Calgary Fringe opens with dark comedy in a van and a robot play for kids
Herald theatre critic Louis B. Hobson picks four standout shows from the first four days of the festival, starting with Ride or Die on Friday.
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The Calgary Fringe Theatre Festival is back with the kind of wildly ambitious and unconventional programming that makes the annual event unmissable—from reimagined classics to genre-bending new work. Theatre critic Louis B. Hobson has singled out four standouts from the first four days.
FRIDAY: Ride or Die takes place inside a seven-seater van parked at Spolumbo's. Only four people can experience each showing, making this one of the festival's most intimate (and hotly demanded) tickets. There are three performances nightly at 7, 8, and 9 p.m. The play opens with two best friends in the front seat, when one asks the other if she will help bury a body, no questions asked. The four audience members watch from inside the van like flies on the wall as the chaos unfolds. Playwright Natalie Gifford says the 35-minute piece is the ultimate test of friendship—how far would you go for the ones you love. The show was such a hit at last year's Vancouver Fringe that the artists have been invited back for this year's festival. There's no air conditioning, but director Amanda Haggett notes the van has a fan, windows open, and performances run at night, so comfort is manageable.
SATURDAY: Robot Rumble is written and performed entirely by children as part of Fringe Lightning, a program that has been part of Calgary Fringe since 2011. Eight young writers spent five days in a camp developing the play. The premise: Julius Caesar is using robot gladiators to entertain the masses, calling his nation Chrome instead of Rome. Seven of the robots try to outsmart him. The youngsters not only wrote and rehearsed the show but built the costumes and props. It plays once only at 1 p.m. at Festival Hall, admission is just $2, and the show is suitable for both children and adults.
SUNDAY: John Jack Josie — Juice features performer Josie Nixon playing four characters representing different chapters of their life—John (rural American childhood), Jack (college), Juice (narrator), and Josie (transformation). Each character has their own version of the truth, and the audience must decipher what is real. Nixon wears clown makeup but emphasizes this is not a traditional clown show.
The details
When does Ride or Die perform?
Ride or Die has three performances nightly at 7, 8, and 9 p.m. during the first four days of Calgary Fringe, starting Friday, July 31, 2026.
Where does Ride or Die take place?
Ride or Die takes place inside a seven-seater van parked at Spolumbo's, with only four audience members per showing.
What is Robot Rumble?
Robot Rumble is a play written and performed entirely by children as part of Calgary Fringe's Fringe Lightning program. It features Julius Caesar using robot gladiators to entertain the masses, and plays once only at 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 1, 2026 at Festival Hall with $2 admission.
Who performs in John Jack Josie — Juice?
Josie Nixon performs four characters—John, Jack, Juice, and Josie—each representing different chapters of their life and versions of the truth.
