Abby Solomon
A glittery Boa, a Charcuterie Board, and a Brainrotted Ghost Abby Solomon
Murder She Improvised is an absolutely hilarious interactive comedy improv show where both the cast is trying to figure out who the murderer is just as much as the audience. With a rotating cast of local performers, every show is different, making each performance feel completely unpredictable. A suggestion box at the beginning of the show allows the audience members to contribute clues and ideas, which the actors then use within their performance to move along their investigation and ultimately determine the murderer. The entire cast and the keyboardist brought an infectious and fast paced energy that carried the entire show from beginning to end, even the most absurd moments where a glittery boa was a vital clue, their acting felt so involving and effortless. Their skills showcasing just how quick the performers are quick at thinking on their feet. The gripping narrator's voice leading you through the story, his own laughter unable to be contained when absolutely ridiculous hints were given. Murder She Improvised is a wonderfully chaotic, laugh out loud experience that proves you never know what will happen next.
From the moment the lights dimmed down, and the crowd settled into their seats, 650 Light Years Away at the Spotlight Cabaret simply created an hauntingly intimate and otherworldly atmosphere. The lead performer, award winning actor and singer Andrea House’s voice was undoubtedly the centrepiece of the performance. Her voice brings us with her, as she goes on a journey of finding her ancestors, with almost an eerie, jazzy quality that was both sultry and lulling, drawing the audience deeper into her story and emotionally engrossing the crowd. Balancing her previous recollection of what it feels like to be a boat, a tree, and surprisingly a star, her storytelling felt almost mythical. Reminiscent of a Greek nymphs vocal spells, seemingly holding the room in rapt attention, visibly moving the audience with tears in their eyes. Andrea House's message, although eerie yet still very much so humorous, it for sure resonated with me. The restaurant venue further added to this shows ambiance, a haunting scenery that made it even more immersive and involving. With Rubim de Toledo on strings and Chris Andrews on the keyboard, perfectly balancing out this real life nymphs story. At its best, 650 Light Years Away feels less like a performance and more like being invited into someone’s stored away memories.
Bloody Fairy Tales: Paul Strickland Abby Solomon
The opening of this performance began with the dimming of lights, a series of eerie screeches, and a symphony of uncanny sounds. Paul Strickland's Bloody Fairy Tales cues off right away that this is not the kind of fairy tale one listens to before bed, truly an experience the average person does not expect. Written and performed by Paul Strickland, the show presents a triad of stories told through a uniquely interactive and expressive style of storytelling that hauntingly entranced the audience. His greatest strength is his ability to transform his voice into an uncanny lull, with deliberate changes within his tone of storytelling that creates moments of unexpected surprise, including effective jump scares that completely caught the audience off guard. Yet the performance was not entirely filled with chilling stories. Across the three stories, Strickland explored a multitude of emotions, that shifts between humorous quips and suspenseful and unease with remarkable expressiveness.
His connection with the audience was particularly impressive, his eye contact really entranced you into his devilish stories making the performance feel even more personal. His expressive eyes became another storytelling tool, communicating emotion even whilst he was speaking.The technical elements only illuminated his skills and added to his storytelling, with a special highlight on the lighting and sound design by Erika MacDonald, who worked in harmony with Strickland’s performance, heightening suspense and adding atmosphere without taking away from the stories themselves.
The Butter Chicken Odyssey Abby Solomon
Like the perfect butter chicken, Ramneek Singh’s The Butter Chicken Odyssey is a rich, layered, and impossible to forget story that truly leaves you wanting seconds. Following Edmontonian food writer Ramneek Singh, this one man show takes the audience on a deeply personal and hilarious journey through Sinhg’s ups and downs with both his Indian and Canadian identity, highlighting his culture, identity, and growing up Canadian. Not only does he carry the entire performance with a confident voice and an impressive ability to command the audience, the rhythm of his storytelling was a consistent tempo that ended just as strongly.
One of Ramneek Singh’s greatest strengths is his heartfelt storytelling that is completely in tune with the rhythm of his stories and the crowd. He effortlessly moves in between cultural and linguistic connections while also keeping the audience thoroughly engaged. His crowd work is also equally impressive, with many locally inspired quips and funny jokes that just made the performance even more personal, bringing the entire audience together. Despite its humorous delivery, The Butter Chicken Odyssey is a telling of a meaningful story about cultural integration and the experiences of a young man that is trying to navigate his cultural identity through Butter Chicken. Singh’s ability to balance comedy with genuine emotion is what makes the show even more so memorable. The extent of his storytelling abilities becomes especially clear with his emotional, expressive features that had the audience hooked. The depth and meaning of his story had the audience wiping away tears and sniffling, only for Singh to shift the atmosphere yet again, almost instantly, and have the same audience doubled over in laughter. Even more so were the technical elements of the show that complemented his performance beautifully. The lighting fits the atmosphere of each scene and helps guide the audience through Singh’s journey. A special shoutout goes to sound designer Dave Clarke and set and lighting designer Trent Crosby, with funny sound effects, traditional Indian soundtrack, and contributions that help elevate the show and create a polished theatrical experience.
“In a world where you can be anything, be punctual.” Abby Solomon
From the moment this Archie inspired musical began, it was clear Rivercity the Musical wasn’t taking itself too seriously. Set in a high school, this musical shows an intentionally exaggerated, cartoon-like style of comedy. With a standout live band, with a triad of talented musicians Jyn-Ting Ying, Shawn Gan, and Aaron Addorisio. They helped to tie the whole musical together, bringing a certain energy to the performance and made the musical numbers feel more lively. The production also used exaggerated sound effects throughout the performance, adding to the playful and cartoon-like atmosphere of the show, giggle. Bringing a comic like atmosphere that only added another layer to the show's humour. Additionally, one other standout vocalist was B. Cooper, played by Renee DeSilva Bissell, whose vocal skills added much character to the show.
However, the show was not always successful for me, with much of the humor being more childish and certain repetitive moments became more difficult for me to connect to the production and is particularly more inclined to appeal to a younger audience. Especially throughout the show, where there were several mic mishaps that were slightly distracting from the audience's perspective. Still the cast handled it smoothly without letting these difficulties take away from the show, and it is perfect for those who enjoy a playful, over-the-top comedy, there is certainly something to enjoy.
Murder Plot! Abby Solomon
The tolling of bells and the ominous presence of figures within the dark, Murder plot! instantly engrosses the crowd's attention evidenced by the full audience and a sold-out show. What initially starts off as a deadly discovery of the murder of the Lord of the Manor, transforms into a chaotic investigation in search of the culprit. This becomes increasingly difficult as every suspicious character seemingly begins to help the World-Class Detective, played by Jeremy Schick, to solve the case whose expressive physicality makes the investigation even more ridiculous. Between the suspicious secretary, persistent chauffeur, and an overlooked detective, the play creates a murder mystery that is just as intriguing as it is comedic. What makes this plot of this show even more hilarious and fitting to watch is that the entire cast is made up of lawyers. One of the standout cast members was the widow of the Lord of the Manor herself, played by Sarah Rossman. Her lack of worry in coming to a conclusion about her husband's death is hilarious. Rossman's expressive faces, her focus on getting the dinner spread and purposeful confusion add to the play's humorous intent. The widow's expensive aura and extravagant costume creates a hilarious delay to the seriousness of her husband’s murder, making her one of the most memorable characters in my opinion. The cast working together to distract the detective is just a hilarious addition to the storyline that leaves you simply wanting even more.
Lucky: The House Always Wins Abby Solomon
Lucky is a one man show following a sneaky Casino owner, teaching the crowd how to get rich and beat the house. The catch? The House always wins. Performer and playwright Ron Pearson is a magician, writer, and actor who tells a story, a rather intriguing and interactive one, that goes beyond the casino and gambling. What begins as a lesson in how to beat the house slowly becomes a reflection on specific systems within society, a message that truly resonated with me. Pearson uses the casino setup to poke at how society is actually run. He repeatedly mentions the phrase The House Always Wins, comparing simple casino and street gambling games to the real world with mentions of real time events that truly forces you to pause and reflect. The house makes you comfortable and acts like it wants you to win, but at the end of the day, the system is designed so they always get their cut. Rather than feeling like a heavy lecture on power and control, Pearson keeps things super engaging with smooth magic tricks and fun crowd work. You're laughing and having a great time, but you still walk away looking at the world a little differently, definitely a clever and eye opening comedy that is worth seeing.
Have you seen Diane? Abby Solomon
This comedic drama is established at a romance convention, introducing three completely different authors to discuss their approaches to love, writing, and the romance industry. It explores a multitude of themes regarding womanhood and the different obstacles that women go through in order to find love and what love means for them. Bringing to light the changes that have happened over the years in regards to romance, whether it be platonic or romantic, the cast perfectly embodies how love is shown and seen. Some standout cast members to me were Trevor Schmidt, playing Melissa (Missy) Galvon, and Jason Hardwick, playing Dame Nausea Wildenhart. Something that especially stood out was Trevor Schmidt’s portrayal of Missy even before the show began, Schmidt was already completely in character. Establishing the atmosphere of the production, and oh I wonder Have you seen Diane? Then Dame Nausea Wildenhart, played by Jason Hardwick, represents a traditional and old-fashioned approach to romance. Her ideas centre around marriage and traditional female roles, an outdated sort of patriarchal approach to romance. Her obvious repulsion with discussions of some rather naughty scenes created some funny moments, especially through her physical reactions and aversion to the topics. In contrast, Janet Van Herpen, played by Michelle Todd, is much more confident and open about her romantic desires. Her boldness created an entertaining contrast with Dame Nausea and showed how differently women can approach relationships and intimacy. Karin Cuttler, played by Jake Tkaczyk, brought another perspective, approaching romance in a more controlled, psychological, and clinical way. Tkaczyk character added another layer by demonstrating that love can also be understood through emotion, thought, and personal experience. Queens of Romance brought to the forefront that love is beyond romance. It discusses the importance of platonic relationships, community, and the connections women create with one another. Immensely engaging and thoughtful production, an amazing depiction that love does not have one fixed definition with its contrasting characters showing demonstrates that love can take many forms, and that difference is what makes it meaningful.
Go West, Young Man: A Canadian, a Monkey, and a Sex Goddess Abby Solomon
Unapologetically Canadian and comedically naive, Canadian teen Craig Russel travels from his drab life in Ontario to explore the intriguing world of Hollywood to work under his iconic inspiration, Mae Star. What starts as a rather shy teenager’s attempt to escape his monotonous city in pursuit of the Legendary sex goddesses to teach him the ways, their relationship got off to a rocky start. Yet, Craig and Mae bloomed into a surprisingly beautiful connection and a lesson, a journey filled not only with plenty naughty double entendres, yet also an unexpectedly resonant message. The short comedy was especially brought to life by Ainsley Hillyard's character, Boogie the Monkey, a rather mischievous character with witty playfulness and naughty antics that left the crowd intrigued and doubled over with laughter. His rough start with Craig, slowly progresses into a hilarious push and pull connection was captivating to watch. With the monkey's suggestive humour, especially in regards to Novak, played by David McNally, balanced out. Zachary Parsons-Lozinski's character demonstrates a really heartfelt and naive devotion to his icon. From his expressive reactions and genuine fear of the Boogie the Monkey to his genuine desire to impress Mae West, Parsons-Lozinski made Craig an endearing and comical character, creating a dynamic that kept the audience engaged emphasizing his innocence and admiration. The sex goddess herself, Mae West, played by Andrea House captured the spirit of the quick witted woman. Her sultry vocal mimicry embodies the icon herself, whilst full of surprises and comedic timings filled with naughty double entendres to life. Go West, Young Man was an intriguing show that kept the audience engaged throughout the entirety, its playful comedy will definitely be bringing me back to see!