SALT LAKE CITY — Written and performed by Annika Carlson, All Things Considered at the Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival elicited compassion and intrigue the entire play. The one-woman show is a long monologue told by a woman in a hospital waiting room, recounting everything that has brought her into the hospital, and everything that makes this experience so impactful.
Show closed August 7, 2021.
It can be tricky to tell a scripted story without making it sound forced, or like there is an artificial build-up, but Carlson’s narration sounded so very natural, like she was telling the story as it came to mind. The play clearly had points it needed to hit, but it never felt like the audience was being led towards any end goal, which is very impressive. The audience that attended with me may not have been particularly responsive, but Carlson kept going strong, as if someone was reacting to her story in real time, which helped the flow of her performance.
All Things Considered is a very real, very raw story, and I cannot imagine how exhausting it must be to perform it, especially considering there was never a single moment where Carlson looked like she was stumbling over lines. It may not be the most exciting show at the Fringe Festival this year, but it is so moving and heartfelt. And also the red velvet slip-on shoes Carlson’s character wears are one of the most incredible things I have ever seen on stage.
These reviews are made possible by a grant from the Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts, and Parks program.
