Salt Lake City — The time has come for the Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival, and in preparation for the upcoming weekend I got a sneak peak of one of their shows with My Brother is a Vampire, written by local playwright Morag Sheperd, who with her team put on an early sneak peak of the production because after a weekend at the Salt Lake Fringe, this team is taking their production across the pond to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Having spent a week at the Edinburgh Fringe myself last year, I was excited to see what Utah would be bringing to the International Festival that celebrates art on the edge. Directed by Stephanie Stroud, and performed by Tyler Fox and Ariana Farber, this intimate tale of trauma focuses on two siblings whose experiences, told in reverse, show just how convoluted reality and fiction can become when from a young age we are left to be our own protectors.
One of the best parts about a fringe show is the small space and minimal set design, allowing the focus to be on the actors, the writing, and the direction. Throughout the production there was a strong emphasis on Fox and Farber’s characters being connected through songs that their abusive father sang, and the mix of both pain and joy that came through their faces when singing those songs was quite palpable. Being able to see this in a small setting, without flashy costumes or sets is one thing I love about intimate and short storytelling. Farber’s character also had some mysterious and mystical powers that could take over Fox, and those powers felt terrifying and freeing at different points of the story. It is not until the end, which is also the beginning, that this makes sense. The careful direction by Stroud to make a story like this work, and show the beauty in simple movements and connection between two characters was stunning.
Sound design by Griffin Irish was also notable. This is because at first the sound seems scary and out of this world. However, as the story progresses, the real fear becomes evident that it is laced in trauma and reality and that it is perhaps a little too real. Whether this is to be interpreted as dissociation or true powers of the supernatural are perhaps left to the individual audience member. What makes the difference between a good story and a great story is that ability to allow for the interpretation that is necessary for the soul watching. It should be noted that there could certainly be triggers and trauma brought up when witnessing this production. Which can often be cathartic. Watching the actors as siblings navigate the horrific tales and trials of abuse was painful and yet triumphant. I am excited to see how it translates at the Salt Lake Fringe and in Scotland.
These reviews are made possible by a grant from the Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts, and Parks program.
