To Kill a Curse 

Reviewed by Vicki Stokes

You’d better be on your toes when you begin watching Liars at a Funeral, now on the South Huron Stage at Huron Country Playhouse. Previously on stage in St. Jacobs from June 25th to July 12th,​ this hilarious comedy can now be enjoyed at Grand Bend.

This wild farce has nine characters, seemingly, or eleven if you want to get technical. However, look closely and you will see that some characters bear striking resemblances to other characters, and the funeral parlour set never hosts more than five people. Cleverly written, ingeniously acted, Liars at a Funeral lets you watch and laugh as the characters deal with a family curse while numerous secrets are revealed.

Mary Pitt plays Mavis, a mother and grandmother who fakes her death in an attempt to get her family together to break the family curse. Truthfully, there is no way to get everyone together because of the double roles, but watch as they cleverly work around that problem!

Leorah is the professional, take-charge yet seductive executive director of the funeral home, played by Jan Alexandra Smith. Smith also plays Mavis’ daughter Evelyn, who has a secret life and whose twin daughters have issues to resolve. The daughters, DeeDee and Mia, played by Alison Beckwith, both have secrets and need to reconcile with one another.

Actor Mark Crawford, who is also a brilliant playwright, plays Evelyn’s ex-husband Wayne, while also posing as Evelyn’s boyfriend Frank. Fuad Ahmed plays Quint, who is trying to claw his way up the funeral business ladder, and Cam, who works for Bell Canada. Both Quint and Cam are involved with Evelyn’s daughters.

All of the actors excel in distinguishing each role through wardrobe, hairstyle changes, voice and mannerisms. They flawlessly switch roles and appear in different doorways than you would expect. At a certain point, the once-occupied casket is empty upon being opened.

Among the many laughs are some cathartic moments that address the family curse. The phony funeral is a happy one, and the family begins to build new bonds. With a happy ending for all, it’s a fun, humour-filled and memorable evening at the funeral parlour, I mean, theatre.

Liars at a Funeral continues until August 2nd at Huron Country Playhouse, South Huron Stage. Tickets are available by calling the Box Office at 519-238-6000, or Toll-Free at 1-855-372-9866, or by checking www.huroncountryplayhouse.com for availability.

Photo: Jan Alexandra Smith, Mark Crawford, Alison Beckwith and Fuad Ahmed in Liars at a Funeral. Photo by Cheryl Oudshoorn.

Liars at a Funeral
Written by Sophia Fabiilli
Directed by Dennis Garnhum
Performed by Fuad Ahmed, Alison Beckwith, Mark Crawford, Mary Pitt, Jan Alexandra Smith
Drayton Entertainment
South Huron Stage, Huron Country Playhouse, Grand Bend
July 16 to August 2, 2025
Reviewed by Vicki Stokes