The Star will have comprehensive coverage of the 2024 Fringe, including reviews of roughly three dozen productions from Joshua Chong, Glenn Sumi and Karen Fricker. In the spirit of the Fringe, the Star will not be awarding star ratings. Recommended productions will be denoted with a “Critic’s Pick” designation. 

Find information for all the shows listed at fringetoronto.com.

Cabaret of Murder 

Critic’s pick

Written and directed by Blair Moro. Until July 13 at Alumnae Theatre Mainspace, 70 Berkeley St. 

Writer/director Blair Moro gives the contemporary obsession with true crime a satirically theatrical twist in this edgily entertaining three-person revue. The show’s core material are art works — songs, poems, even plays — by serial killers, including John Wayne Gacy, Charles Manson and Cho Seung-Hui, which the performers enact, and then recite the creator’s name and body count.

The art is terrible and often self-aggrandizing (David Koresh wrote a song about a madman living in Waco); the mounting accumulation of drek offers food for thought about the narcissism of mass murderers.

Bella Ciccone, Katie-Rose Connors and Paulina Pino Rubio offer polished performances in this slick and multi-award-winning touring show. — Karen Fricker

Saskatchewan: An Aspirational Polyamorous Adventure 

Critic’s pick

Written and directed by Justin Hay. Through July 14 at Native Earth’s Aki Studio, 585 Dundas St. E. 

This improbable comedy delivers on its title. A 20-something Toronto throuple move to the Prairies to start a family, and have their values challenged by a visit from an older farming couple until a slam-dunk of a plot twist re-establishes the possibility of harmony.

It’s the gentleness of Justin Hay’s writing and the sensitivity with which the six-person cast make their way through the material under Hay’s direction — along with actor Dan Willmott’s exceptional facility with a punch line — that brought me through the show’s initial awkwardness toward falling in love with its optimism. And it does all that in less than 60 minutes! — Karen Fricker

Being Celine

Written by Laura Landauer, directed by Lisa Abbott. Until July 13 at Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace, 16 Ryerson Ave.

Long-time Celine Dion impersonator Laura Landauer does a fine job imitating the superstar songstress’s vocal cadence, singing style and quirky fashion sense in this hour-long show that’s part gentle parody, part concert.

Landauer has Celine’s look and stage poses — the chest pat, the raised fist — down pat. Her Quebecois accent sometimes wavering, she does a decent enough approximation of the songs (there’s even a French medley). And aided by director Lisa Abbott, she makes several costume changes while pre-recorded video plays.

In the wake of the release of the doc “I Am: Celine Dion,” which chronicles Dion’s battle with stiff person syndrome, however, the tone feels a bit off, especially when Landauer’s Celine says at one point, “I don’t feel my body onstage,” a line that could probably stand to be cut. — Glenn Sumi

Artificially Intelligent

Critic’s Pick

Written by Anesti Danelis, directed by Alia Rasul. Until July 13 at Tarragon Theatre Extraspace, 30 Bridgman Ave. 

Can AI, or artificial intelligence, write a Fringe show? Social media star Anesti Danelis attempts to find out in his fourth, and funniest, solo work.

The premise is clever. In order to train ChatGPT — represented onstage by a glowing green orb — Danelis must tell stories and sing songs about himself. These bits form the bulk of the show and concern inheriting feelings of guilt and paranoia from his immigrant Greek parents, the complexities of being bisexual and the difficulties of meeting new friends in one’s 30s.

Even with a few tech glitches, Danelis, ably directed by Alia Rasul, delivers catchy songs and stories, his interactions with the audience full of spontaneity. Best of all, when AI’s 20-second story is generated, it’s appropriately absurd, but not nearly as much fun as Danelis’s own material. — Glenn Sumi

Dead Right

Written by Kate Barris and David Schatzky, directed by Briane Nasimok. Until July 14 at Alumnae Theatre Mainspace 

Writers Kate Barris and David Schatzky get bonus marks for attempting to wring laughs from subjects like cancer and suicide. But neither they nor director Briane Nasimok find the right tone or the proper pacing to pull off this dark comedy.

When aspiring playwright Suzanna (Kristi Woods) discovers her activist mother (Janelle Hutchison) has received a cancer diagnosis and is planning to die in a suicide pact with her partner (Allan Price), she tries to dissuade her. Her neurotic husband (Chris Gibbs), meanwhile, is secretly concerned that news of the suicides will affect his therapy practice.

The lack of a central protagonist limits our sympathies, and there are a few too many awkwardly staged phone calls, entrances and attempts to eavesdrop. But the cast is game for everything and the pacing will likely pick up as the run continues. — Glenn Sumi

Crosstown

Written by Anand Rajaram from the novel by Richard Scrimger. Until July 14 at Tarragon Theatre Extraspace

Two-time Dora Award-winning actor Anand Rajaram does an estimable job adapting and acting out Richard Scrimger’s 1996 novel about class and opportunity in Toronto. But the 85-minute length and the minimalist presentation make “Crosstown” an occasional endurance test.

Sitting on a chair and reading from his script, punctuating scenes by plucking a small stringed instrument, Rajaram disappears into dozens of characters. At first it’s hard to understand what connects his stories — told all in dialogue — but Rajaram’s skill as an actor helps guide us.

The ending, however, which reframes what came before, needs more time to sink in. — Glenn Sumi

The First Jew in Canada: A Trans Tale

Critic’s Pick

Written by S. Bear Bergman. Until July 14 at the Al Green Theatre, 750 Spadina Ave. 

In this absorbing one-hour show, S. Bear Bergman recounts the story of Jacques LaFargue, who was born a woman in early 18th-century France and lived for five years as a man before emigrating to Canada (New France) in 1738.

Only a few facts exist about LaFargue and Bergman takes us through each one, interweaving them with anecdotes about his own life as a trans man dealing with things like naming, inspection and leaving home as a teenager.

While Bergman’s personal comparisons hit home, they always serve the story; hence, an amusing tale about a prosthetic mishap is used to underscore LaFargue’s isolation and solitude.

If anything, Bergman could have explored more about the Jewish part of LaFargue’s identity and tale, especially since the man was forced to live in a convent for much of his Canadian stay. As is, this is a richly textured story about two remarkable lives. — Glenn Sumi

Rat Academy

Critic’s Pick

Written by Katie Yoner and Dayna Lea Hoffmann in collaboration with Joseph McManus, directed by McManus. Until July 13 at Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace

The bizarre fact that Alberta successfully banned rats in the 1950s has inspired academic papers, a “This American Life” segment and now, a skilful, hilarious and touching clown-based Fringe show.

Co-creator Dayna Lea Hoffman plays Fingers, a crafty street rat who instructs the sweet former lab rat Shrimp (co-creator Katie Yoner) about how to survive, from sniffing to hiding to keeping away from that tempting hunk of cheese in a snap trap. Audience interaction is extensive and, the night I attended, the performers brought us giddily into their thrall under Joseph McManus’s direction.

Trailing plaudits and awards from Fringes further west, “Rat Academy” is sure to sell out here, so scuttle over to the Fringe website soon and grab a ticket to see these vivacious vermin in action. — Karen Fricker

Unfurnished

Written by Spencer Pearson and Luis Sanchez, directed by Seamus Tokol. Until July 13 at Tarragon Theatre Mainspace, 30 Bridgman Ave.

This shambolic farce from Modjelewski Productions and 100Flowers finds a strung-out real estate agent, a couple of mobsters and various older relatives disrupting a group of university-aged friends’ party at a remote cabin during a blizzard.

There’s little apparent logic nor dramatic tension in Spencer Pearson and Luis Sanchez’s script so that, for example, it’s not clear what initially motivates the central trope of characters hauling furniture on and off stage.

All the same, the watchable cast of 11 offer impressive performances and appear to be having the time of their lives in Seamus Tokol’s production. — Karen Fricker

Gulp

Written by Frosina Pejcinovska, directed by William Dao. Until July 13 at Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace

While there’s physically only one person onstage in Frosina Pejcinovska’s new play, production and design elements brilliantly evoke the presence of others, through playback recordings of voice-mail messages and the sound of breathing that seeps uncannily into the playing space.

Pejcinovska herself plays Sunday, an empathetic young woman whose story of intense relationships with a needy best friend and ethically challenged therapist grows increasingly twisted.

The show, directed by William Dao with sound design by Matt Lalonde, invites audiences to listen attentively while at the same time asking what it really means to listen and be heard. Pejcinovska is a haunting performer and a playwriting talent to watch. — Karen Fricker

The Unexpected Mayfly

Written by Tuna Gümeli, directed by Cemre Gümeli. Until July 13 at Tarragon Theatre Solo Room, 30 Bridgman Ave. 

“The Unexpected Mayfly” is an impossibly persnickety show to describe. Because to summarize its narrative — or to even give away its premise — is to ruin the play’s magic. So I won’t do either. But let’s just say that Tuna Gümeli’s genre-obfuscating piece begins with every actor’s worst nightmare. What follows is a (mostly) solo show that blends elements of absurdism, existentialism and nihilism. Think “Waiting for Godot,” but set in a theatre. 

Like that Beckett classic, this puzzling work heads to some dark and heady places. But it could lean more heavily into the absurdist undertones that simmer beneath the text. There’s also a frustrating lack of thematic focus in its latter half. After Gümeli draws all that he can from the show’s bemusing premise, “The Unexpected Mayfly” loses its momentum, twisting itself into what felt, to me at least, like a perplexing dead end. — Joshua Chong

Boy Boy and the Magic Drum

Written and directed by Jewelle Blackman and Chantal Forde. Until July 13 at Tarragon Theatre Mainspace

Jewelle Blackman and Chantal Forde’s groundbreaking new show brings the sounds of Soca and steel pan to family-friendly musical theatre storytelling.

Based on Trinidadian Soca legend Machel Montano’s children’s book of the same name, “Boy Boy and the Magic Drum” tells the story of a shy Trini boy (Gabriel Hudson) thrust into the spotlight when the power grid fails on the night before the big Carnival parade and Boy Boy just might be able to save the day.

Winner of this year’s Adams Prize for Musical Theatre, Blackman and Forde’s production bursts with liveliness and colour, as the 10-person cast both act out and narrate a tuneful tale uplifting community, culture and tradition. — Karen Fricker

Bus Stop

Written and directed by Helen Ho. Until July 14 at Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace 

The opening minutes of Helen Ho’s whodunit comedy set up a fun and original scenario, as characters tell the audience what led them all to be taking the same Megabus from Toronto to New York City. Central among them are young adult friends (Jobina Sitoh and Màiri Jacobs, both wonderful) who used to play kid detectives on TV and now find themselves investigating a real-life crime when a corpse turns up in the bus’s washroom.

Whimsy overflows to excess as Ho packs a full-length play’s worth of plot twists into an hour-long show. While Ho’s staging cleverly embraces the levels of the Passe Muraille Mainspace, the fictional physical world is confusing (is everything taking place on the moving bus?).

The youthful company of actors is strong and committed, and the production will likely hit a confident groove following the sometimes tentative first performance I attended. — Karen Fricker

Are You Lovin’ It?

Critic’s Pick

Written by Theatre Group GUMBO, directed by Kayo Tamura. Until July 13 at Tarragon Theatre Extraspace

Theatre Group GUMBO, an award-winning physical theatre troupe from Japan, brings frenetic energy to this satire of late-stage capitalism.

Set in the dystopic imagined space of WacDonaldsLand, three brilliant performers clown their way through cultural stereotypes, concoct gross-out versions of fast-food staples (Rotten Intestine Burger, anyone?) and flirt shamelessly with the audience.

The props and costumes are as clever as the political commentary is blunt: a Trump poster ends up in a blender. Even at a Monday lunchtime performance, “Are You Lovin’ It?” played to a packed house and had everyone groaning and cheering along — tickets to this one will go fast. — Karen Fricker

Girls Night Cabin Fever

Written by Cassie Davidson, directed by Michael Williamson. Until July 14 at Tarragon Theatre Extraspace

A girls’ weekend goes awry in this entertaining horror farce. Through quick-fire banter and fine physical comedy, playwright/performer Cassie Davidson and fellow performers Mackenzie Kelly and Lizzie Moffatt convincingly depict the camaraderie and sometimes exasperation of long-term friendship, and do some fine drunk-acting along the way under Michael Williamson’s direction.

The show follows a tight 45-minute story arc playing out horror movie tropes as the friends discover that a remote cabin in the northern Ontario woods is never going to be an Airbnb guest favourite but, however charmingly acted, a final 15-minute dive into rom-com felt tacked on. — Karen Fricker

Crime After Crime (After Crime)

Critic’s Pick

Written by Conor Bradbury, Julian Frid, Lowen Morrow and Seann Murray. Until July 14 at Tarragon Theatre Mainspace

Two weeks after winning a Dora Award for outstanding ensemble, Sex T-Rex prove why they’re one of Canada’s best sketch acts with this impressive 3-in-1 show.

The troupe specializes in affectionately sending up genres and here they raise the stakes by presenting three interrelated sketches in one hour. The first, presented as film noir, is set in the 1950s; the second borrows from the heist genre and is set in the ’70s; and the final segment, set in the ’90s, references the buddy cop movies from that era.

Effortlessly capturing each period’s lingo and fashion, the performers often draw on old-fashioned theatre techniques to suggest different points of view. And although no director is credited, music and lighting help enhance each sequence.

While not all the actors project at the same volume, they work beautifully together, using minimal props and half a dozen costume changes to provide a shrewd, self-aware millennial critique of movie tropes. — Glenn Sumi

Rooted: A Musical Poem

Critic’s Pick

Written by Jewelle Blackman, directed by Saccha Dennis. Until July 13 at Tarragon Theatre Extraspace 

Jewelle Blackman, the multi-talented theatre artist who recently starred in Broadway’s “Hadestown,” may have written some of the most tuneful earworms at this year’s Fringe. Her new work, “Rooted: A Musical Poem,” is a sonically inventive triumph, melding pop, hip-hop and electronic beats into a thoroughly entertaining 45 minutes of theatre. 

And around these songs, she’s crafted a poignant tale about a young girl who finds companionship in an anthropomorphic tree (played with warmth by Isidora Kecman), who becomes much like a mother to the lonely child. 

Blackman’s story is magical, unafraid to lean into the whimsical and fantastical elements of this parable. (Several sequences involving a septet of loquacious tree branches are hilarious and ingenious.) Though the story could be further developed, particularly the ending, which feels rushed as it tries to close the circular narrative, “Rooted” remains a stunning new piece of performance art. Here’s to “Rooted” establishing its roots and continuing to grow. — Joshua Chong

My Time Will Come

Written by Murilo Salvador and Logan Chatterton, directed by Rosanna Saracino. Until July 14 at Tarragon Theatre Mainspace

The harsh backlands of Brazil, also known as the sertão, form the backdrop of “My Time Will Come,” a new play by Murilo Salvador and Logan Chatterton. It’s an austere and vast expanse: dotted with cacti and overrun with lawlessness. 

It’s also home to the play’s protagonist, Tarso (Salvador), an amoral outlaw who, after his life is saved, sets out on a path of redemption. His epic journey is not unlike that of “Les Misérables’” Jean Valjean, who desperately attempts to break free from his past but is continually haunted by his demons. 

This new production, however, attempts to cover too much ground in too little time, and its narrative suffers as a result. All the characters, but especially Tarso, remain frustratingly underdeveloped and the expository dialogue does little to drive the action forward. — Joshua Chong

Disarming Venus

Written by various authors. Until July 14 at Performing Arts Lodges Toronto, 110 The Esplanade

While attending an art exhibit that includes various depictions of the goddess Venus, a group of women reflect on their own lives and their ideas about beauty, sex and aging.

Standout scenes include one in which a woman in a wheelchair (the marvellous Michele George) discusses her past sexual history and her desire to fall in love; after a series of simulated orgasms, she hilariously references a certain movie when she says, “I’ll have what she’s having.”

And two strong contrasting scenes show four Black women (Rita Shelton Deverell, Linda Joyce Nourse, Heather Cherron and Tricia Williams) commenting on and singing about Saartjie Baartman, dubbed the “Black Venus.”

The result is an admirable but scattered and often repetitive series of vignettes. No director is listed in the program and the show definitely needs one. — Glenn Sumi

The Apartment

Written by Paul Bilodeau, directed by Nicole Arends. Until July 12 at Tarragon Theatre Extraspace

Bonnie (Cathy Shilton) is on the brink of homelessness. Her controlling yet well-meaning sister Amy (Elizabeth Friesen) pays for the rent on her Parkdale apartment. But her lifestyle — she constantly smokes indoors, much to Amy’s annoyance — means the landlord could evict her at any time, as they did her neighbour Toby (Paul Bilodeau). And because Bonnie has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, she’s no longer supposed to be living alone. No matter where or to whom Bonnie turns, it seems everything is closing in on her. 

This new drama, by former Toronto Star journalist Bilodeau, offers a humanizing glimpse at our city’s housing crisis and, more importantly, how we treat society’s most vulnerable.

Bilodeau renders his characters with honesty and complexity while Nicole Arends’ simple staging, using nothing more than a few chairs, a table and a sofa, brings the audience into Bonnie’s world. I do wish, however, that Bilodeau spent more time developing the relationships between his characters, particularly between Bonnie and her nephew, Liam (Joel Haszard), which would make the play’s 11th-hour twist feel more earned. — Joshua Chong

1 Santosh Santosh 2 Go: Tosh Finds His Groove

Written by Srutika Sabu, directed by Ken Hall. Until July 14 at Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace 

Promising comic Srutika Sabu’s drag king alter ego, Santosh Santosh, is a sad, desperate middle-aged mid-level tech worker who keeps a “Success Board” in his living room but knows he’ll never surpass his two neurosurgeon sisters in the eyes of his judgmental South Asian parents.

Ably directed by comedy icon Ken Hall, writer/performer Sabu fills out Santosh’s world with vivid details, from his failed attempts to eat better to his pathetic quest to find romantic love. Mahdi Mozafari acts as both the narrator and, clad in ninja black so he won’t be seen, even helps spin Santosh around so it appears he’s breakdancing.

While Sabu is a fine physical performer, she could be more expressive vocally, and the ending could use tweaking. But I can’t wait to see what this doctor-turned-clown does next. — Glenn Sumi

Gringas

Critic’s Pick

Written by Mercedes Isaza Clunie, directed by Zoe Marín. Until July 14 at Native Earth’s Aki Studio

Fringe plays like Mercedes Isaza Clunie’s “Gringas” don’t come around very often. You’d be lucky to find even one in any given season. Exquisitely written, staged and acted, it’s a new work that could easily be picked up by any professional theatre company in Toronto right now and mounted for a full run. 

I certainly hope that’s the outcome for this brilliant coming-of-age tale, which follows a group of Latina-Canadian teenagers who lose their ability to speak Spanish and are sent to an overnight camp in Muskoka to relearn the language. 

Clunie’s writing exhibits astonishing maturity, an ability to deftly balance comedy and pathos, dramaturgical risk and restraint. Sharp, witty, poetic — the play seamlessly toggles between leisurely monologues and blistering exchanges of dialogue that dart among the characters. Through it all, as we watch the seven unlikely campmates slowly become close companions, she presents a deeply moving exploration of friendship, identity and belonging. A not-to-be-missed production. — Joshua Chong

Scenes from an Italian Restaurant

Choreographed by Adam Martino. Until July 13 at the Al Green Theatre 

The jukebox musical revolution has found its way into the Fringe with “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,” a toe-tapping new dance-musical hybrid that — if you can’t already guess from its title — borrows from the songbooks of Billy Joel and Elton John. 

Its feel-good and rather predictable storyline concerns a young “piano man” (Anibal Ortega) who breaks free from the clutches of his corrupt manager and finds love along the way. Even if this plot is too thin to hang a full musical on, Adam Martino’s inventive jazz choreography is filled with more than enough lifts, twists and pizzazz to keep the show zipping along. Ortega is also phenomenal and possesses a triple-threat charm that carries this solid production. — Joshua Chong

See You Tomorrow

Critic’s Pick

Written and directed by Iris Bahr. Until July 13 at Tarragon Theatre Mainspace

Writer/director Iris Bahr has always had a complicated relationship with her mother, and all of this intensified in February 2021. In the midst of the worst of the pandemic, on one of their twice-daily WhatsApp video calls, she witnessed her mother having a stroke. Since Iris was in L.A. and her mom lived alone in Tel Aviv, she had to desperately canvass friends and parents of friends in Israel to get an ambulance to help the older woman, all while hospitals were overcrowded because of COVID-19.

Bahr is a born storyteller and she recounts this — as well as her subsequent move to Israel to care for and eventually find her mother a place to live after she was diagnosed with vascular dementia — with humour, heart and intelligence. The production is spare but effective.

Some scenes could be developed further and a couple of questions remain unanswered. But this is deeply affecting material, delivered by an artist who understands laughter, tragedy and love are all part of the human condition. — Glenn Sumi

Rosamund — A New Musical

Written and directed by Andrew Seok. Until July 14 at Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul’s United, 427 Bloor St. W. 

What if Sleeping Beauty took control of her own narrative? That’s the question at the heart of “Rosamund,” Andrew Seok’s musical reimagining of the classic Disney fairy tale. Here, Princess Aurora is now Princess Rosamund and, as played with fierce determination by AJ Bridel, she’ll do anything to break free from her parents’ protection and that of her suitor, the charming if rather dull Prince Kasem (Jeff Irving). 

Most of all, when Rosamund discovers she’s been cursed by the evil fairy Parisa (Gabi Epstein, superbly devilish and eccentric in the role), the young princess vows to take charge of her own fate and reverse the sleeping spell. 

Just as he demonstrated in his previous Fringe musical “The Man With the Golden Heart,” Seok is a talent to watch. His stories are deeply touching and wholly original works. But where “Rosamund” falters, for me at least, is in its score. Though Seok has crafted some gorgeous solo ballads, they often feel misplaced in this tale, especially with their overly earnest lyrics that weigh down the drama. And at close to 100 minutes, the musical currently feels several scenes (and songs) too long. — Joshua Chong

You, Hamlet

Written by Daniele Bartolini, Danya Buonastella, Marta Zannoner, directed by Bartolini. Until July 14 at East End United, 310 Danforth Ave.

In a dimly lit room in an east-end church, a woman reaches out to hold our hands while another blows soap bubbles.

No, this isn’t yet another production of “Hamlet” but rather an experimental, walkabout, postmodern take on various aspects of it. In fact, we never meet the Danish prince but do see (sort of) his dad, Ophelia and even Polonius.

At one point we sit by to witness competing psychoanalytical approaches to the play. At another, we take turns reciting lines from the prince’s “To be or not to be” soliloquy. The result, performed by a committed trio (Danya Buonastella, Nolan Molfetta and Marta Zannoner) to a group of about 20, and imaginatively directed by Daniele Bartolini, is innovative and bracing, if not exactly focused. — Glenn Sumi

Cancelled!

Written and directed by Henrique Santsper. Until July 14 at the Al Green Theatre 

Henrique Santsper seemingly does it all in “Cancelled!,” his new play that explores complex ideas of cancel culture in our age of social media, and in which he wears multiple hats as its writer, director and leading star. 

His characters are shadowy, morally ambiguous figures. Perhaps none more so than Santsper’s protagonist Chad, a young and brattish football star who finds himself on a “cancellation trial” for crimes he may or may not have committed. He faces a volley of accusations from those around him. But are they seeking justice or merely to tarnish his name? 

Though driven by a compelling premise, Santsper’s play too often feels didactic. And his stilted production, staged with a table and four chairs, could also benefit from additional dramaturgical and directorial input. — Joshua Chong 

Madame Winifred’s Circus of Wonders

Created by Fiona Cain, Emily Elizabeth, Elyssia Giancola, Sarah Kaufmann, Reid Martin and Liam Ryan. Until July 14 at St. Volodymyr Institute, 620 Spadina Ave.

“Madame Winifred’s Circus of Wonders,” one of four KidsFest shows this Fringe, certainly delivers on its promise to conjure a sense of wonder. There’s juggling, musical acts, dance numbers and even fortune telling — more than enough dazzling content to keep young audiences engaged for its entire 60-minute run time. 

The production, created by Theatre Borgo, is framed partially as a detective mystery. Its ragtag group of circus artists are trying to find their former ring master, Christopher Pitts, who disappeared into thin air a year ago. Could their new leader Madame Winifred (Emily Elizabeth) be responsible, as some of the performers suspect? 

There’s never a dull moment in this buoyant play and much of that is thanks to the energy coming from its six-member cast, who sing, dance and frequently break the fourth wall. Cheeky Toronto-centric references also abound, though I do fear some of the show’s many meta-theatrical jokes and puns might fly over the heads of its intended audience. — Joshua Chong

Poz

Critic’s Pick

Written by Mark Keller, directed by Nick May. Until July 13 at Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace

Mark Keller’s life forever changed after he was diagnosed with HIV. Friends turned on him. Romantic partners rejected him. His family no longer knew how to treat him. Now, a decade later, he’s turned his experience into a heart-wrenching piece of theatre.

“Poz,” Keller’s autobiographical drama that won the prestigious New Play Contest at the 2024 Toronto Fringe, chronicles the highs and lows of his 10-year journey living with the condition. It’s a touching, painful and sometimes humorous account, told through a series of fleeting yet gut-punching vignettes. 

Keller is joined onstage by Amber Pilon and Alan Shonfield, the latter playing a host of characters. Director Nick May’s production is riveting and unrelenting, making stunning use of Sofia Di Cicco’s steely lighting designs.

Even if the first half of “Poz” feels somewhat constrained by its chronological structure, the play’s more expansive back end is gorgeously crafted, culminating in a scene that left me, and many others, in tears. This is storytelling at its best. — Joshua Chong

Patty Picker

Critic’s Pick

Written by Evan Bawtinheimer, directed by Cass Van Wyck. Until July 13 at St. Volodymyr Institute

When 16-year-old Patty’s (Kaitlin Race) attempt to run for class rep is quashed after rival Preston videotapes her picking her nose, she’s shunned by her peers and even her drama-club-obsessed girlfriend Phoebe. Only her sympathetic dad, who works at a pizza place, is there for her.

Evan Bawtinheimer’s playful, pun-laden script — every character’s name begins with a “P” — also touches on deeper themes like bullying, empathy and dealing with loss. Director Cass Van Wyck gets lively performances from Race and Anne van Leeuwen, the latter making her multiple characters clear, vivid and memorable without resorting to caricature. This potent parable is pretty perfect. — Glenn Sumi

Stiff & Sons

Written by Aidan Gouveia, directed by Daniel Reale. Until July 14 at the Al Green Theatre

“Sweeney Todd” meets “Bonnie and Clyde” in “Stiff & Sons,” playwright Aidan Gouveia’s comedy about a family-run funeral home that earns some extra dough by hastening the deaths of its future clients. It’s a farcical premise and Gouveia along with this company milk it for all it’s worth. 

There’s slapstick humour galore, unlikely love triangles, “Addams Family”-esque personalities and even ghosts. But despite all the silly jokes, sight gags and physical humour, “Stiff & Sons” lacks teeth, especially for a show that bills itself as a dark comedy. 

Director Daniel Reale’s staging is dynamic though occasionally too frantic, especially when paired with the five-member ensemble’s overly broad acting style. And the production’s cardboard set also left me scratching my head. There’s potential, however, for this original comedy. It just needs to lean further into its grisly, morbid themes. — Joshua Chong

Tape

Written by Stephen Belber, directed by Lucas James. Until July 12 at the Al Green Theatre

Drugs, rape, a relationship triangle, a confession — Stephen Belber’s “Tape” has all the ingredients for a tense one-act thriller. But it’s not quite developed enough.

Low-level drug-dealer Vince (Thomas Sarigiannidis) has tracked down former high school friend Jon (Joel J. Pettigrew), an indie film director in town for a film festival. When Vince brings up the name Amy (Jada Rifkin), a woman they both knew and dated in high school, they argue over a particular night. And then Amy herself shows up, to further raise the stakes.

The actors, particularly Sarigiannidis as the cagey instigator, do their best with their underwritten roles. But there’s too much repetition in the dialogue, and director Lucas James’ blocking occasionally feels awkward. — Glenn Sumi

86 Me: The Restaurant Play

Critic’s Pick

Written and directed by Jackson Doner. Until July 14 at Supermarket: Bar and Variety, 268 Augusta Ave.

Immersive theatre doesn’t get much more immersive than “86 Me: The Restaurant Play,” Jackson Doner’s new site-specific drama at a Kensington Market restaurant. I speak from first-hand experience: on opening night, I was pelted with foam bullets shot from a Nerf gun and grazed by a T-shirt thrown from behind me. (If you’d like a less immersive experience, I suggest you find a seat on the periphery of the restaurant.) 

Doner’s latest work is reminiscent of his previous Fringe offering, “Retrograde: The Concert Experience.” Both are slice-of-life plays that favour rich character development over action-filled narratives.

This new piece follows a group of lost souls — the employees and patrons of a dilapidated dive bar — who all yearn for a sense of human connection in an ever disconnected world. The story takes place over a day, as a new employee, Zach (Luke Kimball from Toronto’s “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”), prepares to join the staff. 

The seven-member cast are all superb, but it’s Kimball who delivers the most engaging performance, slowly revealing Zach’s inner demons that continue to haunt him. Doner’s direction, too, makes exceptional use of the tight quarters and plots the production in such a way that, by the end, you feel like you’ve become one of the dive bar’s regulars. — Joshua Chong

Sheila the Musical

Written by Jay Hill, directed by Adam Khomsi. Until July 14 at Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace

Writer/performer Jay Hill sends up the sexism and homophobia of the 1950s in this promising solo show with songs. He plays Sheila, a bearded suburban housewife who cooks, cleans and tends to her young son (played by a doll) as she waits for her husband to finish work and come home. The appearance of an independent new neighbour and suspicions about her husband’s philandering make her realize her life isn’t so perfect.

Finding the right tone for a show like this is key, and director Adam Khomsi doesn’t quite achieve it, the raunchy puns, bitter grumblings and occasional poignant insight competing with each other. But Hill, clad in an Elaine Stritch-type wig and a couple of knockout ’50s outfits, is a generous performer and talented singer/songwriter. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Sheila. — Glenn Sumi

The 2024 Toronto Fringe Festival runs from July 3 to 14 at venues across the city. Visit fringetoronto.com for tickets and more information.