DIVINE MONSTER Comes to Toronto Fringe Festival This July

Bernhardt Productions will present Divine Monster as part of the 2025 Toronto Fringe Festival, running July 2–12 at Soulpepper Theatre’s RBC Finance Studio in the Distillery District.

Written by Canadian playwright Elena Kaufman, Divine Monster is a contemporary ghost story set in Paris’s legendary Père Lachaise Cemetery. After a rough night, a young Canadian musician named Martha finds herself face to face with the ghost of iconic actress Sarah Bernhardt. The two clash and connect in unexpected ways, debating art, love, failure, celebrity, and what it means to be remembered. Bernhardt gets a glimpse into the twenty-first century—but Martha may not be prepared for what she's about to encounter.

The cast features Bonnie Anderson as Sarah Bernhardt, bringing over 30 years of experience in theatre, film, and television; Hope Goudsward as Martha, portraying the role with raw intensity; and Greg Campbell, who takes on multiple roles including Molière and Oscar Wilde. The production is directed by Mary Dwyer, with lighting design by Eric Koski-Harja, stage management by Zahra Esmail, and design consulting by Debra Hale.

Divine Monster was a finalist for the 2022 Carlo Annoni Playwriting Prize. This production marks its world premiere.

Performance Schedule at Toronto Fringe:

• July 2 at 7:45pm

• July 4 at 6:15pm

• July 5 at 3:00pm

• July 6 at 3:00pm

• July 8 at 4:30pm

• July 10 at 1:00pm

• July 11 at 4:45pm

• July 12 at 1:00pm