Today is the last day to get out and see some wonderful performances at Hamilton Fringe!
Cassie Cao’s solo show, How to Love a Fascist, Mills Hardware if you can. The former Bay Street economist turned award-winning comedian has created a brilliant solo show that looks at the true cost of one-sided friendships.
Fringe on the Street is an immersive walking tour where downtown Hamilton becomes the stage for five live 12-minute shows inviting participants to consider how they belong.
Tom Boyd starts the tour off with his solo show, Fathering. In 2056, new fathers still wrestle with how to be a parent. In search of stories from those who have come before, one dad travels 30 years back in time to the streets of Hamilton to ask, “So fatherhood, what’s it all about?” As a parent of grown kids it’s extremely disappointing to think that 30 years from now men are still weaponizing their incompetence. A difficult play to hear particularly the overlapping stories blaring from speakers placed around the room.
Where to Lay My Head to Rest, written and performed by Sophie Bonifaz, brings together stories, songs and an ofrenda – a table decorated with photos, marigolds, candles, water and favourite foods that will nourish souls on the Day of the Dead – to encourage folks to think about where they come from and where their remains will rest after they pass on.
The Hanging is an immersive performance exploring Hamilton’s housing crisis through theatre, movement, and community storytelling. Playwright and actor, Radha Menon, created the impactful play using real testimonies gathered from Hamilton rent strikes and Landlord Tenant Board hearings. The audience is asked to participate in a very comfortable way. Be prepared to learn about the precarity of living as a renter in Hamilton.
Have you ever thought about what happens to all of those redundant robots who just don’t have a role to fill in society any more? Writers and performers, Liz Buchanan and Ryan M. Sero have and that evolved into Trash Bots. Find out what happens when two out of work robots start conspiring when they realize that in order to survive, humanity must be destroyed.
Paola Brown- The Town Crier of Hamilton takes folks back to the 1800s when keeping up with things meant listening to the Town Crier deliver the day’s news and events. Find out about the owner of Dundurn Castle who used the labour of enslaved folks to increase his wealth. And, about Paola Brown an African-American man who left Pennsylvania to settle in Hamilton becoming the Town Crier and supporting petitions to prevent the extradition of African-Americans living in Hamilton and the surrounding regions back to the US where slavery had not yet been abolished.
Playwright Melissa Murray-Mutch, who also directed The Hanging and starred in Spooning the Great Bear By the Light of the Moon, has created an intriguing play that shines a light on Hamilton’s little-known history.
Fringe on the Street is a free event that you can hop on or off anywhere along the 75-minute route.
Fringe ends tonight so be sure to catch one or two more shows, vote for your favourite and make your way to Fringe Boulevard to catch the Closing Night Awards Party with drag queen, comedian and designer Karma Kameleon.
The 9 pm Closing Night Awards Party is FREE and NO TICKET IS REQUIRED. However, space may be limited so please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the event to ensure you have the best possible experience.
Thanks to everyone who read today’s article. With your financial support, a little Nicoll can make a lot of change.
You can also find my work in Public Parking Publication, herizons, rabble.ca and on my Wix site. Follow me on Instagram, X @doreennicoll61, Bluesky @nicollneedschange and Facebook.

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