays alive, presenting stories from "the case files of fictional detectives across the 20th century". You can follow the exploits of C.H. Arles, The Oregon Twins, Jim Buckles, or my current favourite, Myrna Sinclair. The podcasts, released on the 11th and 25th of the month, lovingly re-create the experience of listening to those vintage shows, but they're modern and funny too.
In addition to the podcasts, the group also presents live shows, re-creating the vintage radio studio atmosphere on stage. Don't worry, it's much more than watching people read lines. With their adopted personas, you feel transported back to this golden age and it's always fun to watch the foley artists in action. Currently, you can catch the gang at the Toronto Fringe Festival.
Duotang Chesterfield's Mystery Theatre Live! is playing at the Randolph Theatre on Bathurst. Tickets are only $10, $12 if you buy in advance. Two twenty minute episodes are presented at each performance, and there are four different programs in total.
Wednesday July 8 at 8:45 pm
Thursday July 9 at 1:45 pm
Friday July 10 at 7:30 pm
Sunday July 12 at noon
If you don't catch them at Fringe, download their podcasts - they're free - and follow them on Twitter and Facebook to find out when their next live performance will take place.
Pictures courtesy of Duotang Chesterfield's Mystery Theatre.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete