From Press Release
Murder Mystery Puppet Show to Haunt the Theatre Passe Muraille at the Toronto Fringe!
From the team that brought you last year’s critically acclaimed Assassinating Thomson comes Who Killed Gertrude Crump? a plot-twist-a minute puppet caper written and directed by Monster Theatre’s Ryan Gladstone, playing at the Arts Court Theatre July 3-12.
It’s New Year’s Eve 1899. Famous murder mystery author Gertrude Crump finds herself murdered, mysteriously! Now, her ghost must do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of her own suspicious death. Join Gertrude along the way, meet the absurd, outrageous and hilarious other guests….well, suspects, and see if you can solve Who Killed Gertrude Crump?
Acclaimed actor/puppeteer Tara Travis (whose last TO appearance was Monster Theatre’s hit The Shakespeare Show in 2010 “Soaring energy and physicality!” –NNNN, Toronto Now) animates this tale with a cast of original puppets and a gamut of voices in a haunted house fraught with surprises.
Praise for Ryan Gladstone and Tara Travis’ previous collaboration, Til Death: The Six Wives of Henry VIII:
WINNER: Pick of the Fringe Vancouver, Outstanding Individual Performance AND Producer’s Pick (London Fringe)
“…one of the most impressive acting feats in the festival!” ★★★★★–Kevin Prokosh, Winnipeg Free Press
“Tara Travis is an immense talent. Go see this show and find yourself in Heaven. Comedy Heaven, that is.” –umfm.com
“It’s tough to say which is the better part of this show: the acting, the direction or the script…compelling!”–CVV Magazine
“Sharply directed and performed with consummate skill and vivacity, Til Death is a must-see!” ★★★★1/2-Victoria Times Colonist
“Hilarious, touching, thought provoking and educational, Til Death has “best in the fest” written all over it!” –Theatre in London
“A standing ovation followed Travis’ tour-de-force performance.”- ★★★★★ London Free Press
“What more can I add? WOW!” ★★★★(out of 4)- The Beat, London
Monster Theatre has been creating plays and touring them across North America since 2000. Their success on the Canadian Fringe circuit has led to great popularity among presenters across Canada, bringing Monster Theatre work to professional stages year round.
Select productions include:
The Canada Show: The Complete History of Canada in One Hour (Winner ‘Just For Laughs’ Frankie award for Best Comedy)
The Shakespeare Show (★★★★★ –Winnipeg Free Press)
The Seven Lives of Louis Riel (“★★★★★The idea is as brilliant as the execution is funny!” –CBC)
Lavinia: A Modern Fairy Tale of Gigantic Proportions (★★★★★ –Winnipeg Free Press, “Executed flawlessly by one of the best physical comediennes I’ve ever seen…Don’t miss this one…A+!” -Uptown Magazine)
Freud vs. his Ego (“Utterly adept at slapstick, wordplay and sound effects, these two actors from Vancouver are hilariously in sync with each other and their audience in this quick and clever version of the “talking cure.” ”★★★★ 1/2 -Winnipeg Free Press), 2011’s “Best of Fest” winner
Houdini’s Last Escape (“Monster Theatre pulls a rabbit out of a hat with this wildly theatrical show…it’s no illusion this one’s going to sell out.” ★★★★ 1/2 –Uptown Magazine) and
Assassinating Thomson (“A Canadian Masterpiece!” – New Ottawa Critics)
Who Killed Gertrude Crump?
Written and Directed by Ryan Gladstone Performed by Tara Travis
Puppets created by Tara Travis
with Elizabeth Milton and Erin Ashenhurst Costumes by Adam Dickson with Tara Travis Sound design by Robbie Grunwald
with Drew Jurecka
Set Design by Flo Barrett
Playing at Theatre Passe Muraille
Thursday, July 3 @ 6:30pm Sunday, July 6 @ 3:30pm Tuesday, July 8 @ 1:00pm Wednesday, July 9 @ 11:15pm Thursday, July 10 @ 9:45pm Friday, July 11 @ 4:00pm Saturday, July 12 @ 2:15pm