Galen's Grocer: The Musical
Galen Easton is the most hated man in Canada. It doesn't help that there's a CEO Killer on the loose.
Galen needs to improve his public image fast.
He'll try by making a TV show about how hard it is to run a grocery store...
The Pros: the music, the performances/singing, puppetry, some of the jokes (most I didn't get), some of the plot I could understand, the way it incorporated Galen as a 'musical' villain.
The Cons: barely any exposition launching right into things, an airy plot, the way the CEO killer stuff played out (the idea itself was good), a musical that seems to make fun of musicals, references to modern stuff I did not get.
I saw the play in 2025 so I knew I wanted to see it again this year as a musical. The important parts are largely unchanged, with some musical numbers added. For those who haven’t seen it, there’s also puppets and some awesome combat scenes. The climax still takes place at a Zehrs in Cambridge—leaving me with the same major question I had at the close of last year’s show: Preston, Hespeler, or Galt?
My rating: if this show is calling you, grab a ticket. The 2 people I saw this with agreed.
There are a ton of laughs—even the set has some chuckles in it—and I especially enjoyed what Nitin Anand brought to the show with puppetry.
I missed the non-musical version @ #FringeTO last year, so can't say if this is better as a musical (though musical director James Atin is certainly gifted). Thomas Sharpe is excellent as the morally bereft titular billionaire; the story's slight, but the jokes land in bulk.
I saw Galen's Grocer: The Play last year and loved it, it was probably my favourite Fringe show of 2025. I am a musical freak, that said, I wasn't so sure it needed to be a musical. The songs were fun, especially the CEO song, but I think the story actually came across better without the songs. Definitely still worth a watch.
I finally got to see Galen's Grocer: The Musical last night! I missed its original (non-musical) run last year, so I'd been looking forward to this one for a while, and it absolutely lived up to the hype.
First of all, I am always here for a show that unexpectedly introduces puppets. If a production suddenly pulls out a puppet, my enjoyment immediately increases by at least 30%.
The cast was fantastic, energetic, engaging, and completely committed to the wonderfully absurd world they were creating. Every actor leaned into the chaos with the perfect balance of sincerity and ridiculousness.
The whole thing is delightfully weird... the kind of weird where you spend the entire show thinking, "What on earth am I watching?" while simultaneously never wanting it to end.
The easiest way I can describe it is that it's like the President's Choice version of Kim's Convenience... but with even more capitalism. Somehow that's both a compliment and an accurate plot summary.
I left the theatre with sore sides from laughing, a handful of songs hopelessly lodged in my brain, and one question that has refused to leave me:
Kiss?????
If you know, you know. If you don't... go see the show.
Funny YES , Well performed YES but a little bit silly. Maybe too silly ....if a FRINGE show can be too silly. If you want some laughs go and see it. Though, in my opinion, it is not the smartest funniest show of the FRINGE ....
What an incredible cast! A cheeky comedy musical with a critical lens, great nods to the city and an infectious set of songs. 10/10 would watch again!