Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

Theatre making it work this summer - Summer Works Festival runs till Sunday By Stephen Weir Caribbean Camera Twenty-nine years on, and the annual Summer Works Festival is still presenting cutting edge theatre in downtown Toronto.  The environment, class discrimination, sexual orientation and yes even the social impact of parking tickets are some of the themes of the 30 dances, plays and music that will be performed on the boards for the next week. The Caribbean Camera has been attending the plays since the launch of the festival ten days ago.   Two that are recommended by the paper are ST PEON OF PARKDALE and ROCHDALE. Below is a review about the St Peon of Parkdale.   Next blog posting looks at my published review of the play rochdale. PARKING TICKET PHILOSOPHER – St. PEON OF PARKDALE People who drive Mercedes, Audis and Jaguars hold 80% of the parking permits in Toronto. Don’t argue with the Meter Maid. If she said it, it must be true! The Beatles sang about Lovely

Tomorrow's Caribbean Camera Tonight! ROCHDALE – IT’S THE SIXTIES MAN. FREE LOVE AND FREE RENT COME TO TORONTO. BLACK POWER TOO By Stephen Weir Do you know what Rochdale College was? No? That probably means that you weren’t alive and living in the Toronto in the late Sixties when Rochdale was the centre of all things counter culture … including Black Power. Cast of rochdale in costume It was a large residence on Bloor Street near Spadina and housed over 800 people; most of them love bead-wearing students.  It was launched in 1968 as an experiment in a student run, free form alternative education set in a hippie run co-op.  Rochdale lasted only 8-years.  Closure came when the students stopped paying rent and the building started falling apart. At the time the police and neighbours said it had become a haven for drugs and crime. It was closed in 1975 when the authorities actually welded the front doors shut. Irony of Ironies, it is now a senior’s residence and many of