2025 Hamilton Fringe Reviewers
Brought to you by The Vibe
Anne Bokma is an award-winning author and journalist as well as a memoir coach and international retreat leader. She writes The Other Side of Midlife column for the Hamilton Spectator and writes a newsletter by the same name. Find her at annebokma.com
Arthur Bullock is a professional writer of both fiction and non-fiction, with an interest in telling stories. He's lived in Hamilton all his life and has been writing reviews at the Hamilton Fringe Festival for the past 10 years. He uses a simple adage to guide his writing style: “Review the play you saw, not the one you wanted to see.”
Brian Morton was the recipient of the 2013 Hamilton Arts Award for Theatre. He trained at the National Theatre School of Canada, and was the founder and first Artistic Director of Theatre Terra Nova, where he produced the premiere of Douglas Rodger's play “How Could You Mrs Dick”, about Hamilton's notorious Evelyn Dick. His play “The Night They Raided McMaster”, won the Best in Venue Award at the 2022 Hamilton Fringe Festival. Brian was also the producer of the 2012 Hamilton Fringe Festival. Brian is currently a drama critic and arts journalist for “The Hammer Monthly“; he has also published articles in the “Hamilton Spectator” and the “McMaster Silhouette” and ”VIEW Magazine”. www.theatre-erebus.ca
Bryan Boodhoo is a regular at the Hamilton Fringe Festival, having written and or directed a number of plays, including G-Star Live!, Life Through Fire, The Bird’s Nest, Perpetual Sunshine Machine, A Thousand Natural Shocks and Migrant Stories (Frostbites). He has reviewed 80 fringe shows for View Magazine and Raise The Hammer.
Dan Otis Smith
Doreen Nicoll is a freelance journalist and podcaster. Find her work at doreenn.substack.com, herizons, rabble.ca and on her Wix site. Follow her on Instagram, X @doreennicoll61, Bluesky @nicollneedschange and on Facebook.
Isabella Stravropoulous (she/her) is finishing her English, Theatre and Film degree at McMaster University. She has experience in acting, directing, stage managing and writing, and was in last year’s Fringe show Inqueery. Isabella is excited for another amazing Fringe festival and is looking forward to seeing as many shows as she can.
Jennifer Dawson is a lifelong writer and sometimes activist whose only cred when it comes to reviewing plays is she likes to go to them.
Jennifer Walton is a playwright, director and actor and is excited to be reviewing Fringe with the Vibe this year. Jennifer directed the 2024 Audience Favourite Stationary, 2017 Best of Fringe The Tragedy of Othella Moore, as well as Open the Lace Curtain (2018). Last fall, Jennifer played Gertrude in Same Boat Theatre’s Hamlet. Her award-winning play Gunplay (After The Gun Goes Off) was recently staged at Toronto’s Alumnae Theatre.
Julian Nicholson has been participating in the Fringe Festival for many years as an actor, director, and reviewer. He’s happy to be back for another year of great theatre and to see old and new friends.
Kathy Garneau has a background in engineering and filmmaking and was a co-founder of The Staircase Theatre. She loves Hamilton Fringe and sees as many shows as she can every year.
Laura Van Alphen is a freelance copy editor with a background in English and Creative Writing. A passionate supporter of theatre in all its forms—from Broadway to indie stages—she brings her love of storytelling and sharp editorial eye to covering Hamilton Fringe Festival productions.
After 30+ years teaching high school students, Marianne Daly loves having more time for van camping and writing. She has shared her stories in the Hamilton Fringe Festival, Steel City Stories and Six Minute Memoirs. The first time she wrote theatre reviews was for Raise the Hammer many years ago. Marianne’s delighted that The Vibe is making sure every Fringe show gets a timely review on an excellent website!
Mina Saeed is a first-year English student at the University of Guelph with a passion for both performing and writing about theatre. She brings a fresh perspective and deep enthusiasm for the stage to her Hamilton Fringe Festival reviews.
Rachel More (she/her) is a theatre artist and educator living and working in Hamilton, ON. Previous credits include Brott Opera, Tapestry Opera, and Toronto Operetta Theatre. She is excited to be reviewing the Fringe and looking forward to some exciting indie theatre.
Ray Rivers has written and produced four stage plays, including two at the Fringe Festivals in Toronto and Hamilton. Ray’s acting has included stage performances of Plenty, August Osage County, Modern Times, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, 12th Night, Dead Men Don’t Itch and An Ideal Husband, in addition to those in his own productions. In addition, he has created and performed in a number of virtualized plays during COVID. Ray completed his first book in 2014 and has recorded two CDs of original music. An economist by training, Ray is also a contributing editor with the Burlington Gazette.
Ryan McGreal is a Hamilton-based writer, occasional amateur urbanist and Fringe enjoyer. He is excited to get back to writing Fringe reviews after several years’ absence.
Tamara Kamermans has worked in theatre in Hamilton and the surrounding area for 30 years. She’s a graduate of the McMaster University Drama Program and currently teaches Sociology at Mohawk College. A former reviewer for Hamilton’s View Magazine, she welcomes the opportunity to support the artists of this year’s Fringe.