Press / Testimonials
SINNER is a one-woman musical tragicomedy that blends original songs, storytelling, and comedy to examine religious conditioning, patriarchy, and how women are taught to shape themselves around impossible expectations.
Toronto Fringe Press
Brian Morton
The Hammer Monthly
"One of the strongest new musicals I have seen at the festival in many years."
"Torgerson succeeds because she brings together exceptional songwriting, powerful storytelling,
and a level of personal honesty that never feels manufactured."
"SINNER distinguishes itself through the remarkable quality of its score."
"Every song feels like an essential chapter in the story rather than an interruption to it."
"The production remains remarkably focused and emotionally satisfying."
"This is one of the standout productions I have encountered."
"With its combination of fearless storytelling, outstanding songwriting, and a magnetic central
performance, SINNER feels destined for a long life beyond Toronto."
"This is a production with the potential to travel a very long way."
"This show is highly recommended."
My Entertainment World
A- Recommended
"One of the strongest solo shows of the festival."
Intermission Magazine
"Sinner is a musical gospel unabashedly taking up space."
"Torgerson's bright, powerful belt... it's hard not to head-bang along."
"When the worst thing a woman can be is selfish, Marla Torgerson's Sinner is loudly, proudly, for
herself and anyone trained to shrink themselves."John Gilks
Opera Ramblings
"A succinct and very funny exposition..."
"She tells the story with humour and sensitivity."
Fringe Reviews
"Hilarious, fearless, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful."
"With razor-sharp wit, unforgettable songs, soaring vocals... Sinner is as entertaining as it is
emotionally devastating."
"Everyone else will laugh, cry, and leave with the warmth of healing old wounds, knowing they
are enough, after all."
"It isn't just a story about religion; it's about anyone who's had to leave behind the world that
raised them in order to become themselves."
"Don't miss this one."
Prior Press
Audience members have described the experience as
A powerful, raw performance
An eye-opening, theatrical therapy session.
Many cite the show’s precision in naming subconscious patterns around approval and validation:
It was like having a belief mirrored back to me and seeing how absurd my seeking of male validation is, and how it started at a super young age.
SINNER explores how trauma persists beyond circumstance or geography. One audience response described a moment as “SO haunting and so familiar,” noting how, “it is unbelievable how much is imprinted in our nervous system that we carry with us into adulthood, even when we go to another country.”
The performance expands beyond personal narrative to address generational and collective impact:
Zooming out from your personal experience and looking at the collective.
Patriarchal, oppressive systems are painful for our psychology and our bodies, as women and men.
Patriarchy hurts ALL of us.
Audiences report leaving the show with a sense of recognition and affirmation:
Sinner is the type of show my soul didn’t know it needed.
I have never felt so seen.
It inspired me to not be afraid to be authentic, to speak up and empower the people around me.