Fringe review: Inhuman Resources traps you in office hell

Inhuman Resources, a Godot-inspired tragicomedy created by Anna-Maria Maleshev and produced by Try Not To Drown (Toronto), is a masterclass in theatrical unease. Three office rivals are trapped together in a surreal corporate dystopia where the rules of reality don't quite apply.

Following its 2025 Toronto premiere, Inhuman Resources made its Ottawa Fringe debut with a strong opening performance. This is a standout entry: suspenseful, surreal, and genuinely funny, with great writing, amazing acting and chemistry, and a timely examination of the dehumanizing impact of corporate culture.

The three characters—Tim's yuppie, eager-to-please energy, Nick's cynical attitude, and Casey's eventual breakdown—play off each other brilliantly. The parallels to the acclaimed sci-fi thriller Severance are impossible to miss: the aesthetic, the elevator as a key plot device, and the deliberately anachronistic world-building (flip phones and indoor cigarette smoking; the time period is unclear).

Stories about labour exploitation and the existential dread of corporate life are in the cultural zeitgeist for good reason. When artificial intelligence disrupts the traditional workforce and the labour market grows more precarious, these themes cut deep. While some of the plot is predictable, Maleshev has crafted a modern version of the existentialist plays of Sartre and Beckett that actually lands.

The reviewer highly recommends it to anyone who has ever felt trapped in their job—the show will make you feel better in comparison.

Inhuman Resources is playing at LabO until June 28. Tickets are $14 plus service fees online, at the Fringe box office (67 Nicholas St.), and at satellite box offices (Arts Court, 2 Daly Avenue and La Nouvelle Scène, 333 King Edward Ave). Five and ten Show Passes are available. Visit the Ottawa Fringe Festival's website for the full schedule.