★★★½
She Kills Monsters by Epiphany Arts Inc. combines the brevity of the play’s ‘Young Adventurers Edition’ with the risqué humour of the original 2011 script. Despite its facade as a raucous Dungeons and Dragons adventure, She Kills Monsters harbours a compelling exploration of sisterly bonds.
Those sisters are Agnes and Tilly Evans, who are played by Holly Gallagher and Ruby Elane, respectively. Sick of her nerdy sister disrupting her average life, Agnes wishes she didn’t have a sister at all.
This wish kills Tilly in a car accident, leaving Agnes searching for a way to understand her late sister. She’s even willing to check out Dungeons and Dragons.
Though many plays can lose focus in their second half, She Kills Monsters does the opposite. Its beginnings may feel unclear, but its effective comedic timing quickly establishes why it’s a worthy watch.
The play contains many dance numbers to ’90s hits. These, along with its fight scenes, are well choreographed. They keep the show feeling quick and leave space for the moments between songs to make a bigger impact.
A handful of these musical numbers feature live vocal performances. Directors Annie Macarthur and Anna Jaques made a clever choice in introducing this element to the play. The vocal talent in She Kills Monsters is compelling.
Ruby Elane’s delicate performance of Alanis Morissette’s Uninvited is a surprisingly tender moment. It pulls together the music and rising tension effectively transitioning the play to its final scenes.
What stands out most in this show is its brutal comedy. This primarily resides in its collection of well-cast mean girls.
Vera, played by Stephanie Calia, is one of the show’s strongest performances. As Vera, Calia consistently delivers bitey one-liners. Her voice perfectly suits the role. It captures how Vera’s tough exterior hides a kind heart and good intentions. Indeed, Calia as Vera is a must-see.
Additionally, though her outfit is more reminiscent of Y2K fashion than the ‘90s, it perfectly captures Vera as a powerful presence the second she steps on stage. It’s a nice example of characterisation.
On a similar note, the two succubuses, played by Astrid Macarthur and Ivy Wilkes, are another strong case of mean girl excellence. This is Macarthur’s third time in the role, and she’s got her character down to a fine art. The two are delightfully evil.
Tully Agostino-Morrow as Miles and Thomas Emery as Steve are also fun to watch in their scenes. Emery in particular nails being a cartoonish nerd.
The use of a projector adds some multimedia embellishments, and the illustrations of the DND character introductions are adorable. They feel as if they were pulled directly from Tilly’s sketchbook.
The production could have benefited from some consistent costume design to better establish how different Tilly and Agnes are. This would also help the play’s transitions from the DND campaign to the real world.
She Kills Monsters is an emotionally resonant and fun romp into the world of Dungeons and Dragons. With a talented cast of young, Sydney-based actors and a backdrop of ‘90s hits, it’s for sure a promising production.
She Kills Monsters is presented by Epiphany Arts Inc and runs to 26 September 2026 at the Eternity Playhouse as part of Sdney Fringe. 39 Burton Street Darlinghurst NSW 2010.
Tickets: https://sydneyfringe.com/
Website: https://www.epiphanyartsinc.
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/epiphanyartsinc and https://www.instagram.com/sydneyfringe/
Images supplied.
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