Author Archives: Liz Nicholls

Oh no! Bots have invaded theatre and they can do it: Plays By Bots, a Fringe review

Posted on August 13, 2022 by Liz Nicholls

Plays By Bots (Stage 7, Yardbird Suite) By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca Welcome to the future. Crazy: Why did I choose to believe that, OK, bots might be able to do neurosurgery, repair Maseratis, host TV morning shows, but there are … Continue reading →

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Putting the grit into dark comedy: Mules, a Fringe review

Posted on August 13, 2022 by Liz Nicholls

Mules (Stage 4, Walterdale Theatre) By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca Mules, a tense and suspenseful two-hander by the actor/playwright team of Beth Graham and Daniela Vlaskalic (who starred in the 2006 premiere), puts the grit back into dark comedy. Its entry-level … Continue reading →

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Epic in scale (and complication). Horror, mythology, folk tale, social satire in a new musical… The Erlking, a Fringe review

Posted on August 13, 2022 by Liz Nicholls

The Erlking (Stage 23, Strathcona High School) By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca There’s a fascinating ambition about the mélange of horror, mythology, folk tale and social satire in this new musical (book, music, lyrics) by Chris Scott. In a small town … Continue reading →

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A smart, fun, dark new ‘relationship’ musical: Conjoined, a Fringe review

Posted on August 13, 2022 by Liz Nicholls

Conjoined: A New Musical (Stage 13, Servus Theatre, La Cité francophone) By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca There’s always someone to block your sun. And, be honest, wouldn’t your heart feel lighter, your spirits rise, your life be just better without that … Continue reading →

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Creating ‘the impossible, mysterious sound’: The Hunchback Variations, a Fringe review

Posted on August 12, 2022 by Liz Nicholls

The Hunchback Variations (Stage 3, Studio Theatre) By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca A curious pair arrives onstage at the start of this smart, touching, genuinely odd, sometimes trying two-hander comedy. “Good evening and welcome …” says the brisk, professionally genial guy … Continue reading →

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Weird and wonderful, a human vaudeville under the skin: Epidermis Circus, a Fringe review

Posted on August 12, 2022 by Liz Nicholls

Epidermis Circus (Stage 18, The Luther Centre) By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca There’s a nutty and ingenious self-reliance built into this “spicy puppet cabaret” from Victoria’s SNAFU Society of Unexpected Spectacles (Little Orange Man, The Merkin Sisters). Let’s just say that … Continue reading →

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Be very pumped: further thoughts on a big Fringe opening night

Posted on August 11, 2022 by Liz Nicholls

By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca Tonight’s the night: the biggest opening night in town, by a considerable margin. Come 8 p.m. Destination Fringe, with its 164 shows on 27 venues (artfully scaled down from the gargantuan 2019 edition) is up and … Continue reading →

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Be a patron, please support theatre coverage!

Posted on August 11, 2022 by Liz Nicholls

Hello theatre friends! Did we just imagine the last two years? Suddenly, magically, it’s the opening day of the Fringe. Edmonton’s mighty summer theatre festival, the oldest on the continent, is back — not epic in size but BIG.   And … Continue reading →

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‘A space of possibility’: The Péhonán Series at the Fringe

Posted on August 10, 2022 by Liz Nicholls

By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca The TeePee: there it stands, a striking 16-footer right in the heart of the Fringe, a tangible symbol of Indigenous presence at our summer festival of artists. Péhonán (Cree for gathering place, waiting place), last year’s … Continue reading →

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Where do new musicals come from? Meet the creators of The Erlking and Conjoined at the Fringe

Posted on August 10, 2022 by Liz Nicholls

By Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca Where do new musicals come from anyhow? The 2022 Fringe has a surprising number. What sort of theatre  artists are moved to complicate their lives immeasurably by channelling their storytelling through music and lyrics? 12thnight caught … Continue reading →

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