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A Moment for Frayed Nerves

 
Nicholas Abrams Review by Nicholas Abrams 5 Published: 3 Jul 2026 16 Ryerson Ave Show Dates: 2 Jul 2026-12 Jul 2026

I arrived at A Moment for Frayed Nerves on opening night with very little idea what I was about to watch. The press release had left me more puzzled than enlightened and, although Kevin Wong is clearly something of a name here in Canada, he's someone I'd somehow managed never to encounter from this side of the Atlantic. Sixty minutes later, I was still trying to work out exactly what I'd seen. That isn't a criticism. In fact, it's one of the reasons I liked it so much.

One of the most original and rewarding new musicals I’ve seen in years

This isn't a musical interested in telling a straightforward story, and I often found myself reaching for meaning that remained just out of grasp. But rather than becoming frustrating, it became strangely rewarding. Everyone will probably leave with a slightly different interpretation, and the conversations afterwards are almost part of the experience.

Much of that comes from Alysa Pires' choreography, which is simply superb. Ordinary moments are transformed into beautifully observed movement sequences. A scene involving the preparation of a crème brûlée à la pomme de terre shouldn't be as good as it is, while another culinary disaster makes inventive use of silk to create something unexpectedly mesmerising. There were several moments when I realised I'd completely stopped analysing what was happening and was simply watching.

The company matches that choreography with impressive precision. This is a genuinely strong ensemble, with each performer contributing something distinct while never losing the sense that they're working as one.

Kevin Wong's score is equally impressive. The songs don't settle into the familiar rhythms of a traditional musical, instead moving between different musical styles with ease. The lyrics are witty without trying too hard, and the compositions themselves are refreshingly unpredictable.

It's not entirely flawless. Before the show, Wong explained that it had been conceived as an acoustic performance, without microphones. Admirable though that ambition is, I couldn't help wondering whether it ultimately works against the piece. There were moments when lyrics were simply lost, and in a show where meaning already feels deliberately elusive, missing key lines only adds another layer of uncertainty.

The performances are consistently strong. Delia Clark-Bautista opens and closes the evening with confidence, while Helena Shields-Ballantyne gives an excellent performance as the chef. Ironically, as the only performer wearing a microphone because of illness, she also demonstrates just how much clarity amplification could bring to the production.

The evening's standout, though, is EJ Candelaria. Playing a potato sounds like the setup to a bad joke, yet he somehow becomes the emotional heart of the show. His vocals are superb, but it's his ability to find both humour and genuine pathos in such an unlikely role that makes the performance so memorable.

I travelled more than 5,000 kilometres to experience the Toronto Fringe. That's a long way to go for a festival. As it turns out, it was also exactly the right distance to discover A Moment for Frayed Nerves.

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The Blurb:

Anime meets musical in A MOMENT FOR FRAYED NERVES, with Music & Lyrics by Kevin Wong (Patrons' Pick winning creator of Polly Peel and Drama 101) and Choreography by Alysa Pires (National Ballet of Canada, New York City Ballet). A wacky ensemble sings and dances through emotionally-linked vignettes inspired by Ghibli cooking scenes, lo-fi study mixes, warm baths, and the quest for existential meaning.