Death of a Princess?

Toronto's Princess of Wales Theatre was built in 1993 for the staging of big productions such as "Miss Saigon." Now, as it's hugely successful run of "War Horse" enters its final two months, the future of the theatre is in doubt.

The owner, impressario David Mirvish, is teaming up with architect Frank Gehry to rebuild the entire block of the city's theatre district upon which Princess stands to build a new arts complex that will include three massive condo towers.

The recently unveiled plan has been applauded by the city's artistic cognoscenti, but more down to earth critics have suggested the prototype resembles a hastily assembled stack of old shoeboxes carelessly wrapped in toilet paper.

Chances are it won't happen, though, the city is already choked with new condo development and the Bank of Canada keeps warning of a potential market crash in the not-so-distant future . . .