SALT LAKE CITY — A good work of art makes me feel all sorts of strong emotions, and Thimble does precisely that. It was created by the two performers acting in it, Kaitlin Lemon as Peter and Laura Elise Chapman as Wendy. This show is produced by An Other Theater Company and plays for two weekends at the Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival.
Thimble is performed mostly in dance and pantomime with lots of emotional expressions. It shows Peter Pan and Wendy meeting for the first time and playing together. They seemed to have so much fun that I could not help but wish to join them and be a kid again. However, the scene restarts and they go through similar motions twice, each time getting more and more intense with foreboding and minor key music of the previous scene’s childlike music. The relationship becomes aggressive and dominant, as Peter overcomes the victimized Wendy, who is terrified. The ending was a stark contrast to the original Peter Pan story, and it brought out some harsh and painful emotions in me of dealing manipulative and controlling people.
I loved the way Lemon and Chapman performed Thimble‘s modern style of dance, and the actors use of “thimble” sometimes being a kiss, a leaf, or a thimble, was interesting. I felt sick to my stomach seeing Peter act forcefully and harmful to Wendy and then act like he loved her again. Later Lemon shared that Thimble included the dark side of her life and her view of other meanings that J. M. Barrie‘s story could have had. I thought it was so clever and poignant the way they showed a healthy happy relationship change to manipulative and harmful.
Thimble is a powerful piece and a perfect Fringe show to see. I am so glad and grateful for the artists that put it together, and I hope they are able to perform this all over the country.
