Fossegrim & Nøkk (Stage 6, Strathcona Community League)

An adventurous little girl named Saga is burdened by an unadventurous mother. All Saga can do is sing to herself, at night, about the magical world outside her bedroom window.

Until a naughty fairy arrives to take her away. The fairy’s motivation is unclear but her destination is the dreamland of two siblings of the woods.

Fossegrim & Nøkk are the names of a magical brother and sister who happen to be looking for a girl like Saga, though they don’t agree on what they should do with her.

This is a small stage for four people but it’s part of the show’s success: there isn’t a moment of inaction. The performers are members of Alberta Opera, and they sing beautifully. But the songs don’t interrupt the flow of the story. They are tied into the rules of the universe and the logic of the play.

Based on a Scandianavian folk take, Fossegrim & Nøkk is a gentle, playful children’s show — best for kids under 10.

— Todd Babiak