Hello Neighbours! 

Drum roll please…..after 53 reviews by 18 reviewers across 11 stages… we are happy to share The Vibe’s Fringe Fifteen Don’t Miss List.

According to our reviewers, the quality of the plays at this year’s fringe is outstanding, and so compiling this list was not easy.  With everything from haircuts to horses and from politics to pirates, there is something in this list for all of us to enjoy. 

The list below is in alphabetical order. Read the reviews by clicking the play’s title.

The Vibe’s Fringe Fifteen Don’t Miss List

3 Hours, 10 Minutes  - The vibe is timely. Two strangers, one painting. What do they see in it? What do they see in each other? An exploration of connection, reflection and the power of shared experience in an age of screens, self-absorption and disconnection*.

500 Doubloons - The vibe is imaginative.  During the Golden Age of Piracy, a pirate paid a woman five hundred doubloons (about $400,000 dollars) to take her clothes off, and nothing more.

A Canadian Explains Eurovision to Other Canadians - The vibe is PRIDE! A love letter to the weirdest, wildest music competition on Earth.

A Non-Canonical Musical Adventure with Pookamhura: Mistress of B-Roll - The vibe is “being yourself.” A random group of MMO players meets Pookamhura, a gnome rogue inspired by Shakespeare's Puck, as they wait for another player to join them for a dungeon adventure.

A Question of Character - The vibe is art vs. politics vs. moral responsibility. The clock is ticking when Leni Riefenstahl is visited by an interviewer with more than questions for the infamous filmmaker.

Bangs, Bobs & Banter: Confessions of a Hairstylist - The vibe is great galpal fun.  Nikki, a charismatic hairstylist with a gift for storytelling, invites the audience into her salon, seamlessly shifting between characters and revealing a hilarious mix of sassy, saucy, and scandalous secrets.

Horseface - The vibe is angry. A memoir of encounters with men throughout her life: handsy professors, train manspreaders, A-list fondlers, pornography-cataloguing fathers.

I’m Actually Right About Everything: A Bisexual Love Story - The vibe is raunchy and tender. A hilarious and heartfelt solo show about queerness, friendship, bad boyfriends, and the voice inside that always knew better.

Impatient Inpatient The vibe is a candid, humorous reflection. Three months in hospital. One busted body. Zero chill. Come for the laughs, stay for the existential crisis!

Men Love Horsies: The Musical -The vibe is “Equestrian.” Just a man singing songs about horses.

Minimum - The vibe is raucous, fast-paced, and razor-sharp. Outrageous comedy about the newly elected Ontario Premier who must live on minimum wage.

Sister Sophia Kicks The Habit - The vibe is very punny! Delves into the revelations of Sister Sophia, an aging Catholic nun in crisis. As she grieves the loss of her best friend, Sister Beatrice, she grapples with the realities of her half-century of sisterhood in her own restless night of the soul.

The Damage Done - The vibe is taut relationship drama.  The same park. The same swirling emotions. Their grown-up kids. A desperate need for help.

The Giant Space Monster That Ate Hamilton in 3-D The vibe is camptastic. Join forces to save Hamilton (and the world) from a monstrous threat

Unsolicited: Good Advice Gone Dad -The vibe is self-reflection through humour. Hilarious one-woman show exploring the wild, weird, and wonderfully unsolicited advice her dad and others have given her over the years.

3 Hours, 10 Minutes  - Two strangers, one painting. What do they see in it? What do they see in each other? An exploration of connection, reflection and the power of shared experience in an age of screens, self-absorption and disconnection*.

Playwright/Director - Raymond Beauchemin

Actor - Melissa Murray-Mutch

Actor - Mark Gamache

www.raymondbeauchemin.com

Warnings: None

The Fortune Teller. A Fortune Teller is about to start a séance, when her teenage niece bursts in. "My mother says I have to live with you now." A client comes in, who wants to contact his late wife. The niece's no-good boyfriend turns up. And that's just for starters. A knockdown farce that has some clever things to say about youth, love, the Great Beyond, and the Here and Now.*

Playwright- David Laing Dawson

Director- Ronald Weihs

https://www.artwordtheatre.net

A Non-Canonical Musical Adventure with Pookamhura: Mistress of B-Roll - A random group of MMO players meets Pookamhura, a gnome rogue inspired by Shakespeare's Puck, as they wait for another player to join them for a dungeon adventure.

During the wait, they reflect on their shared history as gamers and people, using original songs and humour.

One player reveals a secret that causes tension and challenges the group, forcing them to confront their prejudices and make difficult choices. The story explores themes of self-discovery, identity, and the complexities of life’s adventures.*

A new musical by Chris Cracknell

Book and stage direction by Brian Morton

Cast - Emily Bolyea, Francis Wallace, Jelena Vermilion, Mason Micevski

http://www.theatre-erebus.ca

Warnings - Coarse Language

Sister Sophia Kicks The Habit. Sister Sophia Kicks the Habit delves into the revelations of Sister Sophia, an aging Catholic nun in crisis. As she grieves the loss of her best friend, Sister Beatrice, she grapples with the realities of her half-century of sisterhood in her own restless night of the soul. Through her humorous and insightful musings (with songs!), Sister Sophia confronts g(G)od and in her quest to finally be heard, she discovers a newfound outlook on life.*

Playwright/Performer - Lisa Randall

Director/Dramaturg - Kate Johnston

Lights/Stage Management - Jonathan Carroll & Robin Moir

Bangs, Bobs & Banter: Confessions of a Hairstylist. Multi-award winner Joanna Rannelli brings to life Nikki, a charismatic hairstylist with a flair for storytelling. Inspired by true stories, Nikki welcomes audiences into her salon, where a lively cast of clients spill their sassy, saucy and scandalous secrets. This humorous journey into beauty, self-expression and unexpected connections is a must-see that will keep audiences laughing their heads off...without messing up their hair.*

Patrons Pick – Orlando Fringe (2025)
Critics’ Choice Award: Best Solo Comedy – Orlando Fringe (2024)

Sold-Out Run – Edmonton Fringe (2024)
Sold-Out Run – Orlando Fringe (2025)

Written & Performed by Joanna Rannelli

Dramaturg & Directed by Kerry Ipema

Producer, Muhammad Dewji

Everything included in this newsletter is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. Sometimes, the links we include pay us a referral or sponsor fee, which helps us continue to publish The Vibe at no cost to you *indicates sponsored advertising content.

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