{"id":57428,"date":"2026-06-19T00:46:40","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T04:46:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/?p=57428"},"modified":"2026-06-19T00:46:40","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T04:46:40","slug":"pearle-harbour-luminato","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/2026\/06\/pearle-harbour-luminato\/","title":{"rendered":"Toronto Theatre Review: <em>Pearle Harbour Walks Into a Bar<\/em> (Luminato)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\">The latest from Toronto drag icon Pearle Harbour is a sad, wild, itty bitty little tragicomedy staged in a hidden bar in the swanky Royal York hotel that is barely big enough to walk through. It&#8217;s surreal, it&#8217;s uncomfortable, it&#8217;s wacky, it&#8217;s depressing. It may be a masterpiece.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/2018\/01\/justin-miller\/\">Justin Miller<\/a>\u2019s alter ego is so finely tuned a character creation that she survives translation through time and place while remaining relentlessly herself. Pearle&#8217;s backstory and current ailments shift but her heart remains the same- fabulous, broken, irreverent, yearning. Miller is a brilliant writer (there\u2019s a run about Jesus and Judas in a gay club that plays like an O\u2019Neill tragedy) and a great dramatic actor beyond his drag proficiency. In the hyper-intimate setting of the House of York bar, the nuance of his personal performance shines through the bouffon absurdity of Pearle\u2019s persona.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Often appearing solo, Pearle is joined in her bar by the bartender she calls Lloyd (Sam Kruger, superb), a wry and wiry foil whose exasperation and care anchor Pearle\u2019s exploits as he determinedly tries to get her to drink a glass of water.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Bombastically silly, at times dark as pitch, but ultimately merciful towards its titular flawed heroine, <em>Pearle Harbour Walks Into a Bar<\/em> is tender, tragic, and unforgettable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The latest from Toronto drag icon Pearle Harbour is a sad, wild, itty bitty little tragicomedy staged in a hidden bar in the swanky Royal York hotel that is barely big enough to walk through. It&#8217;s surreal, it&#8217;s uncomfortable, it&#8217;s wacky, it&#8217;s depressing. It may be a masterpiece. &nbsp; Justin Miller\u2019s alter ego is so [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":57429,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Toronto Theatre Review: Pearle Harbour Walks Into a Bar (Luminato)","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2259,3],"tags":[460,1282,13,729,19,511,6,365,524,2320],"coauthors":[1858],"class_list":["post-57428","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-theatre","tag-clown","tag-drag","tag-festivals","tag-luminato","tag-new-works","tag-one-acts","tag-reviews","tag-theatre-reviews","tag-toronto","tag-toronto-theatre-reviews"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-19-at-12.17.10-AM-scaled.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":50288,"url":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/2022\/05\/pearle-harbour-distant-early-warning\/","url_meta":{"origin":57428,"position":0},"title":"Toronto Theatre Review: Pearle Harbour&#8217;s Distant Early Warning","author":"Kelly Bedard","date":"25 May 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Justin Miller's beautiful drag clown Pearle Harbour lives simultaneously in the past and the future, a wise fool with a sharp wit and a big beautiful heart that's too often broken. \u00a0 In Distant Early Warning, her new dystopian solo show at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, she's alone and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Theatre&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/DEW-04-Photo-of-Pearle-Harbour-Justin-Miller-by-Jeremy-Mimnagh-set-design-by-Jackie-Chau-lighting-design-by-Jareth-Li.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/DEW-04-Photo-of-Pearle-Harbour-Justin-Miller-by-Jeremy-Mimnagh-set-design-by-Jackie-Chau-lighting-design-by-Jareth-Li.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/DEW-04-Photo-of-Pearle-Harbour-Justin-Miller-by-Jeremy-Mimnagh-set-design-by-Jackie-Chau-lighting-design-by-Jareth-Li.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":43610,"url":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/2018\/10\/pearle-harbours-chautauqua\/","url_meta":{"origin":57428,"position":1},"title":"Pearle Harbour\u2019s Chautauqua","author":"Mary-Margaret Scrimger","date":"21 October 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Pearle Harbour\u2019s Chautauqua-\u00a0presented at Theatre Passe Muraille, written and performed by Justin Miller\u00a0in his Critics' Pick Award-winning role-\u00a0is what\u2019s been missing in theatre. With the political climate, we are starving for a noble leader and Pearle Harbour steps up to fill that role. The show is set in a mid-century\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Theatre&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/chautauqua.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/chautauqua.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/chautauqua.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/chautauqua.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":44490,"url":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/2019\/03\/retreat-bears\/","url_meta":{"origin":57428,"position":2},"title":"On Stage in TO: Remounts","author":"Steve Fisher","date":"14 March 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Two shows that had smaller stage runs when they first debuted are back in Toronto, with more room to breathe. At Factory Theatre, Bears is back, after a far too brief run (just ten shows) at the Theatre Centre last spring. Created out west by Aboriginal Performing Arts and Punctuate!\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Theatre&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pjimage.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":40707,"url":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/2018\/01\/justin-miller\/","url_meta":{"origin":57428,"position":3},"title":"Nominee Interview Series: Justin Miller\/Pearle Harbour","author":"Mary-Margaret Scrimger","date":"31 January 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Before we announce the winners of the 2017 MyEntWorld Critics\u2019 Pick Awards, we\u2019re proud to present our annual Nominee Interview Series. When Pearle Harbour walked...","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Theatre&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Page_1-8.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Page_1-8.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Page_1-8.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Page_1-8.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":43862,"url":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/2018\/12\/awards-2018\/","url_meta":{"origin":57428,"position":4},"title":"Critics&#8217; Pick Awards, 2018","author":"MyEntWorld Staff","date":"31 December 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Welcome to home base for our 2018 Awards Season! \u00a0 The Full Details... \u00a0 The Nominees The 2018 Cinema Award Nominees The 2018 TV Award Nominees The 2018 Theatre Award Nominees:\u00a0Toronto \u00a0 The Party We announced the winners of the theatre awards at an exclusive bash in Toronto on April\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;General&quot;","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Awards-Theatre.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Awards-Theatre.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Awards-Theatre.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Awards-Theatre.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":42947,"url":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/2018\/07\/luminato-malpaso\/","url_meta":{"origin":57428,"position":5},"title":"Luminato 2018: Malpaso Dance Theatre","author":"Kymberley Feltham","date":"01 July 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Sitting in the audience of a dance performance, feeling fully enveloped by the movement, is one of the most delicious experiences I can think of. The Cuban based Malpaso Dance Company brought to Luminato 2018 three mesmerizing performances that, along with the superb accompaniment of Arturo O\u2019Farrill and the Afro\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Theatre&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/malpaso-gallery04.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/malpaso-gallery04.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/malpaso-gallery04.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/malpaso-gallery04.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9Pp3m-eWg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57428","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57428"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57428\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57432,"href":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57428\/revisions\/57432"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57429"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57428"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57428"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57428"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myentertainmentworld.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=57428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}