2025 Audience Reviews

Company: Cora Casper
Show: INSOMNIA DOGS
Venue: Mixed Blood

Surreal and engaging

I liked this show quite a bit, it was a little surreal but still engaging. The plot was interesting, but I feel it resolved a bit too quickly and left several loose threads that I’d be interested to see tied off. This is definitely one that would benefit from a longer run time to really let the surreality settle in and the characters develop a little further. I did love the poetry, film, and creative writing set pieces. They added a unique dimension to the story and a fun aspect to the staging that really caught my interest.

Company: Comedy Suitcase
Show: The Gentlemen’s Pratfall Club
Venue: Theatre in the Round

Fantastically funny

A delightful display of classic clownery! Silly slapstick with an extra added dose of nonsense, this show definitely came to play, and has a good time doing it. A must-see for anyone who needs a laugh.

Company: Richie Whitehead
Show: The Wickie
Venue: Barbara Barker Center for Dance

An absolute delight!

Comedic brilliance at work, the star made an amazing and hilarious show out of a ladder, a beard, and a shoe. Great physical comedy, fun and cute audience participation bits, and a delightful script, better than any other lighthouse-based media I’ve seen! Highly recommended, a really lighthearted show that I loved.

Company: Snikt! Bamf! Thwip!
Show: Invasive Species or: In Space No-One Can Hear Your Steam
Venue: Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre

A must for horror fans

If you’re a fan of horror movies, this is definitely the show for you! I never knew I wanted a “who’s on first” bit for classic horror movie monsters, but boy am I glad to have experienced one. This show is a great amalgamation of horror-comedy bits that I enjoyed thoroughly. The only reason I’m not giving it a full five stars is because it relies a bit too heavily on the plot of Alien, and largely forgoes a unique plot of it’s own. It does reimagine it in a steampunk (it’s more steam, and more punk!) world, and the humor alone makes it worth watching, but I think one or two extra plot twists might have made it stand out a bit more.

Company: Third Space Theater
Show: Breach
Venue: Theatre in the Round

Flawless

… and I’m not exaggerating! It felt like it was an “official”, professionally produced show, and it was amazing. An early favorite of the festival so far, for sure! The acting was powerful and subtle when it needed to be, the writing was tight, used the time perfectly, and created an atmosphere that was at once funny and foreboding. The lighting was amazing, and the sound design immersive in all the best ways. I truly can’t praise the show enough. If you only see one at the fringe festival this year, make it this one!

Company: Madlads Productions
Show: Academonic
Venue: Mixed Blood

Fun premise, great acting & movement work

Loved the show, it was a fun idea that played with the idea of possession in the academic space. The acting was fantastic, all of the actors were all-in the whole time, and I have to give a special shout-out to the actor for the main character, who showed the range of emotions her character experienced well enough that I was completely engaged the whole time. Also special shout-out to the guy playing the demon - he did some fantastic movement work that showed his emotions even with a blanket over his head and face the whole time. I’d love to see a longer version some day, but I enjoyed this version a bunch regardless!