A Villainous Collab: The Great After at the Fringe

Back in 2009, Ali Joy Richardson was a member of The DaPoPo Academy Youth Ensemble. Ali co-created and performed a play, What the Tide Brought In, with three other young playwright-performers and travelled to Berlin in the company to perform as part of the Just Say IT! Festival at the FEZ-Berlin.

Colleen Arcturus MacIsaac's poster for The Great After, 2025.

Last December at the Bus Stop Theatre's 24-Hour Theatre Event, Garry Williams found himself paired with Richardson's short play The Great After. This Spring Villains Theatre approached Williams about directing the remount and positioning the production as a co-pro for Halifax Fringe. Williams did not hesitate to say yes.

"It such a fun play to be working on," says Williams. "It is smart and funny and feminist and queer. It's also full of surprises, reversals, and magic."

Brave Sir Wolfhart and his loyal bard Valery have finally reached the Lance in the Log. But when a Bog Witch puts them to the ultimate test, the climax of their story turns out to be anything but the end of their adventure.

Two of the original cast members, Sean Baker and Dylan Jackson reprise their roles as The Bog Witch and the knight Sir Wolfhart, while Lucas Hernandes Nascimento replaces Olivier Blais in the role of the bard Valery.

"It's a real treat to have a roomful of wondrous, capable colleagues on the team," continues Williams, "including Brenna Taylor, Laura Spencer, Ryan Wilcox, Charlie MacLean, and Trevor Poole."

The show runs Sat., Aug. 30th 2:45pm, as well as Mon., Sept 1 10pm; Tu Sept 2, 7:45pm; We, Sept 3 9:30pm, and Thurs., Sept 4 6pm at DANSpace.