Edmonton Journal's Fringe reviews span 5-star standouts to 1-star misses

The a reporter team has published ratings across the 2026 Edmonton Fringe festival, assessing 82 productions from 5-star standouts to single-star disappointments.

Twenty-three shows earned perfect 5-star reviews this year. Among the highest-rated are "12 Angry Puppets," "650 Light Years Away," "The Adventures of Robin Hood," "Afeni," "Beach to the Future," "The Butter Chicken Odyssey," "Cavalleria rusticana," "False Profits," "Featuring Loretta," "gore (i want to disappear)," "Go West, Young Man," "Lumber," "The Merkin Sisters: Backcombed," "Not Quite Sherlock," "Randy & Elizabeth: A Savage Love Story," "The Real Black Swann," "The Review by Martin Dockery," "Rodgers and Hammerstein's ROBOCOP: The Musical," "Shirley Gnome: Kiss & Yell," "Short King," "Tita Jokes," "Tony Wrestles a Stranger," and "Vaping Gay."

Five productions received 4.5-star ratings: "Being Norwegian," "Chamomile and the End of the World," "Confirmed Bachelor," "Jesus, Mary, and Jo," and "The Shape of Seamen."

Thirty shows earned 4-star reviews, ranging from "35MM: A Musical Exhibition" and "Andrew Silverwood: Love Thy Neighbour" to "Walrus" and "A Woman's Guide to Romance Novels." Fourteen additional productions scored 3.5 stars, while 20 received 3-star ratings.

At the lower end, two productions earned 2-star reviews—"Colonial Circus – History, Clown Style" and "Greg's Anatomy"—while "Unsex Me Here @LadyM" received a single star. Only one show, "Orange you glad to be in Miami?," scored 1 star.

The full review collection offers a breadth of critical perspective across comedy, drama, musical theatre, experimental work, and performance art. Fringe runs through the end of the month, with many of the 5-star productions still available for viewing.