By Elise C. Hanson-Barnett
It is winter in Iceland, and a woman is dying. She sits on a rock, joined by her youthful companion as he speaks soothingly to her and helps her greet death in the icy, starlit night. There is so much and so little to speak of, and the night is cold and full of rocks. PYGmalion Theatre Company’s In the End There Was Snow is a story of longing, love, and loss.
Teresa Sanderson is an absolute gift to this valley’s theatre community. Her consummate deftness and ability as a performer is elegant and astonishing, and her grace in this role is something for any actor to aspire to. From her first moments as she stumbles onstage, wheezing for breath and gripping her seat, she is a captivating and luminous presence. The Dying Woman is a difficult role to play, as it dances between desperate, childlike fear and biting sarcasm and wit through the action of the story. Sanderson has a steady, practiced hand that executes every level with raw yet enchanting depth.
As the playwright and co-star, Jesse Nepivoda brings a sweet simplicity to his role as the woman’s companion, his gentle naiveté a delicate foil to Sanderson’s searing emotionality and end-of-life wisdom. The plaintive purity of his role cuts through the drama of the play, creating a palatable balance.
Morag Shepherd directs this surrealist piece with evenness and intelligence, her grasp for this style of work apparent in the abiding flow of the action and gorgeous use of movement. In two sequences, her actors repeat a metaphorical pattern of movements with the delicacy of dancers, their dialogue blending with the moves. Shepherd also runs the sound of the show, balancing the soft, emotional score with the dialogue.
In the End There Was Snow is a touching and intricate piece, quite a quintessential example of the Festival in which it participates. I was touched and elevated by the sparkling writing and powerful performances. This one will stay with me for a while.
PYGmalion Theatre Company presents In the End There Was Snow by Jesse Nepivoda
The Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival, The Gateway Mall, 71 S Rio Grande Street SLC, UT 84101
August 5th at 1:30 PM. August 5th at 3:00 PM, August 9th at 9:00 PM, August 11th at 7:30, August 12th at 4:30 PM
The fee to get into the Festival is $5 and the show ticket is $10. All ticket sales go directly to the artist(s).
Tickets can be found at http://www.greatsaltlakefringe.org/tickets/
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