Review: The Truth and Darers

Ginko and Co.’s new play, The Truth and Darers, is truly excellent. Exploring heavy themes of teenage angst, trauma, and self-discovery, the production transports its audience to the summer of 2012 to follow a group of energetic, small-town thirteen-year-olds as they gather in an abandoned barn to play an intense, ongoing game of Truth or Dare, where lying or backing down from a dare means instant banishment from both the barn and the friend group.

Written by Shanti Harris and directed by Arthi Chandra, the one-act play ran at the Arts Umbrella from September 11-20 as part of the 2026 Vancouver Fringe Festival. Elevated by engaging storytelling, excellent pacing, and powerful acting, it was an absolute joy to watch from start to finish!

Firstly, the brilliant storytelling captivates from the very start. For a 70-minute one-act play, Shanti Harris does a masterful job of letting every character share their voice in an authentic, sincere way. Each character carries profound personal trauma, and Harris shines a clear light on how these struggles impact them mentally and emotionally, delivering a beautifully written script with deeply realistic characters.

Arthi Chandra’s direction flawlessly captures early-2010s nostalgia. The show immediately feels realistic by featuring popular tracks from the era, such as “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO and “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore. Chandra brings these cultural details to life wonderfully. The play is packed with spot-on references to the 2012 apocalypse scare, sketchy online chat rooms, and a time when Facebook was still the main social media app for teenagers.

Every actor was a standout, sharing excellent chemistry on stage. Sam Braun gave a powerful, emotional performance as Eric, especially during his heartbreaking monologue about his home life. Angella Cody as Lucy demonstrated incredible range, capturing her hyper-analytical, guarded personality. Liam Ma brought raw vulnerability to Leaf that truly tugged at the audience’s heartstrings. Shanti Harris was highly convincing as Angela, doing a wonderful job portraying her character’s deep resilience. Owen Connelly added energy and humour with sharp comedic timing as Copper. Aiden Howard gave a compelling performance as Stan, maintaining his character’s defensive, impulsive nature.

As a pre-teen in the early 2010s, The Truth and Darers deeply resonated with me, waking up a lot of old memories. I love the raw authenticity of the story and appreciate how much thoughtfulness went into the script. This standout production proves that Ginko and Co. is rapidly rising to become a prominent force in the Vancouver theatre community.

Rating: 5/5

Date watched: September 18th, 2026

Location: Arts Umbrella, Vancouver BC

Review by: Elizabeth Kanyamuna