Nightwood Theatre’s production of Rose Napoli’s Mad Madge

 

“Burns shines as Margaret’s queer bastard brother, Thomas,” - Glenn Sumi, The Toronto Star

 

“...played by the lovely trio of Wayne Burns, Izad Etemati, and Farhad Ghajar.”- Aisling Murphy, Intermission Magazine

 

“Where Burns really transforms himself is as the eminent scientist Robert Hooke, portrayed as a pants-wetting simpleton…” - Christopher Hoile, Stage Door 

 

“I also really enjoy Burns’ portrayal of Thomas, whose kindness and support are heartwarming” - Janine Marley, A View From the Box

 

Neptune Theatre’s production of Breton Lalama’s The Last Show on Earth(™)!

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“You can’t take your eyes off of this over-sexed narcissist, [… ] Ayo, fully realized in a ramped-up, vamped-up performance by Wayne Burns […]” - Elissa Barnard, NS Reviews

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“Wayne Burns’ Ayo, kind of a Michael Alig for the Apocalypse, is absolutely irreverent” - Amanda Campbell, TWISI Theatre Blog

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Winnipeg Jewish Theatre’s production of Ori Black’s Summer of Semitism

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“[...] the acting is quite strong, particularly from Burns, who as Saint might not be Jewish by birth, but is no less familiar with the isolation of difference.” - Ben Waldman, The Free Press

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Unit 102 Theatre’s production of Michal Ross Albert’s Miss

 

"Baby-cheeked Burns, in particular, is excellent as the shrewd and seemingly disaffected teen, who has been taken advantage of but doesn’t view himself as a victim." - Steve Fischer, The Torontoist

 

“There’s one part in the show when Wayne Burns, as Tyler, reads an essay he’s written about what home means to him. It was every essay written by every 15-year-old boy, rambling, ridiculous, with moments of pure heartbreak and others of pure hilarity. - Sam Mooney, Mooney on Theatre

 

“[...] Wayne Burns has a remarkable presence as Tyler. Burns makes Tyler sombre and calm in contrast to the emotionally volatile Laura and Gil, but Burns also suggests that this calm derives from a deep feeling of hopelessness. While convincingly playing a 15- year-old, Burns also convincingly shows Tyler to be wittier and more articulate than the two adult characters. This ability to convey Tyler’s youth and the wisdom he possesses beyond his years is absolutely essential for the play to work, and Burns gets this exactly right. [...]” - Christopher Hoile, Stage Door

 

“Scene stealers Hayes and Burns are a study in sublimely complex contrast, trading off the upper hand in a simmering power struggle bridging gaps of age, intellect, income and a thousand unspoken things.” - Kelly Bedard, My Entertainment World

 

“Wayne Burns as Tyler is boyish with attitude. He’s articulate, savvy, needy and one fluctuates between caring about him and dismissing him as another spoiled kid.” - Lynn Slotkin, The Slotkin Letter

 

“Burns’s boarding school student Tyler, who became tragically involved with a teacher, was walking wounded, yet his portrayal had more searching introspection than rage, a quality Burns hinted at previously as Benvolio in Shakespeare in the Ruff’s 2016 Romeo + Juliet.” - Now Magazine 

 

Pure Carbon’s production of Sarah Kane’s Crave

 

"One standout moment, a long stream-of-consciousness-style monologue itemizing aspects of a standard modern courtship performed by Wayne Burns, is very unsettling in how accurate yet bleak it is." - NNNN Jordan Bimm, NOW Magazine

 

“[...] Burns steamrolls through an evocative monologue without skipping a beat.”  - Alex Jackson, Mooney on Theatre

 

Neptune Theatre’s production of Tom Stoppard’s Shakespeare in Love

 

“The friendship between Marlowe (a charming Wayne Burns) and Shakespeare is another high point—the camaraderie between the pair becomes more meaningful as the play progresses.” - Carey Bray, The Coast

 

“Wayne Burns gives a lovely portrayal of Sam, the “boy actress” cast as Juliet, who takes his job very seriously and looks up to the talented “Thomas Kent.” Burns also plays Christopher “Kit” Marlowe, Will’s friend and a fellow playwright, who gives Shakespeare some of his more inspired ideas, and who moves about the world with reckless abandon and a sense of mystery.” - Amanda Campbell, twisitheatreblog.com

 

The Empty Room’s production of Michal Grzejszczak’s Boys from the Burbs

 

"Burns is a show-stealer, coming across as very likeable and relatable. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a comedic soliloquy as epic as his left-at-home-alone love letter scene." - Gian Verano, Mooney on Theatre

 

Addiction at Soloicious Solo Festival 

 

“Wayne Burns’ vocal masque on addiction was a fantastic whirlwind of characters and scenes, many of which were extremely funny and unique. There was this one scene about an engagement party for Cocaine, with cameo appearances by party guests Cannabis, Yoga and Caffeine, among others, that was particularly inventive and beautifully crafted. Burns has an amazing physical vocabulary, all of his characters move and carry themselves with razor-sharp precision in a myriad of intricate and evocative ways. It’s exciting to know that he has only just finished his first year at the National Theatre School of Canada because I think there is an additional depth that he will settle into in the near future as he works to bring as much range of voice as he has range of movement to his characters. He is one to watch for, for sure.” - Amanda Campbell, twisitheatreblog.com