When he strolls into the town of Edmonton in England, not even the devil can resist the charms of a wise, independent, older woman.
Jen Silverman’s dark, comedic take on a Jacobean drama from 1621 is a sharp-witted critique of life under late-stage capitalism and the banality of the imperialism that got us here.
Director Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster brings together a cast with wonderful chemistry, but the pairing of Nicholas Eddie as a charismatic devil with Tantoo Cardinal as the ostracized “witch,” Elizabeth, was the highlight of the production. Eddie, a convincing ladder-climbing underworld bureaucrat, is content to manipulate the mere mortals until meeting his match in Cardinal, the only person immune to his machinations. His slick delivery matches Cardinal’s own resigned but good-humoured performance.
Jareth Li’s lighting design and Olivia Wheeler’s composition create a sinister melancholia of long nights in 1600s England, with a bit of folk goth flair that heightens the tension while adding a contemporary edge.
Witch ends with an optimistic cry to burn it all down so that we may create space for something new.
This article appeared in the 2026 Apr/May issue.