I was thrilled to meet actors/creators Yana Menov and Yuriy Popov of Toronto’s indie theatre group Studio Reflection Theater and was even more excited when they asked me to help promote their current Fringe Festival performances of The Turing Test in Kingston and (next week) London, Ontario. Summer is not the ideal time to present stage festivals – let’s face it, everyone is either up at the cottage or enjoying family BBQs in the back garden and is definitely a challenge to get bums in seats. But these two talented actors have been working hard promoting their shows in person: handing out flyers, putting up posters and burning up social media with photos, videos and promos. Whew, it’s hard out there for an actor!
The Turing Test is a sharp, emotionally resonant, and genre-blending theatrical piece that invites audiences to reflect on what it truly means to be human through a sharp, witty and visually rich exploration of relationships, technology, and identity.
Yana and Yuriy successfully wrapped up their shows at Windsor Fringe Fest about 10 days ago, and are currently mid-run at The Grand Theatre at this year’s Kingston Fringe. Then next week, they’ll be hitting the stage at the Palace Theatre in London. In between performances, I got a chance to ask Yana and Yuriy a few questions about The Turing Test, a look at how Artificial Intelligence could impact our personal lives and how human emotions can impact the inter-species(?) relationship.
Yuriy and Yana, congratulations on mounting the play The Turing Test at the various Fringe Festivals across Ontario. What first inspired you to present the play and who wrote it?
Yuriy (Y): Thank you! I first read The Turing Test and thought, “This is either a comedy, a tragedy… or both — which means it’s perfect.” It’s by Russian playwright Igor Yakimov, and it’s got that rare mix of wit, philosophy, and emotional gut punches. I was hooked because it’s about so much more than AI — it’s about human connection, which, ironically, is the thing we humans most often struggle with.
Yana (Ya): When Yuriy showed me the script, I was laughing one moment and tearing up the next. The dialogue felt alive, like it was speaking directly to me. And under the humor, there was this tenderness and truth about loneliness, love, and the strange ways we find each other. I couldn’t resist it.
You’ve performed The Turing Test in Russian and now have translated the play into English for Canadian audiences with subtitles shown on the screen behind the action on stage. How do you enjoy performing in English…do you ever slip in Russian?
Yuriy (Y): Performing in English is like wearing a suit tailored by a very talented but slightly unpredictable tailor — it fits, but sometimes you discover an extra pocket you didn’t expect. We rehearsed so much that the language stopped being a barrier and became part of the character’s voice. Yes, on rare occasions a Russian word will try to sneak in — they’re stubborn like that. And I’m sure there’s still a Russian accent, but audiences tell us it disappears from their mind after the first ten minutes.
Yana (Ya): The rehearsals made the English feel completely natural – at this point it’s not about “translating” anymore, it’s about living inside the lines. The text is so layered that once you’re in the emotion, the English flows without thinking. We might still have a hint of an accent, but once the audience is drawn in, it’s just part of the rhythm of the play.
With so many people concerned about the use of Artificial Intelligence in everyday life, how does the play’s subject affect audiences? Have you received comments from people about their fears of AI?
Yuriy (Y): We’ve had people come up after the show and say, “This is exactly why I don’t trust my smart toaster.” But seriously — the AI element gets people thinking, not so much about robots taking over, but about what makes us… us. Are we really so different from the algorithms we create? Think of it as dessert for your brain — sweet, a little strange, and maybe a bit dangerous.
Yana (Ya): Some arrive expecting a “tech” story, but what stays with them is the emotional side — how easy it is to open your heart to something (or someone) you don’t fully understand. It makes them think about their own relationships. AI just happens to be the mirror we’re holding up.
Where did you both train for acting? Did you meet in acting school or on the stage?
Yuriy (Y): We’ve both been fortunate to train with highly skilled professionals in the drama world – people who really pushed us to grow and challenged us to think differently about performance. We actually met while working on another production, which is the actor’s equivalent of meeting in a foxhole: you learn a lot about someone when you’re both trying to remember your lines and not fall off the set.
Yana (Ya): Yes, our first meeting was in a production where we barely had time to say “hi” before being thrown into intense rehearsals. It felt like being tossed into the deep end — only the water was pure emotion, and you just had to learn to swim together.
After the current run at the Kingston Fringe Festival, you head off to London, Ontario, next week to their Festival. Any expectations of a new audience? Is the London Fringe already promoting ticket sales?
Yuriy (Y): In Kingston, the best “marketing advice” I got from a professional artistic producer was: “If you want more people at your show, go to a pub, have a beer, talk to people, and cry that you came for the Fringe but nobody showed up. People here have big hearts — they’ll feel sorry for you, and the whole pub will follow you to your venue. Just make sure you negotiate with the management so they can bring their beer along.”
For London, we’re hoping we won’t need to consume quite that much alcohol to fill the seats. We trust people will see the audience feedback on our Instagram and be curious enough to check it out. And yes – tickets for London are already on sale. But if all else fails… we know which pub to start with.
Yana (Ya): Kingston showed us how open-hearted Fringe audiences are — sometimes all it takes is an honest conversation to make a real connection. For London, I hope curiosity will come from the buzz, from friends telling friends, and from those little glimpses we’ve been sharing online. There’s something magical about walking into a theatre expecting an unusual story.
You have a special one-night-only performance of The Turing Test in Toronto happening in September. I gather it will be staged in an intimate studio space north of the downtown – do you anticipate a longer run closer to downtown Toronto sometime during the winter months?
Yuriy (Y): That’s the plan. The September show is a “stress test” for the play – small space, close audience, nowhere to hide. If it goes as I expect, a downtown winter run will be the logical next step.
Yana (Ya): I love intimate spaces because you can feel the audience breathing with you. It’s electric. And yes, I’d love to bring it downtown — the more chances to share it, the better.
Any other projects in the works?
Yuriy (Y): Plenty. After seeing other Fringe shows, we’ve been buzzing with ideas. You see another actor do something brilliant and think, “Yep, I’m stealing that… respectfully.” Between that and our own original concepts, our plate is full. Plus, we’re part of other theatres’ productions, so sometimes we’re not just cooking the meal – we’re also the surprise ingredient.
Yana (Ya): And in the middle of all that, we’re rehearsing two completely different children’s plays – one a traditional piece, the other a fully interactive show where the audience becomes part of the story. It’s like switching between a classic novel and a choose-your-own-adventure book. Keeps us on our toes… and slightly sleep-deprived.
How can people follow you – do you have a website or social media?
Yuriy (Y): We’re easy to find — search studio.reflection.theater on Instagram or Facebook. You’ll see our adventures, behind-the-scenes moments, and the occasional teaser that makes you go, “Wait… what on earth are they doing on stage?”
Yana (Ya): Social media is the best way to follow us — see show clips, join the conversation, and occasionally catch a late-night philosophical musing about theatre. We promise, it’s more entertaining than your average bedtime scroll.
Thanks Y & Y – so if you live in the Kingston, ON area, you only have a couple more performances, but if you’re a Londoner, you can catch several performances at The Palace Theatre – see details below. Tkts avail. here: https://palacetheatre.ca/london-fringe/
She took up arms, rallied her tribe and lead a revolt against the occupying Roman troops, raising towns and settlements as she headed towards Londinium (London). She set the most western outpost of the Roman Empire ablaze! Sadly, she was killed and the Iceni were conquered and absorbed into the main population of the British Isles. All this took place near where I was born and where both sides of my family originated (there’s even a town called Fordham in Essex county). So here’s to all the Boudicas out there continuing the fight against oppression, cruelty, misogyny and the path of destruction and bullshit created mostly by men. HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!