KILLING JANET
Written by Omalolu “OJ” Fiki, Directed by Leslie Meisel
Produced by INUMIDUN Inc.
Presented by the New York City Fringe Festival
April 11, 2026 - April 16, 2026
Walking into the theater to see Killing Janet, we are greeted by a stage set up for a fun and entertaining game show. There are podiums for contestants to stand at, as well as lights and glitter, evoking a nostalgia for the shows we all know and love.
It is clear that we’re in for a good time, and writer/performer Omalolu “OJ” Fiki, does not disappoint.
Fiki’s undeniable stage presence, incredible high energy, and uncanny ability to land a one-liner are on full display as she takes us on the journey to decide whether or not WE will choose to kill Janet – a part of her that I won’t spoil here – or allow her to live.
We see the ups and downs of Fiki’s life through the eyes of a woman who has had to be one thing for one group of people, and something else entirely for another – all while trying to find her own identity while traversing both worlds.
The story is, as predicted, fun AND entertaining. However, there are moments where Fiki’s manic portrayals don’t allow for the audience to know who is actually talking. We don’t get to take a breath and relax into the story because Fiki has yet to take a breath. And by the time she does, this slow, beautiful moment of vulnerability escapes its full potential as she sits in profile, not fully letting us in.
What are the consequences of losing Janet? What are the consequences of keeping her? The ending just misses the mark as the one RULE we weren’t privy to gets lost in the sauce: Does she actually need Janet, or not?
Whatever your thoughts are on the final moments of the piece, you are absolutely in for a wild and heartfelt ride with Janet…I mean, Omalolu…I mean, OJ…I mean, with this talented performer in the driver’s seat.
Click HERE for tickets.
Review by Nick Radu-Blackburn.
Published by Theatre Beyond Broadway on April 11, 2026. All rights reserved.
