She Kills Monsters

Age 11, Grade 5 Magog Montessori School

On March 10, 2023, I went to see a play at Centennial Theatre at Bishop’s University called She Kills Monsters written by Qui Nguyen. The play is about a high school teacher whose sister died in a car accident. Her sister played a game called D&D (Dungeons and Dragons).

I really liked it as a D&D player. I could understand more and follow the play. The play is happening through the woman's life and some parts in the game. It is well constructed in the sense that there are many layers to the script. It is dramatic, funny, and sad all in one. The story deals with many topics such as love, grief, happiness, fantasy, and reality.

The battle scenes throughout the play are very realistic. I was very impressed by the actors’ ability to portray fighting in a way that seemed like the movements were real. For example, when someone was stabbed, even from sitting in the audience, not far away, it seemed to be real. There were many special effects for a stage play. It really felt like being in a live Dungeons and Dragons game, or being a crew member watching a movie live. It left a good effect on me as an audience member. It was like jumping into a character that I am used to playing on a board with my friends. There was impressive lighting, images, and puppets that made some parts of the play feel more scary or intimidating.

There is some adult language throughout the play. I found it reasonable for someone my age. The script in a lot of parts is very humoristic. The music choice was in the 90s style like Spice Girls. The music played a big role in the play. Without the music choice, it would have felt more intense and less fun. The

music brought the energy up, which made a fun balance with all of the other elements.

I would recommend this play to people 10 years of age and older who enjoy fantasy, especially for D&D players.