SPECIAL EVENT: Cabaret of Bulls#!t

Various Artists

*FESTIVAL MEMBERSHIP IS NOT REQUIRED FOR SPECIAL EVENTS*

What happens when you leave a troupe of artists to their own devices? What else but the ‘Cabaret of Bülls#!t’, of course?! Returning for 2023, this flashlight-flooded event is brought to us by long-standing Fringe veteran Martin Dockery – who also returns to the Festival with the riotous ‘Long Night of the American Dream’ in association with Concrete Drops Theatre.

The events of the night have always been veiled in secrecy, and are meticulously designed to catch you off guard. But at least one thing is certain… for years, the ‘Cabaret’ has brought Fringe fans together with its wild theatrical antics, music, mayhem and utterly entrancing absurdity. What exactly will this year bring? Be sure to book fast and guarantee yourself a chance to find out at the ultimate Festival bash.

SPECIAL EVENT: On The Fringe

Cory Thibert & Nancy Kenny

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FESTIVAL MEMBERSHIP IS NOT REQUIRED FOR SPECIAL EVENTS*

‘On the Fringe’ is a captivating documentary that takes viewers on a journey through Canada’s most vibrant and eclectic arts festival circuit. Chronicling the experiences of four groups of artists as they travel from coast to coast, the film provides a rare and compelling insight into the world of Fringe theatre, and the artists who rely on these festivals to make their dreams come true.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS:
The film was directed by Cory Thibert and produced by Nancy Kenny. The duo teamed up to create this unique and insightful look at the Canadian Fringe Festival circuit, having been inspired by the creative energy they witnessed during their own tours of the festivals. Along with cinematographer and editor, Natalie Watson, the team of, at the time, emerging film artists, fully captured the spirit and energy of the Fringe in their creative process, resulting in a homespun and engaging documentary.

‘Best Documentary Film’ – 2023 Screen Nova Scotia Awards
Official selection at NorthWest Fest (Edmonton) – Canada’s oldest documentary festival

“A fun look at what happens after the curtain closes” – Orlando Sentinel

The Music of Tracy Chapman and Others

HUG

Also known as ‘Magic Woman’, Montreal-based Indie Recording Artist HUG is excited to perform her gratitude showcase which will celebrate the music of Tracy Chapman and other artists. HUG is a unique and soulful performer with a talent for tugging at the heartstrings with heartfelt lyrics. Her style has been praised by many, with one spectator describing her as “painting with your voice”.

ABOUT HUG
HUG’s signature style combines bass/vocals with blues, gospel, reggae, pop, and light jazz. HUG is a multi-lingual artist, musician, singer-songwriter and content creator, facilitating conversation about African-Diaspora/'”Black” history and social consciousness.

Big Foot

Sinead Walsh

Sinéad Walsh has spent over 30 years putting their big foot in it. This debut hour of stand-up, from one of Irish comedy’s rising stars, follows their queer conundrums, family fuck-ups and hilarious gender binary mambos.

“Absolutely brilliant! Some key topics covered and so many laughs” – Faversham Fringe Festival

“Their punk rock stage presence is the bedrock from which she sets sail” – Coco Comedy Club

A Magic Show

Jordan Rooks

‘A Magic Show’ with Jordan Rooks is a family-friendly magic show good for all ages. Jordan has worked with some of the greatest entertainers of our time in Las Vegas Nevada, now he has created a show about his life and magical stories along the way.

Long Night of the American Dream

Concrete Drops Theatre

Best new play of the year! An exciting, divisive, heartfelt, ridiculous, enraging, funny, and head-spinning two-person play about the spasmodic slumber and voluptuous visions of a knackered nation. Directed by Vanessa Quesnelle, performed by Andrew Broaddus and Martin Dockery (who’s won over 50 awards over 15 years of touring).

Previous shows by Martin Dockery include ‘Every Good Story Ends With One’, ‘Delirium’, ‘Inescapable’, ‘Love is a Battlefield’, ‘You Belong Here’, ‘Moonlight After Midnight’, and many more…

The Pigeon & The Dove: A History of Hatred & Love

CVM & Reid Jamieson

Much like the homeless and the housed, the pigeon and the dove are, in fact, the same damn bird. ‘They’ are ‘Us’.

Inspired by the works of Buffy Sainte Marie & Dr. Gabor Mate, Vancouver singer-songwriters Reid Jamieson & Carolyn Mill use a mix of music and comedy to explore the tipping point, where we go from housed to homeless. Cycles of lighthearted vignettes about the much-maligned pigeon, related insight from local housing advocates, and dark but danceable songs reflecting on the many roads one can take to end up on the street – by singing these stories we may find them easier to hear. But really, it’s about pigeons.

Prepare to be amazed by this fascinating bird of lost paradise as we take an eye-opening journey of perception, with a bird’s eye view of those living on the street.

MONSTER

Direct Theatre Collective

She is one of the most infamous women in literature, the grotesque beast with her hair full of snakes and a gaze that turns men to stone, but who is Medusa? Everyone knows the name, but few actually know the story of this once mortal woman turned to the malevolent creature that we see depicted across decades of art and writing. Behind the image burned into history, a (very human) voice is buried in layers upon layers of unrelenting narrative spun by those who prefer we believe she is the MONSTER.

From the creative minds behind the award-winning productions ‘ver·i·si·mil·i·tude’ and ‘Hysteria’, Direct Theatre Collective presents a bold new musical production based on the story of Medusa featuring original music and lyrics from Florence Reiher and Jill Raymond.

‘Best Play’ – BroadwayWorld Awards on ‘ver·i·si·mil·i·tude’ (2022)

‘Artistic Innovation Award’ – Richmond Arts Awards on ‘Hysteria’ (2020)

The Judge’s Daughter

Sinister Seniors Ensemble

How can we the people question the actions of our Supreme Court Judges? Award-winning playwright Mairy Beam tackles this question with a stellar cast of four. This play takes place over a few weeks in the Whistler ski cabins of Judge Kelly Saint Patrick, and her lawyer husband, James Brown. When their daughter, Erin, falls in love with an activist, tensions arise. A sudden death raises the morality of jailing anti-pipeline protesters. It’s time for judgement and the audience is the jury.

CAST
Jennifer Fahrni
Sidney Klips
Linden Banks
Arsham Farasat

“Fahrni is especially impressive… Her acting has a relaxed, naturalistic quality” – VancouverPlays on ‘Collected Stories’ (2022)

SPECIAL EVENT: Smut Slam

Cameryn Moore / Little Black Book Productions

*FESTIVAL MEMBERSHIP IS NOT REQUIRED FOR SPECIAL EVENTS*

Vancouver’s only community dirty storytelling open mic is back with a special Fringe edition. The theme? ‘WILD’. Sex without a map. Out-of-control encounters. Go on. Go there. We want it. Created and hosted by Fringe fave Cameryn Moore, ‘Smut Slam’ features real-life, first-person sex stories from the audience and judges, and readings from the F*kbucket (anonymous questions and confessions)!

IMPORTANT: ‘Smut Slam’ is queer-friendly, kink- AND vanilla-friendly, fat-friendly, sex worker-friendly, virgin-friendly, polyamory-friendly, we’re really, really friendly. We welcome people with all types and amounts of sexual experiences. We DO NOT welcome stories involving racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, or any other kind of discrimination or nonconsensual objectification or fetishization

“The various stories I’ve experienced at ‘Smut Slam’ are deep down just stories about the human condition. This show brings humans together in a way that many storytelling shows don’t even come close to” – Peter Michael Marino, SOLOCOM

Big Fat Cliché

Steven Morton

“I was scared to pursue musical theatre for a few reasons, and here’s why!”

What happens when a young Mormon boy longs to be a part of the magical, yet sinful (*gasp*) world of musical theatre? From first auditions to a first kiss, ‘Big Fat Cliché’ is an autobiographical revue that takes on questions of who you’re supposed to be and who you’re meant to be.

“A virtuoso solo performer… rich voice… witty lyrics… incredibly poignant” – Calgary Herald

‘Spirit of the Fringe’ Award-winner – Victoria Fringe (2022)
‘Outstanding Fringe Production’ Nominee – Calgary Theatre Critics’ Awards (2023)
‘Critic’s Pick’ Award-winner – Hamilton Fringe (2022) on ‘Drag Me to the Opera’

LARRY

Candy Roberts

Gear down Big Rig, Larry will learn you everything you never wanted to know!

Award-winning Canadian Clown Artist Candice Roberts assumes her alter ego in this daring and comedic piece about one dude’s hilarious attempt at self-improvement. With a little rock and roll, some life-couching, and a dip into his own psyche, Larry uncovers a little more than anyone expected.

Culled lovingly from the male archetypes that surrounded her during her upbringing, LARRY helps Candice compassionately examine the limitations of the gender binary, aging as a woman in society, and the complexities of being human.

Larry is for anyone who likes a good belly laugh, an emotional transport or has ever been told (or has told someone) to smile more.

‘Pick of the Fringe’ – Orlando Fringe, Edmonton Fringe, Vancouver Fringe, NYC Fringe (2019)

“‘LARRY’ opened me up and took me to a higher plane. Roberts’s clowning technique is first-rate – once she gets you laughing, she will not f#@king let up” – Colin Thomas

Moby Dick

Roderick Glanville

Roderick Glanville’s one-hour version of this ‘Nantucket Sleighride’ cracks along with all the excitement and fury you’d expect from such an epic sea adventure. Playing no less than 12 roles, it’s impossible to take your eyes off Glanville as he shifts between characters; from Ishmael to Ahab and Queequeg to Starbuck, his physical embodiment of each of the Pequod’s crew is worth the price of admission alone.

“It’s an intense experience” – ★★★★ Times Colonist

“Glanville’s ‘Moby Dick’ is the consummate one-man production, a wonderful pairing of great story and masterful storyteller” – Monday Magazine

i carry your heart with me

Egg Theatre

‘i carry your heart with me’ is a play about my beloved mom, Cecile Martin, who died of breast cancer at 36, I was 12. Interwoven is my story of living with a mother-sized hole in my heart, learning to let go, find peace, acceptance and joy while celebrating her extraordinary life.

I’m Spilling The T

Marion Waterston aka Divine Hartist

What’s The T? From uncomfortable to inspirational, witness my miraculous journey from a lifetime of playing hide and seek from myself. These hard to believe stories and poems may blow your mind, as it did mine.

Trauma and diagnoses thrust me into a dark place. There is “I’ in illness and “We” in wellness. Words have the power to be used as weapons or as wands. Bravely exposing secrets from my once protective shell and those lies I trapped within my cells.

Have you made peace with your story? After all, don’t we all have T’s?

“For exemplifying profound generosity, kindness, and for giving a huge amount of hard work to our community” – ‘Spirit of the Fringe’ Award-Winner, Vancouver Fringe (2022)

Cabaret of Murder

Blair Moro

John Wayne Gacy. Ted Bundy. Dennis Rader. Elizabeth Wettlaufer. David Koresh. Charles Manson. Erik Menendez. Cho Seung-Hui. What do all of these people have in common? ART!… and also murder. But mostly art.

Painting, poetry, music, and even plays. Serial killers and murderers have created art before, during, and after their heinous crimes. Three powerhouse women combine humour with terror as they present works of art made by serial killers.

‘Pick of the Fringe’ – Vancouver Fringe (2022)

“A rambunctious show for any lover of true crime podcasts” – A. Wade, See Vancouver

“Our audience laughed uproariously throughout” – A. Wade, See Vancouver

Grease, Too!

Nutmeg Creations

Welcome to this one-woman world of whimsy, where Greased-Lightening-meets-Cool-Rider! It’s ‘Grease’ and ‘Grease 2’, all smooshed together in a musical love letter where you can be even more what you feel.

From the creator of ‘Periscope’ and ‘Not Enough’ (a sell-out at Vancouver Fringe 2016) comes a story reclaiming joy, agency, groove, and meaning. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you will wonder ‘who’s that guy’… because in here, Grease IS the word.

★★★★ – CBC

“Dynamite!” – Plank Magazine

“Multitalented and dangerously funny” – Roverarts

“Powerful physicality, spot-on comedic timing, and acting chops that’ll take you by surprise!” – Room Magazine

The Fox Story

Blewett Productions

‘The Fox Story’ invites an intimate look at the thoughts and feelings of an ordinary woman, artist, mother and daughter as she struggles with grief, regret, and fear. She shares her visions, hope for the future, and recounts the recurring dream that holds elusive meaning and direction. The telling includes poetic language, visual imagery and stylistic movement. Audiences have described The Fox Story as relatable, resonant and moving.

Performed and created by Eliza Hicks, this play is based on the short story ‘The Fox Story’ written and illustrated by Robert E. Livingood and Stephanie Kellet.

Includes themes related to mental illness and loss. Language may not be suitable for all audiences.

Fake n’ Bake

Oh Hello! Productions

Fake n’ Bake takes us through the mental health struggles and addictions that Ellie Heath ultimately learns to face with humour and overcome in this 55 minute show. It’s a light hearted look at addiction, recovery and confronting those critics inside your head.

“A talented actor with hefty comedic chops” – ★★★★★ Edmonton Journal

“Despite its serious subject matter it’s downright fun and funny” – 12thNight

Peaches: The Play!

“Maarika is Funny” Productions

Set in the dystopian future of 2028, Maarika, an actor coming back to her craft after a 7-year hiatus, is preparing for a big audition: the lead in a brand new musical! Only there’s a catch: it’s for the role of Harvey Weinstein.

In a dialogue with her shadow, a puppet named Peaches, Maarika spends the last half-hour before her audition trying to put herself in the shoes of her attacker, as her acting coach suggested. In doing so, she finds out just how much the victim and aggressor have in common within the rape culture narrative.

Based on her real life experience coming forward and inspired by her podcast of the same name, this piece of fictional theatre examines what it really means to be on the right side of history.

“Ultimately formidable” – NOW Toronto

The Emigrants

Exact Resemblance

In an obscure basement, two flatmates, one political migrant and an economic migrant argue with each other. The former dreams of the day he will write his life’s work, while the latter hoards money, dreaming that one day he will return to his home village and build a house.

These two characters seem to contrast sharply, communication between them seems impossible, but in fact one cannot exist without the other. They are the embodiment of contradictions. Neither is completely good or completely bad.

Together they form the typologies of thousands of migrants today, who become slaves to their own dreams.

The Disney Delusion

Leif Oleson-Cormack

Comedian Leif Oleson-Cormack pushes confessional comedy to its limits in this show about a methodically moronic plan to double-down on unrequited love through a disastrous trip to Disneyland. Featuring criminal acts, surgically-altered sugar daddies, Sinatra impersonators, and a cynically-charged ‘coming out’, this (unfortunately) true story is not to be missed.

‘Outstanding English Comedy’ nominee – Montreal Fringe (2022)

“Leif Oleson-Cormack shows how two things – storytelling skill and pure fearlessness – can make for truly captivating theatre” – The Edmonton Journal

“Leif Oleson-Cormack shows us where the future of stand-up comedy should lie” – View Magazine

“Feverish, funny and fantastical, this adventure delivers entertainment on all fronts. Love it” – Jenny Revue

The Chair on the Door

Pencilbox Productions

The often funny, sometimes death-defying journey of Travis Abels, from his origins in a doomsday cult to a life of thrill-seeking hedonism, eventually landing somewhere in-between. Can he shed his biblical shame? Can he break through the doors, both literal and symbolic, standing in the way of self-acceptance? ‘The Chair on the Door’, from four-time winner of the Moth, explores this and more, through a unique blend of heartfelt and hilarious storytelling.

The Wherewithal

Falstaff’s Page (YT) and Derek Mohamed Presents

Man defies 6-months-to-live ‘death prognosis’, then creates Theatre Show to celebrate Life.

Personas are ‘masks’ we socially don and each has its purpose: playfully serious and seriously playful.

You’ll experience some Shakespeare, 20+ Masks, 30+ Pop Songs, 30+ Languages, 40+ Famous Film Scenes, 50+ Cultures, 100+ Famous Paintings, AND a quiz!

muse: an experiment in storytelling and life drawing

Cameryn Moore / Little Black Book Productions

Join Fringe favorite Cameryn Moore for her stories from the streets and art studios of Berlin, in an unforgettable, interactive, and truly creative experience. Sketch, watch, listen, ask questions… what will you discover? Free drawing materials while supplies last, or bring your own.

Cameryn is an award-winning playwright/performer and storyteller, with seven solo shows to date. Her works have been seen in over 75 cities around the world. She is the founder of ‘Smut Slam’, a global network of dirty-storytelling events, and YIKES, a celebration of awkward performance. Cameryn started life modeling in 2017.

‘Artistic Risk’ Award-winner – Vancouver Fringe (2016)

★★★★★ – BroadwayBaby

★★★★ – Edmonton Journal

Forest Of Truth

Theatre Group GUMBO

A fantastically distorted love comedy starring human beings and the amorous lies they tell themselves (and one another). In ‘Forest of Truth’, a Man and a Woman fall in ‘love’ amongst the densest trees. However, the mythical residents of the forest have other plans. A surreal satirical take on love from your favorite Japanese theatre makers, GUMBO. All the awkward aspects of love are on full display here – along with over-the-top costumes, earworm music and super-epic dance moves.

‘Fringe of the Fringe’ – San Diego Fringe (2016)
‘Outstanding Comedy’ – San Diego Fringe (2016)

“This is fun with a Japanese flavor! Go taste it!” – ★★★★★ Adelaide Theatre Guide

CRUSH

Molly Rose-Williams

Part love letter, part absurdist caper, and part cultural satire, ‘CRUSH’ is a show for anyone who’s ever had a crush. Join solo performer Molly Rose-Williams as she brings her “distinctive alchemy of humor and pathos” (SF Chronicle) to questions of the heart, melding dance, theater, and storytelling to explore the trials and tribulations of love, and the promises and pitfalls of self-help culture.

Hailed by critics as “simply enchanting” (Jen Norris Reviews Dance), “delightful in a way that stops time” (Melissa Hudson Bell), and “equal parts earnest and ironic” (SF Chronicle), ‘CRUSH’ will make you fall in love with crushing.

“Simply enchanting… Rose-Williams is a seemingly natural performer” – Jen Norris Dance Reviews

“Delightful… Reminds me why I first fell in love with live performance” – Melissa Hudson Bell, Life As A Modern Dancer

Three Acts of a Woman: Birth-Life-Tomorrow

TAFF ART SOCIETY

This episodic play powerfully portrays the lives of women reclaiming their power in the face of oppressive forces, aiming to create a better future for themselves and society. Inspired by the real-life Woman-Life-Freedom movement led by Iranian women, who rose up following the tragic death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of the morality police. Each of the three episodes: Birth, Life, Freedom, draws inspiration from iconic female characters in history: Joan of Arc, Antigone, and Medea.

TrudeauMania

Steel Wolf

April 1968: Bombs are exploding in the streets of Montreal, as the shadowy FLQ attempt to gain independence for Quebec through explosions and armed robbery. The Liberal Party, fearing defeat in the next Federal election, holds a convention in Ottawa to find a new leader. The party establishment have their man, but the youth want the maverick from Montreal, Pierre Trudeau.

‘TrudeauMania’ is his life story (in 75 minutes!), from his radical school days to a love affair with Barbra Streisand, from his rise to power and progressive legislation to the War Measures Act and suspension of civil liberties. With original music, dance and a young, high energy cast, be advised: the House will rock.

‘Canadian Playwriting Competition’ runner-up – Theatre BC (2018)

“Super fun! Joyful and always engages its audience” – Anton Lipovetsky (Composer in Residence, The Musical Stage Company)

“The music is brilliant!” – Steve Edge (Rogue Folk Club)

Femmillennial

Kylie Thompson Dance

A visceral contemporary dance trio weaves in an out of absurdity and calm. The dancers are at once connected at the hip and at the same time 3 separate one-woman shows. A highly physical work for three women, it explores themes of femininity, generational communication and women’s roles in society.

This 3D collage of movement, media and music was conceptualized and choreographed by Kylie Thompson, with music by Nomvdslvnd and video projection designed by Thompson in collaboration with Simon Clemo.

‘Best Dance Show’ — Orlando Fringe (2023)

“An ultra physical dance theatre piece, ‘Femmillennial’ examines the abstract intersection of intimacy and absurdity” – Range Magazine

“A hyperphysical and hilarious feminist dance piece – Thompson cleverly deploys multimedia elements throughout, complimenting the disquiet that emerges under the auspices of an ageing patriarchy” – Miles Forrester, smART Magazine

Agasimbo

CLUB CULTUREL INKINZO

Agasimbo is a traditional dance from the province of Makamba in the south of Burundi. Agasimbo used to be danced at the royal court of Buha in order to entertain the royal family. The dance is a little bit acrobatic; it requires physical strength and coordination from the performers. The performers will be divided in three groups. The first one will be singing, the second group will be performing and the last one will replace the second group progressively without losing the track of the dance.

Tango in the Dark

PointeTango

Direct from Argentina, award-winning dance company PointeTango returns to the Vancouver Fringe with an electrifying new show. ‘Tango in the Dark’ brings audiences to the streets of Buenos Aires with a story of two lovers moving to the rhythms of the city night.

What happens when classical ballet meets Argentine tango? PointeTango! A one-of-a-kind company that combines the raw energy of Argentine tango with the precision of ballet on pointe. Join this mesmerizing duo as they wow audiences with rapid-fire footwork, exciting spins and gravity-defying lifts.

‘Best On-Demand Show’ – Pittsburgh Fringe Festival (2021)

“They dance as one body, with grace and precision” – ★★★★★ Monday Magazine

“It’s flirty. It’s funny. It’s excellent” – Montreal Rampage

“Athletes and artists of the highest order” – VanCityVince

“It’s moving, dramatic, acrobatic, sensual and haunting” – Roots Music Canada

“Scott-Kafadar and Richardson’s chemistry is off the charts” – Van City Vince

Orchestra of Sound

Born To Fly Entertainment

What do you get when you mix hundreds of sounds from the world around us with a live performer playing instruments made from junk? You get beautiful compositions in a new, high-energy musical show the whole family can enjoy. ‘The Orchestra of Sound’ is a multi-media musical experience.

A screen projects images of a performer creating a myriad of different sounds by playing on bridges, train tracks, cannons, automobiles, a satellite dish, a sewer cover and wine glasses to name a few, all the while performing live on-stage using instruments crafted from recycled materials.

Learn the stories behind the sounds and how they were knitted together to create exciting original melodies and never-before-heard orchestrations performed in this unique, one-man show. You won’t believe your ears!

THE FOOL

Monster Theatre / RibbitRePublic

A dim-witted medieval simpleton is unwittingly named the King’s new Court Fool. Hilarity ensues.

Written and directed by Ryan Gladstone and starring Jonathon Paterson – creators of ‘Pick of the Fringe’ (Vancouver Fringe, 2022) award-winners ‘Juliet: A Revenge Comedy’ and ‘How I Met My Mother’.

“Monster Theatre is money in the bank!” – ★★★★★ CBC

“Keeps audiences in stitches from beginning to end” – ★★★★ Winnipeg Free Press

Generic Male: Just What We Need, Another Show About Men

PUSH Physical Theatre

The Generic Males’ multi-award winning Off-Broadway show comes to Vancouver Fringe for the first time to give us just what we need: another god-damn show about men. It’s fathers and sons, it’s war and death. It takes us into the beating heart of the failing patriarchy as it descends into acrobatic absurdity.

Described by The Orlando Weekly as “Cirque du Soleil meets Samuel Beckett with a dash a Monty Python”. Are we watching a couple of petty idiots or is this the most insightful piece of theatre of the 21st century… No.

You’ll laugh out loud, you’ll cry your ass off. Or you’ll bury those feeling deep inside and never speak of them again.

Ugh… men.

★★★★★ Edmonton Journal

“This is the type of inventive, thought-provoking art the Fringe was made for” – Orlando Sentinel

“Exquisite actors, superb comedians, athletic and graceful” – Apt613

“You’ve never seen a show as cleverly complex as Generic Male” – Orlando Weekly

COMŒDIA

Greenmounts

The most famous characters of the Commedia dell’Arte in a oneman show: two couples of lovers, a silly old father, two twin brothers detached for a long time…

Among funny and unexpected twisted plots, ‘COMŒDIA’ offers an amazing and contemporary experience of the traditional Italian masked theatre. Awarded in Italy as best Commedia dell’Arte performance.

“The precision with which Pellecchia moves on the stage and times his jokes is incredible” – ★★★★★ The Outlier

Making it Up (One Playwright to Another)

One Playwright Productions

Some scripts take a lifetime to write… If anyone had told me what my future would hold, I would have thought they were making it up.”

Join writer and actor Norm Reynolds as he makes his way through appointments with destiny in the realms of academia, finance, and the theatre- including inspirational encounters with playwright Edward Albee.

Directed by Dora Mavor Moore Award-winner Lesley Ballantyne, and recorded by national festival award-winning filmmaker John Bertram.

‘Best In Venue’ – Hamilton Fringe 2022

“Reynolds’ stories are inspiring, the glimpses of his own work are intriguing, and the chance to get to know a bit more about a major American artist like Albee make ‘Making It Up’ well worth your time” – View.mag

“Sharp script… excellent performance… a very well shot and edited piece… a haunting memory of Edward Albee” – Richard Ouzounian

Forbidden City!

Martin Dockery

From 50-time Best-of-Fest award winner Martin Dockery comes a funny, true, and off-the-rails ‘storytelling experience’ about an absurdly faulty audio guide and the birth of his child. Ridiculous, utterly original, and totally sincere. A one-of-a-kind experience not to be missed!

‘Best of Fest’ – Ottawa Fringe 2022

“A marvel of a performance” – The Georgia Straight

“CRITIC’S PICK: Laugh-out-loud funny” – City Beat

“Of the many, many storytellers on the fringe circuit, Dockery remains the best” – Orlando Sentinel

Warhol: Bullet Karma

Garry Roost

‘Warhol: Bullet Karma’ is a solo play. A darkly witty take on the American pop art icon Andy Warhol and the woman who shot him, Valerie Solanas. Set in the factory on the astral plain. Where iconic figures of the day such as Lou Reed, Capote, Edie Sedgwick; and a visiting Francis Bacon (artist) drop in. See what they all have to say about him and what HE says about them!

“It takes guts to take on Andy Warhol. Garry Roost not only takes him on, but masters him” – ★★★★ Broadwaybaby

“A masterclass in bold simplicity and worth any theatre goers time” – ★★★★ Voicemag UK

The Four Worst Things I’ve Ever Done

Brunswick Productions

What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done? I don’t mean skipping church because you’re too hungover, bad. I mean having an affair, bad. I mean walking out on your children, bad. I mean opening a tube of green Pringles on a long car journey, bad.
​
Erin has 4.​
4 things that she believes are unforgivable.​
4 things that keep her up at night.
The 4 worst things she has ever done, and she’s about to confess them all.
​
A breathtaking performance by Katie Shortt elevates ‘The 4 Worst Things’ from a simple dark-comedy to a profound dive into what it means to live a life without meaning.

“Contemporary, intelligent and absorbing” – AlanInBelfast

Patchface

Allswell Productions

A young female switchboard operator becomes intimately involved in the affairs of a young couple when she overhears, and participates in, a series of telephonic exchanges between them ‘Patchface’ is a play about the American Dream, about the generational divide, about revolution and technological advancement; it is about technology, intimacy, desire, communication, and the space between these things.

“In a time where so many of us feel disconnected socially and romantically, ‘Patchface’ reveals the importance of communication with others and the consequences of not doing so” – Steel City Girl Reviews

The Marvelous Misadventures Of Boofus and Schmoozle

Far From The Tree Productions

Two misfit clowns find themselves up creek without a paddle when their traveling circus leaves them behind due to a bad case of stage fright. What Boofus and Schmoozle lack in polish they make up in resourcefulness and they quickly find themselves flying through the mayhem of an impromptu performance in a last ditch attempt to learn cooperation and earn some desperately needed coin.

Props fly, hyjinx abound and panic rises as the pantomiming pair hurtle through a series of desperate acts that grow progressively more surreal as buttons and boundaries are pushed. ‘The Marvelous Misadventures Of Boofus and Schmoozle’ is a ludicrous celebration of sibling partnership that unabashedly explores the tension of conflicting needs and anxieties, with the comfort of having someone in your corner.

Sort of Cerebral

Tomorrow Was Weird

Created by recent Canadian College of Performing Arts Graduates Sara Gargaro and Tiffany Oud, ‘Sort of Cerebral’ is a look into the world within ourselves.

Told through spoken word, physical theatre, and song, together we explore the unseen moments of a young woman trying to find her way through her own relationships, and identity.

Peppered with humour and sincerity this show invites you to witness the conversations never had, the dreams that we keep to ourselves, and the way we sort through our lives in solitude.

Perceptionish

Astrid Trueman

A young woman is expected to escape the liminal dream space she’s been placed into using only red string, old journals, letters from loved ones, magical/symbolic objects and her cynical attitude. The perceived goal of what seems to be a sadistic higher power in creating this detective-esk activity for her is to have her formulate an objective, ‘genuine legacy’ of herself before she leaves.

This seems like an idyllic scenario for a young writer who grapples with a combination of narcissism, self-loathing, and a need to be seen but a deep fear of being understood. She can control how she is known forever with something akin to a cryptic autobiography, but with an important catch – it must be honest. Quickly, she realizes this is a task far from easy, and quite possibly a trick.

Confessions of an Aging Twink

Pippin D’B Productions

‘Confessions of an Aging Twink’ is an autobiographical gay musical one-man show. It’s a coming out story, but even more than that, it chronicles one man’s life-long journey of sexual self-discovery. This coming out story is told through humorous (and sometimes raunchy) Broadway parody songs and unabashed stories from the author’s life growing up in Beverly Hills, coming out in pre-AIDS West Hollywood, and eventually becoming ‘Pippin’, a queer burlesque performer in Eugene, Oregon.

The show includes sexual content and some mild profanity.

‘Pick of the Fringe’ – Victoria Fringe (2022)

Performing Memories

Michael Park

Pianist Michael Park makes his Fringe debut with a tour-de-force for solo speaking-pianist. That’s right, he can tickle the ivories while telling a tale!

‘Performing Memories’ recounts the first time the narrator looked inside various objects from his past, taking the audience on a journey of self-discovery through themes of isolation, shame, fear and death; but also exploration, joy, love and belonging. Packed with 90’s nostalgia, this gay-boy coming-of-age story will tug at all your heart’s strings, then soothe them back into tune.

This Show Will Change Your Life

Anesti Danelis

Award-winning musical comedian, and viral internet hitmaker, Anesti Danelis brings you his hit comedy concert that will change your life better than any self-help book, or healing crystal wielding influencer can. With catchy songs on guitar, piano, and the violin (yes a violin), you will learn how to: steal from work, date while living at home, bisexual revenge, alternative medicines, mental health breaks, how to spot a cheating partner (they have a phone??? that’s suspicious), and so much more!

As seen on CBC, Winnipeg Comedy Festival, Funny or Die, in his comedy special streaming NextUp Comedy, and online with over 250+ million views.

“Hits a high note of excellent comedy” — ★★★★ The Wee Review

“Had people laughing non-stop” — ★★★★ Deadline News UK

“Anesti’s inventive musical standup routine is always a sure bet” — My Entertainment World

The Holy O

Out of Mind Productions

Vera is contemplating becoming a nun but has never considered celibacy one of her virtues. Her situation is complicated by the onset of rapturous prayers leading to the audience becoming characters from her past and saints in the present. As Vera’s story unfolds, she explores the connection of body, spirit, and sexuality with humor and heart. Along the way, the audience helps Vera make some of the biggest decisions of her life, starting with what shirt to wear.

‘The Holy O’ makes its Canadian debut after successful fringe appearances across America. ‘The Holy O’ is an experience that pulls you in and, by the end, has you howling “Oh God” (and yes, that’s a good thing).

Wrecked: A Solo Show

Samantha Levy

A young woman washes up on an abandoned beach. As she fights to figure out how she got there, she dives deeper and deeper into herself. This one-woman show created by Studio 58 graduate Samantha Levy examines complex grief with brutal honesty. Blending cruel reality with escapist fantasy, ’Wrecked’ muses on loss, love, and the questions we cannot answer.

CREATIVE TEAM
Lighting Design: Caroline Frost
Sound Design: Riley Hardwick
Stage Managed: Adam Beggs

I am trying to think of some way to make the title shorter because this one is way too long I think we can all agree

Lee Archer

Lee Archer’s solo show ‘I Am Trying to Think of Some Way to Make the Title Shorter Because This One is Way Too Long I Think We Can All Agree’ is perfect for anyone who would see a show with that title.

And their friends, because usually you have at least one friend who you could text, saying “this sounds interesting — let’s go see this :)” and that first friend would say “OK!” without needing to know every little detail up front. And then more friends might come along too since you and your first friend are going, and then it is already a little group and that is always fun! Lee Archer’s show has been called “Entertaining!” by you, if you have been reading this sentence out loud. Audiences at the 2022 Montreal Fringe called the show “Charming” and “Very Fun”!

‘What Did I Just Watch?’ Award-winner – Northern California Nugget Fringe Festival (2019)

ParaNorma PI

BadPuss Productions

ParaNorma, the peculiar Private Investigator with supernatural abilities, will go to Hell and back to solve your case… literally. Leading a team of trainee PIs, ParaNorma expertly channels and questions eccentric and otherworldly witnesses, even when her inner demon takes control. Will today be the day when all Hell breaks loose?

Outside

Theatre Terrific

We all journey between inside and outside – stopping, part way, to see you, to see me – a tree of roses, a marionette. Why do I keep inside? Why do you stay outside? I step out to step in, to show, to open. Why does it hurt? Your story becomes mine. Your journey reveals mine. The walls move – I see you.

Whale Fall

Same Boat Theatre

Whale Fall is a new one act drama about the extinction of Canada’s Southern Resident Orca population and one woman’s journey to find the last remaining whales, while struggling to hold on to the memory of her father. Part coming of age story and part fable for the era of climate change, Whale Fall is an intimate duet that navigates the troubled waters of family, memory and species extinction. The winner of the Hamilton Fringe ‘Critics Pick Award’ and 2nd place winner of the Hamilton Fringe New Play Contest in 2022, Whale Fall incorporates movement and storytelling to tell a cautionary, captivating and authentic story of transformation, self discovery and what we leave behind for those we love.

‘Critics’ Pick’ Award-winner – Hamilton Fringe (2022)

‘Special Merit’ Award-winner – Theatre BC Playwriting Contest (2022)

Macbeth, Un-Scotched

Spirit Fire Theatre

William Shakespeare reveals the story behind his quest to pen his play ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ amid the turbulent, bloody history of post Elizabethan England. Shakespeare then gives an intimate solo performance of the play in its original pronunciation, as it would have been performed in 1606.

“Shakespeare enthusiasts are in for a royal treat with David Haysom’s tour-de-force solo performance of Macbeth Un-Scotched” – Calgary Herald

Conversations with Penny

Amanda Jane Porter

Imagine finding out your mother is in the emergency room. Except you are separated by 12,500 km of ocean and a worldwide pandemic. Based on real events, this is a story of a daughter’s relationship with her mother as they navigate their final moments together.

Seasoned with humour and moments of brutal honesty, Amanda Jane Porter returns to Vancouver Fringe following her successful 2015 run of her one woman show, ‘The Situation’.

“Funny. Flawless. Charismatic.” – Review Vancouver

“Amanda connects with the audience through her candid narrations and realistic enactments” – Fringe Review UK

How to Tame Your Squirrel

Failure Party

Earl Casablanca the Third is a young squirrel tamer on a mission. There is a growing invasion of Eastern Grey Squirrels that threaten our very humanity.

Conducting a work shop on proper squirrel taming techniques; Earl gives interactive demonstrations and tells exhilarating tales educating the audience and arming us all against the growing threat. Problems arise when Earl’s personal life inhibits his efforts. His father arrives making it worse. His grandfather arrives and the tension grows even more! The three generations of tamers along with the whole audience must unite to dispel the Eastern Grey Squirrel threat.

Will they be able to look past there personal issues and unite together? Or will the squirrels take over the show, the city, and the world?

“Bravest Show” — Kamloops Hydra Festival (2022)

Euphemia

Rob Trick

‘Euphemia’ is the story of a man and his father having the talk, (no, not that one). The one about where does he come from?

Embarking on the journey to find out who his relatives are, Rob Trick engages all manner and means to decode his past. With only one piece of information, his Grandfather’s name, “Jimmy Johnston”, Rob’s search is stifled right away with 100,000 results on first glance… Then his dad remembers one more detail… “EUPHEMIA”, “Euphemia Johnston!”, he declares, as Rob finally cracks the case and finds the keystone data that holds all the facts together.

Follow along as Rob delivers with his 36 years of stand up experience the ride of a lifetime, as he explores funny people from funny places with lots’a fun. Enjoy!

SPECIAL EVENT: Fringe4All

Various Artists

*FESTIVAL MEMBERSHIP IS NOT REQUIRED FOR SPECIAL EVENTS*

Join us in kicking off this year’s festivities with the return of ‘Fringe4All’ – our beloved inaugural showcase featuring our many artists in action.

Hosted by the inimitable Abdul Aziz & Shawn O’Hara at Performance Works on the evening of Wednesday September 6, our troupe of artists will step into the spotlight to enthrall the night’s crowd with a quick-fire preview of their upcoming productions. With only two minutes on the clock, and the next artist waiting in the wings, this riotous event will expose you to excerpts from the wide array of theatre, dance, music, spoken word and more that this year’s Festival will bring.

Wild and carefree as always, be sure to secure your spot today – limited availability!

The Bright Young Things

Folding Camera Theatre

Decadent. Rebellious. Glamourous.

It’s the 1920s. A group of aristocrats and socialites navigate a post-war, post-pandemic world by straddling the line between celebrating life and living a performance. On the surface, The Bright Young Things have it all; throwing costume parties and treasure hunts with elaborate style and wild abandon. But what stories are hiding underneath the façade of celebrity and influence?

This show explores what it means to be young and coming out of a time of great uncertainty, stress, and sorrow. It’s about what we do to reclaim our lives and rediscover our joy.

The Duelist

Publius Productions

Who says revolution has to be messy? What if it were so perfectly designed and executed that people could participate – or safely ignore it – as they liked? Is there a better world just waiting to be born? If so, who would dare to stand in its way? Find out the answers to these questions and more when you watch our protagonist gamble everything to drop some massive justice bombs on the corrupt power elite.

Will the revolution free the oppressed people who cry out for fairness and hope? Or will it be stopped by the evil concentration of wealth that has ruled and enslaved us so wickedly for centuries? And where do YOU stand, once you learn the hero’s plans and vision? Publius Productions last participated in the 2019 Vancouver Fringe, and is pleased to offer audiences this new play.

Before They Cut Down Our Tree

J to K Productions

Sam and Cal both have their story about what happened on prom night ten years ago. What they don’t have is the others. Now, Cal returns home to take care of her mother’s funeral and in doing so, encounters Sam at their childhood tree. Told through interwoven scenes from the past and present, this starts their journey of confronting past secrets, accepting childhood mistakes, and allowing oneself to grieve and forgive. But all of this must happen before they cut down the tree.  

Initially developed through Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre’s MSG program in partnership with PTC, this play has had two successful public readings and was also developed in association with the PHT Creative Hub. This will be the first time the play will be fully staged. This play is a PTC Company Collaboration.

Emilio’s A Million Chameleons

The Pucking Fuppet Co.

Emilio is bringing his world-famous chameleon circus to you!

‘Emilio’s A Million Chameleons’ is a family-friendly musical spectacular, about embracing what makes you special, and letting that inner sparkle shine.

Multi-award-winning puppeteer Adam F Proulx (‘THE FAMILY CROW: A Murder Mystery’; ‘BAKER’S DOZEN: 12 Angry Puppets’) is back with some family-friendly fare this time. Fun for kids or just for adults who need a little sparkle in their life.

“The show was great. If this was online I would rate it with five stars” – Sloane, Age 7

Henry the 4th: Shrewsbury

Groundlings Show

Four performers tell the story of Henry the Fourth, Harry Percy, Sir John Falstaff, and Prince Hal as they battle for the future of England, leading up to a massive battle. As Henry the Fourth and Falstaff pull Prince Hal in different directions: one towards power and authority, one towards waste and frivolity. Meanwhile, Harry Percy looms as the perfect opponent. Based on the play by Shakespeare, reduced down to a tight hour long performance.

Inspired by Shakespeare’s original playhouses, audiences are encouraged to cheer, jeer, and get involved in the story. This is a show for the groundlings.

Lia & Dor

K.I.A. Productions

There is a word in Romanian which has no English equivalent. Basm. Roughly translated, it means ‘fairytale’. Ours is a tale, but with no fairies.

Immerse yourself in the mysterious world of Romanian folklore sprung from the mind of award-winning performer and playwright Cristina Tudor as she explores the memories of family, the meaning of homeland, the fables we tell each other about ourselves and the past.

“MASTERFUL… surprising and worthy of appreciation” – LiterNet

“Poetic… graceful… intuitive” – 4Arte Romania

Shawshank: The Musical

District 13 Presents

Hope is a musical thing. From the makers of ‘Hunger Games: The Musical’ and ‘Die Hard: The Musical-ish’, comes an all new musical based on the classic prison drama, ‘The Shawshank Redemption’.

Follow Andy Dufresne as he navigates the Shawshank prison system along with Red and the gang, while singing parodies of the greatest hits from the incomparable Johnny Cash. Laugh, cry, and tap your feet as we respectfully ridicule the film that is still rated #1 on IMDb.com. Don’t miss out!

That’s The Show!

That’s Our Company

What if you could be in on the ground floor of a brand new game… a game show, sweeping the nation. Where does the space between audience, audience participation, and contestant meet? Will you be called on stage? Do we all win? Could we all lose? And if there is a winner who will it be in the end? Is this even a game? Join us for a magical evening where you might just go home a winner. Fair’s fair from a far.

Frustrated by the events thus far, we watch with hilarity as one peculiar game show host gets increasingly exasperated at the pilot taping of his brand new show.

Hope, Disbelief, Comic Relief: Datings Inferno

Katie Power

Dating. You might think it’s all fun and games. Wrong!

The reality can be very different. You are out there grinding through the endless Bumble dates. Or deluded that your bashful smile to the cute guy in the coffee shop is going to turn into your true love.

Let me bring you through my plethora of trials and tribulations of the dating world. The highs and the oh so lows!

How To Be Japanese: Your Normal Is Not My Normal

Miyo the Storyteller

‘How To Be Japanese: Your Normal Is Not My Normal’ sets its World Premiere debut at the 2023 Vancouver Fringe Festival.

What is your normal? Conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected. All of us at some times or in some ways feel like outsiders. That whatever it is that is normal does not include us. But when we enter a new culture, we actually are the outsider.

Born and raised in Japan, Miyo Yamauchi weaves a unique perspective and wry humor into her stories, which will steal the scenes, your mind, and your heart. She will have you laughing and questioning as she splashes in the pond of her reality. When you are laughing at her and her crazy adventures, you may realize you’re also laughing at yourself a bit.

“Yamauchi is at her best when tendering cultural insights. She shows herself to be an enjoyable and very entertaining storyteller” – Ernest Kearney (Award-winning L.A. Playwright)

Brunch: A Comedy Show

Brunch Comedy

‘Brunch: A Comedy Show’ is a sketch show brought to you by two women raised on Mary-Kate & Ashley movies and Celine Dion’s greatest hits. The award-winning Vancouver-based duo has toured Canada and the US, bringing their feminist humour and absurdist lens to tackle everything from oppressive traditions to the infantilization of women.

With unintentionally synchronized outfits and wholehearted attempts at choreographed dance routines, this hilarious duo will take you on a wild ride of laughter and chaos. Don’t miss your chance to join their exclusive slumber party and witness the madness that’s better than Bay Days!

‘Best Sketch Group’ – Vancouver Comedy Awards (2019)

“The Vancouver two-piece blew me away at last year’s fest” – Portland Mercury

“Brunch was new to me but they stood out as my favourite new discoveries of the festival” – My Entertainment World

Basebald

Adam Weaver

There comes a day in a man’s life where he looks in the mirror to find the dreaded reality that his hairline receding. He always knew it would happen, but never expected it in his twenties. When you’re young, a midlife crisis isn’t even something you think about. But in this one man comedy, Adam’s midlife crisis came early. He’s convinced himself that the only way to capture his youth before he loses all his hair forever is perform an athletic feat few people could hope to achieve. And he has a deadline, he’s getting old after all.

Anne Geddes: The Unauthorized, Untrue Biography

Cake Walk

Anne Geddes’ iconic baby photography is known around the world… but we’ve never truly known the woman behind the camera. Until now. This is the untold, unverified, unresearched story of an artist’s life: her career highs, her complicated unbringing, her relationship with her son – a story that asks the question, “what is the artistic meaning of a baby dressed as a sunflower” and “how have they not received a cease and desist”?

From sketch comedians Stacey McLachlan & Jordan Potter comes this un-fact-checked and unhinged comedy show that dares to imagine the life story of the most famous baby photographer of all time.

Magic Dropout

Rob Teszka

Rob Teszka, almost-PhD of magic, presents an irreverent magic show about failure! Enjoy a mind-blowing cocktail of tongue-in-cheek takes on everything from Mai Tais to academic burnout.

‘Magic Dropout’ combines storytelling with magic; including a science award, invisible drinks, and an improvised academic lecture! The stories touch (gently) on themes of unfairness, academia, drinking, and how expectations differ from reality. Rob encourages us to laugh at our failures and be kind to ourselves (in exactly the way academia doesn’t).

Originally debuted during the 2020 pandemic Mini-Fringe, the show was completely rewritten for COVID safety. Now it’s back, to be performed as envisioned. Join Rob Teszka for the unexpected results of a decade researching the psychology of magic!

“An emotional mixture of magic and memoir from a world built on illusions” – Capilano Courier

“Goes far beyond sleight of hand” – Stir

The LanceLife Comprehensive Total Life System

LanceLife

Lance Banks, creator of the LanceLife Comprehensive Total Life System, has dedicated his life to helping people unlock their truest potential.

Lance Banks wasn’t born rich, he was re-born rich. Super rich. Think about that. Now think about this: do you want to be re-born rich? Now pause for effect. Sounds like what you need is a comprehensive total life system.

Try this on for size, The LanceLife Comprehensive Total Life System. Comfy, isn’t it? That’s because it’s one-size-fits-all, but how can anything truly be one-size-fits-all, when there are so many different types of people? It’s because deep down inside, we’re all one-size-fits-all.

Become a part of the comprehensive total life system that’s been tailor-made to fit a one-size-fits-all world.

Become a part of LanceLife.

“It’s impossible not to get caught up in Lance’s cyclical web of self-help jargon” – Oregon Arts Watch

“A long-needed mockery of all things American Corporate Happy Talk” – Portland Stage Reviews

No Worries If Not

Battlefield Heartbreaker

The comedian that Brent Butt (Corner Gas) calls “hilarious and original,” Katie-Ellen Humphries (CBC ‘The Debaters’, ‘The Lady Show’, OUT-TV) brings their signature wit, imagination and refreshing sincerity to this joke-filled solo show.

A blend of standup and storytelling, Katie-Ellen invites audiences into a funny and surprising tale of laundry, love and lying and shares her fraught history as a pathological people pleaser. A show for anyone who’s ever uttered/thought/read/wrote/heard that delicious and duplicitous phrase, “no worries if not”.

PUFFY HAIR

Existential Bun

‘PUFFY HAIR’ is a night of existential stand-up performed by an id. Using Vaudeville-cum-Fosse dance moves to investigate one woman’s ambivalent and tortured relationship to the male gaze, which she alternately cozies up to and execrates, it is a catharsis of self-hatred, body dysmorphia, and self-aggrandizement. A vigorous dose of lipstick smears and shoulder pads. A marriage between Joan Rivers and gastrointestinal turbulence. A struggle to hold space for the existential pressure of a bun. A boopity boop.

“‘PUFFY HAIR’ transforms beyond stand-up… to shocking and delicious intimacy… An extravagant mind palace of feminine guts and glory, she zips and bops, capturing a showman’s energy akin to Joan Rivers meeting Liza Minelli” – OnStageBlog

Stiff Upper Lip

Tyson Bradley

A guy from Port Moody, BC has spent the past several years living in London, UK trying to make that British stiff upper lip jiggle with laughter. Each show is a uniquely different experience as Tyson tells stories, gets to know his audience, and brings high energy laughs.

Stuff of the Dead

The Oregon Rim Estate Sale Association

‘Stuff of the Dead’ explores the culture of estate sales from the points of view of those that shop them and those who manage them. Hosted by Big Ed Barnham and Cole Wilson (two folks addicted to estate sales), this exploration includes side journeys through a haze of whiskey, tax advice, egg salad, ghosts, classic literature, betrayal, the loss of people close to us, and the things they leave behind.

‘Stuff of the Dead’ is a love letter to theatre, vaudeville, sketch comedy, improv, antiques, dive bars, reading, books, art, and conference room presentations at the Red Lion Inn.

Peaceful Blips

Blue Chu & Jackson Poling

‘Peaceful Blips’ is a musical comedy ensemble of two, perhaps three. Starring first-time Fringe performers; Blue Chu and Jackson Poling. This musical comedy show will showcase a mix of Blue and Jackson’s original songs and improvised songs made with input from the audience’s suggestions. Every show will end in an attempt at a final musical medley to hit on the themes of that show.

Will there be lessons learned, discoveries made, or will it all fall apart into chaos? Will you be able to tell the rehearsed from the improvised? Did we mention that our show will guest star a variety of niche instruments, such as a kazoo, toy piano and harp?

Do you want to be a part of our next show? Become our third invisible band member to find the truth. Serious applicants only.

Private Parts: The Secrets We Keep

Gravity Theatre

Joanna reveals the secrets she keeps from others and the secrets she keeps from herself. A one woman show sharing the private parts that have fueled, fed and f*#ked her!

★★★★½ – Winnipeg Free Press

‘Outstanding Fringe Production’ Nominee – Calgary Theatre Critics Awards (2023)

“Rannelli is not just an astute performer but a masterful storyteller” – Calgary Herald

“Both comedy and drama but be prepared for tears” – Orlando Sentinel

“There are no flaws in her performance” – Jenny Revue

Dad’s Birthday

Acting Out

Three brother’s come together to celebrate their Father’s birthday – which just so happens to fall on the day of his funeral.

Jack Goes to Therapy: A (Somewhat) Romantic Comedy

Zac Williams

Jack is a 29 year old Kindergarten teacher and hopeless romantic. So when the love of his life leaves him for another man, Jack is heartbroken. Determined to find happiness by sheer willpower alone, Jack re-enters the dating world with a vengeance. Dating new men left, right, and centre, Jack soon spirals out of control and finds himself in a therapist’s office wondering, ‘What now?’

‘Jack Goes to Therapy’ is a laugh-out-loud one-man play about love, heartbreak, and everything in-between. The show is created by Zac Williams who is excited to be returning to Vancouver Fringe following his 2022 show, ‘Blockhead’.

Crying In Public

Gina Harms

Have you ever done something stupid for love? Have you ever been so sure about something, only to have it blow up in your face? Gina Harms, a comedian and hopeless romantic tells the true story of the time she traveled halfway around the world to be with the man of her dreams, and ended up traveling alone in Australia for a year instead.

‘Crying In Public’ is a hilarious and poignant exploration of heartbreak, self-discovery, and totally f*cking up in your 20s.

Long Live Lexi Bezos

Sophia Saugstad

The year is 2223. Climate change and capitalism have left the world completely destroyed. The human species has finally gone extinct. But one; the rich, extravagant, and oh so hot Lexi Bezos (the great great great great granddaughter of Jeff Bezos himself!), has stood the test of time, living in her parents spaceship among the stars. But now, she must go on a journey of a lifetime to save herself, the Bezos name, and the last bit of life in the universe.

‘Long Live Lexi Bezos’ is a satirical one-woman show, using comedy, music, voice over, and physicality to explore themes of materialism, greed, and the consequences of a damaged relationship between humans and nature.

This Is Not A Scam

Maggie Doggie

Regina and Kenny are new roommates in an ideal situation: they never see each other. When lockdown begins both of their employment industries are deemed none essential. With nothing but time and nowhere to go they get to know each other through sharing the things they love: documentaries about cults, Weekend at Bernie’s, the lost art of Tae Bo!

When the world ‘returns to normal’ neither of them can. Their jobs don’t come back, CERB payments dry up and isolation has left them unhinged…

Desperate for income and divorced from reality the best solution presents itself in a vision from Goop Herself Gwyneth Paltrow: Open an uncredited yet luxury self help retreat in Kenny’s parents cabin on salts spring island and charge 10,000 USD per ‘patient’. What could go wrong?

UNDERBELLY

Ragmop Theatre

A surrealist physical comedy featuring: monsters, dismemberment, shower-opera, inconceivable truths, and a hot date. Join this multi-award winning physical comedian in her bathroom to untangle the age old question of perception and reality in love and life.

CREATIVE TEAM
Dramaturg – Candice Roberts
Set Design – Tarran Gabriel

“’Underbelly’ is a chance to see an expert clown at work” – Liz Nicholls (12thNight)

“An impressive range of skills” – CBC

“Fielkov is a top-tier performer who makes the impossible seem inevitable” – BT Reviews

Eviction Conniption

DCJ Productions

“The building is cursed. Or the people are! Listen!”

Joseph King (David C. Jones) is a reluctant building manager with a problem. With the audience’s help he needs to evict a tenant but each of them has a powerful reason to stay and a connection that may keep them all together.

A surreal musical featuring songs by Matthew Presidente, Peter Abando, Megan Phillips. Norine Braun, Linda Kidder, Sam Chimes, Shugarboy, Anat, and Daniel Mate.

“David C. Jones knows how to use focus and rhythm, he is very, very funny” – Georgia Straight

“One of the funniest minds in Vancouver” – Vancouver Sun

“A comic chameleon” – The Province

Everything is Super Wow

Spec Theatre

A foot-fuelled, slapstick tragedy about bikepacking, dreaming big and giving up in your 30s.

Follow along with #mr.coffeehead in this kinetic journey filled with original music, peppy puppets, and awkwardly captivating dance breaks.

A madcap, top-down reworking of Spec Theatre’s last year’s Fringiest of the Fringe lovechild, ‘mr.coffeehead’.

“Everything Is Super Wow is unmissable” – Forget The Box

“Transcendent… memorable experimental theatre” – Edmonton Journal

“It’s a solid showcase for Cooper’s talent for physical theatre… Wacky, trippy and surreal” – ★★★★★ Winnipeg Free Press

“Silly, strange and very endearing… unexpected moments of clarity and wisdom written into the dialogue. Lots of fun!” – The Jenny Revue

“If you’ve ever wanted to see ‘The Graduate’ meets ‘Pee Wee’s Playhouse’, this play’s for you… I loved every minute of it and still find myself mulling over the play’s themes several days later” – Eleanor, audience member

Rat Academy

Batrabbit Productions

Do you like rats? Good. Come along with the two last Albertan rats as they teach you the ways of the rodent.

Fingers, a curmudgeonly street rat with a heart of gold, is completely alone. Or so he thinks, until he discovers Shrimp, an escaped happy-go-lucky lab rat. Eager to preserve his legacy, Fingers creates the Rat Academy to train Shrimp in the ways of the cold, hard street rat. On the syllabus: Cheese-ology, the Art of Scaring Magpies, Stealing 101, and Advanced Tails. But their dark alleys are far from predictable, and as the unlikely duo tries to exist in a world that hates them, they learn that survival is nothing without love.

Inspired by Alberta’s famous 1950s anti-rat propaganda and mentored by Mump and Smoot, this physical comedy duo will have you clutching your tail.

Featured at Edmonton ‘Play the Fool’ Festival 2022
Official Edmonton 2023 Holdover

A Life Sentence

Jarred Stephen Meek

‘A Life Sentence’ is inspired by a young woman’s lived experience of abuse at the hands of her father. Through theatrical devices, a timeline that stretches decades, and vulnerable, creative storytelling, this play explores victim-blaming, and it’s lifelong effects on a person.

“It’s certainly the time to do it”, says Gwen’s abuser, referring to the ‘trend’ of women coming forward with their truth.

30 years later, this same sentiment has been echoed in the wake of the #MeToo movement. When the opportunity to seek legal repercussions for her fathers actions presents itself, Gwen has to consider losing everything for the possibility of justice.

‘FourPlay 2020: New Work’ – Excited Writers, Studio 58 (2020)

Let’s Talk About Your Death

Allspice Theatre

Would you change the way you lived your life if you knew how you would die? Critically-acclaimed death expert Dr. Elliot Morris dives deep into the truth of the only subject that truly matters. With the help of a prize-winning invention – The Death Machine – Morris will provide each and every person in attendance with their exact personal cause of their future demise. Who knows? Maybe you’ll live forever…

Disclaimer: You will not actually live forever. In fact, you very much are going to die. Let’s talk about that.

“Fringe plays don’t get more inventive, original, courageous, and intelligent” – ★★★★★ Gig City

“Hilariously scripted and charmingly life-affirming!” – ★★★★★ Vue Weekly