What would it feel like if everyone you’d ever loved in your life met a gruesome fate? Cliff Cardinal explores this and more in the mythical (Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them). Directed by Karin Randoja, this entrancing solo show invites the audience on a journey thought the life of our storyteller as they detail the unfortunate events of their past. Full of dark humour and imaginative characters, (Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them) is a poignant play you won’t want to miss!

(Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them) is about a man who believes himself to be cursed. Every person in his life who he’s loved, from playground girlfriends to pets to parents, has either died terribly or had some kind of life-altering accident. Terrified to admit his love for anyone else, he sets out on a quest to try and dispel his curse, meeting several interesting people along the way (including a rhino). With beautiful discussions of life, love, and the state of the world, (Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them) is a riveting show that keeps you on your toes throughout his beautiful tale.

The design team of JB Nelles, Sage Paul, and Raha Javanfar have created this mystical yet recognizable world for the storyteller to exist in. The three banners which comprise the majority of the set have these stunning graphics, which look like they’d make the most epic tattoos, and from the one at the entrance appear to be hand-stitched together. The appearance of the Northern White Rhino took my breath away; the talent and time which must have gone into making that beautiful prop is mind-blowing. The lighting is another noteworthy factor in this production, helping to not only create the time of day, but pathways and containers, as well as stunning celestial events. I also loved how the curtain which covers the back wall at times looked as if it was comprised of faces all put together at interesting angles; it was like a collection of all of the people the storyteller had touched throughout his life.

It was such a pleasure to finally see Cliff Cardinal on stage performing; he certainly lived up to my expectations having listened to his work before. He tells this story in an engaging and mesmerizing way, keeping the audience’s full attention from the moment he walks on stage until the lights go down. His physicality when he changes into other characters is perfect, and he gives them all such delightful quirks you’re always hoping they’ll come back. Cardinal’s passion for storytelling is evident as you watch him on stage, and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us next.

(Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them) is a heartfelt story you have to see to believe. Magic and mayhem make this a perfect story to cozy up to this fall. Seating is limited, so you’ll want to get your tickets ASAP! For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.crowstheatre.com/whats-on/2023.24-subscription-season/aterriblefate

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Photo by Michael Copper

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