273. The Cup | An Intervention (Downstage Theatre Company)

Welcome back to the 273rd episode of The Cup which is our a weekly (give or take, TBD, these are unprecedented times) performing arts talk show presented by Cup of Hemlock Theatre. With the theatres on a come back we offer a mix of both reviews of live shows we've seen and continued reviews of prophet productions! For our 273rd episode we bring you a Duet Review of An Intervention by Mike Bartlet, directed by 郝邦宇 Steven Hao, and presented in its Toronto premiere as the inaugural production by Downstage Theatre Company. Join Mackenzie Horner and Ryan Borochovitz, as they discuss resourceful staging solutions, questionable wordplay, and the high costs of producing indie theatre. An Intervention ran at Native Earth Performing Arts’ Giisiz Studio (585 Dundas St E, Toronto, ON) from February 11th to 15th, 2026. More information about the production can be found on the company’s Instagram, @downstage.theatreco CONTENT WARNING: An Intervention contains themes, discussions, and depictions of substance abuse (particularly alcoholism) and suicide; this review, likewise, speaks directly to these topics. Viewer discretion is strongly advised. Less importantly, this review contains many SPOILERS for An Intervention. It will begin with a general non-spoiler review until the [32:44] mark, followed by a more in-depth/anything goes/spoiler-rich discussion. Though the run has already ended, you may still choose to proceed at your own risk. Follow our panelists: Mackenzie Horner (Before the Downbeat: A Musical Podcast) – Instagram/Facebook: BeforetheDownbeatApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3aYbBeNSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3sAbjAu Ryan Borochovitz – [Just send all that love to CoH instead; he won’t mind!]; if you enjoy his theatre thoughts, more can be found at https://nextmag.ca/search/borochovitz Follow Cup of Hemlock Theatre on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter: @cohtheatreIf you’d like us to review your upcoming show in Toronto, please send press invites/inquiries to [email protected]: 0:00 – Introduction 3:26 – Pre-Spoiler: TTC Be Crazy Sometimes 4:17 – P-S: Synopsis, Pt.1 12:05 – P-S: What Did I Miss?17:26 – P-S: General Appraisal 24:17 – P-S: How Old? 28:07 – P-S: Production Elements 32:43 – SPOILERS from here on out 33:14 – Synopsis, Pt.2 43:08 – Not Thinking Clearly 45:15 – Wordplay (ft. Mike Bartlett’s Cock) 53:23 – Vagueness vs. Obliqueness 57:33 – Red Rope & Neckties 1:01:39 – The Moment After 1:02:48 – Toward a More Affordable Future 1:08:09 – Sign Off