Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia
Nardi, Tony
Actor born in Carolei, Italy, June 21, 1958.
Since making his debut in 1978 in Alex Hausvater 's production of Solzhenitsyn, he has appeared in houses across the country in productions in French, English and Italian.
Among them Théâtre Français de Toronto (Johnny Mangano and His Astonishing Dogs, Les Guerriers, Eddy , L'Avare), Persephone (Love and Anger, Uncle Vanya, Balconville ), Necessary Angel (Dog and Crow), Factory Theatre (Open Marriage), Centaur (Guys and Dolls), Neptune (Filthy Rich), Stratford (Julius Caesar) among many other companies and productions.
More recently he appeared in the Soulpepper productions of A Flea in Her Ear and La Ronde (2001). Of his performance in the former, Christopher Hoile, writing for Stage Door said, "Most forceful of all is Tony Nardi...he knows that the best way to make a farce funny is to show that a character views the action with the utmost seriousness."
Tony Nardi has also written for theatre as well as directed and produced. His series of monologues, based on letters he wrote to decry the moribund state of Canadian theatre, have aroused considerable controversy: Two Letters is based on two actual letters sent to “middle-men” of the Canadian cultural scene: a film/television producer and two theatre critics. Letter One articulates an actor/writer’s struggle with cultural stereotypes in Canadian theatre/film/tv. Letter Two challenges misconceptions about commedia dell’arte by present-day theatre critics and directors. It explores a history of an ‘actor-less’ theatre culture in Canada at the hands of ‘director’s theatre’, in which, increasingly, a tradition of over-trained actors and under-trained directors is encouraged. “...And Counting!” (Letter Three) is a postmortem of Two Letters, and a journey into the present state of theatre, culture (and funding) ..."about winter... cutting down the trees... in the jungle... and art". (www.twoletters.ca)
His film and television credits are extensive.
(Additional information provided by Christopher Hoile)
Last updated 2009-05-05
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