Anika Venkatesh, Belinda Corpuz and Matthew Joseph in New Bad Ideas Live | Photo by Barry McCluskey
My first encounter with Bad Hats Theatre was through my obsession with a stoner-musical-comedy-adventure called Life in a Box. Having discovered it at the 2018 Toronto Fringe Festival, and falling head over heels for its cleverness and buoyancy, I followed creators Landon Doak and Matthew Finlan to Bad Hats to track the development of their zany and poignant creation. (My preview and review of that remount.)All of those adjectives—clever, buoyant, zany, poignant—can be applied to all of the work Bad Hats fosters.
One of the channels through which they support new artistic works is the New Bad Ideas program. Providing resources—artistic, financial, educational—to Canadian creatives, this initiative offers vital opportunities for collaborative experimentation. A recent work from the program, Boy Boy and the Magic Drum, a family show immersing audiences in the vibes of Carnival, created by Jewelle Blackman and Chantal Forde, was a highlight of my 2024 Toronto Fringe experience and is also represented here.
Julia Schwartz, Belinda Corpuz, Sierra Holder and Anika Venkatesh in New Bad Ideas Live | Photo by Barry McCluskey
New Bad Ideas Live, presented on September 6th at the Burdock Music Hall (nestled in the Burdock Brewery), was their first concert showcase. Featuring new commissioned works and some established favourites, the evening was a cozy, jam-packed, fabulously entertaining and well-organized affair. Well-organized seems like faint praise, but if you have ever suffered through an overlong, unfocused event with unwieldy anecdotes that test your patience, you’ll appreciate the effort here.
Not only is the set list stylistically and tonally balanced and ecclectic, but producer Victor Pokinko and hosts Fiona Sauder and Matt Pilipiak (all three leaders of Bad Hats) maintain a tight, welcoming and upbeat hold over the proceedings. The introductions highlighted the artists involved and made it clear precisely what we were about to hear, where it came from and where it is or might be headed.
A cool concept that unified the evening was a series of four original commissioned short-format works, each devised from a simple prompt—one of the four seasons.
First up was Summer with “Camp,” written by Ben Kopp and Margot Greve, whose innovative and moving musical Iris (Says Goodbye) was a Toronto Fringe hit. Featuring a recurring game of Capture the Flag, it is a deeply nostalgic piece and absolutely nails the drama and adrenaline rush of youthful competition and possibility.
“Garlic Witch,” Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster and John Millard’s Fall entry, was harder for me to latch onto. An tribute to the intensity of garlic, its taste and smell, and a rather cynical peek into a small town and its inhabitants, it was very vibey, though I have to confess, I couldn’t quite follow.
“The Snowball,” the Winter offering, is from Fiona Sauder and Ahmed Moneka—a whimsical ode to both the novelty of snow and the relationship between a newly immigrated Iraqi father and daughter as they adjust to a cooler climate. Their dynamic is endearing and I was tickled by a very amusing running gag about each month’s vibe—from September through to February. “January is like December, but without joy.”
Mark Crawford and Kevin Wong’s “Hyacinth”—a brisk, very nudge-winky retelling of the Greek myth—is the Spring entry. Having acknowledged that the story is very, very GAY, they present the love affair between Hyacinth and Apollo, along with some drama from the rejected wind god Zephyrus, as a giddy fable bursting with gayness and contemporary gags. The final note is even mildly touching. Features flirtations, jealousy and brunch!
Though such a thing wasn’t explicitly teased, any of these short works have the potential for expansion. I am especially yearning for a full-length Kopp-Greve musical about camp life. Throwing that out into the universe in the hope it’ll manifest.
There were sneak-peak numbers from Piper, a retelling of The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Kat Sandler and Adam Sakiyama, and The Chrysalids, Gregory Prest and Landon Doak’s musical adaptation of John Wyndham’s popular young adult novel. “Flying on My Own” and “Outside” are a heartfelt glimpse into The Chrysalids. And Matthew Joseph’s charismatic rendition of “Rat Like Me” (from Piper), in which he makes a case for human-rat love, was a crowd favourite. The little chattering at the end really sealed the deal for everyone, I think.
Some other little treats from the evening were a taste of Amelia, a work in progress from Catherine Teichman and Nicholas Eddie about Amelia Earhart, and Ye Xian: A Musical Retelling of the original Chinese Cinderella story by Hilary Wheeler and heeyun park 박희윤. A number from the upcoming Narnia, written by Fiona Sauder and Landon Doak, suggests a thoroughly compelling C.S Lewis adaptation is in store for us.
The finale, “More Than Ever,” from their acclaimed theatrical adaptation of Peter Pan, was a full circle moment as the original touring production ended on the very same stage. And I still haven’t seen it! Though I have experienced their Alice in Wonderland—another classic children’s story bursting with theatrical whimsy and contemporary resonance. (Pssst, and there’s a cast album for both—Peter & Alice!)
Shout out to music director Adam Sakiyama and the skilled, eager cast for the evening: Belinda Corpuz, Joel Cumber, Matthew Joseph, Sierra Holder, Jacob Macinnis, heeyun park 박희윤, Alex Samaras, Julia Schwartz, and Anika Venkatesh. Each has their moments to shine and, amazingly, everyone fits on the tiny stage. They are as snuggled up as the audience, enhancing the intimacy of the evening.
While celebrating past achievements and hyping upcoming work was the primary focus of event, it also helped to solidify the qualities of Bad Hats work that I find very special—scrappy innovation, compelling sense of play and a commitment to quality.
Throwing this wish out into the universe too: I hope New Bad Ideas Live becomes a tradition!
New Bad Ideas Live
September 6, 2025
Burdock Music Hall
(1184 Bloor St. W)
Fiona Sauder, Adam Sakiyama and Ahmed Moneka in New Bad Ideas Live | Photo by Barry McCluskey