From The Winnipeg Fringe Festival PATRON REVIEW SITE:

Gabrielle Singer on July 27, 2019 at 11:46 am said:

What I particularly loved about this show, aside from the beautiful music and witty lyrics, is the subtle way it explores different models of being a woman in relationship to males. It is SO refreshing to come across what is essentially a feminist story that does NOT beat you over the head with yet another heavy-handed message about women being the victims of men. This show actually embodies a very sophisticated exploration with a masterfully light and graceful touch. On her journey to mature love, Persephone encounters a number of alternatives: her traumatized mother opting (at first) for total avoidance, then Aphrodite focused on lust, Medusa ruthlessly destroyed for her independence, Hera “enjoying” her role as Queen but locked into a pitched battle with her philandering husband. Persephone’s resolution comes with the assertion of her own selfhood — which is itself facilitated by Demeter’s embracing her own power. As a feminist, I am so tired of polemical tracts dressed up as art. I love how this show avoids didactic browbeating — instead, it offers a wonderful, positive, joyous portrayal of a young woman successfully negotiating the challenges of achieving a mature love relationship — indeed, of becoming herself. This would be a wonderful show for young women to see! Bravo to playwright Adi Sara Kreindler!

Joy Murphy on July 26, 2019 at 2:35 pm said:

I Married the King of the Underworld and My Mom Freaked – This is a wonderful Fringe Musical by a truly gifted local Composer/Lyricist Adi Sara Kreindler. It has exceptional music, singing and acting and choreography. It is historical, allegorical, mythological and hysterical (frolicking fun that is) and pertinent to solving world problems this very day! I heartily recommend this show to all. Sincerely, Joy Murphy

Joel Kettner on July 24, 2019 at 2:38 pm said:

I highly recommend that you see the very talented and creative Sara Kreindler’s production of I Married the King of the Underworld and My Mom Freaked. It will not only provide you with a review of Greek mythology (which is, of course, very relevant to the understanding of the origins of western culture and today’s eco-social health concepts) but it will also help you to understand the historic roots of today’s insecure male narcissistic leaders (spoiler – the highest god living in Olympus is wearing a MOGA red hat). If this all sounds too academic and serious, don’t worry. There is also a love story, mother/daughter adjustment to individuation, and many other things. It is also full of an eclectic mix of music and literary genres, clever lyrics, humour, and complex, but accessible songs – all brilliantly accompanied on keyboard by the composer herself, modestly hidden in the (dark underworld?) background.
And you can bring your whole family; the script is very subtle.
I saw the 10:45 pm show last evening – and stayed awake for the whole thing!
There are only two more shows – Thursday 3:45 pm and Sunday at 6:00 pm.
Enjoy…unless, of course, you don’t like this kind, in which case as my mother said “Try it. You’ll like it!”

Thomas Novak on July 24, 2019 at 12:40 pm said:

This is a musical in the mode of the great classical Broadway musicals of Rogers and Hammerstein or Lerner and Lowe. A sparkling number for the whole cast opens the show, and humour abounds throughout. However, underneath the humour there is some serious psychological exploration: the inevitable sacrifices that are the cost of asserting your own identity, learning find beauty where the more conventionally minded remain oblivious and, above all, the pain that is intertwined with joy when as one grows from infatuation into deep, sacrificial love for another. Not surprisingly, these more serious themes evoke some very moving ballads; however, they are also expressed by a couple of very witty numbers – where nevertheless the smile on the mouth cannot hide the tear growing in the eye. Great performances by a strong cast, including Manitoba Opera regular who finally gets to show off his rich bass-baritone as the leading man. This journey to hell and back is well worth the trip!

Yvonne on July 23, 2019 at 11:59 pm said:

Fantastic musical! Very entertaining with a wonderful cast of characters. Great to see such a talented Winnipeg crew. Don’t miss it!

Ross Phillips on July 21, 2019 at 6:36 pm said:

Outstanding performance by the cast and the writing and music was wonderful. Zeus was awesome. Had the best lines in the whole show and he brought it down wonderfully.
A MUST see. Kudos to all involved

Betty Currie on July 21, 2019 at 8:48 am said:

What a fun show! Good music and acting, excellent voices and very clever lyrics. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening and am still chuckling about some of the lines. Don’t miss it.

Marcia Fleisher on July 20, 2019 at 1:03 pm said:

This show was an absolute delight! The writer/composer is supremely talented with a broad repertoire of musical style although she particularly shines in those numbers that showcase a formidable wit and sense of whimsy. This is a very funny show! The lyrics are in turn witty/hilarious and beautiful/touching and the music follows suit.

The cast is remarkably gifted – every single one of them. The play is brilliantly directed. I have only one criticism; the writer/composer and the director need to join the cast at the end to receive their well-deserved applause. I rarely write any kind of review and have never written one for a fringe play.. . .

Do not pass this one up!

Trish Reimer on July 20, 2019 at 10:42 am said:

This is a “must-see” show. The voices are fabulous (especially Sam Plett and David Watson), the lyrics are clever and there are moments of hilarity. Extremely well acted. Adi Sara Kreindler is an extremely talented woman…she composed all of the music as well as setting the libretto. (She also played the piano for the production.) I look forward to her future offerings!

Alastair Clarke on July 19, 2019 at 11:59 pm said:

Wpg peeps: The fringe play, “I Married the King of the Underworld and My Mom Freaked” is EXCELLENT! I don’t make a lot of recommendations as people have busy lives and we live in our bubbles. To be honest, I do not have high expectations for fringe plays but this one greatly exceeded my expectations! Part political satire, part Greek allegory, this musical production is modern and hilarious! Who knew we had such amazing local talent! Full disclosure: a friend from Queen’s Law is the lead. Way to go Erin-Brie Warwick!!

Dan Boileau on July 19, 2019 at 10:52 pm said:

A spectacular cast delivering a wonderful performance… set to an amazing score.

Liz Farler on July 19, 2019 at 9:56 pm said:

One of the best fringe shows I have ever seen. The songs are great sung by people with incredible voices. The story line is fun and the cast are all outstanding

Beryth Strong on July 19, 2019 at 9:17 pm said:

A thoroughly entertaining musical involving myth, mirth, music and mayhem. Perfectly cast, incredible voices. Definitely a top choice!

Lloyd Lawrence on July 19, 2019 at 2:30 pm said:

The members of the cast illuminate the stage with unique representations of the gods and delicious renditions of song. Hades (David Watson) fills the concert hall with his beautiful baritone. Zeus (Sam Plett) was a huge audience hit with his Trump-like Zeus. The music is gorgeous, the lyrics incredibly witty, and the show is enormous fun. A must-see.

Janet Fondse on July 19, 2019 at 2:08 pm said:

This show has delightful moments of beauty, wit and inspiration, some fine acting and absolutely gorgeous singing. Judging by audience response, the opening night performance was truly a hit. There is a lot to love about this modern musical myth. Go see the show!

Rhiannon Hardy on July 19, 2019 at 12:41 am said:

I’m a musical fanatic, and I was just blown away by this local gem. Amazing interweaving of comedy and emotional truth. The wit and satire are tremendously sophisticated while the sense of fun is zany and lighthearted. But most of all, it’s the MUSIC – absolutely gorgeous. Especially one sung by David Watson (Hades) sent chills up my spine, and another by Demeter (Elizabeth Rostoff) left me stunned, plus enchanting Disney-princess ballads by Persephone. Super fun — Sam Plett brought down the house as Zeus, not to mention a remarkable Medusa, and a hilarious Cerberus number. Lyrics are incredibly clever and funny — reminded me of Cole Porter, And the voices, especially Watson and Plett, are phenomenal. Altogether a GREAT start to my Fringe.

Marcie Dyck on July 18, 2019 at 8:37 pm said:  

 Very entertaining and funny. Well acted. I was engaged throughout. Clever lyrics and musical score. High quality singers, the bass especially. It’s a must see. Don’t miss it!!

 rose kotel on July 18, 2019 at 12:06 am said:

Wonderful lyrics … very funny. Hilarious allusions (ex. Trump). Nice pipes on rich bass & sweet mezzo. 6 in cast play multiple characters. Great twist on mythological rendition.

From The Jenny Revue:

This is a retelling of the Persephone story from Greek mythology, and is a very impressive show with a couple of technical issues. It is a new musical, with music, lyrics and book by Adi Sara Kreindler, who also serves as producer and music director.

For this production, the music had a live digital piano accompaniment that was well-amplified. Unfortunately, the voices did not appear to be mic’d and I had a hard time making out everything the cast was singing, although I could hear everyone perfectly during the moments of plain dialogue. Still, it was clear that the music had some beautiful melodies and harmonies and was also very pleasantly sung. I wouldn’t mind having a recorded version of this show, as the cast does an excellent job with excellent material. The other, minor, technical issue was that the stage seemed at points to be inadequately lit, especially near the beginning of the show.

The story is clearly told and has several nice moments. Some of these involve the character of Demeter (played by Elizabeth Rotoff), Persephone’s mother, who is portrayed as an expert negotiator, getting what she needs from the powerful gods Zeus and Hades in order to protect her daughter. Also well-written and acted was the main character, Persephone (Erin-Brie Warsick), who seeks to balance her love for Hades with her own personal needs, as she finally poses the question to him, “How can you make me live in a world with no sky?” Watching this version of this story made me realize for the first time that this myth is maybe not so much an explanation of why winter exists, but a model of how to reconcile personal and relationship needs or partner needs with family of origin needs. Powerful stuff.

Konrad Antony

From the indie review site badgardeningadvice.com:

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