Presented by Bait and Switch
Ok, here’s the deal: what you want out of a Fringe experience will likely determine how satisfying this entry is for you. I have great fondness for many aspects of Honey Never Spoils. It checks several of my boxes. What a great title! But I also find it frustrating as a crafted piece of theatre.
The gist: three women (Chantel Winters, Nicole Anne Smith, Jada Rifkin) and one man (Jacob Klick) have a true crime podcast—very zietgiesty and, yes, right up my alley. Their shared history rises to the surface to disrupt their status quo when a highly lucrative deal comes with triggering strings attached. The media giant demands that their upcoming season be about Honey—a young woman who went missing and was eventually found murdered over a decade ago. The still-open case never got much attention. The issue? She was a close friend to the three women when they were teenagers.
And the man? For the most part, as their recording engineer he listens a lot and frequently serves as a prompt. “What else did you do?” “What do you remember?”
When a box of Honey’s personal affects appears on the scene, the group fixate on her diary entries. Improbably, they discover a lead within minutes. As they cross reference her diary passages with police reports, they zero in on the killer whose specific identity they hope to uncover. As the clues add up, decades old grudges are restored, secrets confessed and they are suddenly at each others throats with accusations.
Olivia Quinn-Smith’s script is burdened by excessive exposition. She’s written herself into this situation though, needing to fit the women’s history, case details, set up a mystery and solve it within a tight, continuous-action 75 minutes (an accomplishment in itself). And there is a certain exhilaration in the rapid-fire accumulation of evidence and angst. It just isn’t very natural or realistic—which I think it’s trying to be.
The performances are passable, occasionally urgent, but too often strained. There is a smattering of compelling moments for each, though there is little opportunity to convey much insight or subtext as the text needs them to constantly relay information. Stephanie Williams’ direction maintains a steady, efficient pace, though she relies heavily on stilted blocking. One of my theatrical pet peeves: people perched awkwardly on the edge of a desk.
I don’t think this play has much depth, but if you enjoy tracking evidence, seeing plot elements fall neatly into place and revel in the spectacle of professional adults losing their shit, this will scratch that particular itch. The final reveal is certainly a bold button for the scenario; if you’re familiar with mystery tropes, however, you’ll likely suspect it pretty early on.
Honey Never Spoils
@Toronto Fringe Festival
running July 2 to 13, 2025
Tarragon Theatre Extraspace (30 Bridgman Ave)
running time: 75 minutes
