Shaw Festival - The Globe and Mail

The Shaw Festival, inspired by the spirit of George Bernard Shaw and Canada’s second-biggest repertory theatre company, runs almost all year round in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.

The centrepiece of its 2025 season is a new production of Anything Goes, complemented by a bevy of other offerings including farces, murder mysteries and children's productions.

Find all The Globe and Mail’s news and features about the Shaw Festival here – plus reviews as productions open over the course of the season.

In Blues for an Alabama Sky, actor Virgilia Griffith reaches new heights

Shaw Festival’s final opener of the season is a tight, sleek examination of life during the Harlem Renaissance

Virgilia Griffith as Angel Allen, Mary Antonini as Delia Patterson and Allan Louis as Sam Thomas in Blues for an Alabama Sky (Shaw Festival, 2025). Photo by David Cooper.

Virgilia Griffith as Angel Allen, Mary Antonini as Delia Patterson and Allan Louis as Sam Thomas in Blues for an Alabama Sky (Shaw Festival, 2025). Photo by David Cooper.

Aisling Murphy

4 min read

Murder-on-the-Lake is an improvised whodunit with a remarkable twist

Aisling Murphy

From left, Murder-on-the-Lake ensemble members Kristopher Bowman, Cosette Derome, and Virgilia Griffith. With a different lead and ensemble that switch out roles every performance, the show may just be unreviewable.

From left, Murder-on-the-Lake ensemble members Kristopher Bowman, Cosette Derome, and Virgilia Griffith. With a different lead and ensemble that switch out roles every performance, the show may just be unreviewable.

From left, Murder-on-the-Lake ensemble members Kristopher Bowman, Cosette Derome, and Virgilia Griffith. With a different lead and ensemble that switch out roles every performance, the show may just be unreviewable.

3 min read

Wait Until Dark is a drowsy, dull thriller in need of more thrills

Aisling Murphy

Sochi Fried as Susan and Kristopher Bowman as Mike in Wait Until Dark (Shaw Festival, 2025).

Sochi Fried as Susan and Kristopher Bowman as Mike in Wait Until Dark (Shaw Festival, 2025).

Sochi Fried as Susan and Kristopher Bowman as Mike in Wait Until Dark (Shaw Festival, 2025).

3 min read

Gnit at the Shaw Festival is an intriguing homage to Henrik Ibsen

Aisling Murphy

Gabriella Sundar Singh, left, as Anitra and Qasim Khan as Peter in Gnit, written by Will Eno.

Gabriella Sundar Singh, left, as Anitra and Qasim Khan as Peter in Gnit, written by Will Eno.

Gabriella Sundar Singh, left, as Anitra and Qasim Khan as Peter in Gnit, written by Will Eno.

3 min read

Shaw Festival’s Major Barbara unpacks the historical balance of good and evil with style

Aisling Murphy

Gabriella Sundar Singh as Barbara Undershaft and Patrick Galligan as Andrew Undershaft in Major Barbara

Gabriella Sundar Singh as Barbara Undershaft and Patrick Galligan as Andrew Undershaft in Major Barbara

Gabriella Sundar Singh as Barbara Undershaft and Patrick Galligan as Andrew Undershaft in Major Barbara

4 min read

More articles

August 27, 2025

Virgilia Griffith as Angel Allen, Mary Antonini as Delia Patterson and Allan Louis as Sam Thomas in Blues for an Alabama Sky (Shaw Festival, 2025). Photo by David Cooper.

Virgilia Griffith as Angel Allen, Mary Antonini as Delia Patterson and Allan Louis as Sam Thomas in Blues for an Alabama Sky (Shaw Festival, 2025). Photo by David Cooper.

theatre review

In Blues for an Alabama Sky, actor Virgilia Griffith reaches new heights

Aisling Murphy

4 min read

August 25, 2025

From left, Murder-on-the-Lake ensemble members Kristopher Bowman, Cosette Derome, and Virgilia Griffith. With a different lead and ensemble that switch out roles every performance, the show may just be unreviewable.

From left, Murder-on-the-Lake ensemble members Kristopher Bowman, Cosette Derome, and Virgilia Griffith. With a different lead and ensemble that switch out roles every performance, the show may just be unreviewable.

Murder-on-the-Lake is an improvised whodunit with a remarkable twist

Aisling Murphy

3 min read

July 24, 2025

Sochi Fried as Susan and Kristopher Bowman as Mike in Wait Until Dark (Shaw Festival, 2025).

Sochi Fried as Susan and Kristopher Bowman as Mike in Wait Until Dark (Shaw Festival, 2025).

theatre review

Wait Until Dark is a drowsy, dull thriller in need of more thrills

Aisling Murphy

3 min read

July 14, 2025

Gabriella Sundar Singh, left, as Anitra and Qasim Khan as Peter in Gnit, written by Will Eno.

Gabriella Sundar Singh, left, as Anitra and Qasim Khan as Peter in Gnit, written by Will Eno.

theatre review

Gnit at the Shaw Festival is an intriguing homage to Henrik Ibsen

Aisling Murphy

3 min read

July 10, 2025

Gabriella Sundar Singh as Barbara Undershaft and Patrick Galligan as Andrew Undershaft in Major Barbara

Gabriella Sundar Singh as Barbara Undershaft and Patrick Galligan as Andrew Undershaft in Major Barbara

Shaw Festival’s Major Barbara unpacks the historical balance of good and evil with style

Aisling Murphy

4 min read

June 10, 2025

Michael Therriault as Mr. Tumnus and Alexandra Gratton as Lucy in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Michael Therriault as Mr. Tumnus and Alexandra Gratton as Lucy in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

review

At Shaw, a confounding writing choice nearly ruins an otherwise passable trip to Narnia

Aisling Murphy

3 min read

June 6, 2025

Julia Course as Louise Allington and Mike Nadajewski as Aubrey Henry Maitland Allington in Tons of Money.

Tons of Money stars Julia Course as Louise Allington and Mike Nadajewski as Aubrey Henry Maitland Allington. Course's understudy was filling in when The Globe was in attendance.

review

Mike Nadajewski shines in Tons of Money despite an unsteady understudy

Aisling Murphy

3 min read

June 6, 2025

Michael Therriault as Mr. Tumnus and Alexandra Gratton as Lucy in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Photo by David Cooper.

Michael Therriault as Mr. Tumnus and Alexandra Gratton as Lucy in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Photo by David Cooper.

The Witch, the Wardrobe and … a guy named Aslan? Inside the Shaw Festival’s final voyage to Narnia

4 min read

June 5, 2025

Jeff Irving as Billy Crocker, Mary Antonini as Reno Sweeney and Michael Therriault as Moonface Martin with the cast of Anything Goes.

Jeff Irving as Billy Crocker, Mary Antonini as Reno Sweeney and Michael Therriault as Moonface Martin with the cast of Anything Goes.

review

An underpowered Anything Goes taps into a bygone era’s penchant for tap dancing

Aisling Murphy

4 min read

May 26, 2025

ArtistRenderings-RoyalGeorgeTheatre.jpg
Photos are courtesy of the Shaw Festival — note the building images are artist renderings.
an exclusive about the Shaw Festival's new buildings/initiatives for seniors. (Skedded for Monday at 6am, can go in print that day as well if there's room.) rv-shaw-exclusive-0526

ArtistRenderings-RoyalGeorgeTheatre.jpg
Photos are courtesy of the Shaw Festival — note the building images are artist renderings.
an exclusive about the Shaw Festival's new buildings/initiatives for seniors. (Skedded for Monday at 6am, can go in print that day as well if there's room.) rv-shaw-exclusive-0526

Shaw Festival raises $110-million for facility renovations, Royal George Theatre revamp

2 min read

March 7, 2025

Tom Rooney as Henry Higgins, Kristi Frank as Eliza Doolittle, Allan Louis as Zoltan Karpathy and the cast of Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady (Shaw Festival, 2024). Photo by David Cooper.

Tom Rooney as Henry Higgins, Kristi Frank as Eliza Doolittle, Allan Louis as Zoltan Karpathy and the cast of Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady (Shaw Festival, 2024). Photo by David Cooper.

Shaw Festival reports operating surplus just one year after largest deficit in its history

2 min read

August 20, 2024

The cast of Snow in Midsummer (Shaw Festival, 2024). Photo by David Cooper.

The cast of Snow in Midsummer (Shaw Festival, 2024). Photo by David Cooper.

review

The Shaw festival’s Snow in Midsummer will tug at your heartstrings

4 min read

August 16, 2024

Damien Atkins as Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Human Heart (Shaw Festival, 2024). Photo by Emily Cooper.

Damien Atkins as Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Human Heart (Shaw Festival, 2024). Photo by Emily Cooper.

review

The real mystery isn’t why the Shaw Festival is producing another Sherlock Holmes play (bums in seats) – but who wrote it

4 min read

August 14, 2024

Sanjay Talwar as Rev. James Mavor Morell, Sochi Fried as Candida Morell and Johnathan Sousa as Eugene Marchbanks in Candida (Shaw Festival, 2024). Photo by Emily Cooper. Candida, Shaw Festival . File by WEDS August 14.

Sanjay Talwar as Rev. James Mavor Morell, Sochi Fried as Candida Morell and Johnathan Sousa as Eugene Marchbanks in Candida (Shaw Festival, 2024). Photo by Emily Cooper. Candida, Shaw Festival . File by WEDS August 14.

review

Candida, the All Fours of its time, shows its age in latest Shaw Festival revival

4 min read

July 2, 2024

(foreground, l to r): Rais Clarke-Mendes as Maude Lynn Albans, Ryann Myers as Odette Albans and Deborah Castrilli as Agnès Albans, with (background, l to r) Sophia Walker as Makeda and Nehassaiu Degannes as La Veuve in The House That Will Not Stand (Shaw Festival, 2024). Photo by David Cooper.

(foreground, l to r): Rais Clarke-Mendes as Maude Lynn Albans, Ryann Myers as Odette Albans and Deborah Castrilli as Agnès Albans, with (background, l to r) Sophia Walker as Makeda and Nehassaiu Degannes as La Veuve in The House That Will Not Stand (Shaw Festival, 2024). Photo by David Cooper.

review

At the Shaw Festival, The House That Will Not Stand is a fascinating play in a production divided against itself

4 min read

June 28, 2024

Donna Soares as Chao Tun; Lindsay Wu as Emperor Ling; with Eponine Lee and Richard Lee in The Orphan of Chao (Shaw Festival; 2024).

Donna Soares as Chao Tun; Lindsay Wu as Emperor Ling; with Eponine Lee and Richard Lee in The Orphan of Chao (Shaw Festival; 2024).

review

The Orphan of Chao plots an urgent revenge at the Shaw Festival

4 min read

June 27, 2024

Gabriella Sundar Singh as Mary and Tama Martin as Robin in The Secret Garden (Shaw Festival, 2024). Photo by Michael Cooper.

Gabriella Sundar Singh as Mary and Tama Martin as Robin in The Secret Garden (Shaw Festival, 2024). Photo by Michael Cooper.

review

A sweet, gentle, mindful take on The Secret Garden at the Shaw Festival

4 min read

June 26, 2024

Peter Fernandes as Francis Henshall and Martin Happer as Stanley Stubbers in One Man, Two Guvnors (Shaw Festival, 2024). Photo by David Cooper.

Peter Fernandes as Francis Henshall and Martin Happer as Stanley Stubbers in One Man, Two Guvnors (Shaw Festival, 2024). Photo by David Cooper.

review

Three cheers aren’t enough for One Man, Two Guvnors, which deserves to be a Shaw Festival smash

4 min read

May 24, 2024

Kristi Frank as Eliza Doolittle and Tom Rooney as Henry Higgins in Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady (Shaw Festival, 2024). Photo by David Cooper.

Kristi Frank as Eliza Doolittle and Tom Rooney as Henry Higgins in Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady (Shaw Festival, 2024). Photo by David Cooper.

review

My Fair Lady’s fascinating, feisty central relationship makes it a rewarding revisit

4 min read

May 3, 2024

(l to r): Andrew Lawrie as Leonard Vole, Marla McLean as Romaine Vole, Patrick Galligan as Sir Wilfrid Robarts, QC, with the cast of Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution. Photo by Emily Cooper.

(l to r): Andrew Lawrie as Leonard Vole, Marla McLean as Romaine Vole, Patrick Galligan as Sir Wilfrid Robarts, QC, with the cast of Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution. Photo by Emily Cooper.

review

The Shaw Festival makes an open-and-shut case for Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution

4 min read