Photo of Mariam Tirani

Mariam Tirani

Current Contributor

Mariam Tirani (she/her) is a Queen’s University Life Sciences student and a current theatre critic for the Kingston Theatre Alliance. Her love for the arts has led her to explore the world of theatre. Having seen a handful of theatre productions throughout her school years, she has become keen on exploring and becoming more involved in the theatre community in Kingston. In her spare time, she can be found reading, playing the violin, and watching nostalgic 2000s movies.

Articles by Mariam

Shakespeare, Shakespeare, Wherefore Art Thou, Shakespeare? 

  • Kick & Push Festival
  • Review
  • TK Fringe

Three venues, all alike in dignity, in fair Kingston where TK Fringe lays many scenes. More specifically for Dana Schindel, it’s in the Davies lounge where she lays the scene for her show, Shakespeare: Say It! This delightfully creative show turns Romeo and Juliet into an interactive story, inviting the audience to step into the iconic roles themselves. Armed with character cards and visual cues, you’re not just watching the […]

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‘[Blank] Town’ Destination: [Blank]  

  • All-Inclusive Comedy
  • Kick & Push Festival
  • Review
  • TK Fringe

From the Shire of Middle Earth to the Metropolis of DC comics, have you ever wished you could visit a fictional town? Would you believe me if I told you it might be possible? Well, kind of. [Blank] Town Bus Tours, run by the infectiously enthusiastic duo Tony Babcock and Wilding, can take you there. At the beginning of the show, they will hand you a pamphlet and repeatedly instruct you […]

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‘Le Roi Boréal’ Discovers Kingston

  • Kick & Push Festival
  • Review

During the lockdown, when everyone was cooped up at home and avoiding the public, the wilderness slowly began reclaiming its territory. Creator Carl Veilleux saw poetry in this gentle takeover. Abandoned roads and empty sidewalks, once busy with human commuters, became pathways for deer, bears, and other wild creatures. The sight of animals returning to their roots sparked Veilleux’s vision: to capture that sense of reclamation, magic, and poetry in […]

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Poster for 'Father, Forgive Me' in TK Fringe. Poster includes the location, some dates and times, title, TK Fringe logo, The Kick & Push logo, box office phone number and web page, and a small blurb about the show.

Dungeons Without Dragons in ‘Father, Forgive Me’

  • Kick & Push Festival
  • Review
  • TK Fringe

There is just something so exciting about attending a show where the performer knows almost as little as you do about what will unfold in the next forty minutes. For it being my first time ever seeing an improv show and also my first time watching someone play Dungeons & Dragons, I was pleasantly surprised at how easily I could follow Father, Forgive Me from start to finish. The story […]

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Poster for Blue Canoe Productions' production of 'Merrily We Roll Along'. The poster notes the company, title, and season.

‘Merrily We Roll Along’ Is a Palpable Hit! 

  • Blue Canoe Productions
  • Review

Merrily We Roll Along feels like opening a row of bottled memories. With each bottle opened, we travel further into the past, back to a time when people were more ambitious and more hopeful. The story progresses, not forwards, but backwards, revealing just how strong the bonds of love and friendship can be when nurtured, and how easily they can go awry when dreams take priority.  When the musical (lyrics […]

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Immersion & Interaction at Pop-Up Installations

  • Festival
  • Kick & Push Festival
  • Review

Metamorphosing Spaces into Stories Today, clothing only lasts as long as the trend does, meaning it gets worn once, and then tossed into landfills. This normalization of fast-fashion is making modern day sustainability more important than ever. Fiber Artist Leisa Rich stitches together pieces of felt, sequins, glittery mesh, wigs, feathers, and even reusable Metro bags to create colorful, immersive, and diverse art experiences while keeping sustainability in mind. Rich’s […]

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Headshot of Andrea Superstein. She looks a the camera wearing bedazzled glasses.

A Labour of Love: Andrea Superstein on Art and Motherhood

  • Interview
  • Kick & Push Festival
  • TK Fringe

After first visiting Kingston on a grade five field trip, vocalist and 2025 JUNO nominee Andrea Superstein is returning, this time as a performer. She’s eager to be a part of a thriving theatre scene infused with energy and magic that happens over just ten days. As a part of the TK Fringe Festival, Superstein will perform Oh Mother F#@%*!, a show that explores the vulnerable highs and lows of […]

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All Aboard the ‘Providence’ Express

  • Festival
  • Kick & Push Festival
  • Review

For those who have watched Back to the Future and thought, “I wish I could visit the past!” this is the show for you. Start by finding the entrance to the K&P Trail near Hagerman Avenue where you’ll be surrounded by the buzzing of cicadas and live fiddle tunes played by Jan Leclair on the accordion and Karma Tomm on the violin. You’ll know you’ve arrived when you see an […]

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Human or Computer?: An Interview with Yuriy Popov and Yana Menov

  • Festival
  • Interview
  • Kick & Push Festival
  • TK Fringe

This might not be the first time on stage for Yuriv Popov and Yana Menov—the founder and creative director of Studio Reflection, respectively—but it is their first time performing a piece that is 100% theirs. After translating playwright Igor Yakimov’s The Turing Test from Russian to English, the two get to be their own directors, actors, and designers. With over 50 custom-made video clips, sound clips, and even perfectly timed […]

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Come Play by the Lake: ‘Tribute to Wildflower’ and ‘Acorn’

  • Domino Theatre
  • Festival
  • Review

Tribute to Wildflower: How to Read a Bouquet  A dimly lit stage with lively jazz playing in the background welcomes the audience to a night of reflective and personal stories. To the right, a sign reads “Connie’s Flowers,” and in the center, a table with various props sets the scene of a charming flower shop. The story about to unfold is one of sisterhood, loss, perspective, and new beginnings. In […]

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Headshot of Valerie Winslow. She smiles at the camera.

Dial In: An Interview with Valerie Winslow

  • Artist
  • Domino Theatre
  • Interview

Checking items off a bucket list might be one of the most satisfying things in life, and as of July 5, 2025, writer, director, and performer Valerie Winslow is set to do just that. After years of being an audience member, sitting and enjoying shows from the sidelines, Winslow will finally live her dream. With months of writing and directing in anticipation, she will watch the premiere of her very […]

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A Walk in the Park: SPAF 2025

  • Festival
  • Review
  • Skeleton Park Arts Festival

The best part about summertime in Kingston is there’s always something to do, and the worst part is there’s never enough time to do it all. Whether you were busy with the Princess Street Promenade or simply seeking shelter from the heatwave, you might have missed this year’s Skeleton Park Arts Festival (SPAF). If you weren’t able to make it out to McBurney Park this past weekend, we don’t want […]

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