Mona’s Reviews - FringeMTL 2026
Sheila! The Musical
FringeMTL finds a home in all kinds of corners of the plateau, some of which have incredibly inconspicuous outdoor signage like O Patro Výš. It’s a good thing Sheila! The Musical has a 10-minute latecomer policy, but maybe plan ahead anyway. Once you find the door, the uphill battle continues with a steep staircase to the second-floor venue. But don’t get discouraged–Sheila wouldn’t! The one-queen-show will get your spirits right back up, satisfaction guaranteed.
Sheila! The Musical gives us a glimpse into the life of the lonely, and possibly alcoholic 1950s housewife whose husband always works late. As often depicted in media, her greatest companion tends to be the television which constantly runs ads for products that make her life easier in theory, and emptier in practice. Sometimes, she contemplates leaving the house, but that would be admitting the house doesn’t need her. She spends her time snapping her spine straight, and reminding herself that feelings are not fact.
In this hour-long musical, playwright Jay Hill and director Adam Khomsi demonstrate a tangible grasp on drag comedy as an art form. The set is efficiently dressed with a chair, a table, and many props to make housewife Sheila V. Toff feel right at home. Most amusing is her son, Kenneth the Ken doll who just won’t stop crying. Then come the costumes; four to be exact, one of which very impressively mimics that of another doll. The cherry on top, though, has to be the disco ball that comes out to mark every song in the show.
Original musicals can be a gamble, and Sheila! The Musical pays off not only with a clever book and neatly composed numbers, but also with impressively written ads reflecting the consumer culture of 1950s American suburbia. In its comedy, the show indulges in the running gag and occasional prop work like any great drag show. To deliver it all, Sheila gives us vocals upon vocals, unblinking to the stamina required to take the stage for 60 minutes straight.
Essentially, this well researched and thoughtfully written piece manages to deconstruct a forgotten stereotype only to have a field day with her. Now, all it needs is to find an audience that will appreciate every subtle joke, and every note sung. Don’t miss this, because once it has reached the level of success it so well deserves, you’ll want to be able to say you saw Sheila! The Musical at the Montreal Fringe.
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Tango Entre Hombres
To walk into an unassuming room, to be invited into a tango lesson, only to be transported to a world reminiscent of Wong Kar Wai’s Happy Together. That is the hypnotic experience of Art Babayants’s Tango Entre Hombres.
Le Conservatoire de musique de Montréal continues to be a sanctuary for Fringe’s hidden gems. With no latecomer arrivals, the show begins with the delightfully charming Daniel Galicia welcoming us into the language of tango with an interactive portion. If you were hoping to learn a few words in Spanish this summer, there’s your first reason to catch this piece.
Beyond that, it is decidedly impossible to pick a favourite medium utilized here between monologue and dance. In both forms, the artists are aware of, and speak directly to the audience. The story is essentially split into three anecdotes punctuated by tango numbers, but to elaborate any further would be a disservice to the experience that awaits you. True to the Salle Multimédia’s name, they also make use of voiceover, and light prop work. The blank-canvas set leaves space for the language of movement to dress it as gently as it pleases through Alexander Latorre’s choreography, only occasionally accompanied by simple, yet effective lighting design. On the other hand, the writing doesn’t shy away from the comedy that lives so naturally in the questions posed in this play.
Qui nomme la normalité ? ¿Quién define la normalidad? Who defines normalcy? Why can’t two men tango together? To present Tango Entre Hombres in French, English, and Spanish is to acknowledge the universality of dance, of love, of sexuality. The dancing in this show is calculated, the performers’ feet often flowing within an inch of each other. More notably, it is sensual, and honours tango as a form of expression–and offers it as a temporary answer.
Not enough can be said of the precision of the performances from all three cast members. It is impossible to ignore the quality of performance dancers can provide as actors because they allow the emotion to live throughout their entire body. They hit every beat, whether comedic, dramatic, or musical. In fact, I could barely take any notes because I didn’t want to miss a second.
By the time you get to know the characters, the music stops. The ending might feel abrupt only because, honestly, I could’ve watched a whole other hour of Tango Entre Hombres. Seemingly, the only solution is to see this piece again and again.
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CRACKS a one-trans-woman dark comedy memoir
It’s absolutely pouring, but the cold rain is a refreshing change from the humidity of the last few days. The inside of the infamous Halbro Building has yet to catch up, so there’s a fan blaring in the corner of the room that you hope they turn off soon (they don’t). The stage is bare except for a camping chair right down the middle, and a spotlight to keep it warm. Then, Claire Lochmueller casually walks on stage to introduce herself. You sit back, ready to get to know her for the next hour.
CRACKS: a one-trans-woman dark comedy memoir walks you through the life of a trans woman who pushes back against the tradition of religious and military institutions to come to terms with her identity. What it feels like, however, is an old friend confiding in you because she finally feels like she can trust you. The piece is crafted so soundly that it allows for an informality through which Claire can break the fourth wall of the fourth wall. The structure is non-linear, flowing through her memories as though waking up from a dream and trying to piece together why there is a tightness in your chest.
As we go through childhood, puberty, adulthood, and a second puberty, CRACKS puts into perspective the experience of the average trans American. To a Montreal audience, it is incredibly affecting to have the pressures of the all-American life broken down to the day-to-day effects on one’s mental health. A story we’ve all likely heard dozens of times, whether anecdotally or on social media, becomes personal when presented by someone you come to care for over the 60-minute run.
From a catholic upbringing to a Cadet Kelly high school experience, Claire reminds us that we can live many lives in one lifetime. For her, that included joining a comedy group at 19–who knew improv could be a lifesaver. But, when those lives overlap, we run the risk of short-circuiting. Throughout the play, Claire weaves together this imagery of dissociation that is at once devastating and comforting, giving incredibly clear insight into the process of acknowledging yourself.
As Claire so delicately puts it, CRACKS is the story of a woman giving herself permission to wake up. As I hold back tears, I want to tell her that I am glad she is finally awake.
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Raison et sentiments
It’s hard not to look forward to a piece positioned as a reimagining of a Jane Austin classic in the greatest city in the world. The anticipation then only grows when you walk into a well air conditioned Théâtre La Comédie de Montréal following a humid Bixi ride, and maybe even help yourself to a 2-for-1 St-Ambroise cider.
With Raison et sentiments, Les Exclamateurs drop us into 1950s New York City to reintroduce us to the Dashwood sisters, known to some as Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet, and to most as the protagonists of the widely popular novel Sense and Sensibility. Interestingly enough, this American-set version is presented entirely in French; with a creative team mainly made up of French artists, the translation work added a complicated layer of interpretation for a Québécois audience. Admittedly, the occasional French expression was difficult to decipher in addition to following the storyline which could’ve used a bit more exposition off the top, especially considering the not-so-accurate range of ages in the cast. Still, you catch up quickly to the established romances and characters, or at least put faces to the names you likely already know from assigned school or book club readings.
The show is designed to a very basic budget in the spirit of Fringe and independent theatre. Aside from a cutout of the New York skyline, the stage is dressed with apple boxes very cleverly decorated with light-up stickers creating imagery of neighbouring apartment buildings. Otherwise, locations are hinted at through transitions like wobbling bystanders on a moving subway car. Lastly, costumes were simple, but consistent, though not completely era appropriate.
The shining mark of this production truly lives in the cast, and the passion they brought to each of their roles. With any barebones play, and frankly with nowhere else to look, the audience heavily relies on the performances, and the director’s choices. Throughout the 90 minute run, it was abundantly clear that every actor had a hand in crafting their characters, and in return, that the characters were taken apart and rebuilt to complement the actors’ strengths.
One question still lingers: why New York? I found the DNA of the city to be lacking in this interpretation which, considering the translation, could’ve taken some liberties to make the choice more evident. Now, was I occasionally thrown off by the mix of French and Québécois accents? Sure. Was I charmed by the cast’s sense of play? Absolutely! Ultimately, Raison et sentiments was undoubtedly successful in honouring the love story at the heart of Sense and Sensibility: that of the Dashwood sisterhood.
