The sci-fi/fantasy Ghosted: The Musical, playing at Randolph Theatre at the Toronto Fringe Festival, follows a realist (Zohra) and an idealist (Summer) who are trying to navigate the harsh world of internet dating and dun dun dun….ghosting. What they don’t realize is that fairy demons are actually controlling their every move.
I agree that ghosting is an epidemic in this nation and it should be stopped. But this show had me begging the question, does the topic of ghosting deserve an entire musical? I appreciate the creativity that went into this production, as the plot was woven with lots of twists and turns and pleasant comedic moments. Unfortunately, I couldn’t grab hold of this pseudo-scientific fairy demon inhabited world and I just couldn’t accept it musicalized.
I found the music and lyrics to be overly simplified and the score was missing an overall identifiable theme. The songs were a mish-mash of opera, hip hop, and vaudeville style tunes, but there wasn’t an overarching sound and style to the musical that was consistent. I felt like it couldn’t decide what it wanted to be and because of that the production felt a little confused.
Though I wasn’t won over completely by the material of this show, there were some shining moments. Brianna Roma (Zorah) who played a straight shooting realist, and Connor Ferris (Clancy) playing a dating hopeful possessed by a demon had some great laugh out loud moments together. I also thought that Deyjan Lesmond did a commendable job playing Harvard. I also loved the idea of a Ted Talking pseudo-scientist cult leader as a character.
The show had a fun take on ghosting, but I just didn’t understand how it played into the grand theme of the musical. Once the finale came around, I couldn’t really see or most importantly feel how the loose ends were being tied up. Instead, it just left me a little lost.
If you’re in the mood for a demonic sci-fi musical and you want to feel a little bit better about being ghosted, check out Ghosted: The Musical playing at Toronto Fringe Festival 2019.
A portion of the proceeds from this show will go towards Mental Health Research Canada.
Details
- Ghosted: The Musical plays at Randolph Theatre (736 Bathurst St.)
- Tickets are $13, including a $2 service charge. The festival also offers a range of money-saving passes and discounts for serious Fringers.
- Tickets can be purchased online, by telephone (416-966-1062), from the Festival Box Office at Scadding Court (707 Dundas St. W.), and — if any remain — from the venue’s box office starting one hour before curtain.
- This venue is barrier-free. Note that only certain building entrances are wheelchair-accessible. Accessible seating is in front of the front row.
- Be aware that Fringe performances always start exactly on time, and that latecomers are never admitted.
Performances
- Wednesday July 4th, 10:15 pm
- Friday July 6th, 1:00 pm
- Saturday July 8th, 9:45 pm
- Tuesday July 9th, 6:45 pm
- Thursday July 10th, 5:00 pm
- Saturday July 12th, 8:30 pm
- Sunday July 14th, 12:00 pm
Photo of Dayjan Lesmond, Claire Rice, Katherine Rye and Ted Powers.
Demon Fairy!
Yeah, the show was a bit rough still, but it was a fun experience that kept me entertained. The show has potential; it just needs some revisions.
The choreography and staging were solid. The small cast managed to fill the space as if there had been a much larger ensemble.
I loved how the demon fairies carried Wii controllers!