Things that go Bump
Enter the parlour of a forgotten age, where the veil between worlds grows thin. If the spirits are willing, your mysterious hostess will share strange phenomena, unsettling revelations, and moments that challenge your senses. The whispers are waiting to charm and chill you. (Tyler Fringe Touring Fund grantee)
If any of you are like me, fans of Rachel Dratch and Irene Bremis’ podcast WooWoo with Rachel Dratch your show this Fringe is Lisa Krol’s Things That Go Bump, also in the Neptune Theatre Windsor Studio. This is another magic show, and the conceit of this one is that we have been invited into a seance where we are having tea with the spirits. So, in this way Krol’s magic is presented to us through the lens of this occult mystic witchyness. I don’t want to compare Krol to Vincenzo Ravina, Halifax’s Actual Wizard, as I would recommend that you go to see both shows, but what I found so striking in seeing them both on the same day is that while audience members help facilitate Ravina’s magic, there were moments during Krol’s show where I was somehow doing the magic.. I know. What? During the show we made our own pendulums, again, if any of you are WooWoo listeners, you will be very familiar with this- and yes, I made a Larry the Lobster pendji from a Dalhousie University keychain that is usually attached to my keys (yes his name is Larry), and Larry moved exactly the way he was being instructed to, and stopped moving on cue, and for a brief moment I felt like I was the actual wizard. Read more at the link!
Don't worry - no jump scares! I was a bit unsure what to expect from Things That Go Bump. Is it spooky? Scary? Does she predict the future? Is it scripted?
All I can say is - just go see it. If you're the kind of person who identifies as "a little bit woo woo" you'll love it - and there's something for the skeptics too!
As an audience we feel well-held in Lisa's capable and magical hands. Audience participation is definitely part of the show, but not in a way that makes it weird or awkward. Folks are welcomed, though not in any way forced, so it's also perfectly fine to simply take it all in as well.
There were definitely moments in the show that made me ask "what?!" out loud, and a few collective audience gasps and giggles from glee.
As a performer, Lisa is funny, sweet, and a skilled illusionist. While it might be tempting to go google things after the show - I recommend you just suspend that urge - and embrace a little wonder.
This was my first Fringe show for 2026 and it set the bar high. The show is incredibly atmospheric, and seeing it at night made it even more so. The use of music adds another layer, and the way Lisa Krohl interacts with the audience was engaging. Based in historical practice, this show had a unique premise, and its use of props made it even more immersive. Audience participation plays a major role in this, so if that's not your thing, beware.
The audience was on the smaller size for opening night, but I think this would be even better with a larger crowd to feed off of the energy of the performer. Krohl holds her own, and helped make even the shy participants at ease. The smaller venue coupled with the dim lighting made for an intimate show that brings to mind the seances of the late-1800s. Overall, a great, spooky start to Fringe that I would recommend checking out (especially after dark).
Before the show even begins, our hostess, Lisa Krol, makes sure the room is protected by carefully placing a circle of salt around the audience to keep unwanted spirits away. From that moment on, Things That Go Bump creates an atmosphere where it becomes increasingly difficult to tell what is part of the performance and what might be something more, something on the other side of the veil! Even the biggest skeptic, like myself, may find themselves questioning what they just witnessed by the end of the show.
The performance combines storytelling, illusion, and audience interaction to create an experience that feels much more intimate than simply watching from your seat. There is something especially effective about being so close to the action, knowing that at any moment, you might become part of whatever is happening around the table. Lisa has such an amazing way of making the audience feel so immersed in the show that you almost find yourself hoping she'll pick you for one of her volunteers, while still keeping you constantly on your toes.
I won't give away what happens at the table, but Things That Go Bump is the kind of performance that makes you question your own eyes while you're watching it. "You see, but you do not observe", a line that becomes increasingly true as the show unfolds. If you enjoy a little mystery, a little fear, and not knowing exactly how something was done, this is one to check out.