A sold-out improv comedy show set during the War of 1812 brought a different kind of history lesson to Navy Hall in Niagara-on-the-Lake during the Icewine Festival weekend.
Improv Niagara performed on Jan. 24 at Navy Hall for a crowd of 56 spectators, presenting three fully improvised one-act plays set in Upper Canada during the war.
The goal was to reach local and visiting audiences who may not attend regular re-enactments or lectures, all while supporting Parks Canada’s programs.
The six Improv Niagara performers spent seven months preparing the show, which ran under the watch of Fort George historical interpreters who stopped scenes to correct inaccuracies.
Two of the performers, John McBrien and Sam Challen, also work as interpreters at Fort George and brought their knowledge of the times into the improv scenes.
“For someone who may not be into a re-enactment may be into comedic improv, this is a vehicle for them to learn more about the War of 1812,” said Peter Martin, events co-ordinator for Parks Canada across southwest Ontario. “Admittedly, it’s mostly comedy, but there are a few factual things thrown in there.”
The three acts followed American spies blundering through Upper Canada with mosquito schemes and weather powers, a family feud over linen that exposed a traitorous brother and a final scene built around button hooks after a detailed explanation of what they were and why they mattered.
The performance included a live fact-check system that allowed interpreters to yell “halt” if a detail did not align with the period. A short moment for corrections followed before the scene continued.
The performers took as much pleasure in the chaos as the audience, and the room answered with bounding laughter throughout the night. The performers never missed a chance to take a jab at the Americans, bringing a sort of timeless humour to each act as relavent during the current Canada–U.S. trade war as it was durign the War of 1812.
The cast stayed sharp and adaptive, always ready with one more joke, one more twist, and a confident sense stretch the scene just a bit further.
Martin compared he scale of the event to larger Parks Canada programs that involve hundreds of participants.
“We’re not talking like thousands of spectators. It’s an intimate evening, which is one of my favorites because it’s cozy, warm, and there’s a lot of fun going on,” said Martin.
Parks Canada runs events of varied sizes across the region, including large War of 1812 reenactments and smaller theatrical programs.
Producer Dan Dingwall said the show differed from Improv Niagara’s usual performances, which rely on broad audience suggestions rather than a fixed setting.
“Our hope for the show is that people get entertained, maybe learn a couple of things, and get introduced to live comedy at the same time,” said Dingwall.
The idea originated with Brie Watson, Improv Niagara’s artistic director and a Parks Canada employee.
“This was kind of her brainchild. They’ve been working on this for probably six or seven months, which is more rehearsal than you’d think for improv,” said Dingwall.
During opening remarks, Watson told the audience that ticket revenue supported Parks Canada programming at Fort George, including student employment.
She also noted that Fort George will again offer free admission from June 19 to Sept. 7, 2026 under the federal “Canada Strong” program.
Martin and Dingwall said they would consider staging the event again, depending on future schedules.
