You’re good for nothing… I’ll milk the cow myself
Natacha Ruck—Théâtre Cercle Molière
This is a family story. Though it spans continents and time, it’s a very personal series of stories and events.
Natacha Ruck weaves a tale, punctuated with song, telling of her ancestors. Central to the story is her mother.
As global history unfolds around Natacha’s mother, the mother navigates life as a diminutive yet powerful force. A mother who cares. A feisty woman who can lose her temper but remains grounded in love.
This is a European story. A French story. A coming to America story. A Jewish story. A story which examines, often with humour, the complex threads which bind generations together.
The play is an inspiration for anyone wanting to tell their own unfiltered family story, perhaps with “quelques chansons françaises” (a few French songs).
Rob Duncan
52 Stories
Dave Morris—Son of Warehouse
If you think that witnessing a man memorize a deck of playing cards might not be much fun, you are wrong. Augmented by fanciful video projections, truly gifted storyteller Dave Morris walks his audience through 52 interwoven stories that are statistically improbable and functionally impossible to ever be the same again. Topics may include, but are not limited to: practical memory, emotional memory, re-written memory, disappointing memories, intrusive memories, idealized memories, favourite memories, and embellished memories.
Errors in memory are inevitable, but beautifully integrated. This performance is a profoundly Good Effort (for those who witness an Assyrian cultural memory, and understand the linguistic reference) or merely masterful mnemonics (for those who receive stories structured in another manner as the cards dictate).
Ashley Frantik
New Wave Your Behaviour
Hamilton 7—CCFM Salle Pauline-Boutal
Returning from 2024 Fringe, the show maintains its high quality that made it a great viewing, but this year with a better physical space for it than mainstage (despite being harder to actually reach due to being at CCFM). The storytelling is extremely polished, as we join him in his therapy sessions and his New Wave listening sessions, both helping him work through his traumas but one significantly more comfortable. The music is fun (and streamed online), with the grand finale sing along/pyrotechnic bonanza being a great capstone for the show.
Josh Fidelak
The Man Who Couldn’t Die
Saucy Gal Productions—Planetarium
A heart-felt and personal blend of story-telling and spoken word poetry, this show kept me invested from the first word to the last and tugged every heartstring. An excellent homage to complicated relationships with parents who nevertheless have made us who we are.
Jordan Phillips
Daredevils
Corael Productions—MTC Up the Alley
I’ve been to Niagara Falls a few times and toured the museums. I read about the feats of crossing the gorge on tightropes but didn’t think much more of it. This show zooms in on the character of Jean François Gravelet, with the anonym “The Great Blondin.”
By today’s standards, Blondin feels like a bully, abusive asshole, but I have to frame the context that this occurred in 1860. It is fascinating what he (and others) did to upstage other performers on the rope.
This performance explores a frail side of Blondin beneath the confident, cocksure exterior of the flamboyant acrobat. Superior acting and exemplary presentation highlight this lovely performance.
Ray Yuen
A Mystery At Murder Manor
Chris Gibbs—Planetarium
It is a brand new adventure from Chris Gibbs in his ‘Not Quite Sherlock’ series, and it is making its debut at the Winnipeg Fringe. For those not familiar with the series they are stories set in the late 1800s which are told from the perspective of Barnaby Gibbs, a rather bumbling and clueless sidekick to detective Antoine Feval. Always a crowd favourite, this mystery contained all the parts that make Chris Gibb’s shows a lot of fun, great word play, plot twists, banter with the audience, and Barnaby’s incredulous reactions.
Murray Hunter
A Lesbian in the Kitchen
Willow Roots Productions—The Output
This was not a polished act, and it didn’t need to be. Rosenberg missed lines, forgot their spot more than once, and seemed nervous at times—but it didn’t take away from the fun blooming from this experience. The demonstration started with a Julia Child feel, but then I felt the accent dissolve, and so did they. I’m not sure if Rosenberg meant to maintain the accent throughout the show and just forgot, or if it was only supposed to be an introduction. Either way, it added to the aura of the show and felt consistent with the vibe they intended.
Entertaining and enlightening throughout, this enjoyable outing is a great way to unwind, relax, and have some fun.
Ray Yuen
Picaro Enterprises
100% Wizard—The Rachel Browne Theatre
3x Jenny Award Winner
2x Best of Fest Orlando
Orlando Patron’s Pick 2025
World-class magic & storytelling from Fringe Vet Keith Brown will BLOW YOUR MIND!
100% Wizard is fun for all ages.
“an hour of laughs, bewilderment, and sleight of hand.” – Parton & Pearl
“Brown’s performance is pure joy” – My Entertainment World
“an evening well spent with a masterful performer” – Intermission magazine
“always a hot ticket” – SesayArts Magazine
“a real deal magician, and a wonderful storyteller. You will leave believing in magic” – Stageworthy Podcast
Crosswalk Productions
The Birdcage—Tom Hendry Warehouse
Crosswalk Productions is 10! Celebrate with them at the Warehouse. The Birdcage, a stage adaptation of the classic 1996 Robin Williams / Nathan Lane movie. A Conservative Senator, a gay Drag Club owner, an engagement, and a ‘Guatemalan’ houseman, all portrayed by a predominantly LGBTQ+ cast and crew.
Oversharer
Two Bits Productions—Son of Warehouse
One of the easier and more enjoyable methods to get access to an ADHD diagnosis, TikTok notwithstanding. An hour long stand up set by the talented Kristen Einarson, with only a momentary concession to the demands of doing a one hander Fringe storytelling show, with a heartfelt and serious breakdown into the real impact of how her brain functions. The technical aspects of the framing slideshow are prone to stuttering, but the content that she mined from a familiar store of childhood documents were fantastic for setting up jokes (And being funny themselves) Great comedy, my only regret is completely unrelated to the performance, namely that we don’t have Wee Johnny’s as a venue this year.
Josh Fidelak
