By Justin Waldman
Playing from now until November 30, 2025 (which is already an extension) is the incredible transfer from New York of Ava: The Secret Conversations. This is the Canadian Premiere that stars Elizabeth McGovern alongside Aaron Costa Ganis, which the former had adapted herself from the book written by Peter Evans and Ava Gardner about their conversation in 1988 about Hollywood icon Gardner‘s life.
What it becomes is a perfectly-paced and beautifully-acted show about the life of Gardner, but elements that she didn’t always share – it wasn’t the story about Howard Hughes, Frank Sinatra, Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw but it was about Ava Gardner, herself. She wanted to ensure that she got to tell her story the way she wanted to, and the translation to stage was nothing shy of exceptional.
When crafting a show that doesn’t let up on the audience and ensures that there is no intermission that entire act is crucial, there is no room for a lag, no room for anything dull – just has to be power hit after power hit and thankfully McGovern and Costa Ganis manage to deliver that tenfold. Ava: The Secret Conversations may be about a series of conversations that people weren’t entirely aware of their happenings, but the performance and show itself should be far from a secret.
A video review:

AVA: THE SECRET CONVERSATIONS plays at Mirvish’s CAA Theatre till November 30, 2025. Tickets here.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Justin Waldman/Mirvish Productions)
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