Until November 2nd, Gateway Theatre kicks off its 40th anniversary presenting the Touchstone Theatre production of Kat Sandler’s YAGA. Perfect for the Halloween season, YAGA wraps the Slavic folk tale of Baba Yaga, in a superbly-written suspenseful detective mystery, with an added dose of comedy. The spirit of the ancient witch and her complex history looms large throughout the 2 hour play, building tension as we wait to see if she will really appear.

Photo: Pedro Augusto Meza
Roy Surette directs a magnificent trio of Colleen Wheeler, Genevieve Fleming and Aidan Correia who play 14 different inhabitants of a small town. All three actors offer tour de force performances with great chemistry. Colleen Wheeler especially captivates in each of her varied characters, switching from the dramatic to the comedic as easily as walking off and on stage. Sandler’s stellar script is full of creative, fast-paced dialogue that bounces between the cast like a tennis ball, while the narrator’s brilliant monologues help to exploration the themes of power, gender, and agism. Keeping the audience on the edge of our seats or rolling in laughter, the narrative clearly strikes a cord with the audience.
Ryan Cormack simple but very effective set design constantly reminds of that there may be a witch in the woods, while amazingly taking us all over town with the use of just three pieces of furniture.
Three is the magic number throughout the play; three actors, three pieces of furniture, three generations, three mysterious disappearances.

With the cast playing so many characters the need for quick changes is vital and Rosie Aiken’s costumes keep the looks of each one separate with simple colour pallettes, signature pieces and styles.
Being a whodunit audiences are asked to be aware of spoilers when discussing the play with friends, and I’m sure most everyone will find YAGA to be a play worth talking about. With something for everyone, and every mood, it is an excellent production you will not want to miss!
YAGA runs until November 2, 2024 at Gateway Theatre, 6500 Gilbert Road in Richmond. Find showtimes and tickets online now at gatewaytheatre.com, season subscriptions are still available as well.
Also part of its 40th Anniversary season is a donation campaign hoping to get 1000 people to donate $40 each in an effort to raise $40000 CAD to help support live local theatre.