There’s something quietly unsettling about the idea that a house might not be as still as it seems.
That tension sits at the heart of cicadas, a new eco-thriller arriving at Tarragon Theatre’s Mainspace from May 5–24. Created by acclaimed playwright David Yee and composer Chris Thornborrow, and directed by Nina Lee Aquino, the production transforms a familiar Toronto setting into something far more ominous.
Set in 2032, the story follows a couple who move into a home near Trinity Bellwoods — a neighbourhood many Torontonians know well. But what begins as a fresh start quickly unravels. Strange leaks appear without cause, moss begins to spread uncontrollably, and a persistent buzzing — the sound of cicadas — hums through the air. It’s a slow, creeping unease that suggests something beneath the surface is waking up.
Rather than relying on traditional jump-scare theatrics, cicadas builds its atmosphere through sound, design, and live music, creating an immersive experience that feels as much heard and felt as it is seen. The production evolved from a shorter radio play, and that origin is still present in its layered soundscape — where music and storytelling work side by side to shape the tension.
For Tarragon, the production also carries a sense of artistic history. As Artistic Director Mike Payette notes, the show marks a meaningful reunion:
“It is also a homecoming of sorts in bringing back David and Nina into a production that will be shared at Tarragon Theatre in Toronto after its Ottawa run – over a decade after their seminal and award-winning creation Carried Away on the Crest of a Wave.”
Artistic Director Mike Payette
That earlier collaboration left a lasting impression on Canadian theatre, and cicadas feels poised to continue that legacy — albeit in a very different tonal space.
At its core, the production blends mystery with environmental anxiety, asking what happens when the natural world begins to push back in ways we can no longer ignore. It’s not just about what’s happening inside the house, but what it represents — a city, and a future, shaped by forces we may have underestimated.
For Toronto audiences, there’s something especially compelling about seeing a story like this unfold in a setting so close to home. Trinity Bellwoods isn’t a distant, fictional place — it’s real, lived-in, and familiar. That familiarity makes the story’s unsettling elements land just a little harder.
cicadas runs at Tarragon Theatre’s Mainspace from May 5–24, 2026. Tickets range from $24–$72 and are available 👉 https://purchase.tarragontheatre.com
For those looking for theatre that blends atmosphere, sound, and timely themes, this is one to watch — and perhaps listen closely to.
Cover photo: Ryan Hollyman, Monica Dottor by Dahlia Katz
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