Review: GALEN'S GROCER: THE MUSICAL at Theatre Passe Muraille
The new musical adaptation of the successful Toronto Fringe play runs from July 2-12.
Galen's Grocer is an extremely timely, clever and detail-oriented musical that will -- both hilariously and sadly -- resonate with anyone who buys groceries in Canada.
The new musical adaptation of Galen's Grocer, which audiences may have previously seen as a (sold-out) play at the 2025 Toronto Fringe Festival, is delighting audiences at Theatre Passe Muraille as part of this year's Toronto Fringe lineup, from July 2-12.
The premise: With a CEO killer on the loose, the widely-hated grocery billionaire Galen Easton (clever, isn't it?) comes to the conclusion that he must find a quick way to improve his reputation. What's his big idea? A TV sitcom about the difficulties of running a grocery store, in the obvious style of "Kim's Convenience," called "Galen's Grocer."
Galen assembles a cast of (non-Korean) actors to play the Kim family made famous by the beloved play, and later sitcom, "Kim's Convenience," who now work in a No Frills instead of a convenience store. Galen believes that, "with the power of CBC and CBC Gem," the sitcom will change people's, including the CEO killer's, minds about his greedy CEO public image.
One particularly funny scene in the sitcom involves the use of exessive (comedic) force to stop a thief from stealing a box of President's Choice Mac & Cheese -- of course, Galen would've allowed the thief to steal a loaf of bread, but certainly not coveted PC products.
There is never a dull moment in Galen's Grocer (the stage musical or the sitcom within the musical). The transitions are smooth and there are so many twists and turns to keep audiences completely engaged. There was not a single phone lit up in sight during the performance -- quite rare for 2026.
This show feels like it could be marketed as "a musical for people who don't like musicals" because of the diversity of musical styles, and heavy focus on story and characters over having everything be a musical number just for the sake of it.
Not only is this musical timely given the current state of grocery shopping (and CEO greed) in Canada, but it also includes a reference to "The Pitt" and the use of the term "nepo baby."
The set is perhaps the highlight of the show for me. Audiences are immediately immersed in the familiar setting of No Frills with the simple presence of a variety of yellow boxes on stage labelled in black lowercase font. Most are labelled as conventional food items like "chicken nuggets," but the eagle-eyed viewer may also notice titles like "morality," "Canadian talent" and "set piece for theatre."
While there are puppets in the cast (representing the CEOs of Walmart, Sobeys and Metro), this show is certainly not for children.
Director Dave Barclay makes exceptional use of the venue, having actors deliver key moments from the unique mezzanine area. The performances were strong overall, especially from Thomas Sharpe who delivers a memorable portrayal of the completely selfish and out-of-touch Galen Easton.
There is great potential in Galen's Grocer and I would be pleased to see it find a life beyond the Fringe, especially in a time when Canadian content is so yearned for and deeply appreciated.
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