Burn brings thrills , laughs and big roles to Lethbridge stage

By Lethbridge Herald on February 3, 2026.

HERALD PHOTO BY JOE MANIO Aby Spencer as Eve continues her haunting “ghost story,” gesturing toward Jason Lisburn (Robert) as he sits with Jordan Bond (David) at the table, while Robin Kalau (Sam) listens from the sofa in the background during Burn by Canadian playwright John Muggleton.

By Joe Manio

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter- Lethbridge Herald

The Playgoers of Lethbridge are coming in hot with Burn, a darkly funny psychological thriller by Canadian playwright John Muggleton, opening today at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre.

Directed by Henry Ross Jacobs, the production marks the Playgoers’ first show of the year and promises an intimate night of theatre that blends humour with intensity, keeping audiences on edge from start to finish.

“I love Canadian plays and Canadian writers,” says Jacobs. “John Muggleton comes from my hometown of Ottawa, so there’s a bit of hometown pride there.”

Jacobs also chose Burn for its decade-long track record and festival acclaim, including at the Edinburgh Fringe. The play offers something different from Playgoers’ usual productions and gives actors the chance to tackle richer, more challenging dialogue.

“I like doing something other than what audiences are used to,” he says. “As a thriller, it gives actors the opportunity to really act, with some meaty dialogue.”

Burn explores power, guilt and moral responsibility through a charged confrontation between two people, as buried choices and unspoken consequences slowly surface.

The small cast allows audiences to experience the story up close in the Sterndale Bennett Theatre’s intimate space. Jacobs says the venue lets the company take risks while still drawing a full house.

“This space allows for a more intimate experience,” he says. “I love shows where you feel part of the action. We designed this show so the audience feels right there in the room with the characters.”

The cast includes Jason Lisburn as Robert, Jordan Bond as David, Robin Kalau as Sam, and Aby Spencer as Eve.

Robert is first onstage…composed and authoritative, but his certainty masks unresolved moral fractures. For Lisburn, the role requires sustaining that ambiguity while letting the audience sense the tension beneath the surface.

“One of the things my character does is a lot of laughing in the first act,” Lisburn says. “Everybody likes someone who enjoys a good joke, and I’m trying to get the audience to warm up to me through the humour.”

David is steady and observant, grounding the unfolding tension, while Sam’s unpredictable energy keeps the dynamic charged — setting the stage for Eve’s arrival, whose quiet presence will act as the catalyst that shifts everything.

Eve arrives last, her composed, understated presence subtly shifting tone and momentum. For Spencer, the role is a chance to exert quiet influence while tackling far more dialogue than she’s accustomed to.

“This is definitely the biggest role I’ve done,” she says. “I’ve mostly done comedies or musicals. To have monologues a page long, just me delivering them, is a lot — and I’m impressed I was able to memorize it all.”

Burn opens a new season for the Lethbridge Playgoers, one of the city’s longest-running community theatre organizations. Founded in 1923, they are also among Canada’s oldest community theatre groups.

Over 103 years, the Playgoers have staged comedies, dramas and musicals while providing opportunities for local performers, designers and directors. President Elaine Jagielski says theatre plays many roles in the community, bringing people together both on and off stage.

“Whether you’re creating the show or watching it, the experience is about sharing, provoking thought, and sparking conversation,” she says. “There’s a mix of new and returning participants, both onstage and off.”

Jagielski says Burn was chosen to kick off the year because it challenges audiences while remaining entertaining.

“With Burn, our audience will get something different from what we usually stage, with a bit of a twist,” she says.

With sharp writing, strong performances and an intimate setting, Burn offers theatre-goers a compelling start to the Playgoers’ 2026 season.

Burn runs Feb. 3–7 at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre, with shows at 7 p.m. nightly. Tickets are available through the Lethbridge Playgoers: playgoerslethbridge.ca.