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Robert Priest
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Playwright
Robert Priest is the author or co-author of five plays: Two of these, Knights of the Endless Day, and The Chalmer's-award-winning Minibugs and Microchips, were produced at Young People's Theatre in Toronto. Another two are for adults: Sweet and Sour Angel Wings, which was produced at the University of Hawaii and The Coming (with Leon Rooke) produced at the Harbourfront Theatre Festival. A third children's play is waiting in the wings: Abductees Anonymous (With Allen Booth)
CRITICAL FEEDBACK on KNIGHTS OF THE ENDLESS DAY, The Play
"Non-violence and respect for the environment are two themes prominent in Knights
of the Endless Day. Cleverly, they're incorporated into the show without robbing the play
of its action, without turning it into a Sunday School lesson. There are enough prospects
for mystery and danger to keep a young audience stimulated and excited without being terrified... There's lots of humour, notably in writer Priest's word play and in the
infectious toe-tapping melodies of composer Ted Dykstra."
-Stewart Brown, The Hamilton Spectator
"The play has an enjoyably theatrical sense of fun, a desire to skewer pomposity and just the right amount of whimsy. Flamboyant combat scenes gently send up macho
sword brandishing, while militarism is mocked in clever comic vignettes."
-Jill Lawless, Now Magazine
"A magical mystical musical!"
-John Coulbourn, The Toronto Sun
"There is something eternally compelling about a great quest and a great fight. Robert Priest is smart enough to know that and build Knights of the Endless Day around that
theme, but he uses a wonderful new poetic language that speaks honestly to both kids and parents... Knights of the Endless Day is very timely, hopeful and happy and it
suits everybody just fine."
-Laurie Brown, The Journal, C.B.C.
"Not only is this play lighthearted and entertaining, but it also has some very powerful messages for the audience. People of all ages could learn from it."
-Irene Toye, Lexicon
"It's great fun, has catchy songs, cool dancing and expounds the beauties of non-violence and environmental awareness. But the best feature of Knights is that it takes an otherwise predictable medieval fantasy and turns the whole idea of romantic chivalry on its ear...Knights is guaranteed to hold any kid's attention."
-Moira MacDonald, Excalibur
"The play is a musical (Ted Dykstra wrote the melodies) with enough acrobatic sword play, wise-cracking giants and jokes about dragon poop to keep four-year-olds high as
kites. But Priest also lobs puns way over their heads for parents and for the sheer play of it."
-Val Ross, The Globe and Mail
"I was happy and excited. I enjoyed it tremendously...It's totally charming. Yes, there's a message, and there are lines like "The greatest victory is not to have to fight.",
but it's slid in. What makes it work is that Robert Priest has written it with a great deal of humour... You get totally taken away. I just sat back and realized I'm smiling and enjoying it. And I felt that way all the way through it. If you have children of any age from five right on up to adolescence I'd take them and the parents will have a great time as well. " -Richard Ouzounian, Later the Same Day, C.B.C.
What the critics say about Minibugs & Microchips
In this delightful show for those four and older, a magic red hat inspires its wearers to speak in poetic riffs. Priest provides some nonsense verse for the very young and some sly political satire for their parents, but his unobtrusive theme is the power of the imagination for those of any age. NNNN (JK) -- Now Magazine
"Bright boisterous and ebullient, Minibugs and Microchips celebrates the child and the imagination in all of us. Based on Robert Priest's delightful poetry for youngsters - some of it nonsense verse animated by its own sounds, some of it laced with a sly touched of global and local politics - the musical piece dances with energy."
Jon Kaplan, Now Magazine
"A show that tells you poetry is okay and that there are no limits to youthful imagination, even if a robot teacher believes there is…. A close listen reveals, however that many of Priest's lyrics are not silly at all - the 'kids' explore their minds and language to good effect in the service of his witty commentary on life…. A delightful fantasy."
Geoff Chapman, The Toronto Star
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