CULTS

This was the last of our many fringe shows and it put a real damper on an otherwise great experience. It was more like a badly performed lecture than a theatrical show and it mainly just sensationalized several cults a la Jerry Springer. It contained almost no depth, no real analysis of why cults happen and focused mainly on associated violence. Wish we hadn't booked this

Well researched and presented professionally by a seasoned performer. The show was sick, serious and humorous at the same time. As a side note I was glad to see the Trump and maga bashing. I was glad to see some Canadian anger.

This show made me feel so many things. It was entertaining, unsettling, funny, and has a moment that gave me goosebumps. If you're intrigued by cults, don't be swayed by the middling reviews. They're mostly highlighting the fact the performer wasn't off-book (which was the case at the show I was at) but if you can look past that it's a fantastic, worthwhile show.

I'm also certain the performer is probably mostly, if not fully, off-book by now in the run. I believe the show had a performer switch between this Fringe and the last one which would account for the slow start.

A very well written and performed show. A good use of specific music to set the time period of each cult that was presented. I appreciated the use of the large screen and posters to keep the faces and facts all straight. Go see it.

I think overall Cults has a lot of potential, but feels rough around the edges and a bit unfinished. I really wanted to love it as a fan of true crime myself. The material is interesting, but to me, I think it's probably too deep a look for people not into true crime, leaving them overwhelmed, and not deep enough for people who are really into true crime, leaving them feeling unsatisfied.

The jokes were funny, the music cues were entertaining, and there were some extremely devastating moments, but it didn't feel as impactful as some of the creator's other shows (like BRAIN, which I loved). The best moment was when he shared a personal story, and it was incredibly engaging. There were some moments tied to recent events and political discourse, but they felt shoehorned in, as the show avoided the elephant in the room: widespread religions popular in North America that are, by any definition, cults. That being said, the content was engaging and I enjoyed everything they covered.

Unfortunately, the biggest letdown for me by far was the performer. She didn't really seem into the material, and she had to call for line cues so many times and so abruptly that it felt like a bit at first. Eventually, it just repeatedly broke my immersion in the stories being told. There needs to be a better solution than screaming 10+ times across a stage for another line.

So much information in so little time. Amazing.

Hmmmm, What to say about this one… I have held an interest in cults for a long time and was very excited to see this performance. It seems from prior reviews that the performer used to read out the very complex script. Kudos to her for having memorized It. However, I agree with other reviewers that her need to constantly ask the playwright for cues took away from the experience. Could this be done more subtly? Could she have a script on stage to refer to when necessary? Also, there needs to be a trigger warning as very gruesome physical abuse is described. While I admire the concept, this performance didn’t quite work for me.

Really not my thing because it felt kind of sensationalized and I was disappointed the actor needed so many cues.

An interesting concept but inconsistently delivered. It’s a history lesson with a dash of performance but the narrative is bulky and the subject matter heavy. Quite different from your average Fringe show but recommended only for those with a deep fascination in cults.

I was disappointed by this one. I think the jokes were funny and clever, and the presenter did a good job of adding moments of lightheartedness when the material got too dark. The inclusion of songs and mentions of pop culture and other events in history enhanced the show. I learned about cults that I had never heard of before, however the fact that the information was presented as a lecture took away from the experience in my opinion. The information was also read very fast which made it hard to understand, and difficult to process because too much was being thrown at the audience. I think if the information had been presented in a different way it could have improved the overall experience.

I went into this having no idea what to expect and what I got was an insane amount of information, delivered with just the right amount of comedy and drama. The musical selections were a huge asset, in my opinion, and were great to break the tension of horror that settled whenever we learned about a new cult. I gave it 4 stars because there were moments where the information was delivered so quickly, it was easy to get lost in, but I definitely enjoyed my hour here.

As a cult aficionado, this was a must see. Loved all of the facts and stories and the use of music throughout the show.

CULTS packs an impressive amount of research, dark humour and truly bizarre cult history into an hour, with plenty here for true-crime fans to sink their teeth into. For me, though, the performance relied too heavily on the written script, which made parts of the show feel more like a lecture than live storytelling. I kept wishing for more eye contact, spontaneity and room for the performer’s personality to come through, because the material itself is fascinating. If cult psychology and strange history are already your thing, you may get much more out of this one than I did.

So interesting, very engaging and informative, but understandably very grim. I’m happy I went but I was ready for a comedy after.

Becoming a Cult Leader (in training)

The venue was perfect for this show, as we all sat in perfect lines down in a church basement! This show was simple in execution, but no doubt engaging. The speaker was witty, which allowed the heavy, tragic content to be digestible and enjoyable.

Her storytelling is incredible entertaining, as well as the thoughtful addition of music and pop culture to cement the stories in time and help them resonate.

How much will people believe? Have the traditional cults we read about shifted into the extremist groups we see today? This show, while a warning against indoctrination and brainwashing, serves as an incredible primer in the history of cults, and how history can and does repeat itself.

Educational, but enjoyable all the same, Cults is a must see at the Edmonton Fringe Festival.

There is so much information (often horrifying) in this show, it's mind boggling. We often chuckle about certain things being cult -y, and this show does a good job of showing the audience the connection with the Maga dumbasses without stating it point blank.

At this point, we all know maga is a cult and Commander Cheetoh is the leader - this show does a great job of explaining just how much worse things can (and unfortunately, likely will) get - while still keeping the asides light-hearted so you can still leave with a smile on your face!

The main presenter read most of the content during this show. This was accompanied by a few posters that are shuffled through during the presentation. At times it was easy to listen to and stay engaged, and there were times that it was easy to zone out. There were many times when the information was read too quickly. Some gory and graphic details are provided at times. There was a moment when the director shared a story and it was very engaging as it was personal and not read from a script. The main presenter also acted at times but I did not think this added to the show.

I noticed that the performer appeared to reading from a sheet of paper, and I thought "Oh, this is going to be boring" However, I was delightfully surprised with the quality of this show!

I was engaged through out, and learned a lot about different cults!

Also, there is free Flavour-aid!

Whether you're a true crime nut or simply a curious soul with a strong stomach, you'll be sure to be riveted by CULTS! Gather round while your charismatic leader recounts the sordid and often murderous stories of five real groups - some of which are still operating today - whose doomsday prophecies had devastating consequences. Even self-proclaimed cult buffs will learn something new (and horrifying).

While cults are no laughing matter, this show points out the absurd and bizarre elements of cults that compel us to scratch our heads. And this venue (ironically in a church basement) becomes a safe space to express that bewilderment with a room full of like-minded individuals.

The engaging and often unbelievable (but true) stories would allow this show to stand on its own. But the message being sent is also critically important, especially with MAGA’s influence crossing the border at an alarming rate. Critical thought is sacred, and actively questioning and calling out fear mongering and snake oil salespeople might just be the key to resisting a cult’s dangerous allure.

A deep dive into five different cults through history. Cool that the show didn't just feature the best known cults but at least two I'd never heard of, including a Canadian one for some of that homebrewed crazy.

At times, it felt like the performer was reading the Wikipedia entries for the cults without deeper insights but more just showing their horrors and damage.

Various funny asides are a highlight throughout the show and a tangent where the man running the lights and sound talks about his own close call with a cult left me wanting to know more.

I thought this show was building to an obvious but important message about the current cult running the United States and there were some connections made but not in an overly overt manner which left the show feeling unfinished in a way.

Overall, like all fringe shows, worth checking out and supporting for the unique content and eye-opening information.

So scary! So revealing. The actor and the writer profile 5 cults and one massive country cult nightmare. The style is lecture interspersed with interpretive (and spontaneous?) dance and expletive stacked outbursts. The material is shocking and repulsive. Who knew that surgery could be an amateur hobby-perhaps still unjustifiable except by a megalomaniac. Reality is the biggest mind - @$&? Of them all.