Juliet: A Revenge Comedy is selling out it’s first ever run!

The world premiere of Juliet: A Revenge Comedy has gone better than we ever could have hoped. It’s like we will completely sell out the entire run at the historic Kings Head Pub, the heart of the Winnipeg Fringe Festival.

Our next stop is the Edmonton Fringe, so if you know anyone in Edmonton, tell them to get their tickets, and fast! Here are some of the reviews we’ve gotten.

★★★★★ STARS -CBC

Ryan Gladstone’s Monster Theatre is money in the bank.

In this brand new show, written by Gladstone and Pippa Mackie, Juliet joins a bevy Shakespeare’s Suicide Girls as they try to gain agency over their lives outside of the Bard’s sharp and sexist quill.

Mackie, alongside Carly Pokoradi, channel the child Juliet and a fearsome Lady Macbeth along with Ophelia, Cleopatra and more. Gladstone plays a suitably foppish William of Stratford to a merry band of feminists in this time-shifting, mind-bending comedic confection.

It’s cerebral without ever being inaccessible. It’s comfortably cool in the handy, food-purveying King’s Head Pub venue, so you’d be daft, or slow to buy, to miss out on this sure-to-sell-out gem.

★★★★1/2

-Winnipeg Free Press

A raucous pub environment is the perfect venue for the latest hilarious offering from Vancouver’s Monster Theatre after many fringe hits in previous years.

The arc of Shakespeare’s titular character from Romeo and Juliet, played by co-writer Pippa Mackie, is followed through to the end of her play, before a quick rewind prevents her from killing herself. Instead, she meanders through some of the Bard’s other plays in an attempt to liberate these women.

Juliet finds herself befriending characters such as Lady Macbeth, Ophelia, Cleopatra and Miranda, all played brilliantly by Carly Pokoradi. Together they end up confronting Shakespeare, played by co-writer Ryan Gladstone, before Juliet rewrites the Bard’s endings so the women live (mostly) happily ever after.

The interactions between Pokoradi and Mackie veer between classic Shakespeare and saucy modern-day dialogue, keeping audiences in stitches from beginning to end of the 60-minute production. The taut writing, sparse props and sound effects are bolstered by fantastic performances, which serve to ratchet up the laughs from start to finish. 

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This is Cancer on tour this summer!

Monster Theatre Artistic Associate Bruce Horak (Freud vs. His Ego, The Canada Show and many more!) is touring his incredible one-man show ‘This is Cancer’ this summer.

Cancer, a deluded egotistical ass, goes on his own journey of denial, anger, bargaining and acceptance when he finds out that the whole world hates him.

“One of the weirdest, and most brilliant shows the fringe has ever seen!” -Edmonton Sun

After a sold-out run in 2010, ‘This is Cancer’ returns to Edmonton and comes to Vancouver.

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Lavinia @ the Edmonton Fringe

LAVINIA: A Modern Fairy Tale of Gigantic Proportions

A one-woman play about a girl who is too huge for ballet, too huge for her house, and whose imagination is simply too huge for her own good. She delves deep into her own imaginary world, goes on an incredible adventure, rescues The Golden Swan, and learns that everyone belongs! Ages 5+

Written and Performed by Tara Travis
Directed by Ryan Gladstone

“An imaginative fairy-tale adventure that keeps audiences of all sizes hooked along the way with her charmingly sheepish demeanor, exaggerated physical antics, eccentric puppet friends and unexpected guest stars. You’ll grow to love her in a big way!”

-Winnipeg Sun

Playing at the Edmonton International Fringe Festival August 11-21!

Fri, Aug 12 @ 4:45 pm

Sat, Aug 13 @ 2:45 pm

Mon, Aug 15 @ 12:45 pm

Tues, Aug 16 @ 11:00 am

Wed, Aug 17 @ 5:00 pm

Thur, Aug 18 @ 12:45 pm

Sun, Aug 21 @ 6:30 pm

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Every Story Ever Told

Once there was a man who thought he could tell Every Story Ever Told.

In One Hour!

Can he?

Ryan Gladstone’s fourth one-man show is the most ambitious…well…ever!

The summer is over, and so is the tour.  Every Story Ever Told sold out it’s entire run in Vancouver, and had great reviews across the country.  Stay tuned to monstertheatre.com to see what the Monsters have in store for next year!

Every Story Ever Told

Created and Performed by Ryan Gladstone

Directed by Karen Hamm

www.lauraleegerwingphotography.com

Here’s what the press had to say:

“enthrallingly kinetic and consistently hilarious”  -BENT

“I want to have Ryan Gladstone’s babies!” -PLANK magazine

“Gladstone has the energy of a hyperactive youngster and the nerve of a stand-up comic, and it’s hard to tell whether he or the audience is having more fun.”  -The Ottawa Citizen

“Get your tickets early to what may be the funniest show at this year’s Ottawa Fringe Festival.” -fullyfringed.ca

“I loved it!”  -culturemagazine.ca

“Gladstone is a fast-paced raconteur and improviser who carries out his elaborate concept with an exhilarating wit!” 4 Stars -Uptown
“Gladstone is a natural comedian – he’s frenetic, fun, and has a great rapport with his audience from beginning to end.  His semi-improvised show certainly delivers on laughs.” 4 Stars -CBC Winnipeg

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Houdini’s Last Escape

Monster Theatre’s newest historical masterpiece toured across Canada this past summer to rave reviews and sell-outs runs!  Stay tuned to monstertheatre.com to see what the Monsters have in store for next year!  For booking info contact the monsters at info@monstertheatre.com

The year is 1926.  Houdini, the greatest magician of all time, is giving his final performance…only he doesn’t know that yet!

Houdini’s Last Escape features magic, spectacle, spirits, escapes, comedy and true love!

www.lauraleegerwingphotography.com

Houdini’s Last Escape

Written and Directed by Ryan Gladstone

Illusion Design and Construction by Christopher Bange

Featuring Tara Travis and Christopher Bange

Original Score by Drew Jurecka

Winners: BEST OF FEST, WINNIPEG FRINGE!

“Monster Theatre pulls a rabbit out of a hat with this wildly theatrical show…it’s no illusion this one’s going to sell out.” -FOUR 1/2 STARS, UPTOWN MAGAZINE

“Gasp-inducing!” -FOUR STARS, CBC WINNIPEG

“No play deserves more to be called magical than Ryan Gladstone’s ingenious mystery comedy HOUDINI’S LAST ESCAPE. This is another must-see show at this year’s fringe.  It will dazzle and amuse you and all in the space of an hour.” -Louis B. Hobson, Calgary Sun

“Wow!  Houdini’s Last Escape is a super-polished, professional production.  And word has obviously gotten out because, last night, Fringe staff had to put out extra chairs to accommodate the crowds.” -FFWD

Houdini\’s Last Escape Promo

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Freud Completely Sold-out run in Winnipeg

Freud vs. his Ego

Completely Sold out run in Winnipeg!

4.5 Stars – Winnipeg Free Press

Bruce Horak is Sigmund Freud.
Ryan Gladstone is Sigmund Freud.
The two actors playing one man engage in a comedic cage match inside the head of the famous shrink as they try to figure out just who Freud really is.
Utterly adept at slapstick, wordplay and sound effects, these two actors from Vancouver are hilariously in sync with each other and their audience in this quick and clever version of the “talking cure.”

4 Stars – CBC

This twisted biography of Sigmund Freud taught me more about the father of psycho-analysis than I’ve ever learned from a book or movie.

As Freud and his ego, Ryan Gladstone and Bruce Horak fire lightning-fast dialogue at each other, often in unison. There’s dancing, wrestling and some runaway penises (not real). It’s a romp!

HOT 103 Review

This is the best show I have seen so far at the Fringe! A hilarious show that follows Sigmund Freud as he battles with his newly detached ego to try and regain his memories and figure out his life before he dies, this two man show is not to be missed!

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