Two people pose against a black background. The person in front, an older man with a beard, sticks out his tongue and makes a playful face while holding both index fingers up like horns. Behind him, another person wraps their arms around the front person’s head and smiles gently at the camera.
Photo of John Ng and Dean Gilmour by Johnny Hockin
Photo of John Ng and Dean Gilmour by Johnny Hockin

Pu Songling: Strange Tales

Theatre Smith-Gilmour in Association with Crow’s Theatre
Adapted by Dean Gilmour, Michael Man, John Ng, Rosie Simon, Michele Smith, Diana Tso, Lindsay Wu, and Jeff Yung
Directed by Michele Smith

World Premiere
Jan 13, 2026 - Feb 1, 2026
Studio Theatre

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Enter the spellbinding world of Pu Songling, the visionary writer whose tales of the supernatural have captivated audiences for centuries. Now, in a striking new adaptation, internationally celebrated Theatre Smith-Gilmour (Metamorphoses 2023) brings these timeless fables to life.

By turns whimsical and spine-tingling, this dynamic production captures the spirit of a literary master whose work touches on timeless themes that bind us across generations.

One of Canada’s most enduring theatre companies, Theatre Smith-Gilmour has long been a touchstone for daring and essential storytelling. Pu Songling: Strange Tales reaffirms their reputation for fearless, boundary-pushing work — where theatricality reigns and the extraordinary occurs in every moment.


Truth and illusion are woven together – and who can say which is which.

- Pu Songling, Liozhai Zhiyi (Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio)

[Theatre Smith-Gilmour] have been producing thought-provoking movement based work that challenges the status quo for 42 years and have done it brilliantly

- Lynn Slotkin

Artistic Team

Michele Smith

Adaptor

Diana Tso

Adaptor

John Ng 伍健琪

Adaptor

Dean Gilmour

Adaptor

郝邦宇 Steven Hao

Adaptor

Madelaine Hodges

Adaptor

Rosie Simon

Adaptor

Michael Man

Adaptor

Jeff Young

Adaptor

Lindsay Wu

Adaptor

Michele Smith

Director

Noah Feaver

Lighting Designer