By Chelsea Mortensen
The premise of Telephone by Claire Stucki is a preternatural telephone booth in the middle of the Mojave Desert where travelers wrestling with big questions or decisions feel inexplicably drawn to. Encouraged by its watchful guardian Jey, they accept a phone call from Fate telling them exactly what choice to make. But do not let the simple “Institution vs. Free Will” synopsis fool you. The script goes much deeper than that, tackling issues of waiting, desire for certainty, and trust.
Kallie Filanda’s Sibyl brings the audience’s perspective into this new world as the traveler who stumbles onto this paranormal situation with all of the confusion and reservations we would have.
Eliza Shoell as Jey has easily been one of my favorite performances I have seen at the Fringe this year. She is a magnetically generous scene partner with Filanda and the Fates. Her growing inner turmoil is ceaselessly believable and never indulgent. I felt myself sitting on the edge of my seat with her as she sifted through the burning questions and de-stabilizing revelations.
Catherine Mortimet, Madelyn Pettingill, and Kim Garcia are the embodiment of Fate, or “the gods” as Jey refers to them, cho the Greek Morirai with an updated female corporate persona complete with black dress-suits. Their stage presence is as perfectly palpable as it needs to be in order to justify the supernatural proposition of the piece.
The compelling use of the space and tension-filled stage pictures shine thanks to the Movement Coordinator Kailey Azure Green. Director Suni Gigliotti uses the aisles and sides of the stage in a way that makes the audience feel very involved in the action and complicit in the conflict between characters.
Telephone is a tightly-constructed drama that stands on its own two legs amidst impressive fellow Fringe shows very well. Be sure to add it to your viewing list if you haven’t already, and come prepared for a beautiful lack of easy answers.
Comet Sweeper Theatre presents Telephone at The Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival
The Gateway, 400 W 100 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
August 9 7:30PM, August 10 1:30PM, August 11 6:00PM
Festival Admission $5, show tickets $10
Box Office Coordinator, Melissa Salguero: gslfboxofficestaff@gmail.com
Comet Sweeper Theatre Facebook Page
Telephone at The Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival Facebook Event Page
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