Our (Updated) Toronto Fringe Festival 2023 Recommendation Round Up

Sadec 1965: A Love Story is a compelling solo performance about a woman’s quest for answers regarding her family’s complicated history. It follows Flora Le (the show’s creator and performer), who embarked on a six week long motorcycle trip across Vietnam to uncover the truth about why her father never speaks about his hometown. Over the course of her 2100 mile journey, Le shares tidbits of her personal life and how these experiences shaped her into the woman she is today. Even though she hasn’t necessarily been dealt the best hand, she approaches each situation with a sense of optimism. You can’t help but admire her approach to life and how she never seems to give up, even in the face of adversity. Due to mature subject matter, Sadec 1965: A Love Story is best enjoyed by adult audiences. The raw vulnerability of Le’s performance is sure to have you in tears and reflecting on your own relationship with your family. This is a genuine and unforgettable story about unconditional love and identity.

Recommended by:  Denise Albeanu   Location: Tarragon Theatre Mainspace   Runtime:  60 minutes 

Frankenstein(esque) is as unique, compelling and conflicted a creation as the monster created by Victor Frankenstein in the OG novel by Mary Shelley (which the on-stage cast are at great pains to ensure the audience does not expect fidelity to – hence the “Esque” in the play’s title). A troupe of gifted black-clad actors – Graeme Black Robinson, Steph Crothers, John Daniel, Michelle Gram, Julian Murphy – here perform a dynamic, deeply funny, and oddly mesmerizing multi-level meditation on life.  They explore what life is, the difficulty of imparting it, who the true creator or giver of life is, and what they owe or are owed. This physical and metaphysical meditation encompasses numerous types of life: natal, familial, communal, creative, narrative and artistic. And its unifying metaphorical focus is a 6-foot-tall Frankenstein-esque puppet that the actors assemble and give life to . . . then disassemble and give life to . . .  then reassemble and give life to, in a kind of rhythmic reverse communion. If you have no idea what this all means, welcome to the club. But do come see for yourself this talky and hilarious, contemplative yet crude amalgam of captivating pieces. Puzzle it out – you’ll be supremely entertained and challenged by non-sequiturs that may actually be sequiturs, and dissonance that turns into thematic echoes. Oh, and the red balloon. It’s hilarious and profundity-adjacent. It’s virtually indescribable. It’s Frankenstein-esque.        

Recommended by:  Scott Sneddon    Location: Tarragon Theatre Extraspace   Runtime:  55 minutes

Paz is a deft 50-minute drama about the aftermath of a child gone missing. After her Filipina nanny is fired, the child’s white mother accuses the child’s former nanny in a park. The play, which is directed by Joy Castro and stars Stephanie Belding and Christine Cortes, was inspired by playwright Alicia Payne’ personal experience working as a live-in caregiver abroad. Through its explosive premise, Paz explores cultural ignorance, racism, microaggressions, social hierarchies, the nature and structure of family, and what constitutes motherhood. The actors are compelling. Belding gives a squirm-inducingly convincing portrayal as an imperious white woman who believes she knows everything about the woman she once hired  . . . but whom she never bothered to get to know. The play holds a needful mirror up to a specific mode of othering – and to the indignities that many foreign workers are made to endure, in order to secure permanent-residence status, and an avenue to a different future. Audiences of all backgrounds will connect to the themes in Paz, and it will resonate especially strongly with parents. 

Recommended by:  Arpita Ghosal    Location: Alumnae Theatre    Runtime:  50 minutes

Pyramid, despite being a title suggestive of pharoahs and Egypt, or perhaps pyramid schemes, is none of those things. Okay, it is a little of the last, but only tangentially. Billed as a new musical about two strangers brought together in their joint venture to throw the ultimate multi-level marketing party, it is not a satirical musical comedy either (as my family and I had assumed). Written by Steve John Dale and Katie Miller, Pyramid is instead the surprisingly sweet and only sometimes funny story of two different young women (played by Lauren Mayer and Katie Miller) brought together by happenstance. Over the course of a botched marketing event to sell skincare products, they discover that they might have some important things in common, after all. Miller and Mayer are both talented singers, and Dale’s accompaniment on guitar and tambourine not only enhances the musical numbers, but also contributes significantly to the overall mood of the story. This is an ideal Fringe show: the staging is simple and effective; the cast is small and mighty; and the narrative scope and run time are both compact. While all audiences will find something to connect to, millennials may connect with the dual protagonists’ search for purpose, connection and self-esteem, which is told with humour and heart. 

Recommended by: Arpita Ghosal Location: Tarragon Theatre Extraspace Runtime: 50 minutes

Our Little Secret: The 23 and Me Musical is no secret. Word got out, and it was one of the earliest shows to sell out its run at the Toronto Fringe. The solo musical written and performed by Noam Tomaschoff, composed by Ryan Peters and directed by Rose Bochner, tells the true story of what happens when only child “Noam T” takes a DNA test and gets shocking news about his biological parents and the life he has known for 31 years. The work uses comedy, drama, songs of varying musical styles – and even audience interaction –- to explore and question notions of family, identity, and self. The staging is appropriately sparse, with some projected backdrops, a table and chair, and a few props. This makes the show’s charismatic star the deserving focus of attention. Tomaschoff ably carries the whole show, and is a wonder to behold. Among this one-man show’s most inspired moments is a number involving three characters (yes, three), socks and a stethoscope. Since the show is performed with live singing and recorded music, all audiences, including the deaf or blind, can access it. And the lack of profanity makes the show enjoyable for intergenerational audiences. To give tour-de-force Tomaschoff a bit of a break, Our Little Secret might consider trimming its runtime slightly, but overall, the show is a smash. Those who were lucky enough to score a ticket are in for a fun and moving time at this show!

Recommended by:  Arpita Ghosal    Location: Alumnae Theatre    Runtime:  60 minutes

White Collars, directed by Ken Hall, offers a satirical take on the day-to-day experiences of working in the real world of the 9-to-5 tech marketing industry. Set in a fictional tech conference, the show combines sketch comedy, improv and quite a lot of audience participation. It showcases in a relatable way the challenges of 9 – 5 workers, including executive decision-making, role redundancy and layoffs, job vs. identity, and the value of corporate mission statements. Anyone with a full-time job can empathize with these challenges! Sketch comedians Arun Kirupananthan, Braeden Banks, and Maya Cieszynska are extremely high- energy performers – so much so that the show routinely breaks the fourth wall . . . and the main characters are, in fact, the audience! 

Recommended by: Denise Albeanu Location: Factory Theatre Studio Runtime: 50 minutes

Ms Titaverse is the long-awaited, much-anticipated and eagerly-embraced second sketch-comedy revue show written and performed by the all-Filipina comedy sensation Tita Collective, made up of Ann Paula Bautista, Belinda Corpuz, Ellie Posadas, Alia Rasul and Maricris Rivera. Where their first show, the multi-awardwinning Tita Jokes, was a tribute to their elders, this show draws inspiration from the performers’ personal lives and stories: their intersectional identities, their heritage as Filipinas raised in Canada, and their relationship with both cultures. With Ms Titaverse (organized around the theme of a beauty pageant – where the contestants all want “world peace!”), the Tita Collective has another, albeit a more diverse, musical comedy smash. The show engagingly combines sketch comedy with music and dance, and the performances are uniformly strong, with each performer getting a chance to shine. The show is rollicking, fast-paced, and expertly executed, with the collective’s trademark razor-sharp timing. Teens and older, friends with cottages, and multigenerational audiences from all cultures will find ideas to relate to – and even more laughs to share. For detailed information about Ms Titaverse, watch the interview with Tita Collective on sesayarts.com.

Recommended by: Arpita Ghosal Location: Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace Runtime: 60 minutes

The Bad Mitzvah is a touching and funny story about what it means to grow up. the show boasts a large and diverse cast, a fast-paced production and an eccentric acting style. Written by Stephanie Zeit, with Brad Gira & Ahlam Hassan, The Bad Mitzvah is widely relatable because it covers such a diverse range of themes To explore its themes, including motherhood, sexuality, and self-discovery. Girls who have a complicated relationship with their mothers will especially appreciate it – and because of the premise of a bat mitzvah, it will resonate with anyone of a Jewish background. Especially noteworthy is the excellent job Zeit does of depicting what it is like to be a 13-year old girl – and every single character is well-written and contributes to the plot in a meaningful way. Reviewer’s Note: “My favourite show at the Toronto Fringe so far!”

Recommended by: Denise Albeanu Location: Factory Theatre Studio Runtime: 75 minutes

Featherhead is the whimsical yet substantial tale of a lonely girl who doesn’t fit in (Karen Edelist), a pigeon with a broken wing (Liam Peter Donovan), and how this unlikely duo learn to be friends with each other and unique individuals who ate at ease in their own skin (or feathers). COVID-19 isolation looms in the backdrop of this story of identity, relationships and resilience – which features meaty conversation and personal reckonings that are leavened by abundant flights of pigeon humour. The two principals are compelling, and they are supported – with avian physical and stand-up comedy – by a bobbing, cooing brace of pigeons who are brought to chuckle-inducing life by Jonnie Lombard, Jenn Tan and Valeria Ventur. Featherhead transports you to a feather-strewn world adjacent to our own, and imparts talky, life-affirming truths that we can all benefit from hearing.  

Recommended by:  Scott Sneddon         Location: Alumnae Theatre         Runtime:  60 minutes

Family Road Trip is the second full-length sketch show by Summer Dad, directed by Danny Avila and performed by Chrissy Sharma, Kevin Forster, Rachel Powell, Kaitlyn Stollery, Taylor Hreljac, Chris Johnson and David Hudon.The troup is a group of graduates from the Second City Training Centre, so the show is reminiscent of the sketch comedy revues performed at the famed comedy centre. In this case, a road trip is the framing device for a series of sketches on topics ranging from relationships to food to family dynamics – all performed with minimal props and without a set. The 7-member cast expediently configures milk crates to conjure (among other things) a minivan, a sofa, and a pizza counter. Some of the most memorable sketches include a patient bride provoking her husband into complete honesty, an especially soul-baring self-checkout, a twisted West Side Story-style street fight, and an inspired rap about pizza toppings. Due to mature subject matter and the language of some sketches, Family Road Trip is best enjoyed by adult audiences. The versatility and comic timing of this up-and-coming troupe are praiseworthy, and we look forward to much more from them. 

Recommended by: Arpita Ghosal Location: Tarragon Theatre Mainspace Runtime: 60 minutes

A Little Bit Pregnant, written by Kate Lavut and directed by Rana Liu, is a realistic dark comedy that uses humour to tackle fraught topical issues, including abortion, miscarriages and reproductive rights. So what audience will appreciate this unlikely show? All adult audiences! Those who are experiencing or can recall young romance may appreciate it more because they will relate to some of the arguments depicted by the on-stage couples, who are played by Julia Pye, Alexander Cruz, Aidan Cottreau and Casey Marie Ecker. The story offers frequent situational irony (e.g., a young woman unexpectedly gets pregnant while her friend who has been trying to have a baby can’t seem to get pregnant) and universally but uniquely flawed characters – which makes them (and the play) especially relatable.

Recommended by: Denise Albeanu Location: Tarragon Theatre Extraspace Runtime: 60 minutes

Retrograde: The Concert Experience is a loud, funny and moving rock jam session spectacle that is set – and performed –in Kensington Market tavern Supermarket. It’s the time of COVID-19 lockdowns, when paying band gigs feel like a thing of the past, and the future looks like an empty void. Three musicians and a teen come together in this limbo-land, and, fumblingly, try to create new futures from the emotional residue of their past and their budding, uncertain relationships with each other. The outstanding cast – Hilary Wheeler (Barber), Chloe Castrucci (Cyan), Anthony Palermo (Bo), and James Llewellyn Evans (Kale) – deliver intense, authentic and vulnerable performances. Creator-director Jackson Doner uses the space brilliantly: the actors weave in and around unseen audience members as they race in and out for their jam sessions and gigs.  The show is uninhibited, profane, and features sexual innuendo and situations – so it’s definitely not for everyone. But beneath the raw surface and the smell of day-old beer lies a surprisingly tender tale of coming together and coming into your own in an impossible time – complete with kickass music, exquisite acting and a LOT of laughter. Not to be missed.

Recommended by: Scott Sneddon   Location: Supermarket         Runtime: 90 minutes

Ancient Dying Chinese Dialect is a bravura solo comedy show written and performed by Chantal Lim and directed by Ken Hall. A featured selection at the Toronto Storytelling Festival this spring, this show is a love- and laughter-filled tribute to Lim’s parents and her dual Filipina-Chinese heritage. This show is deeply personal and touches on themes of identity, culture, language and family. It is perfect for audiences who love diverse stories and appreciate the art of storytelling: indeed, multigenerational audiences of all cultures will find lots of “a-ha” moments here. Lim stumbled onto comedy and acting as a creative outlet just before the pandemic hit, and based on this show, she is a rising star with a bright future ahead. For detailed information about Ancient Dying Chinese Dialect and Chantal Lim, read the article on sesayarts.com.

Recommended by: Denise Albeanu Location: Factory Theatre Studio Runtime: 55 minutes

Catch Me in the Kitchen Story Adventures brings two classic fairy tales to life. The first story is a retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Goldilocks excitedly chases a toad and reaches the forest’s edge, where she spots a sign saying ‘Forêt Dangereuse’ (meaning ‘dangerous forest’). Believing that it means ‘Welcome,’ she explores further . . . and stumbles onto a house belonging to three bears. In the second story, Lupus Maximus and the Three Little Pigs, three sibling pigs set out to establish their lives. Along the way, they are confronted by the same unwelcome visitor. Which pig will successfully outsmart “the most handsome, most daring, most petrifyingly feared wolf in all of Ontario?” The critically-acclaimed show features a unique combination of storytelling and physical theatre, and its unexpected spin on the familiar will delight audiences of all ages, from as young as 4 years of age. Catch Me in the Kitchen Story Adventures is written and performed by Ginette Mohr and Stephen LaFrenie, directed by Liz Pounsett and features music by Tim Freeman & The Pickle Peppers. For detailed information about Catch Me in the Kitchen, read the interview with Ginette Mohr on sesayarts.com.

Recommended by: Arpita Ghosal Location: St. Volodymyr Institute | Family Venue Runtime: 60 minutes

Kyra De Magica is a one-of-a-kind interactive solo satirical theatrical experience performed by Kyra Tang. It depicts a teenage magician’s mission to win over her celebrity crush Zac Efron through magic, mind control, telepathy, and song – all while thwarting her Chinese mother’s attempts to control her through overprogramming and high expectations. This breathtakingly silly, guffaw-inducing show features loads of audience participation and farcical fun that leaves audience members no choice but to relax into the hilarious antics of the frenetic, magnetic Kyra. Tang is fabulously charismatic, and her dauntless commitment to her absurd material deserves singular praise. And within the many laugh-out-loud moments, there is a genuine story of growing up, breaking free of parental plans, navigating cultural expectations, and coming into one’s own on one’s own terms. Teens in the audience, in particular, will find lots to connect with, and audiences of all ages will see themselves in the enterprising and cheese-loving Kyra (who even has her own magician’s assistant…of sorts). We look forward to seeing more from the show’s energetic star!

Recommended by: Arpita Ghosal Location: St. Volodymyr Institute | Family Venue Runtime: 60 minutes

No One Special is Julie Kim’s instrospective account of growing up in a real-life Kim’s Convenience. Kim, her sister and brother, are the children of Korean immigrants who, like the CBC sitcom family, own a local convenience store. Kim is quick to warn the audience that, despite the fact she is a stand-up comedian, this show will not be funny (not true – read on). Instead of a succession of jokes, No one Special is her compelling and honest unspooling – and working through – of family history and childhood memory. Kim holds up for examination countless specific memories – of her parents providing for her at their own expense, of their criticism and unwitting acts of emotional damage, of stealing candy from the store. And while she compellingly narrates these memories, she problematizes them: are they constructs or retroactive fabrications based on what others have told her? And to transcend the narrow perspective of a child, she augments these memories with research and reflection, which allow her to empathize with her parents, who even at their worst, were doing their best as immigrants battling poverty, isolation, discrimination and their own strained relationship. Kim’s narration, accompanied by family photos, is dispassionate, yet engrossing. And (contrary to her warning) she delivers some of the biggest laughs at the Fringe this year when – for just the briefest of moments sprinkled through the show – she lapses archly from balanced reflection into a self-centered comedian’s snarky take. This low-key show is G-rated (nothing to cringe about here) and has depth, quirks, humour and a lack of neat resolution that will resonate with anyone who has a family.         

Recommended by:  Scott Sneddon    Location: Tarragon Solo Space     Runtime:  50 minutes (60 when I saw it!)

Amor De Cosmos: A Delusional Musical is a novel new solo show written by British Columbia-based writer Richard Kelly Kemmick, with music by Lindsey Walker. The show, which is performed by Toronto-based actor Anton Gillis-Adleman, combines words, song and music to tell the fascinating life story of Amor De Cosmos (born William Alexander Smith), who was a journalist, politician and reformer before serving as the second premier of British Columbia and the first Member of Parliament. After he was elected to the federal government, however, De Cosmos was declared legally insane. He retreated to haunting Victoria’s taverns and eventually died in poverty without recognition. The most remarkable feature of the show is that Kemmick has written the script in iambic pentameter (that’s right – Shakespeare’s metre of choice). Amor De Cosmos is a history buff and language lover’s dream. It’s no exaggeration to say that Kemmick has done for De Cosmos what Lin-Manuel Miranda has done for Alexander Hamilton. It’s important to note that the 90-minute show requires concentration (and even a little preparation) to appreciate the full magnitude of Kemmick’s artistry. For instance, Gillis-Adleman performs multiple characters – often with a single change in prop and photographs behind him that are emblematic – so knowing just a little about De Cosmos’ eventful life would allow spectators to focus more on the show’s beautiful use of language, its clever word play, Walker’s gorgeous musical accompaniment, and Gillis-Adleman’s gripping performance – rather than work to follow the historical timeline of events. A little bit of “homework” will yield huge dividends in the enjoyment of Kemmick’s inspired tale of this intriguing Canadian figure. 

Recommended by: Arpita Ghosal   Location: Al Green Theatre         Runtime: 90 minutes

The Man with the Golden Heart is a new musical written and directed by Andrew Seok with Assistant Director Tess Benger and Music Direction by Jonathan Corkal-Astorga. Ahead of the performance, Seok tells the audience in a brief address that he wrote this musical as a beacon of hope in a bleak time. He has more than met his aim with this magnificent new work. The story has the urgent feel of a comic-book origin story: a man (Bruce Dow) is born with a golden heart, which he can use to help people who are hurt and struggling. However, each time he does so, he loses a piece of his heart, which kills him a little. In the production, we journey through three pivotal moments in Canada’s history: the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway by immigrant Chinese laborers during the 1880s, Canada’s participation in World War I, and the global stock market crash in 1929. At each of these moments, the man encounters people in pain . . . and wields his powers with unexpected results. The production suits the atmospheric church venue, with the magnificent organ, wood panelling and stained-glass windows serving to underscore the historical aspects of the narrative. The acoustics are greatly enhanced by the church’s high, vaulted ceilings, and the voices of the all-star cast soar. The music is simply beautiful, and there are some truly inspired plot ideas – especially one involving the destiny of a young married couple. In summary, this is a mature, ambitious and audience-ready work, and a production company should give Seok a budget to prepare it for a larger audience. The Man with the Golden Heart has tremendous potential to become the next great “born at the Fringe” Canadian musical. If you have the opportunity, catch it here first! 

Recommended by: Arpita Ghosal   Location: Trinity-St Paul Church     Runtime: 95 minutes

Reserve tickets on fringetoronto.com.

© Sesayarts Magazine Team, 2023