Jordan Bimm
Chicago, Toronto
Covers:
Human space flight and the history of astronauts; Astrobiology, SETI, and the search for life beyond Earth
Assistant Professor of Science Communication @ UChicago | Historian of space exploration focused on astronauts & astrobiology | Home planet: Toronto
Articles by Jordan Bimm
Communicating Discoveries in the Search for Life in the Universe Workshop Report
Back to Top Get full access to this article View all available purchase options and get full access to this article. References Bardi JS, Meyers C. Talking science with journalists. Physics Today 2015;68(5):66–67; Blancke S, Grunewald WD, Jaeger G. De-problematizing ‘GMOs’: Suggestions for communicating about genetic engineering. Trends Biotechnol 2017;35(3):185–186; Crowe MJ. (1999) The Extraterrestrial Life Debate, 1750–1900. books.google.com: Dover, Mineola, NY. Determann JM.
Jeff Bezos Launched Into Space Today. What Does It Mean for Us Back on Earth?
Text size Musk, Branson, and Bezos are vying for control of the space tourism industry, among other goals. Photo Illustration by Nicole Fara Silver; Getty Images About the author: Jordan Bimm is a space historian at the University of Chicago’s Stevanovich Institute on the Formation of Knowledge and a Guggenheim fellow at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
It's a Wonderful Toronto
IT'S A WONDERFUL TORONTO by Matt Baram, music by Waylen Miki (National Theatre of the World). At Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace (16 Ryerson). To December 22. $20-$30. 416-504-7529. See listing. Rating: NNN Pretty much the only silver lining to Rob Ford's embarrassing tenure at City Hall has been that his string of face-palm-inducing gaffes makes for great comedy.
Notes from the Field: Roswell, New Mexico
Technology's Stories December 12th, 2016 by: Jordan Bimm Notes from the Field: Roswell, New Mexico Aliens have invaded Roswell. Whether or not you believe a UFO really crashed here in the summer of 1947, what’s readily apparent is that the image of the almond-eyed extraterrestrial is everywhere. Restaurants, motels, liquor stores, gift shops, car dealerships, and loan offices all trade in the icon of the so-called “little green man”.
Portia’s Julius Caesar is a fascinating feminist overhaul of a familiar play
PORTIA’S JULIUS CAESAR by Kaitlyn Riordan and William Shakespeare (Shakespeare in the Ruff). At Withrow Park (725 Logan). Runs to September 3. Pwyc ($20 sugg). shakespeareintheruff.com. See listing.
SummerWorks review: 4inXchange
4inXchange by xLq (Jordan Campbell & Maddie Bautista). At Toronto Media Arts Centre – Meeting Room. Aug 12 at 1, 2:30, 5:30, 7 and 9 pm, Aug 16 at 6, 7:30 and 9 pm, Aug 17 at 6 and 7:30 pm. See listing. Rating: In this playful and insightful interactive piece that prompts a critical rethink of money and capitalism, four participants are led into a room containing $1000 cash.
SummerWorks review: Hot Cuts
HOT CUTS by Aurora Stewart de Peña (Birdtown and Swanville). At Toronto Media Arts Centre – Gamma Workspace. Aug 18 at 5:30 and 8 pm, Aug 19 at 5:30 pm. See listing. Rating: Thanks to the SummerWorks Lab, an initiative which showcases new works still in development, we get a sneak peek at this promising new comedy from writer and director Aurora Stewart de Peña that’s set in a 1980s mall hair salon.
SummerWorks review: Winners And Losers
WINNERS AND LOSERS by Marcus Youssef and James Long (Chromatic Theatre). At the Theatre Centre – Franco Boni Theatre. Aug 12 at 9:45 pm, Aug 14 at 6:15 pm, Aug 15 at 6 pm, Aug 17 at 8:30 pm. See listing. Rating: In this intriguing and often hilarious piece of bare-bones meta-theatre, two performers (Valerie Planche and Makambe K.
SummerWorks review: Stray
STRAY by Tanya Marquardt and Tim Carlson (Theatre Conspiracy). At the Theatre Centre – BMO Incubator. Aug 12 at 6 pm. See listing. Rating: Performer and author Tanya Marquardt’s musical punk memoir about running away from home is basically a live rock show with emphasis on narrative. Backed by guitarists Jon Wood and Tim Carlson, and drummer Ed Goodine, Marquardt belts out tunes that range from experimental post-punk to searing punk rock to quiet-and-melodic post-rock.
A Midsummer Night's Dream in High Park dazzles
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM by William Shakespeare (Shakespeare in High Park/Canadian Stage). At the High Park Amphitheatre. Runs to September 2. PWYC ($25 adv reserved seating). canadianstage.com. Rating: Returning to again helm the comedy offering of Shakespeare in High Park (running in rep with Romeo And Juliet), director Tanja Jacobs takes her vibrant, animated approach from last year’s 70s-disco-hotel-set Twelfth Night up a notch for this fabulous Fellini-styled circus-themed romp.
Soccer-centric twist on Romeo And Juliet is ballsy
ROMEO AND JULIET by William Shakespeare (Shakespeare in High Park/Canadian Stage). At the High Park Amphitheatre. Runs to September 2. PWYC ($25 adv reserved seating). canadianstage.com. Rating: Director Frank Cox-O’Connell scores big in this year’s tragedy installment of Shakespeare in High Park by translating the age-old Montague and Capulet feud into the dark corners of contemporary European soccer culture.
Fringe review: The Brothers Gentle
THE BROTHERS GENTLE by the company (SockMonkey). At Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace. July 10 at 8:30 pm, July 12 at 6:15 pm, July 13 at 10:30 pm, July 14 at 4:30 pm, July 15 at 5:45 pm. See listing. Rating: This folksy yet absurdist two-hander brings three touching interrelated coming-of-age stories to life.
Fringe review: TRUNK!
TRUNK! by the company (Kerploding Theatre). At Kidsfest at the George Ignatieff Theatre. July 10 at 1:30 pm, July 12 at 2 pm, July 14 at 1:15 pm, July 15 at 11:45 am. See listing. Rating: In the land of children’s theatre, the trope of the magic trunk is an old chestnut, but Victoria B.C.’s Kerploding Theatre find new uses for the device in this vibrant fantasy adventure musical.
Fringe review: Police Cops In Space
POLICE COPS IN SPACE by the company (The Pretend Men). At Factory Mainspace. July 10 at 4:45 pm, July 12 at 7 pm, July 13 at 4 pm, July 14 at 5:45 pm. See listing. Rating: This killer sequel to London, England-based physical comedy troupe The Pretend Men’s 2015 acclaimed debut Police Cops riffs off all your favourite 1980s sci-fi flicks like Blade Runner and Return Of The Jedi with hilarious movement, prop and pun-based humour.
Fringe review: Always Unique, Totally Interesting, Sometimes Mysterious
ALWAYS UNIQUE, TOTALLY INTERESTING, SOMETIMES MYSTERIOUS by Alyson Parovel (Alyson Parovel Productions). At Tarragon Solo Room. July 10 at 3:15 pm, July 11 at 4:45 pm, July 12 at 8 pm, July 13 at 3:30 pm, July 14 at 9:45 pm. See listing. Rating: The first letter of each word in the title of this touching solo show spells out AUTISM, the condition performer Alyson Parovel seeks to demystify for audiences through the tale of two sisters.
Fringe review: Crave
CRAVE by Sarah Kane (Crave Collective). At the Tarragon Extraspace. July 10 at 4:30 pm, July 11 at 6 pm, July 13 at 9:30 pm, July 15 at 7:45 pm. See listing. Rating: This searing revival of controversial 1990s British playwright Sarah Kane’s most poetic and least-plot-driven play aptly captures the pain, frustration and despair that framed her short life.
Fringe review: The Space Chums!
THE SPACE CHUMS! by the company (Space Chums). At Kidsfest at George Ignatieff Theatre. July 9 at 11:45 am, July 11 at 10 am, July 12 at 3:45 pm, July 15 at 1:30 pm. See listing. Rating: This space-themed kids band doesn’t just perform rockin’ songs about rocket rides and worm holes. They craft an immersive family-friendly sci-fi experience that gets little space cadets dancing in their seats and singing along.
Fringe review: Flute Loops
FLUTE LOOPS by Devon More (Devon More Music). At Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse. July 9 at 1 pm, July 10 at 6 pm, July 12 at 8 pm, July 13 at 11 pm, July 14 at 1:45 pm. See listing. Rating: The frame for BC-based singer/songwriter Devon More’s solo physics- and cosmology-themed rock show finds her playing a hip-yet-nerdy PhD student working the merch table for her boyfriend’s buzz band.
Fringe review: Follow Me
FOLLOW ME by the company (Staples). At Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace. July 8 at 7 pm, July 10 at 9:45 pm, July 12 at 11 pm, July 13 at 5:45 pm, July 14 at noon. See listing. Rating: This successful experiment in physical and symbolic theatre feels like a straight-forward naturalistic play stripped down to its elemental parts and reassembled with emphasis on foregrounding the often-obscured subtext.
Fringe review: Martin Dockery: The Bike Trip
MARTIN DOCKERY: THE BIKE TRIP by Martin Dockery (Martin Dockery). At Tarragon Extraspace. July 8 at 2:30 pm, July 10 at 6:15 pm, July 13 at 5:30 pm, July 15 at 5:30 pm. See listing. Rating: I last saw Martin Dockery back in January at Next Stage in his dramatic, heart-wrenching two-hander Moonlight After Midnight, but this show presents a very different side of this supremely talented performer: hilarious and uber-engaging solo storyteller.
Fringe review: Dominion
DOMINION by Steven Griffin (Campfire). At Annex Theatre. July 8 at 2:15 pm, July 10 at 4 pm, July 11 at 11 pm, July 12 at 11, July 14 at 4 pm. See listing. Rating: Playwright and director Steven Griffin offers an intriguing premise for this promising dramatic two-hander: a pair of park rangers stationed in isolated watchtowers strike up an unlikely friendship over walkie talkies and through binoculars.
Fringe review: 2018: A Sex Odyssey
2018: A SEX ODYSSEY by Theresa Ramirez (Theresa Ramirez Productions). At St. Vladimir Institute. July 9 at 10:45 pm, July 11 at 5:45 pm, July 12 at 3:30 pm, July 13 at 7:30 pm, July 15 at 2:45 pm. See listing. Rating: This short, half-baked wannabe sitcom about six horny 20-somethings hooking up in space while escaping Earth to populate Mars does nothing with the premise’s campy potential.
Fringe review: Marc and Xave: Song Engineers
MARC AND XAVE: SONG ENGINEERS by Xave Ruth (Xave Ruth). At Factory Studio. July 7 at 4:15 pm, July 9 at 5:15 pm, July 11 at 2 pm, July 12 at 9 pm, July 15 at 12:15 pm. See listing. Rating: If you find yourself wishing soft rock had more hard science content, this cute and nerdy musical comedy duo have the perfect solution.
Fringe review: Nocturnal Space
NOCTURNAL SPACE by Emily Rapley (Familiar Faces). At Al Green Theatre. July 9 at 6:45 pm, July 11 at 7pm, July 12 at 5:45 pm, July 13 at 9:45 pm, July 15 at noon. See listing. Rating: If unsettling and thought-provoking contemporary dance is your thing, this bleak and pensive ensemble piece from choreographer Emily Rapley is a deep, dark rabbit hole you’ll wanna go down.
Fringe review: The Truth*
THE TRUTH* by Kenzie Bizon, Sarah Brizek, Mike Dias, Alice Glass, Mikey Hays (A Muse Zoo). At Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse. July 9 at 6:15 pm, July 10 at 7:45 pm, July 12 at noon, July 14 at 11 pm, July 15 at 1:45 pm. See listing. Rating: All the way from Ashland Oregon, this troupe use elements of clown and commedia dell’arte to bring the fabulous history of an imagined land called Kudnanibonbar to life.
Fringe review: 4'33" In Baghdad
4’33" IN BAGHDAD by Nicolas Royer-Artuso and Ülfet Sevdi (Thought Experiment Productions). At Factory Mainspace. July 8 at 10:30 pm, July 10 at 1:15pm, July 11 at 9:45 pm, July 13 at 5:45 pm, July 15 at 3:30 pm. See listing. Rating: This short solo piece by academic and musician Nicolas Royer-Artuso turns what initially appears to be a playful musicology lecture into a searing indictment of the American invasion and occupation of Iraq.
Fringe review: Bring The Piano
BRING THE PIANO: THE STRANGE-BUT-TRUE TRAVAILS OF A TRAVELLING MUSICIAN by Randy Vancourt (True Enough Productions). At Al Green Theatre. July 7 at 8:15 pm, July 9 at 2:45 pm, July 10 at 6:15 pm, July 11 at 1:15 pm, July 13 at 4 pm, July 14 at 3:30 pm. See listing. Rating: Seated behind a grand piano, songwriter and humourist Randy Vancourt hits notes similar to Tom Lehrer and Randy Newman’s silly and satirical fare.
Fringe review: The Greatest Love Story Ever Forgotten
THE GREATEST LOVE STORY EVER FORGOTTEN by Stuart O’Connell (Boy Who Swallowed a Bullet Collective). At the Robert Gill. July 6 at 3:30 pm, July 8 at 7 pm, July 9 at 4:45, July 11 at 2 pm, July 13 at 9:45 pm, July 14 at 5:15 pm. See listing. Rating: This dramatic two-hander about a therapy clown who strikes up an odd couple friendship with an elderly woman in an assisted living facility suffers from slow pacing, bad dialogue and a lack of chemistry between the leads.
Fringe Review: Space Hippo
SPACE HIPPO by Daniel Wishes (The Wishes Mystical Puppet Company). At Randolph Theatre. July 6 at 8:45 pm, July 8 at 10:30 pm, July 9 at 8:15 pm, July 11 at noon, July 12 at 5:15 pm, July 14 at noon. See listing. Rating: The title alone might be enough to get you to see this colourful shadow puppet space opera, but the muddled framing device and predictable plot detract from otherwise stunning visuals and memorable music.
Fringe Review: Enjoy The Hostilities
ENJOY THE HOSTILITIES by Robin Black and Graham Isador (Pressgang Theatre). At the Bovine (542 Queen West). July 8 at 7:30 pm, July 9 at 3:30 pm, July 5 at 6 pm, July 8 at 6 pm, July 9 at 6 pm, July 10 at 6 pm, July 11 at 6 pm, July 12 at 6 pm, July 15 at 6 pm. See listing.
Fringe 2018
Fringe 2018
Fringe 2018 survival guide
Starting Wednesday (July 4), the biggest indie theatre event around takes over Toronto. The Fringe, the festival featuring 159 shows and ancillary events, dominates our performing arts scene for 12 days. Here are some tips to keep in mind, gleaned from years of experience (and seeing hundreds of Fringe shows). And check out nowtoronto.com/fringe for previews and reviews throughout the festival. Part of Fringe fun is discovering the unexpected.
Jon Kaplan Legacy Fund to support students, creators and performers
The death of NOW’s beloved senior theatre writer Jon Kaplan last year was followed by an outpouring of moving tributes celebrating the colossal impact he had in the Toronto theatre community. Friends shared memories, theatres reserved a seat in his name, and back in September hundreds gathered to honour his 35 years of stalwart service with an emotional memorial performance at the Bluma Appel Theatre.
Innocence Lost: A Play About Steven Truscott is a winner
INNOCENCE LOST: A PLAY ABOUT STEVEN TRUSCOTT by Beverley Cooper (Soulpepper). At Young Centre for the Performing Arts (50 Tank House). Runs to June 23. $32-$96. soulpepper.ca. See listing. Rating: In June 1959, 12-year-old Lynne Harper was found murdered in a wooded area outside Clinton, Ontario.
Maggie & Pierre, the revival of Linda Griffiths’s solo, is a winner
MAGGIE & PIERRE by Linda Griffiths with Paul Thompson (timeshare). At Tarragon Theatre Workspace (30 Bridgman). Runs to May 19. $17-$22. tarragontheatre.com. See listing. Rating: A little over a year after beloved playwright and actor Linda Griffiths died in September 2014, Justin Trudeau, the son of Margaret Sinclair and Pierre Trudeau, became Canada’s 23rd prime minister.
Lulu V.7 updates classic to reflect on #MeToo and the Toronto killings of gay men
LULU V.7: ASPECTS OF A FEMME FATALE by Ted Witzel, Susanna Fournier, Helen Yung (the red light district/Buddies in Bad Times, 12 Alexander). Runs to May 20. $20-$40. buddiesinbadtimes.com. See listing. Rating: Four years and six iterations in the making, this epic, experimental and challenging exploration of sexuality gets its biggest staging yet, and at just the right moment.
Prairie Nurse, a terrific new romantic comedy, would make a great TV pilot
PRAIRIE NURSE by Marie Beath Badian (Thousand Islands Playhouse/Factory (125 Bathurst). Runs to May 13. $30-$50. 416-504-9971, factorytheatre.com. See listing. Rating: This new romantic comedy from SMOOTHIELAND artistic director and Blyth Festival creator-in-residence Marie Beath Badian has the vibrant manic energy of a good sitcom, but also shines a light on the insidious microaggressions that many newcomers to Canada endure.
Tell Me What It’s Called feels like a drama class or rehearsal
TELL ME WHAT IT’S CALLED by Tell Me Theatre (Tell Me Theatre/RISER Project). At Theatre Centre (1115 Queen West). Runs to April 24. $5-$60. theatrecentre.org. See listing. Rating: “Good luck following along,” says director Ximena Huizi after explaining the complex set of rules and identities loosely governing the ensemble in this short experimental piece, which feels a bit like a drama class or rehearsal. And she’s right – you’ll need it.
Mr. Truth is the perfect comedic think-piece for the #MeToo movement
MR. TRUTH by Lauren Gillis and Alaine Hutton (Lester Trips Theatre/RISER Project). At Theatre Centre (1115 Queen West). Runs to April 24. $5-$60. theatrecentre.org. See listing. Rating: If you’re wondering if this hilarious and disturbing absurdist-leaning sex-themed sketch show from Lauren Gillis and Alaine Hutton goes there, it does – and then some.
Take D Milk, Nah? is a smart, funny show that critiques the idea of the identity play
TAKE D MILK, NAH? by Jivesh Parasram (Pandemic Theatre/b current/Theatre Passe Muraille). At Passe Muraille Backspace (16 Ryerson). Runs to April 22. $20. passemuraille.ca. See listing. Rating: Right off the top,admits he was reluctant to create this “Indo-Caribbean-Hindu identity play,” noting the prevalence of the identity genre in Canada and its potential for reinforcing social divisions. But we should all be thankful he did.
Punk Rock is like a brutal British Breakfast Club
PUNK ROCK by Simon Stephens (The Howland Company). At Streetcar Crowsnest (345 Carlaw). Runs to April 14. $15-$35. crowstheatre.com. See listing. Rating: Don’t let the title fool you. This searing ensemble drama from UK playwright Simon Stephens isn’t about punk rock or any of its major figures. Instead the tense and explosive action follows a group of preppy upper-year students in Stockport, a town outside Manchester, as they prepare to apply for university.
Bloom depicts a chilling post-apocalyptic world with imaginative power
BLOOM by Guillermo Verdecchia (Modern Times Stage). At Buddies in Bad Times (12 Alexander). Runs to April 8. $18-$30. buddiesinbadtimes.com. See listing. Rating: Back in January, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists advanced their famous Doomsday Clock, meant to represent the likelihood of global catastrophe, to two minutes to midnight, the closest it’s been since 1953.
Adapting books for maximum drama
How would you stage your favourite novel? Some of the most-successful and best-loved productions started off as stories in other media. But we’ve also all seen works we love get hopelessly lost in translation. To understand the ins and outs of the age-old page-to-stage process, we spoke with creatives behind current and upcoming productions of George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Nikolai Gogol’s The Overcoat and Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables.
After Wrestling successfully mixes laughter and tears
AFTER WRESTLING by Bryce Hodgson and Charlie Kerr (Blood Pact Theatre/Storefront Theatre). At Factory (125 Bathurst). Runs to March 18. $30-$50. factorytheatre.ca. See listing. Rating: The last we saw of up-and-coming Vancouver-NYC writing duo Bryce Hodgson and Charlie Kerr was Kill Your Parents In Viking, Alberta, which played at the Storefront Theatre in 2016. Now they’re back with another disturbing sibling comedy that swings unpredictably between laugh-out-loud hilarious and heart-wrenchingly sad.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream heats up winter with big laughs
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM by William Shakespeare (The Chekhov Collective). At the Citadel (304 Parliament). Runs to March 11. $25-$40. thechekhovcollective.com. See listing. Rating: The Chekhov Collective’s midwinter production of Shakespeare’s most summer-friendly play isn’t, as one might expect, set on a large country estate in 19th-century Russia. Instead, it’s a vibrant and intimate rendering, mostly faithful to the text, and full of magic and comedy enough to warm even the most iced-over hearts.
Ipperwash draws on past conflicts to tell a moving modern ghost story
IPPERWASH by Falen Johnson (Native Earth Performing Arts/Blyth Festival). At Aki Studio (585 Dundas East). Runs to February 18. $15-$25. 416-531-1402, nativeearth.ca. See listing. Rating: The 1995 Ipperwash land dispute and crisis that resulted in the shooting death of unarmed Indigenous protestor Dudley George by the Ontario Provincial Police is not explicitly part of Falen Johnson’s haunting new drama. But it provides potent subtext for her moving modern ghost story.
Playing Richard III's Trump card
RICHARD III by William Shakespeare (Shakespeare BASH’d). At the Monarch Tavern (12 Clinton). Opens Tuesday (February 6) and runs to Sunday (February 11). $20-$25. See listing. shakespearebashd.com We’ve all said it at least once during Trump’s wild, scandal-filled first year in office: “You can’t write this stuff!” Well, leave it to Shakespeare BASH’d’s very timely production of Richard III to remind us that actually, yes, you can – and Shakespeare did.
Superb Krapp’s Last Tape will reel you in
KRAPP’S LAST TAPE by Samuel Beckett (Singing Swan Productions/Theatre Passe Muraille, 16 Ryerson). Runs to February 11. $20, mat pwyc. 416-504-7529, passemuraille.ca. See listing. Rating: To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Theatre Passe Muraille, director Mac Fyfe’s haunting and thought-provoking revival of Samuel Beckett’s classic meditation on memory, aging and ambition is a perfect choice for multiple reasons.
Jordan Tannahill tries to express the inexpressible in Declarations
DECLARATIONS written and directed by Jordan Tannahill, with Robert Abubo, Danielle Baskerville, Jennifer Dahl, Philip Nozuka and Liz Peterson. Presented by Canadian Stage at the Berkeley Street Theatre (26 Berkeley). In previews, opens Thursday (January 25) and runs to February 11. $39-$69. 416-368-3110, canadianstage.com. Jordan Tannahill composed much of this new experimental work during an emotional flight from Vancouver to Ottawa.
The Late Henry Moss will keep you on the edge of your seat
THE LATE HENRY MOSS by Sam Shepard (Unit 102). At the Assembly Theatre (1479 Queen West). Runs to January 20. $20-$25. unit102actors.com. See listing. Rating: The dead body at the back of the stage for much of this intense, character-driven family drama belongs to the titular patriarch, but for this production it also symbolizes the play’s famous author, who died last July. As an homage to Sam Shepard, Henry Moss is a perfect pick from Unit 102 director Scott Walker.
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