Kayla Turnbull

There's a bounty of potential with Witches in the Closet, and I hope it gets another chance to shine soon.

With two incredibly talented singers, this is a new musical about two sapphic young women accused of witchcraft. Cute and simple choreography accompany simple (but effective) lighting and set design. The writing felt a bit clunky at times (lyrics included) and could do with a little polishing. I chalk the longer-than-needed scene transitions up to a completion of the song's instrumentals that simply took too much time when the actors were ready to move on. Trim some of the excess music and keep the pace up, instead.

The ending is in need of closure, doubling back to my earlier point of polishing up the writing. There's a lot of emotional depth only touched on and not fully explored in this new musical. Consider allowing the weight of the character's experience to sacrifice some of the pretty vocals and music.

All in all, a decent show with plenty of room to grow.

A wonderful show, all in all.

The performances were amazing, even the smaller roles. Touching, well-written, and boasting wonderful design elements (particular shout out to the set). At times the transitions were a bit excessive, and personally I don't think the MC needed a costume change in between each scene, but the projections and atmospheric noise to accompany the transitions were impressive.

Though a 90 minute show, it didn't drag on and I was engaged. Easily I think this show could do with a full two act production. There's more to explore in the story, and I can see an integration of more unconventional theatrical elements to help elevate the story and deepen the emotional impact.

This could be a great show in time, but not quite yet.

Aside from the minor qualms of off-cue sounds, the (seemingly) unnecessary running crew, and scenes that weren't wholly necessary, I think the biggest flaw in this production is its writing. The performers were committed to their characters, but unfortunately the dialogue did not give them much to work with. The pacing also seemed much too quick and never allowed the characters to settle into the emotional impact of what was happening in the story. Speaking of, the root problem was muddy. Is the story about Hannah's journey with polyamory or her familial relationship, or body issues, or her demanding job?

From a last minute twist that came out of left field (and didn't resolve anything, really), the writing needs some TLC for any future productions.

On the flip side, queer stories are abound at Fringe and I appreciate that this show in particular touched on polyamory and navigating new waters, something that is not commonly seen onstage. With tightening and a close look at the dialogue, again, this show could be something great some day.

Wanda's Worry is such a sweet show! For the littles who love their imaginary friends to the grown-ups who need permission to relax and feel some childlike wonder again, this is the perfect little show.

The projections are a wonderful integration into the story and while some perfecting could be beneficial, the magic was never lost on the audience. With a great message, great performance, and engaging audience interaction, this is definitely a show the littles will enjoy.

If it weren't sold out for the remainder of the run, I'd encourage all my odd theatre friends to prioritize this show. While I'm vaguely familiar with The Oresteia, this production did an incredible feat of hitting all the important beats, highlighting each character plainly despite a small cast, and modernizing a tragic tale (that has its happier moments).

All four performers were marvellous in their respective roles, the lights and sound elevated the contemporary-queer twist, and all production elements functioned like a well-oiled machine. With minimal set and props and costumes, I found the utmost clarity in the story which inherently proves theatre does not need to be "flashy."

I can see how this production might not be for first-time Fringers, and that's perfectly okay. Its quirks make it entertaining, but I wouldn't recommend bringing your new-to-theatre friend here unless you're looking to frighten them away. At times difficult to digest and evoking real discomfort, the production was otherwise terribly engaging. I'm looking forward to what else Tiny Bear Jaws has to offer!

Shams by Rumi is sweet, different, but it needs some polishing.

With solid performances from the cast and wonderful cultural elements from the Middle-East (including dialogue in Arabic and Farsi), there's a lot to enjoy about the story that is quite unfamiliar to an Albertan audience.

However, the show is long. The script could be trimmed down and dialogue tightened to keep the pace up. Paired with a few too many long scene transitions and cues not quite on their mark, the production as a whole could have benefited from a little bit more rehearsal.

Admittedly, I am not familiar with the poets for whom this show is based upon and I found myself longing for more of that "artsy" element you can only find on a stage. To me, this show as a whole felt like it could have been a film.

An Electrifying Bard's Tale is pretty much everything you'd want to see in a Fringe show. Incredible live music, vocals, and hilariously outlandish performances inspired by a fierce love for fantasy and D&D.

The venue offered itself wonderfully to the tale, though I wonder how it can expand if given more space and just a touch more dialogue. The songs were amazing, and I sincerely hope they put out a cast album (ambitious hope on my part).

I ABSOLUTELY recommend this show if you're even a little bit nerdy, love quirky rock music, and looking to laugh. A lot.

Funny, heartfelt, and a must-see for anyone in the performing arts industry! If you have been to an audition, held auditions, or accompanied an audition, you'll find this show incredibly relatable. With wonderful talent and many actor-oriented japes, this show will leave you feeling lighthearted and spunky.

I would love to see this show again in a different venue. Though visually pleasing (if you sat in the front two rows), consequently the quality of sound suffered greatly in that a lot of dialogue was missed and personally I only partially understood what was happening.

The performances were amazing all around, the vocals tight and choreography simple for such a small stage but effective. And certainly the message of this show hits different today.

This show was exactly my cup of tea. From the stellar performances of the entire cast, the gripping dialogue and story structure, even the minimalist but effective set and costumes. As one not familiar with O'Neill's "The Ice Man Cometh" but a huge fan of Peter Pan, I still enjoyed this immensely. Full of emotional grit and dark humour, this is definitely not a child-appropriate adaptation.

I would absolutely see this again, as with anything else this fabulous company produces!